One Of The People
by Mystic Blade
Summary: What would happen if Tsu'tey lived? What would Jake's status be then? What life would Tsu'tey lead among his people? Will he accept the new faces in his clan? What changes would he endure? The story accounts post-film as the remaining humans assimilate into Na'vi culture to live new lives and healing begins as the Omaticaya find their new home. Tsu'teyxOC centered,JakeXNey,NormXOC
1. Eywa's Will

**A/N:**I don't own Avatar and that belongs to James Cameron alone, whom will get my theatre money whenever the sequel comes out so it's all good. I really didn't like how they killed off Tsu'tey and the deleted scenery from the script regarding that made me wonder 'Hey, what _would _happen if he lived and here we have Jake who's Toruk Makto and Neytiri's mate?' and 'How would the remaining humans adjust to the world they were allowed to stay in?'. So in turn, this fanfic was created as I try to incorporate the remaining humans adaptation, Jake's new responsibilities, Tsu'tey's unclear future, and the new lives the Omaticaya will have once they find a new Hometree. Oh, and the _italics_ are for Na'vi speech.

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CHAPTER 1:

**Eywa's Will  


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A hail of bullets and a flurry of multicolored wooden arrows.

That was all I could see as I barreled through the bushes of Pandora's forests to fight off the RDA's vicious attack on the Tree of Souls. No simulation or game could ever attain the raw violence before me and as a scientist, I was way out of my league but the Na'vi needed aid to protect their planet and I would be another number in the ranks along with my fellow Avatar drivers.

I would back up and retell the whole story if I could but while you're avoiding a barrage of bullets from blowing your head clean off your shoulders, stories are the farthest thing from your mind. Darwin's theories pertaining to survival of the fittest was more like it in this setting. So while I'm jumping through Pandora's foliage with the grace of a wet cat and trying to pop a few RDA heads off with my M-60, I'll bring you up to date. My name is Joanna Reynolds, cultural anthropologist for the Avatar program and currently in my Avatar form all thanks to Dr. Patel's retaliation on the OPS center to take down Selfridge's operation for their attempt to destroy the Na'vi's central line to Eywa herself. You'd cheer at the image of Parker whimpering like a baby that he would die from Pandora's air once the windows were broken by the sheer force of the Slash Cutter but our dear scientist was too nice and handed everyone inside an oxygen breathing mask. Unlike the RDA, we didn't want blood on our hands. Several armed Avatar drivers remained behind to make sure Selfridge didn't try anything but seeing as everyone in SecOps was here in the midst of battle, they were defenseless. The rest of us willingly volunteered to enter the danger zone on foot to lend a little leverage in the Na'vi's favor.

I was one of them.

The minute Dr. Patel had the OPS center secured with everyone who wasn't a part of the Avatar program in handcuffs, we'd left our real bodies in his care so we could give this species a chance in protecting their planet from the invaders. It was human nature for them to be conquerors since the dawn of mankind to survive against the harsh elements, to destroying one another in meaningless wars, to conquering lands across oceans for the sake of prestige, annihilating their flora and fauna for human comfort, all the way to exploring space only to seek profit at the expense of another species. Humankind was nothing but greediness after centuries without change and yet, there were some that were fighting against that norm- against _everything _natural selection had taught us about self-preservation to defend what was right, whether we died by it but honor was far better in the end than villainy.

Fire had begun to rain over the forest from the soldiers handheld flamethrowers in an attempt to scare the Na'vi away but they were at the point of self-sacrifice to protect their beloved planet. The rest dropped from up above as the Scorpion gunships were attacked mercilessly by the trained ikran flyers to hold back the Valkyrie seeking to destroy the Tree of Souls. Maybe they were having a better chance because the tide was turning quickly down here. The Na'vi were being pushed back by the combined bullets of the soldiers on foot and the destructible AMP suits; there was no safe way to destroy one head-on without heavy casualties. I hadn't met one directly, nor was I looking forward to it, but the bullets that whizzed past my shoulders when I entered the forest were enough to awaken me to the maelstrom that was battle itself.

Soldiers in the back of their unit had been easy pickings for me but dodging the rest was tricky but long agile Na'vi legs came in handy for that. The only decent exercise my Avatar body had gotten was in the training range outside the Avatar Station but my practicing wasn't wasted for this. Dr. Augustine had already died because of the RDA as she tried to buy the Omaticaya clan more time and I hoped Jake, Norm, and Trudy were giving them hell for it. I'd been trying to rally with the clan leading the ground battle, the Horse Clan of the Plains, but there was so much frenzy in the canopy covered forest that everything was blurry with direhorses either charging or retreating within seconds and the death toll was horrendous as many were thrust off their mounts by the bullets an AMP suit released as it came into my line of sight. My ears practically pressed against my head in fear as I scrambled to hide behind the nearest shelter, a tall tree that obscured me from their sight. The cold dread of fear paralyzed me to the spot at the sight of the large AMP suit (I'd never been on the receiving end of one) but luckily, I remained hidden behind the protective trunk of the tree as I clutched the gun tightly to my chest. My heart slammed against my chest in erratic beats as adrenaline tried to keep my body calm but my stomach had already clenched in fright while my teeth fought the idea of chattering. How the hell was I supposed to defeat _that_? The rounds of one gun barely penetrated the thick armor and the Na'vi warriors barely dented the metal with their long range weapons. There was no way.

A sudden crash from the thick canopies overhead snapped me back to the battlefield instead of my useless strategies and I stole a careful peek to see a warrior had been the cause of the loud noise. White war paint decorated his body along with other subtle tones but I could also see bleeding gashes in his torso all the way from my perch. Despite the fall, he struggled to get up to his knees and I wondered how in the world he was trying to brush that off like a dust fleck off his shoulder. It's not like he was Superman for god's sake!

The man in the AMP suit took an interest in the unlucky newcomer and stomped over to the vulnerable warrior, looming over him as the Na'vi defiantly growled at the behemoth of metal before him without an ounce of fear. And here I was quaking like a coward. Instead of being heroic like all those gung-ho movie heroes, I'm quivering when I can't take down an enemy greater than me. Blame it on human instinct of self-preservation, like I said before, but it stunk. It wasn't a good feeling to be on the sidelines while someone needed your help. The metal hand reached out to pluck the male's queue braid like a piece of string and easily lifted him up into the air helplessly as the Na'vi brandished a flurry of curses in his tongue. The other soldiers with him just laughed at his weakness as the AMP suit man flung an insult about blue monkeys while others continued the battle with the Horse Clan, cutting off the Na'vi from any nearby aid. It was obvious we were losing and everyone was dropping like flies by the second as either the fire or bullets caused the demise of both steeds and masters.

I hated pompous self-righteous SecOps cheering their growing win and hoped Dr. Patel would pistol whip a few in the takeover at Hell's Gate to give them a taste of their own medicine. Damn, I seriously needed that imaginative pep boost. My golden eyes widened when I saw the silver glint of a combat knife break into the open and saw it glide over the pained Na'vi's exposed throat. Like hell I was going to stand here without doing anything, what would that say about me in the end? Scared little scientist that should've stayed behind? Fuck that.

Assessing the easiest target for diversion, I aimed at the furthest soldier away in the group to take the attention from the front. Flurries of arrows covered the battlefield with a few hail of bullets from Spellman and other Avatars that had joined the battle with their own automatic weapons so their attention wouldn't be on pinpointing my hiding spot. The large knife had moved from the Navi's neck to his sensitive queue and my finger almost pulled the trigger prematurely when the AMP mocked coldly, "I hear this is worse than death for you, chief."

Before he could even cut a strand of hair, I fired the bullets straight into my target- I didn't care where they went as long as they struck flesh and bone. Guaranteed, the soldiers took immediate notice to their comrade's wound and I shot out from the foliage into the open forest to shoot point blank at the transparent casing protecting the driver inside. The unexpected attack loosened the suit's grip with an involuntarily jerk and that was enough to drive the Na'vi to rip himself free from the robot's clutches.

This is where things got mucky.

The tall Na'vi broke his fall with _me_ as his cushion and ruined my next targeted barrage of bullets I planned to use as a getaway, managing only to shoot a random guy in the knee. Okay, cultural anthropologists weren't meant to be weapon wielding sharpshooters no matter how many video game hours you logged in. So I lied in the grass with dirt filling my mouth and hoped my Avatar's spine hadn't busted a few vertebrae discs from the weight of the warrior's landing. I was about to tell him to run without a care if I spit out dirt and saliva at him but both of our bodies were obscured by the damn AMP suit glaring down at us with my new decorative bullet holes leaking in Pandora's air as a bonus. Well, at least I did something right.

I barely caught a glimpse of the GAU-90's barrel staring us down and before I could recite a few hail Mary's, an earthquake rattled the earth below me with deep vibrations that only kept growing. Dark specks from the left nabbed my peripheral vision as they became clearer in closing proximity and the soldiers were ready to scatter with a "Fall back!"

"Oh shit" I muttered as the huge blobs became numerous packs of charging Hammerhead Titanotheres and I prayed to Eywa this time to not flatten me into a cockroach.

"_Move!" _I heard the Na'vi above me growl heatedly through his pain and with the humans running off like sissies, I crawled up to my feet and grabbed the man's arm to help him along. Forget self-preservation, everything relating to human instinct screwed up Earth and our interpersonal relationships with our own species; it was time for a change. Huffing and puffing, I cried out whenever those humongous animals plowed through the field, so close that I could see the rough patches on their thick legs dissolving from gray skin into brown. Miraculously, their lumbering forms dodged us but I wasn't as afraid as our enemies should be because they were the main target and their loud screams echoed into the forest to give me a morbid sense of satisfaction that karma was served justly. All I needed to do was find a safe area for temporary shelter as I saw the remainder of the Horse Clan warriors retreating into the shadowed parts of the forest. I didn't know where they were going but I needed to get my injured sky falling Na'vi out of here.

He slumped against the trunk of the tree we hid behind, broad chest heaving to the shock on his system from the bullets lodged inside his torso and I pressed my hand over the gaping wounds to compress the blood flow to a stop. This was bad. He winced with a sharp feline hiss and his pearly white canines flashed in my direction but it was better than having him bleed out over the ground. I wasn't used to blood in my line of work (unless it was for a blood work analysis) and tried to keep my face calm as my eyes locked with his golden hue, pointing out firmly in Na'vi, _"We have to move. This forest is a danger zone and you need help."_

"You're a _tawtute _dreamwalker" he snarled hoarsely in English with a thick accent and his face contorted into a despising glare aimed right at me. Wow, talk about thank you's and using me as a seat cushion. Despite my tense irritancy, my main objective was to help the injured male and help the numbers from decreasing in any way I could.

"And you're a Na'vi that's about to bleed out if those bullets aren't taken out so give me a chance" I barked dryly to his defiance but urged him forward with a tug of his forearms but he pulled away instantly as if scorched by my touch. Couldn't he see that I was trying to _help_? It was hard enough understanding the macho male species of my kind and the Na'vi male appeared the same with his body language. With a sigh, I pointed out bluntly to get him moving, "Look, buddy, you're not doing anyone any favors by dying. You already popped out of the sky and lived so unless you want me digging my fingers in there to take out the bullets, you better start flying down that way."

All I received was a negative hiss and I rolled my eyes, ready to scold him like a mother hen, but tensed in alarm when a burning tree collapsed under the fires destroying parts of the forest in effect to the RDA's missiles and flamethrowers. All that beautiful flora becoming nothing but ash. I gave a him a hiss of my own in warning at what we would become if we remained here and pulled out a small knife from its sheath on my side, muttering darkly to myself, "All right then, get ready for some pretty scars because I'm no doctor."

I stabbed the knife into a bullet hole in his side, twisting it slightly as he growled several curses into the war raging forest and hoped that would aid his endorphin kick somehow. Did Na'vi even have endorphins? Whatever. RDA never let me research the entire four years I had been here and at twenty-seven had gotten nowhere in my study of the Na'vi culture. The tip of the blade soon tapped against the troublesome bullet and I proceeded to dig it out carefully, knowing the slow procedure was only prolonging the pain coursing through his system. His fingers grasped at the ground below in pain, clawing four jagged lines down into the dirt, as I heard 'demon' and 'thanator' in the same sentence. My usually calm demeanor had already broken the second I entered this battlefield and I grumbled sarcastically, "Yeah, keep imagining me in horrible scenarios to please yourself."

The first bullet fell onto the dirt below and red blood began to seep through the open hole in which I instantly struggled to find a good compress. Staring at his scantily clad white-painted body, I knew he was of no help and almost groaned when my brain popped to the most logical solution. There was nothing to use except for what I was wearing. Giving him a quick glare that dared him to say something, I admonished, "Don't tell anyone."

Before he could retort, I took off my Avatar customized UCLA shirt over my head and grumbled under my breath as I tore it into useable strips. His species was used to 90% nudity but human Avatar drivers never grew used to it and kneeling down wearing only a bra and shorts was incredibly aggravating. . .but I had a life to save. Safety before vanity. Quickly, I tied the first strip around his waist as trickles of blood trailed down his torso and hoped human first aid was the same as Na'vi first aid. His eyes glanced at anything but me and if I tried to engage eye contact, he would hiss like a wild banshee in heat. I proceeded to work on the second bullet lodged in his stomach and hoped it hadn't hit any vital organs or the whole situation would turn worse. The tense mood needed serious lightening and I piped up nervously for conversation as I batted away strands of sweaty hair, "So what's your name? Besides _skxawng_, I'm also called Joanna Reynolds."

"I will not. . .give a Sky Person. . .my name" he spat bitterly and I locked the anger at that away because battles made everyone crazy. I'm sure even peaceful loving Norm was going old-fashioned Rambo style into this bloody frenzy. There was one good thing so far and that was the ability to establish understandable communication between us.

"Okay, not a happy person" I mumbled flatly to bring some cheer to myself and fidgeted with the crafty bullet trying to remain wedged inside but I wasn't having any of that. I could already see his hands would've been more than happy turning my face into whatever color Na'vi held when they died of strangulation. Still, I wouldn't let that scare me off. I came here to help his people keep this planet and drive off my own from turning it into their own greedy gold mine that would render it no better than Earth: an empty shell of a once fruitful planet. At last, the second bullet came out between my red soaked fingers and I held the hilt of my knife between my teeth as I wrapped the next strip of cloth to hold back the bleeding; this needed to be quick if I hoped to fight back any infection by the time I reached aid. He tried to tie the second strip himself but I batted his hands away since he needed to save all the strength he had left for the return home.

"_Since you won't let me know your name, I'll tell your people that you died as the 'screaming banshee'" _I attempted to joke weakly in Na'vi as I tried to control my hands from shaking against the third and last bullet. Keep it together, Joanna. How did battlefield doctors maintain perfect calmness between flying projectiles? My hat tipped off to them. His painted face wasn't showing any emotion besides fury and pain so I decided to ditch the joking effort. . .not the sarcastic type, I presumed. As long as he remained conscious through this hacking of mine, he would do fine. I would've encouraged him but it was apparent on his face he wanted nothing to do with me so I let him be. Quietly, I cut into his skin to search for the last troublesome bullet and wiped away the rivulets of blood coating his skin with my free hand. The last thing I wanted was to have him looking a bloody mess as if I had tried to carve him into a pumpkin, that would definitely have his entire clan chasing me into a thanator's territory.

"_Are you with the Horse Clan?" _I asked casually, not really expecting an answer from Mr. Dark and Foreboding. A stark comparison to his bright war paint and by the pictures I had studied back in the lab, my best guess was that he was of high rank to his people as pieces of his warrior's ensemble carried elaborate yellow feathering and the multicolor of paints belonged to high warriors only. That scratched my interest in who he really was but I wouldn't press.

Battles usually brought an expulsion of catharsis for the trauma one endured so maybe this was his way to cope as the final hours ticked away. I probably would react the same way if I was found by the hostile alien species that burned down my home and was trying to make everyone extinct. It almost brought a smile to my lips at how quickly I was shifting moods towards him from irritancy to sympathy.

"_No. The Omaticaya."_

"Oh" I replied with a small nod, never taking my eyes off the current wound and dug a little deeper to find the sharp point of the bullet. He winced with a sharp intake of air and his body tensed instantly which made it even harder to move the knife between the clenched muscles. I placed my free palm on his bare chest and tried to hold him down, offering the only words that came to mind in this awful situation, _"I know this hurts but I need you to relax. Go to your happy place-"_

"_Your people destroyed it" _he hissed coldly and I let out a sigh from between my clenched teeth. You'd think he'd hold the grudge until _after_ he was saved, this wasn't helping him in the slightest! I wasn't his enemy but he didn't seem to accept the fact, pushing me back despite I still held a knife inside his torso and he sneered disdainfully with a raised chin, _"I do not need your help."_

"Could've fooled me when that guy had you by the hair" I muttered under my breath and decided to reach in with my fingers to yank out the bullet because he wasn't making it easy with his rigidity. Dropping the bloody knife into my lap to keep it clean, I used the tips of my fingers to pull the bullet carefully and was sure the whole ordeal was worse than the first cut for the first casing but this needed to be done. His blood wasn't making things easier by being slippery while concealing the glint of the metal bullet and after a few struggles with English curses attached, I ripped it out successfully and held it into the air as if it was a trophy all my own. Hey, you would too if you performed this on a Na'vi that was more than ready to strangle you.

There was no time to be wasted and I tied the last strip around his slim torso as I gave a quick checkout of our surroundings and noticed shrapnel and fire was engulfing this area along with us being the only inhabitants as the battle carried further south with the creatures of Pandora. I really hoped Jake was doing much better up there in the sky.

The fabrics wouldn't hold the amount of blood he was losing and I needed a good compressor that he could keep pressed against the wounds. I sheathed my knife back in its rightful place and wiped the sweat forming on my forehead with the back of my jittery hand. Battle and medical aid was _not _in a cultural anthropologist's teachings at the universities. While I mentally pulled at strings in my scramble to help, the Na'vi picked this moment to speak up harshly, _"Why did you help me?"_

"_Because I don't want my people to ruin your world or blow your people into extinction" _I answered honestly and placed a hand on his painted forehead, right above his handmade brown diadem but he batted me away weakly before I could get a good temperature reading. Men, even as an alien species, they were babies during medical examinations. I resisted the urge to smack his shoulder to pent out my own frustrations and grit out tightly, _"Would you stop fighting me?"_

"_No."_

He said it like the word would magically make me disappear and I had to wonder if he really would choose death over receiving human aid. I knew his people were fighting to remove my species off this world but I wasn't here to fight him as one of them. If this was any other day in the forest, I probably would've kicked his loincloth clad butt before video logging about even more Human-Na'vi hostility- wait, that's it!

"Clothes!"

He stared at my outburst as if I had suddenly grown another head but I dismissed it, quickly shedding off my shorts and swore this better not get out to the other Avatar program members. Especially Jake; the man had a knack for awesome joke making with the tiniest ammunition given to him. I wrapped my brown shorts into a uneven square and pressed it against his abdomen with a proud grin that he might just make it, "C'mon, we have to go before we burn in this place or the soldiers returns."

A catty hiss was all I got, _again_, and I was ready to poke his yellow orbs out so he could allow himself to be blindly guided by me. Instead, I rapped him on the head with two of my fingers like a naughty child despite his apparent pain and snapped sharply to give him some encouragement to listen, _"Look, you're getting up or I will drag you by the tail and trust me, it won't be pretty."_

The tiniest upwards hitch appeared on the left side of his mouth but a second later, it disappeared as he sneered at my brave attempt to challenge him, _"I can walk on my own."_

I gave him a bewildered expression to his unyielding stubbornness and pointed out slowly in case the trees knocked out parts of his frontal lobe, "You. . .fell. . .from. . .the sky. . .full of bullets- how the hell do you expect to stroll through the forest without bleeding to death?!"

My hands shot up as I tried to calm my erratic breathing to his illogical thinking process and wished someone else would've gotten saddled with this guy. Was that too cruel of me? I didn't expect any praise for what I was doing in the slightest but a little cooperation would've helped things run a lot more smoothly. Instead, I'm in the middle of a staring match with a man who seems to want to fuse himself to the tree rather than take a helping hand.

I froze when he let out a sharp call into the air and was about to ask if he was calling for aid when the loud flutter of wings hit my back with a heavy air current that almost knocked me down on my face. A strong screech pierced the air behind me and turning swiftly, I came face-to-face with a feisty ikran of a beautiful blue and purple toning but its face was anything but that as a growl settled in its throat. Fresh bullet grazes left hairline gashes on its flesh from the battle overhead and I bet seeing me was setting its targeting sight for seek-and-destroy.

"_Swizav."_

That single word stopped the hostile ikran from making me its next meal and I remained frozen in place, darting my eyes from the Na'vi to the ikran. By its immediate obedience, it was safe to assume that it belonged to the injured warrior. An ikran never defied its master's call no matter the situation. What a tremendous relief it was. . .that is, if the Na'vi man didn't tell it to chomp me into bits. If the banshee could safely fly to a safe zone, his chances of survival would rise exponentially and I turned to him to ask quietly, _"I'm guessing he's yours?"_

Surprisingly, he gave me a small nod without the aggressive hiss attached and looked to his ikran with a warm glint to his eyes to its well-being. I was shocked to finally see another emotion besides disgust and anger plastered on his face and he explained weakly without glancing my way, _"I left him to board your people's flying crafts. . .I destroyed as many warriors as I could but one managed to injure me. . .I fell down through the treetops until. . ."_

"That asshole tried to cut off your queue to Eywa?" I finished tartly in my tongue and grabbed his arm to hoist him to his feet despite the ikran's disgruntled warning aimed at me. For once, he didn't fight me the whole way and his hunched posture towered over my frame as I led him to his banshee, its yellow reptilian eyes watching me suspiciously but I knew better than to meet its gaze. Jake's tidbits on Na'vi culture and Dr. Augustine's book were more helpful in my field than reading about it from RDA journals that hadn't been scientifically proven. I was sure I wouldn't get to see another Na'vi after today and that settled a twinge of melancholy in my chest.

"_Can you climb? I don't want you bleeding out when you're close to getting out of here" _I asked quickly and doesn't the nameless warrior surprise me again when he lifts himself onto the creature despite the life-threatening injuries covering his torso. His species makes everything look completely effortless. . .even while at death's door. I shook my head at his stubbornness to refuse my help but he was up there so that was good. Everyone was gone from this area so I could only guess that this battle had shifted to the creatures of Eywa's land as they rampaged through the forest to give the Na'vi a chance to gather their injured and find refuge. The battle overhead remained without a break in the tie and I turned to him as I slung my gun over a shoulder, stating bluntly, _"Don't do anything stupid and get shot again. You're already a hero so go find the other clans for aid before infection sets in or you won't be useful to the Omaticaya if you die."_

"_Where are you going?" _he asked briskly as he managed to make tsahaylu with his ikran which I was glad for. Now, he could ride efficiently rather than allow the poor banshee make the decision of where to fly.

"_There may be injured in this forest, I'm not about to leave them here" _I responded easily with a small smile and looked down at my half-naked form. Great, I was a complete fashion disaster. . .oh well, maybe it would give me better movement without constriction. Plus, the fact I no longer had decent clothing to tear into bandages would hinder my success with dressing wounds. Giving him a brief nod of farewell, I spoke firmly, _"Hope to see you at the Tree of Souls. If there are able Ikran Makto there, send them to Hell's Gate to fully secure your world against the tawtute."_

I really did hope for his survival after the horrendous destruction of the Omaticaya Hometree that cost many lives and this battle would undoubtedly raise the statistics throughout all allied clans. His accented voice caught me off guard as I turned to leave and in English, he spoke roughly, "Jo'anna?"

"Yep, that's me- a much better ring than _skxawng_" I smiled nervously as the adrenaline began to leave my system at knowing this Na'vi could take care of himself from hereafter.

"My name is Tsu'tey te Rongloa Ateyitan of the Omaticaya" he introduced himself simply as he used one hand to take hold the ikran's neural queue to aid manual navigation and the other pressed against the wrapped bullet wounds. I nodded silently at finally nabbing a name out of him after almost having him go at my throat.

_That's a mouthful_, I thought wittily but my eyebrows practically shot up to my hairline at the realization of who he really was. I had heard that name enough in the reports Norm and I read over from Jake's interactions with the Omaticaya to study the Na'vi's interpersonal social dynamics to know the name well. _Oh shit, __the__ Tsu'tey that's-_

"_Olo'eyktan_" I exhaled aloud in disbelief and was about to ask for verification but his ikran had already taken off into the open canopies of green overhead. All I could see was the large speckled blue wingspan of the animal as it screeched towards nearby enemies who dared approach. I ran a hand over my perspiring face to exhale a few sighs to let go of this suspense sending my heart into overdrive and grimaced at the fact I'd helped a clan leader in my underwear. I knew I should've brought a pack with first aid stuff but no, I had to run off hastily without a second thought and ignore Dr. Patel's advice. It would be best to listen next time. . .if I have a next time, that is.

I ran through the heavy brush and headed north to where I'd seen the Na'vi retreat and the few noises that remained in the forest would hopefully guide me to those in dire need for aid. The Tree of Souls was my main objective and if I survived that trip alone. . .well, I'll just see where I go from there.

May Eywa help us all.

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**A/N**: Okay, there's the first chapter and I hope I did a decent job on the ongoing battle. If I missed anything, tell me so I may re-edit. I've never written in first person, only third, so this is a challenge I'm ready to grab by the reins. The next chapter (Pandora's Triumph) will have Neytiri returning Jake to Hell's Gate for aid as it's secured by the Na'vi and Dr. Patel's takeover team, Tsu'tey's trip to the Tree of Souls to see the aftermath, and Jake ends the final battle. There's more detailed information on my profile relating to the story. I appreciate you taking the time to read this and please, leave a review.


	2. Pandora's Triumph

CHAPTER 2:

**Pandora's Triumph  


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Swizav dove effortlessly between a burning Scorpion vessel that dropped out of the sky and into the path of other ikran flyers amidst battle. Despite his animalistic territorialism over Pandora, the fight overhead was not of the ikran's concern at the moment. His master needed aid to survive his sustained injuries and Swizav's unwavering loyalty would return Tsu'tey to the Tree of Souls at all costs.

Metal debris narrowly missed his left hind wing as he dodged it with the extra propulsion his body was naturally evolved for and executed a sideways aerial maneuver. It let out a sharp hiss as the heat from the burning wreckage licked the skin at the ends of his wing but kept on its target without decreasing speed.

From his perch on Swizav's back, Tsu'tey could see that the two most deadly flying crafts of the Sky People had been destroyed by his and managed a small smile of victory onto his lips that the tide had indeed turned. The rest of the ikran makto that survived were busy destroying the remaining smaller crafts that refused to surrender while banshees without masters joined the fray.

Eywa had come in their time of need.

His pride as a warrior ached to join the remaining fighters to destroy the rest of the demons but his injuries would only hinder his chances of success. Golden eyes narrowed as he spotted an ikran makto fighting off one of the crafts and without a second thought, he diverted from the path to the Tree of Souls in their direction. His own body may have been injured but after years of honing his aerial skills and managing to suppress physical pain, he could subdue his ailments and effectively control his ikran who wasn't as injured as he. His neural connection to Swizav directed the next orders and the bluish-purple banshee flew straight at the flying craft. Toruk Makto Jakesully had instructed them on each weakness and Tsu'tey dove down, controlling Swizav to grab onto one of the black side rotors with its legs to knock the craft off balance. Injured or not, his warrior's responsibility to protect his people from danger would always win over.

"_Ska'a, Swizav!" _Tsu'tey barked fiercely to his banshee as its fanged teeth ripped into the dark metal to tear the rotor apart into useless shrapnel. The craft instantly lost its stability in the air as smoke rose to cloud Tsu'tey's visibility but the sound of bullets caused him to abandon attacking the craft any further. He was already injured and risking both his ikran and himself wouldn't help matters.

The craft turned in his direction as it tried to keep its equilibrium in the air but was failing rapidly, allowing Tsu'tey to dodge out of harm's way with ease by banking left. His ikran was eager to continue the attack as it sensed its territory being threatened but before Tsu'tey could dive again, a large shadow fell over him. With a sharp tug on Swizav's antennae, he moved to the left to avoid the incoming massive form of Jakesully's toruk.

His ikran relinquished the target immediately as the powerful red-yellow predator thrashed it to shreds with its strong jaws and continued on its path to the south as it cast away the remains. Tsu'tey noticed the creature did not have its master and a foreboding question filled his mind.

Where was their Toruk Makto, Jakesully?

_May Eywa watch over you, brother_, he thought in brief prayer before ushering his banshee towards his first target. The warriors in the sky were breaking formation towards the Tree of Souls in the north and their fleeing enemies to the south to conclude the fight. His part in the battle had now come to an end.

"_K__ä__, Swizav!" _he instructed and decreased the altitude steadily so the thermals wouldn't give the flight too many bumps and open up his wounds. He already had a hard time flying with one hand controlling both maneuvering antennae but constant conditioning of his muscles lessened the friction.

When he had boarded the large vessel during combat, he knew the high risk of mortality but the weapons the Sky People carried were indeed more powerful (as much as he hated to admit it) as they lodged deep into his flesh but he took satisfaction in defeating many inside. There was no limit, no question, to what he would do to protect the Omaticaya and The People at all costs. The fall from the sky had almost seemed endless and surreally peaceful as he believed Eywa would soon envelop him in her graceful arms. . .until he smashed through the thick canopies and got into a much worse situation. As always, he had remained defiant to his enemies and showed no fear as he stared death in the face. That was a true warrior's life after all.

What he didn't expect was having a dreamwalker pop in to save his life as it fought against its own race. He knew better than to ever trust a tawtute after their countless lies, even speaking in their tongue nauseated him, and dreamwalkers would remain in that category. Yes, he had been incredibly distrustful of Jakesully (maybe a little envious for his easy acceptance) but the male had proven himself to the Omaticaya after each hurled obstacle. Those that had not would remain enemies.

He had never felt such relief when the beautiful Tree of Souls greeted his sight underneath the rock arches surrounding the area but his stomach knotted as he saw the number of injured receiving aid from healers in all the allied clans. Not many seemed to return from the grounded battlefield as Tsu'tey quickly found a perch for Swizav to land on as other ikran rested to heal from their sustained injuries. Gashes. Bullet wounds. Tears in wings. His heart filled with empathy for the brave creatures of Eywa and he offered a few words of appreciation to his own ikran, petting the top of its blue head in farewell before climbing off. He would make sure trained healers patched up the ikran for their valiant efforts in the sky.

Pain shot through his midsection the second his feet landed on the rocky floor of the perches that served to encase the area as well but he kept his wounds compressed. If he did die, he wanted to die on his feet like an honorable warrior. The ikran perches descended with a rocky pathway that anyone could climb or walk down but with his delicate injuries, he took careful subtle steps that almost drained his patience by the time he reached the bottom. Patience was never one of his strong qualities but when his life depended on it. . .he would begrudgingly obey.

Frightened children clung together in tight clusters as homemakers kept them out of the throngs of people seeking aid and returning from the field of battle. Warriors with decent injuries sat to tend to themselves with the aid of able helpers while the more critical were sent to the healers up front where the Tsahìk of each clan was guiding the relief effort. Tsu'tey made his way to the spiritual leader of his clan as people from the Omaticaya gave him expressions of relief that he had survived. It lifted his spirit somewhat but the sharp pricks of his wounds overcame that small comforting thought.

"_Oel ngati kameie, Tsu'tey" _Mo'at spoke aloud before he could say a word to announce his presence and she turned to greet him with a warm expression to his return. Many had already been lost, including her beloved mate, and to see another of her clan return was a blessing from Eywa.

He dipped his head in polite respect before replying, _"And I see you, Tsah__ì__k."_

Her eyes dropped to his bandaged midsection and she motioned with a flick of her wrist to one of the nearby healers. A young female ran over immediately with her handmade satchel of medicine as it hung from her side and the matriarch ordered, _"The Omaticaya Olo'eyktan needs healing."_

"_Has Jakesully or Neytiri returned?" _Tsu'tey asked hastily as the healer laid a blanket on the floor to keep the patient from catching infection when they lied down. His chest began to hurt from the spread of the pain coursing throughout his body as he reached his physical limits but he remained on his feet until his question was answered.

"_No."_

The young healer tried to lead him away to his sectioned area but he held up a hand to halt her as he informed the matriarch, _"The Toruk wielded no rider. The warriors have now flown south. . ."_

'_If there are able Ikran Makto there, send them to Hell's Gate to fully secure your world against the tawtute', _the dreamwalker's voice echoed in his head and it dawned on him that their target was the Sky People's base to strategically cripple their forces.

Quickly, he added in with firm resolute, _"They head to Hell's Gate. The tawtute stronghold. There is also an uprising there against the aliens, we can crush all opposition-"_

"_We cannot spare any more warriors, their injuries would only increase fatalities" _Mo'at broke in morosely to his request and her golden eyes glanced over the field that was littered with countless injured. The groans of pain and the sight of red blood made even Tsu'tey's ears flatten against his head in sorrow at the real cost of triumph over the Sky People. Her hand rested on his shoulder with wise understanding to his inner turmoil and she advised gently, _"Go. The Omaticaya cannot lose their finest warrior as well."_

"_Yes, Tsah__ì__k" _the young warrior obeyed without question and walked without help. Severe injury or not, he would keep his pride intact.

* * *

I had gathered as many injured Na'vi as I could and helped direct them to mounted direhorses so the warriors could return them to the safety of the Tree of Souls. There were many that didn't survive the battle itself and others I decided to stay with during their last moments of life, offering a small prayer to Eywa for them before gathering their bow and returning them all to the refuge for relatives that had survived to collect them. By the time I arrived at the Tree of Souls, I was covered in patches of dried blood (some not even my own) and I had handed them over to the closest Na'vi so they would get into the right hands. This area was held as very sacred and barred to outsiders but Tsahìk Mo'at made an exception when she saw that many of us had joined the fight on their behalf. After gaining temporary entrance, I had helped find open areas available to the injured so they could be led and treated by the healers.

My body was exhausted emotionally by the trauma of death around me but the battle had been won. The moment the Valkyrie had gone down in a burst of flames, the RDA's chances of winning had dwindled in half. With the help of Eywa's creatures, the soldiers couldn't fight off the hordes of a multitude of species coming together for one single purpose of protecting their world. The Tree of Souls was now safe from imminent danger and the remaining SecOps forces were retreating back to the base. The sky no longer rained burning debris that could injure civilians below (we had a few tense moments with that) and half the warriors were returning as the rest headed south.

Hell's Gate.

Dread filled my stomach at the possibility that the RDA might retaliate against our small team back there and after our betrayal, they wouldn't think twice on destroying everything relating to the Avatar program. . .including our bodies. I heard my name being called and furrowing my brows at who it could possibly be, turned around to search the sea of Na'vi to pinpoint the voice's owner. A hand shot out from the large crowd and a female Avatar popped out wearing a maroon blouse and brown shorts holding the same beat up expression I wore.

Her arms grabbed my shoulders in relief and she rambled breathlessly, "Oh, Joanna, I'm so glad to see you. Three Avatar bodies are injured and the Na'vi casualties are so many. . .dead ikran and direhorses litter the forest. . .I-I-"

"Shh, calm down, Cheryl" I soothed my younger friend as she wiped her eyes with bloodstained hands and gave her a tight hug to calm her somewhat. Our minds needed to be clear to do what we needed and creating more burdens for the Na'vi by becoming emotional shambles in public wouldn't help. She held a more fragile disposition than I but before she could release all the pent up catharsis, I suggested, "C'mon, we need to go back."

Her golden eyes blinked to my idea as she brushed away stray hands of black hair from her face, stammering nervously, "W-What? Why? T-They need us here."

"The other drivers will arrive here eventually but Dr. Patel will need all the able hands he can when SecOps returns- you know that if we can't secure that base, they will just regroup" I urged quickly as my own nerves began to falter and tugged her hand to bring her along, exhaling in gratitude when she followed. My hands were beginning to shake from the mental stress but I kept a tight gasp on her hand to disguise any twitches. We moved between the incoming Na'vi, none who lacked less than two injuries, and hoped the ones that set off for Hell's Gate wouldn't gain more casualties.

Nobody took notice as we bounded into the forest but they had more important things to worry about than two women. I took the same path I'd come from but we had to divert more than once to avoid fire hazards that blocked previously open paths. The fires roaming the forest needed to be put out or more risks would develop in the aftermath of this battle relating to the ecosystems of Pandora. There were ponds of water scattered throughout the land so maybe that would help buffer the growing spread.

"They burned so much" Cheryl whimpered to me as she sobbed and squeezed my hand tightly. My lips could only thin in grim agreement and I nodded silently. Together, we trekked on foot despite the stamina we drained fighting off SecOps but I would get there crawling on bleeding knees if I had to. I could see how the raw intensity of battle would break anyone into tearful shambles (possibly a nervous breakdown) but my friend had come to Pandora as a botanist to study the flora, to seek peace with the natives, and for her to see it burn like this. . .

"That's why we have to get there and stop them from trying anything else" I stated bitterly to keep her mind focused away from the horrendous sights. Ducking under burning foliage, I diverted to the right where the forest was silent and empty to continue our run. It was eerie to see this endless forest that was usually full of lively sounds diminished to a deathly standstill. How much wildlife had been destroyed? My heart went out to the poor creatures whose territory had been decimated and I assured my friend, more for her sake than mine, "Don't worry, Cheryl, the balance will be restored once we get RDA expelled from here."

She gave me a brief nod as her expression remained frightened, ears pressed against her head and eyes widened to their full extent, but her hands remained tightly on my left to prevent any separation. I kept repeating everything would be all right, for both our benefits, and I began to lose count when my ears picked up noise up ahead.

I pressed my fingers to my lips to warn Cheryl and together, we used our lithe bodies to traverse the high brush in case there were leftover soldiers in the forests. Those trigger happy bastards were more than ready to shoot the smallest insect just for kicks. The footsteps of the other person only became louder as we trailed whoever was up ahead and using the trees as hiding perches, I pulled Cheryl along as she hopped to prevent crunching any twigs or leaves.

We closed the gap between us and the other person quickly, allowing me to grab my weapon for a defensive stance if confrontation arose. I gave Cheryl the military countdown all soldiers gave in the movies before plunging in for the kill and she bit her bottom lip nervously at my crazy plan. She was more of a pacifist than I was so allowing her to stay covered was the best strategy and I jumped out to point my gun at the runner.

"Stop right there!"

My mouth slacked in surprise when I found myself face-to-face with a Na'vi female instead of a human soldier. What a relief. She watched me with apparent hostility on her painted face and it clicked inside my mind on a picture I'd seen before on the familiar Na'vi. Anyone who worked at the Avatar Station knew who the heir of the Omaticaya clan was and after hearing Jake record his video logs as he ranted excitedly on what they did during his training, it became clear who she was.

Plus, she was holding Jake's human body in her arms which pretty much confirmed it.

"Jake?! What the- where's your Avatar?" I blurted worriedly to see him in that vulnerable state in this forest of all places after the huge battle and shook my head to greet his companion civilly, _"I see you, Neytiri of the Omaticaya."_

She returned the greeting and looked to us for help, ears lowered with a downcast glance as her voice cracked and thickened her accent, "Ma Jake needs 'elp. Please?"

"_Where is his dreamwalker body?" _I asked anxiously and bounded over to her to see an exhausted Jake trying to stay awake. He had taken his body to the extreme as he spent more hours in an Avatar form than he allowed himself to sleep adequately. His chest rose steadily and he wore an exopack so that was a very good sign. Cheryl appeared behind me and with her gentle nature, stroked his head like a baby. That was Cheryl Smith for you, the selfless caretaker.

"In the forest, safe" Neytiri replied softly with worry cracking her voice and cradled him close to her chest protectively. I smiled when Jake's face broke into a sappy smile for the Na'vi but now was not the time to get mushy.

I pointed in the direction of Hell's Gate and explained calmly, _"We need to get him to our base in the south. Other dreamwalkers are in control of Hell's Gate and if we can get Jake there, he can return to his own dreamwalker body."_

She nodded instantly to our plan and all of us headed south to return to the site that was sure to grow in conflict. Still, the Na'vi were outnumbering the RDA with every growing minute and if we got Jake to the Avatar Station safely, his appearance among the troops would boost the morale of the warriors. . .not to mention he controlled that badass huge toruk that could easily take down one Scorpion single-handedly.

"My god, I have the worst craving for blueberry muffins" Jake mumbled aloud in his drowsy state and Neytiri looked to us for clarification.

"_He'll be fine" _I assured her about his ability to lighten the mood and smiled at the other woman.

* * *

I couldn't help hiding the huge triumphant grin on my face as we arrived at Hell's Gate to see numerous ikran perched over most of the buildings as wreckage from destroyed Scorpions littered the field of the base in smoking heaps. Humans with exopacks and handcuffs were being guided by both Na'vi and Avatar drivers to where I could only guess as the brig. It was the only secure place to store them right now and keep them under vigilant watch. Any returning Scorpions were cautiously led to the field to await arrest and those that did want to stupidly attack (I learned that two minutes ago) were destroyed by the flocks of ikran in retaliation.

_They just don't know when to give up_, I thought dryly as we avoided smoking shrapnel on the floor. After being cut up by wooden debris and bullet grazes, I did not want any more decorative scars and neither did my comrades.

The broken remains of the OPS center had been abandoned and there was no movement from within that I could see with my viewpoint which arose a question in my mind.

"Where's Dr. Patel? We need him to take Jake" I pondered aloud to my coworker as Max was the only one who remained without an Avatar on the base to wake our bodies in case of danger.

Cheryl glanced around to help pinpoint his lab coat form anywhere but all we could see were armed Na'vi and Avatar drivers scouting the base for hostiles. Humans under detainment were gathered in small groups before being led away but I highly doubted our friendly scientist was among those.

"_Is something wrong?" _Neytiri asked warily at our apparent loss, her eyes darting between Cheryl and I for an update.

"_We need somebody, a tawtute, to carry Jake inside the station- we cannot breathe the air inside" _Cheryl explained carefully and wringed her hands worriedly as we wasted time doing nothing. That was a big patience drain on me.

_Time to improvise_, I thought and skimmed my brain for the easiest and most effective way to gain attention.

"Hey, Dr. Patel!" I yelled at the top of my lungs, uncaring to the Na'vi who instantly became alert to my presence. My hands went over my mouth to act as funnel to carry my voice thoroughly through the field, "Dr. Patel, Jake needs you! Max! Reynolds paging Patel! I will keep yelling until _somebody_ points me to him!"

I proceeded to walk forwards and back in a line to make sure everyone in close range heard my message and Cheryl trailed behind me, gently advising me about straining my vocal chords. The whole yelling rant clicked in Neytiri's mind as well and she translated it even louder in her natural language to lend her voice. Within seconds, people stopped viewing us as an insane posse and actually began to whisper to each other for information.

"Okay, I'm up, I'm up!" Jake called out groggily as our yelling apparently woke him and tried to wrench himself free but the Na'vi kept him in a tight hold. I shook my head as he changed into a happier tone at the sight of her, "Oh, hey Neytiri."

"He's watching the brig!" a voice finally answered for us from within the moving crowds and I yelled out a thanks.

"I'll go, you take Neytiri to the Station" Cheryl told me firmly and I nodded as my throat began to tickle from the over excessive shouting. Could Na'vi lose their voices? I didn't want to end up with a possible case of laryngitis later. Bullets deafened her next words as a Scorpion began to attack from above as it defiantly tried to scatter the Na'vi away and I pulled both women out of harm's way before we became sitting ducks.

The ikran flyers surveying the area went in for the attack with a screech as bullets rained over the smoky field and I pushed Cheryl to get her moving, "Go! The faster we get Jake into his Avatar, the better chances he can finish off the leftover Scorpions."

She nodded quickly, strands of black hair falling over her worried face, and left without further words to find the brig. Everyone knew where it was and I found myself in there once when I threw hot coffee in Parker's face for his jibs at calling the Na'vi 'blue monkeys'. Dr. Augustine apparently liked my brassiness at scalding the man and bailed me out an hour later, giving me the reward of being her research assistant of the day. I motioned with my hand for Neytiri to follow as banshee screeches filled the air and we ran off to the Avatar Station. Hopefully, everything there would remain untouched with the recent takeover and a spare bed was available for the ex-marine.

It did not take us long to reach the building with our long strides and the emptiness of the field that was no longer occupied with military craft gave us a direct beeline for the place. I pointed it out for Neytiri who smiled instantly with hope and whispered a few inaudible words to her partner. Their body language and speaking dynamics told me they weren't in a teacher-student relationship anymore and after the wide grins Jake gave us every time before returning to his Avatar body, it was pretty safe to say there was something more. I thought it was pretty cute but I'm sure the ex-marine would object to anything pertaining to him as being called 'cute'.

I kneeled down and knocked on the closed door in case there was somebody inside that could help but received no answer. Damn. Glancing at Neytiri, I smiled sympathetically and assured, _"Do not worry, Jake will be all right."_

My words didn't have much effect on the worried female and to be honest, they didn't make me feel better either. Emotions were at their breaking point at this moment and having all of SecOps grounded in cuffs would settle everyone's alertness. There wasn't anything I could say (counseling and self-motivation wasn't in my education) or do to help so all I could do was pace in wait.

Fifteen minutes later that had Neytiri cursing with impatience, I withheld a laugh when I saw Cheryl returning with a fast sprint in her steps along with Dr. Patel. . .getting a piggyback ride on her back. Obviously, human strides were nothing compared to a Na'vi and I was impressed by her improvisation.

"Got 'im!" she piped cheerfully with a pearly grin and kneeled down to allow the scientist to safely climb down. He fixed his exopack carefully as he tried to maintain calmness but after getting a free ride in that style, who really could? I wasn't one to make jabs at the moment either since I lacked decent attire compared to the other Avatars.

"Dr. Patel, we need you to get Jake inside, his neural link bed must be wrecked or else he'd be out there fighting" I informed hastily as he unlocked the key pad with our security code to open the Avatar Station. The metal door hissed open as both mixtures of atmospheric air entered our noses and I sneezed to the prickly feeling in my nostrils. Man, even our purified air was worse than Pandora's.

"You're lucky I decided to stay like this or else we would've had a problem on who to knock out and take one for the team" Max joked lightly to ease the tension tightening every muscle in our bodies and he motioned for Neytiri to hand over Jake.

She glanced at her protected partner warmly with a hint of reluctance over relinquishing him but Jake assured gently, _"I'll be fine, Neytiri. The quicker we do this, the better."_

Carefully, she kneeled down to hand over Jake to the scientist with tender hands as if one wrong move would break him and I raised my eyebrow knowingly at Cheryl who returned a smile. Women's intuition knew all. Max hoisted him up fireman style over his shoulder which caused Jake to groan aloud, "This better not give me a headache, Max."

His hand shot out towards Neytiri as Max walked through the door and he instructed firmly with concern lacing his voice, _"Stay here where it's safe. I promise this will end soon."_

The door shut behind them to seal us out and Neytiri wrapped her arms around her sides, murmuring quietly, "My Jake."

* * *

Golden eyes snapped open and with a gasp for air, Jake awoke to find himself back in the forest. Good, his link up at the station succeeded perfectly and he rolled into a perfect crouch to survey his surroundings. The remains of his battle with Quaritch littered the grass and the broken AMP suit lied in a dead heap. He let out a deep breath of relief that the biggest human threat was down and out.

He broke into a run to find the tallest tree to climb and jumped onto a trunk littered with small vines to aid his climbing. The Valkyrie was dead and Quaritch's ship had been blown sky high by him so the team leaders of the strike were dead. Hell's Gate was almost secured by the ikran makto (taking out Selfridge, the most important there) so that left him with two main objectives: clear out everything in between the two points and check up on the Tree of Souls.

His body felt renewed after his small nap and despite the injuries he sustained, energy coursed through his body to keep climbing and secure Pandora. Jake reached the highest branch and pulled himself up to climb onto the top of the tree as the leaves clustered together into a thick canopy to jump across. His eyes went to the sky to check the remnants of the battle and a sense of victory brought a smile to his face when he found the skies clear.

Pandora was liberated and it would purge the invading aliens off soon.

He gave a loud call into the sky and waited patiently for his majestic but deadly toruk to appear. It would not wander far from its master's side and soon, its reddish form circled the treetops as its yellow eyes spotted him below and Jake leapt onto its back before its strong legs could skim the green leaves of the tree. The neural connection was instant after constant training and his hands grabbed the steering antennae to lead the mighty toruk back to the Tree of Souls.

Neytiri's skills and resourcefulness saved his skin more than once in the battle and for her to valiantly journey to Hell's Gate, well, it made him love that woman even more if possible. She would be safe with the large numbers stationed at the base until he returned for her. Neytiri had already proven her worth in battle, though it scared him when she wanted to take on a platoon all alone, but he would be there to protect the Na'vi. He would not disappoint them again.

His toruk growled as they approached the Tree of Souls and the top of the bioluminescent tree was a welcome beacon. He pulled the antennae slightly to veer it toward the furthest perch from the ground floor to give his large creature space. There was a spot with no ikran upon it and decided to land there in case his toruk didn't play well with others. . .plus, scaring the Na'vi again after recent trauma as he had done the first time he debuted his toruk just wasn't a good entrance for him.

The great beast lurched forwards as its feet landed securely on the hollowed out rocky perch and pierced the air with a loud call to signal its return. Jake fought the tendency to slap his painted forehead and wondered if it would always sound off to the equivalence of a car horn. Hmm, he needed further training with his toruk. Disconnecting their queue, he jumped off and stroked the red-yellow head of his battle partner before enduring another long climb down.

The Na'vi greeted him with a mix of awed and cheerful expressions to his return, their fingers lightly grazing his shoulders and he gave them a nod in acknowledgement. There were indeed a lot of injured and hands were needed to help the growing numbers which gave him haste to return to Hell's Gate and bring any Avatars with medical knowledge to help. He knew the Na'vi weren't keen on outsiders visiting their most sacred of places but they could not deny the heavy need for aid. His ears lowered to the wails of pain and chants to Eywa for protection; the people were suffering and they needed relief in this bittersweet victory.

His line of sight located Mo'at and he moved quickly between the lines of injured to call out, _"Tsah__ì__k, the battle is won but Hell's Gate is being secured to prevent the Sky People from going anywhere. Neytiri is safe, I left her with trusted friends."_

"_You are a welcome sight, Jakesully" _she greeted calmly despite the tension squaring her shoulders but the news of her daughter's safety relieved her immensely. Her brow ridges rose as she informed lightly, _"The People worried over their Toruk Makto."_

"I'm not easy to kill" he stated confidently for their warm wishes and looked out to the abundant crowds. His eyes scanned the nearest rows as he asked tentatively, _"Is Tsu'tey here? I need to ask his permission to allow dreamwalkers to come aid the injured."_

Mo'at's expression turned apprehensive to the idea but Jake reassured, _"They're good people, Tsah__ì__k. They fought against their own to raise our chances of winning."_

She pointed towards the right after a hesitant nod and he headed in that direction to pinpoint his brother in arms. Had he survived unscathed? He paused at every person lying down that were currently being treated and Norm's voice popped up over everyone's. Where was he? He couldn't see his Avatar friend. Jake walked past three healers before glancing down and noticing Norm had gotten a lot smaller. . .and human. When had _that _happened? Quickly, he asked, "What happened to you?"

"Got shot pretty bad but the healers are trying their best but there's too many that need help" he explained glumly to get him up to speed and gently tapped the mask of his exopack, "Luckily, we had these and I returned to battle. Now I'm just trying to lend a hand but with my size, it's not going good."

"I'll give you a ride back to Hell's Gate, you can help Max keep the RDA detained" Jake offered with a smile to let his friend's helpful manner contribute elsewhere and Norm's face lit up with an agreeable nod. The ex-marine scanned the rows again because every minute that passed was one he was wasting and informed Norm, "I'm heading back as soon as I find- there he is!"

He finally spotted the clan leader on the same circular bed of the tree that had failed to heal Dr. Augustine and noticed others were also being healed by the tiny green threads of the tree. Jake could see they were the most critical and wondered what the hell Tsu'tey had gotten himself into and knowing his bold personality, he was sure the enemy the warrior had faced hadn't escaped unscathed. Norm tagged along behind him as Jake approached the Na'vi and almost grinned when he noticed the man with a sour face aimed at the sky above him.

_Somehow I'm sure he's not in a good mood which will probably get my idea shot down_, he thought hesitantly and decided to use the diplomatic approach to hopefully not piss him off further. Tsu'tey was prone to bursts of anger and he didn't want to be at the end of another one today.

"_I see you, Tsu'tey" _Jake greeted amicably with the same polite manner Norm used on the Na'vi and the other male turned his head sharply in his direction. He could see strips of pink cloth wrapped around his sides and again, resisted laughing at the feminine color but business was first. Blind curiosity begged him to ask the question, _"You were injured in battle?"_

"I boarded their vessel, was struck with their weapons, fell from the sky, and _still _managed to survive my way here" the warrior replied proudly in English and managed a weak grin. Of course, only Tsu'tey could do something so crazy as to head into the monster's den on his own but the man had guts. Jake chuckled when his comrade stated with tenacity, "Na'vi are hard to kill."

"That's what I like to hear" he said with a friendly smile to his old rival and wondered if this would be the start of a possible stable friendship that wouldn't have Tsu'tey brandishing a knife at his face. It was easily said than done when he had to bring his request across. He brushed his fingers over his hair, a habit of his when restless or nervous, and he asked carefully in a steady tone, _"I need your permission to bring dreamwalkers from Hell's Gate to help the healers here. They will not cause trouble and I'll keep a close eye on them but we do need more hands to heal the injured. I know this place is very sacred but The People need help, Tsu'tey, and I ask you because you know me far better than the other clan leaders here."_

Tsu'tey clenched his fists at the idea of outsiders and Jake readied himself for a mouth full of objection (possibly a hurled medicine bowl) but was taken aback when the clan leader hissed reluctantly in agreement, _"Bring those that will contribute, not hinder us."_

With a grateful nod, Jake's face broke into a relieved smile and quickly thanked, _"You won't regret it."_

* * *

Jake stood before our group of Avatars at the outskirts of the Tree of Souls and signaled to each row behind him to pinpoint each section. He raised his voice loud enough to be heard and ordered firmly, "Okay, we have moderate injured here- lacerations, burns, broken bones, dislocated limbs, etc. Critical injuries are there- internal bleeding, head trauma, bullet wounds, all ER stuff. Dr. Patel is in charge of the critical team and Thompson's in charge of the rest. Do _not_ engage in arguments or hostilities will be imminent and I _will _take you back myself. Get moving, people!"

I had finally been able to change into decent clothes (I added in a jacket for modesty measures) and was ready to help at Jake's request. He'd returned to Hell's Gate with his toruk and any SecOps rebels that returned from the battle lost any inclination of attacking when they saw the sheer size of the large creature. The toruk makto had secured Hell's Gate within the hour as he and the ikran riders scoured the sky for any Scorpion stragglers and Pandora was deemed safe. The Na'vi from the Eastern Sea clans were currently stationed there until the next plan of action was put into place.

He had gathered anyone with first aid qualifications and as luck would have it, Dr. Patel had been a pre-med major before heading into the science field for his PhD. I didn't know much but after taking CPR and first aid courses as a prerequisite to head to Pandora and stay (we had to renew our certification every year), it was all I could offer. However, our sincerity to selflessly aid had also been marred by our species actions toward the natives and the looks we received as we walked weren't the friendliest.

Jake and Neytiri had already spoken publicly about our presence there to assure their anxiety but it would take a _lot_ of convincing before they truly became comfortable around us. I stuck close to Norm and Cheryl as my anthropology colleague led us to the front while we carried large crates of medical supplies that would benefit the injured. The large cat-like eyes of the Na'vi followed us all the way down the path and I couldn't shake the feeling of being an intruder.

"This feels worse than the first day of high school combined with a hundred wedgies" I mumbled to Cheryl and she shot me a wry expression that had me shrugging in return. She wasn't the type to comment or encourage sarcasm, keeping more to gentle jokes that didn't hurt anyone, while I was the opposite by pushing my point across. I rolled my eyes at her face and smiled to show it was in good jest before laughing softly, "What? It does!"

The Na'vi overseers for medical aid were the tsahìks while the clan leaders healed under their direct supervision. Despite his small form, Norm spoke clearly to Mo'at with a confident yet polite air about him. Usually, he was meek and kept to himself in public while holding a book in his hand to gain knowledge but war changed everyone overnight. Cheryl and I remained behind him in silence as he explained our medicinal support in which we placed the crates down, careful to Norm's proximity- we didn't need another patient.

We carried blankets, medical gauze, water, medical tools for suturing and resetting bones to other instruments I had no idea on, and food gathered from our gardens at the Avatar compound. With Hometree destroyed, the Na'vi food supply was gone and any stored rations would eventually run out since there was more than one clan gathered here and no hunters to provide food for them. If they accepted our help, we would gladly bring the food from our own crops to keep them sustained since Cheryl and her team made sure to plant fields to feed our Avatars along with aiding her private research.

I opened the crates to pull out neatly wrapped blankets that would serve to dab wounds or as sleeping mats since the Na'vi had no use for blankets the way humans did. Their skin was structured to resist most elemental changes that would have humans shivering to death. Forest clans slept in hammocks with no blankets and they were the only ones I studied about so my research was a bit biased and incomplete with real evidence to such claims since Pandora was populated by many clans. I handed the white sheets to Cheryl who, with her more sociable skills than me, proceeded to disperse them among the rows of healers. Her heart was always out for helping people but I hoped the sight of blood wouldn't turn her into a quivering mess.

Norm explained what was in the crates as other Avatars in our team brought in the rest and Mo'at thanked him for the effort, accepting our bundles. Jake had managed to work his way up to us with Neytiri by his side to assure the matriarch of our sincere generosity. Her golden eyes studied each of us and she requested softly, _"Please help as many as you can."_

We nodded respectfully to the Na'vi matriarch and I turned to Norm to ask curiously, "Where's your Avatar?"

"In the critical section, I'm about to head there to see if I can patch myself up" he answered with a small personal joke to lighten the mood and patted his bulky backpack full of items. Norm refused to stay behind despite his small size that would hinder most but his determination to help didn't allow him to sit back and wait. He gave me a goofy grin and a thumbs up as he declared dramatically with a puffed chest, "Time to be a hero."

"You already are, going into battle selflessly warrants that merit" I stated with a pleasant smile and waved my hand so he could get going and check on his Avatar. He gave me one of his polite farewells and ran off, I couldn't help but smile after him- he was like the little brother I wish I had but never got. Out of everyone I had a choice in selecting for the RDA Avatar program under the anthropological field, his name stuck out and his modest but friendly persona spoke measures for him that kept maturing his confidence among others. I only kept people with potential in my team that weren't afraid to exceed their limits to promote coexistence with the Na'vi. Dr. Augustine had been fascinated by their flora, Max with their alien biology, and I with their unique culture.

My eye caught on a hint of yellow paint that didn't belong to Jake or Neytiri and I spotted the stubborn Na'vi warrior I'd helped hours ago during the pandemonium in the forest. A small burst of triumph swelled in my chest that I had succeeded in a good deed today and decided to see how he was doing. My benign curiosity apparently wasn't good enough for a healthy band of warriors protecting the injured on the healing bed of the Tree of Souls and I placed my hands up peacefully.

"_I helped him during battle, I just want to make sure he's stable" _I explained carefully and gently shook my bottle of water to prove I held no ill will against them. _"He was in bad shape when I found him. I only seek to give aid here."_

The two in the center before me glanced at each other briefly and I stood there with crossed arms that clearly depicted I wasn't leaving anytime soon. A minute passed in silence with a staring match between all three of us until they relented cautiously, _"We are watching you."_

"_Thank you!" _I breathed out quickly at being released from any more useless staring, giving a respectful nod to them before walking up to where the Omaticaya leader rested. I heard the young healer telling him to rest but he merely hissed the idea away with a scowl. Damn, was this guy hardheaded or what? I could see why the clan admired his warrior's determination but there had to be a limit before exhaustion consumed him entirely. I tiptoed carefully to where he rested, my eyes taking notice of the small green fibers attached to the back of his form as they glowed a gentle pulsing green. Were those little things healing him? My mind practically lit up at the gathering of new data but I wasn't here for that right now.

The female healer eyed me warily like everyone else currently was but I counted my blessings they weren't brandishing toxic arrows at me just for being a human in real life. I approached the warrior's side, leaning my torso forwards so I was in his line of sight. His face had been cleaned of the decorative war paint so his natural blue stripes became prominent over his cyan face while his torso was wrapped in clean brown bandaging. I'm pretty sure he never expected to see me again and I kept back a small smirk trying to crawl onto my lips as I greeted innocently, _"I see you once again, Olo'eyktan of the Omaticaya."_

Imagine the shock on his face as I leaned above him like a pesky Cheshire cat and he hissed irritably, _"Have you come to finish me off, dreamwalker?"_

I gaped at his harsh greeting and placed my hands on my hips to admonish bluntly, _"So much for the respect a clan leader should exude. First of all, I distinctly remember __me__ saving __your__ hide while you growled the whole time. Secondly, I came to help the injured like I did with you to make sure your people don't lose more than they have from the battle. Need I go on?"_

"_No, I have already grown weary of you" _Tsu'tey remarked sourly to save face and I wondered if thiswas his injured disposition (most saved their energy instead of being catty), what was his _everyday _attitude?

"Would you stop fighting me? I'm only here to help- if you were a _tawtute_, I'd smack sensibility into you" I admonished dryly in English and handed the healer my water bottle, whom was watching our argument with both confusion and intrigue, so she could find use of it.

His pearly teeth flashed at me and he challenged coldly, _"Is that a threat?"_

I rolled my eyes to his angry nature with a small shake of my head and smartly pointed out, _"I said __if__, learn to decipher your vocabulary."_

"_Now you are claiming to be superior than I?" _Tsu'tey barked with a sharp hiss, ears pressed flat against his skull like a feline ready to make its kill, and I almost sighed in aggravation. Remind me again at _why _I came? Apparently, my words went in his head and he shifted them around completely in that brain of his despite we were speaking the same language! I pinched the bridge of my nose as I usually did when I became tired in useless babble and dropped the matter.

"_I didn't say anything! You're just grouchy and need to listen to the healer about sleeping or you won't heal" _I snapped firmly to make him see the rational side of this and suddenly missed the shirt I had willingly torn up for him. Did he have any idea how hard it was to customize a shirt in Na'vi size? Deciding to head down a peaceful path for the sake of coexistence, I advised nicely, _"Go to sleep, Tsu'tey."_

"You have no say here" he shot back heatedly in English and I placed my hand on my forehead at this man's temperament as I bit back a frustrated groan. Are you freakin' kidding me? Nice, mean, cold, shrewd, nothing was getting a different response from him except anger. No wonder Jake called him a psycho every time he disconnected from his link and printed out Tsu'tey's picture just to doodle on his face for personal entertainment.

I leaned down inches from his face to push my point across and stated smugly, _"I have guest privileges and if I have to get a sleeping draught to make you listen, I will go get the Tsah__ì__k right now." _

I felt pretty good at my brave comeback against the head honcho, even my tail gave an involuntary twitch of content. I thought I had won the whole argument with a cherry on top until Tsu'tey smirked, his sharp canines glinting in the light, and dared coldly, _"I welcome that challenge."_

Twenty minutes later with the help of my speech classes and a lot of charisma, Mo'at had given me a list of ingredients that I mixed into a green liquid full of medicinal benefits and I had a furious Olo'eyktan swallowing the contents like a fussy newborn baby. The healer next to us could only advise me to be gentle but how could I when the guy was digging his fingers into my arms to cut off circulation as he tried to go for my throat. The warriors were about to step in before their leader choked on medicine (how ironic, right?) but Jake beat them to it and pried me away from the injured man by the arms.

"Joanna, this isn't looking very diplomatic" he murmured quietly in my ear as he led me away from the enraged warrior and I calmed down to preserve my image before the maniac ruined it. How was _I_ in the wrong when the man wasn't listening to medical advice? I was beginning to think there was a neurotransmitter backfiring horribly in that brain of his.

I held the small bowl filled with the draught and my finger felt a deep indentation from one of his protesting canines on it. Even an innocent bowl suffered his wrath. I pointed my finger at the scowling man as I held the bowl to my chest and argued defiantly, "Tell that to him! I'm trying to help but he's being an unruly child!"

"_Child?!" _he growled indignantly to the insult and I grinned at irking him. Point one for Joanna. The proud hitch on my lips faltered when he tried to get up from the healing bed of the tree and I gave the bowl to Jake in surrender to the fight. Sure, it was a good little ego boost to give him a taste of his own unruliness but I didn't want the guy more injured than he already was. There were times to make jokes at his expense but right now wasn't the best time and I would bite my tongue.

"Here, he's all yours- enjoy" I told my friend hastily with a wiggle of my eyebrows and the ex-marine's mouth slacked at playing the new babysitter to the irate warrior. I walked away to tend to more passive patients that would actually allow me to touch them.

"Wait, but- I- oh man!" Jake groaned helplessly from behind me.

* * *

Night had fallen on Pandora by the time most of the injured were stabilized and given herbal sedatives to lessen their pain while the critical were sedated with accurate morphine authorized by Dr. Patel once the Na'vi allowed it. Everyone was exhausted by the end as the entire day's ordeal drained everyone physically, emotionally, and mentally to the point nobody wanted to eat until Neytiri began to pass out the picked fruit from the gardens to give an energy boost. I would gorge once I unlinked to regain my strength and a good ten minute cry would settle my nerves to refresh my mind. I had accepted Neytiri's offering just to feed my tired Avatar and was glad her people allowed our bodies to stay overnight so we could continue the relief effort at dawn.

Jake had given a speech on behalf of our tired teams that we would stay until everybody recuperated while the hostile humans would remain under high security back at Hell's Gate. The clan leaders wanted them off the moon immediately and Jake told them he would do so along with removing everything they came with until the base was empty and void of them. He would send a message with them to carry back to the RDA headquarters and Earth's governments to make it very clear Pandora is its own sovereign moon and will fight to defend its independence. Needless to say, that gave the Na'vi a major pep boost and I had to hand it to the man because he was damn good at it.

The night was followed by prayers to Eywa by clan singers and their voices reverberated throughout the rock formations encasing the Tree of Souls. Being an anthropologist, I watched from a distance to their unison chants to record the event into my mind as I realized this was the first time I had fully interacted with the natives. I had been completely focused on helping them that I had forgotten all about it. I'm sure Dr. Augustine would have smacked the back of my head for missing the data recording if she was still alive. We lost good people today on both sides and mourning was universal in both our species without the need to explain it.

My ears flattened against my head at the thought of how many had lost their sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, mates, and friends today. The Omaticaya took that burden heavily along with the pain of being homeless but nobody brought that topic up as the wounds were still fresh.

I spotted Dr. Patel making last minute rounds on the critical patients while Norm snored away tiredly, his exopack making them slightly louder, as he slept next to his injured Avatar. I had no idea how he was going to head back in the dead of night but I'm sure Jake would give him a ride. Cheryl was helping by crushing herbs in a small bowl that Mo'at handed to her so medicine would be at hand for tomorrow while Jake watched the sitting singers perched on the large roots of the Tree of Souls as Neytiri slept soundly next to him.

A hand fell upon my shoulder and I found myself facing an older female Na'vi of Mo'at's age with sky blue paint decorating her face in a Y shape while her torso narrowed it to a downwards triangle with gold bordering it in outline. She was one of the clan leaders from the Ikran People of the Eastern Sea. I had seen three leaders in all: the youngest female in red paint, an older male in green, and the one before me. Shells adorned long stray braids over her bare shoulders and beads covered the rest randomly while a brown diadem of twine and turquoise stones rested on her brow. Sand colored cloth covered her hips in a loincloth along with her chest in a criss-crossing top. As I traveled between the clans, I had noticed the different colors of garb between them that I would best assume were used for camouflaging and acclimatization purposes.

"_I see you, Joa'nna" _she greeted me softly and I faltered at how she knew me by name. Had one of the patients I helped told her? Most importantly, I didn't know hers and did not know how to go about it but she read my baffled expression easily. Her right hand went to the center of her chest and she introduced herself, _"I am Olo'eyktan and Tsah__ì__k Nitari te Alav'ite of the Atykwe clan."_

I bowed my head, pressing my fingers lightly over my heart in recognition, and her fingertips grabbed my chin to raise it without warning. Her golden eyes probed mine slowly and I fought the need to blink as she spoke calmly, _"I saw your actions with young Tsu'tey of the Omaticaya."_

"_I wasn't trying to anger him but he is a bit stubborn" _I tried to explain fretfully because I didn't want a clan leader reprimanding me about it. Relations to get along would dwindle to zero then and I needed entrance to their culture to be one of them, that was the whole point of remaining on Pandora. My hands fidgeted nervously over my stomach as I gathered my thoughts quickly to explain, _"I-"_

Nitari raised her hand for silence and I obeyed instantly, clasping my hands over my abdomen as my spine straightened to attention. Her lips broke into a smile and she stated softly with that wise air about her, _"You have a warrior's soul. It is small, like a seedling, but with good nurturing, it will bloom. I will be waiting until that day as Eywa commands me."_

Her fingers left my face while I was completely lost to her words and Nitari touched her forehead in farewell, prompting me to clumsily return it without letting my confusion show. She walked away without another word, her elegant swagger carrying her to the singers up front. What was that about? The fact she knew me without need for confirmation was strange enough but even more, she didn't berate me over fighting with one of her own species. I could only stand there like a lost kid in a subway station and wringed my hands over my chest as I let the incident slip by for now and headed to find a decent area to leave my Avatar at. My job was done for the day and tomorrow would bring another boatful of stress as the Na'vi began the healing process and Pandora would rid itself of the alien invaders. Did that mean we would leave for our hollow shell of a planet also?

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A/N:**Wow, thanks to all of your wonderful alerts/favorite subscriptions for this story. I'm glad you guys liked the first chapter so here's the conclusion of the second to get the story rolling to peak your interest. The main viewpoint will be Joanna's but with the hectic battle, I decided to break it between Tsu'tey and Jake also. I hope I kept all the canon characters in character so if I didn't, drop me a note about it so I can correct the characterization. Thanks to all of my first chapter reviewers: _Amaya Shinkuyoake, ShatteredKunai, Soccer11, TopCat90, Good-Fellow, joojootrain_, and _Sanadracios_.

I appreciate your kind words and feedback, and for taking time out of your schedule to read my chapters. Next chapter (_Expulsion of the RDA_) kicks off the humans as certain Avatars are allowed to stay, Jake makes Joanna Tsu'tey's nursemaid, and the search for the new Hometree begins. Thank you for reading and please review.


	3. Expulsion Of The RDA

CHAPTER 3:

**Expulsion of the RDA  


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A week had passed after Pandora's victory over the RDA and the injured were well on recuperation but many casualties remained throughout all the clans. Bodies had been buried next to the Tree of Souls to reunite them with Eywa (including Neytiri's father which emotionally crushed the poor woman again at the funeral) and the land had been swept for the missing for the chance to give them a proper funeral. Those that were not found were commemorated before the last meal of the day as a pyre burned in their honor throughout the night. Search groups from the Omaticaya had been sent to the remains of the old Hometree to forage for surviving belongings (hammocks, clothing, pottery, food) but the rubble was impossible to excavate through. Most returned empty handed to the Tree of Souls forlornly and Jake traveled there every day until he found something, whether it was a bracelet, a knife, a usable piece of textile, anything that he could return to their respective owners. His hands were filled with splinters by then and part of me knew his conscience still carried guilt over his part in Hometree's destruction and this was a way for him to atone, to purify his soul clean of it.

The humans remained under tight security day and night as they received food rations and water until they were ready to board and leave Pandora. The Na'vi, our Avatars, and those handy sentry machine guns had destroyed all aircrafts except for one Valkyrie that Jake designated would return the humans back to the ISV Venture Star which in turn, would be forced to head back the dying planet. He would only allow them to take enough food and fuel for the one-way trip to Earth while all weaponry would remain on Pandora to prevent any funny business but I was sure that one look at a Na'vi and their pointed neurotoxin dipped arrow was enough to change a soldier's mind.

Jake had been fully accepted into the Omaticaya for his valiant efforts to commandeer the battle although some members from other clans still held a little resentment since it was he who disclosed information to the human military on how to destroy a clan's Hometree. Either way, I knew Jake would make it up to them and with Neytiri by his side, he would rise above it. Surprisingly, Neytiri felt no awkwardness to Jake's real body once they had time to unwind from the stress and it only increased her respect at how a vulnerable human among its own could become one of the strongest among her people. He was a natural warrior by all definition. That's all I knew regarding the new couple and I would keep to myself because I had no intention in becoming the newest eavesdropper/gossip.

Norm's avatar luckily survived its wounds as the bullets miraculously missed his heart by inches and it was well in recuperation. He wasn't as injured as Tsu'tey's sustained close-range bullets so he would be up and walking in no time. Speaking of the blue devil, Jake had assigned _me _to aid in his full recuperation. Could you believe it? Me, as in the one who kept arguing with him (_and _held the rational mindset in all of them) until he resorted to violence and immature tantrums to win an argument. Was that jarhead insane? Either way, I listened but whenever Tsu'tey got smart with me, I resorted to ignoring him by studying a random book I brought to help me through my torment.

Yesterday after dinner, Mo'at extended an olive branch to us as she saw our efforts to help her people survive and generously offered a spot for us in the Omaticaya _if_ we followed the same ritual of passage as Jake. I instantly jumped on the idea, shaking Cheryl into a queasy delirium, but a scowl from the grumpy Olo'eyktan I was nursing had reminded me I would be taking orders from _him_. Ouchies. Norm had instantly agreed since it was his childhood dream to journey on Pandora to live freely and surprisingly received an invitation to several of the Horse Clans for his aid in the forest battle alongside them. Dr. Patel would stay as well and would handle our group as leader to maintain order but everybody loved Max anyway so it was no problem. Other humans in the program actually decided to return to Earth as the moon only held bad memories and they wanted a fresh breath of air but would support Pandora's wishes by advocating their rights of independence to the RDA. Kudos to them, I suppose, because I wanted _Pandora's _air in my lungs. I wanted nothing to do with my species (unless they were pro-Na'vi ruled Pandora) and could only pity my barren planet for putting up with them. The humans passed up their chance to live on a beautiful planet but wrecked it by over excavating for oil and minerals, releasing toxic fumes and burning harmful materials into the clean air, building luxurious cities in lands occupied by wildlife, creating artificial dams and canals that ruined the earth, destroying rain forests for greedy resources. . .no, humankind lost their chance for redemption long ago.

As I spent my days between the Omaticaya and the Atykwe clans, murmurs began stirring over who was the true Olo'eyktan of the Omaticaya. Should it remain as a lineage transfer of power and to the rightful heiress, Neytiri, and her mate, the Toruk Makto, Jakesully? Or to the warrior, Tsu'tey, that had been rightfully chosen during a young age and trained to lead his people? Rumors were never good; they blew out of proportion and were impossible to squash. I kept my mouth shut on it but back at the Avatar Station, Norm rooted for Jake (those two had become the strangest of best friends now) while Max reminded him this wasn't a popularity vote.

On a good note, however, the humans were leaving today.

All of the buildings had been ripped of clear of rooftops, courtesy of a fearsome but very handy toruk, while windows had been smashed in with the Slash Cutter to make sure nothing would be usable except for the Avatar Station and part of the OPS center that Jake wanted to use temporarily to search for a new Hometree. The computers had analyzed every inch of the land and the satellite imaging would make finding the next Hometree much easier. The Ikran People of the Eastern Sea had surveyed the land nearby to make sure there were no more human settlements or unobtanium mines to make sure no human traces would remain on Pandora. The rest of the planet would be scanned and thorough checks would be made via computers to make sure no other clans were enduring the same problem the Omaticaya had.

Avatars with M-60s patrolled the accumulating lines to keep the departing humans in line as their faces scowled at us, the apparent betrayers of our kind. I didn't care what they called us, we wanted to preserve this world and keep it away from Earth's greedy corporate hands. They chose their path so boohoo on them. Na'vi on foot and with direhorses also kept the humans in check as their blue fingers never strayed far from their weapons. Banshees were stationed on the broken remains of the buildings to use them as perches while their riders protected the outskirts of Hell's Gate.

Neytiri and Dr. Patel were overseeing the whole exodus while Norm typed away on a computer (his small human fingers came in handy for the keys) in the OPS center as he prepared to record Jake's message to the RDA. I remained perched outside the door to notify Jake if anything occurred as I decided to stay in my real body as well instead of making the long trek back. The Toruk Makto was already cramped standing up inside the room and simply sat down cross-legged on the metal floor to record his message.

"Hmm, you think I need some face powder like those newscasters on Earth?" Jake joked to us as he fiddled with a brown bead on one of his braids. Everyone knew the ex-marine had no style sense (or how to even make a braid) and left it to his mate or one of the females that decorated hair for all members in the Omaticaya. He flicked the braid away and his face feigned a serious expression before speaking dramatically, "Good morning. I'm your Pandora news anchor, Jake Sully with the morning news. Our top story today: RDA is getting its butt off our planet forever with continued coverage from our ikran in sky cover. The procedure is expected to last a few hours so hold on to your tea cups because we will bring you up to date news every half hour. Now, on to Norm for sports. . ."

The younger anthropologist burst into much needed laughter to the amateurish act and wagged a finger to warn good-humouredly, "I really hope you're not going to talk like that in the message."

Jake placed a frown on his angular face, crossing his arms over his broad chest, and feigned an insulted voice, "What's wrong with the way I talk? I have a very photogenic attitude."

"I think Neytiri got the worst end of the deal in this marriage" I joked aloud from my outdoor spot, resting my arms on the cold metal railing as I gave the two jokers a brief glance over my shoulder.

"Hey!" the ex-marine objected indignantly and sprawled onto the metal floor on his stomach like a lazy cat without a care. I half-expected him to loll his tongue out to act the part but he aimed his index finger at me with a witty grin to chide, "Just for that, I'll tell Neytiri to arrange a marriage between you and Tsu'tey."

Norm instantly got another case of the giggles, his mask fogging up from the extra exhaled carbon dioxide, and I resisted from leaving my post and yanking the oh so adored Toruk Makto's tail. Instead, I gave him a wry glance at the remark and scoffed distastefully, "That would be the shortest five minute marriage when he stabs me in the heart and I slice off his nads."

"Children, children" Norm lectured to calm us down as the peacemaker out of us three and brought up a windows screen on his computer while his right hand adjusted the small camera we used for video logging. He fidgeted with the black device but Jake's face was easy to focus onto since he was tall and very blue, enough said. He returned to his computer to ready the program and reminded with a perky smile, "Let's do this before we forget why we're here."

"And don't do that thing where you rub your head like you're full of lice" I teased with a sly grin for his jab at me and received a feline hiss in return. It was all playful jesting so nobody would ever be hurt; that was the number one rule in the Avatar program, no harsh jokes that were aimed at someone's expense. I narrowed my eyes to make him shift into 'marine mode' Jake and stated firmly, "Be direct like Grace and don't bullshit them."

"What're you? My speech advisor?" he replied playfully and ran a hand over his newly cropped mohawk, which caused me to giggle quietly under my hand at my first comment. His hand stopped in midair when he saw my amused stare and shot back in justification, "I was fixing my hair, there's a _huge _difference."

"Whatever makes you sleep at night" I chuckled impishly, turning back to watch the lines of people shuffling into the large Valkyrie, and heard Norm shush us from his post as he began recording. Guess I'd better play nice now.

I yawned softly as my mind was lightly exhausted from yesterday after tending to the bandages on Tsu'tey. No, the bandages themselves didn't tire me, I didn't mind helping him at all- it was his nagging off the hundred things that were wrong with my whole species that tired me. If that was bad enough, he went into thorough explanations as to why he was completely superior to me. You would think his lungs would eventually tire from his injuries but the man was resilient, I'd give him that. What I did not forgive was having fruit thrown in my face because it was apparently 'a little' sour but when I licked the purple pulp for a taste as it trailed down my face, it was anything but that. Neytiri dodged a huge bullet there by mating to Jake but I felt sorry for the poor soul that would one day get stuck with the stubborn man known as Tsu'tey. I swore the warrior acted more like a spoiled child in my company.

"Pandora has repelled this attack on their land and they are an independent sovereignty that will attack on sight if Earth sends any more ships. Your people are banned from this world under penalty of death. I will be first in line to destroy anybody that touches this soil without authorization and the same goes for all the many clans scattered through this world. This is _our _world and we will fight for it."

_Jake's doing good_, I thought to myself as the ex-marine continued with his speech. He has the right stuff to be a leader, despite that whole undercover mission fiasco, which made me wonder if the Omaticaya's division over the rightful leader would only grow larger. He would be a true Na'vi with the rare offer that Mo'at put forth of transferring his soul into the Avatar vessel permanently and with his unrelenting aid to help the Omaticaya rebuild, he would be seen as a good candidate. The question was: Would Tsu'tey allow it? Would Neytiri fight for her rightful throne?

_It's just one problem after the next on Pandora_, I thought dryly with a mental sigh and spotted Cheryl walking by at the bottom on the first floor. Like me, she'd decided to leave her Avatar back at the Tree of Souls and help here during the morning. The woman was brilliant with creating breakfast and Jake had been the first to wheel himself into the dining hall this morning to grab himself a huge stack of waffles. He then proceeded to tell her she should make a Na'vi version, covering Norm's breakfast with flying spittle as the poor man tried to deflect it.

"Look, I found some herbs Mo'at told me about in the garden so I'll give them to Neytiri when she heads out" Cheryl piped up brightly as she held a large basket full of large herbs on top of her head. The handmade Na'vi baskets were too big to carry by hand so propping them on top of our heads pretty much did the trick. The wind swayed her short blond tresses and her heart-shaped face smiled up at me to say optimistically, "I think everything is beginning to mend, don't you?"

"As long as they leave here and the Omaticaya find their new Hometree, yeah" I replied simply with a roll of my shoulders and eyed the Valkyrie loading crates of snacks that would last the short trip. Things had certainly winded down and tensions would simmer once the humans left but would _we _still receive hostility from the Na'vi? I wasn't about to change my mind about staying but the thought kept wandering around in my head. Plus, Tsu'tey kept reminding me of my inferiority every minute just to make sure I knew it. Ugh, even miles away, he still managed to crawl into my thoughts. My lips hitched into a grin that this would now be our world (cranky blue warrior exempt in my happy paradise) and I asked curiously, "You don't regret staying at all, huh?"

"Nope, I can finally begin to explore the flora of this world and we've been to the Tree of Souls- that counts as a lifetime award" she answered cheerily and the basket almost tipped over to her giddy excitement. She gave me a bashful smile and a wave of the hand as she headed off to the storage areas where we kept loading crates to take to the Na'vi. The ikran and direhorse riders were perfect for transporting aid quickly and I think it made relations a bit easier after the tense week everyone endured.

I heard grunting behind me and turned to find Jake wedged in the doorway since his form wasn't made for human-sized doors. Had he finished his recording already? A man with short but effective words, I guess. I stifled a laugh as his lips thinned in irritancy, beaded and feathered black braids falling over his broad shoulders as he was stuck with one shoulder hanging outside and the other inside. He grunted in exasperation and looked to the sky with a loud groan, "When will they make doors large enough for the Na'vi gentleman?"

"You could've just used the broken windows, you know" I pointed out flatly and motioned with my right hand to the large windows overhead that could have easily fit an ikran through. Jake did have a tendency to be hasty at times; sometimes it was a good thing but right now, it just wasn't elegant for a guy that mastered a toruk.

His face fell into a dull expression at my smart-alecky comment and he extended his hand out to me as he grumbled, "Just give me a hand, will you?"

"Promise you won't flatten me?" I joked halfheartedly (I really hoped he wouldn't) but reached to grab his oversized hand with both of mine to tug him into the open but the way he had decided to exit just wasn't the best. Boy, I wondered what the Na'vi would say if they saw this scene most unbecoming of their Toruk Makto. I really did start feeling sorry for the entrapped man when he didn't budge after a minute of pulling. I gave quick short yanks to see if he would move a millimeter but got squat. I growled under my breath to this unexpected situation and sighed loudly, "You better hope we don't need butter for you."

"Norm, push me, will ya?" Jake called over to Norm who was now trapped inside unless he wanted to make a dramatic and most likely painful jump from the windows overhead.

A second later, a hesitant Norm replied with a nervous hitch in his voice, "You know. . .I'd love to but, um, I'm just not comfortable pushing my hands against your naked butt. No offense."

"Oh, for the love of Eywa-" Jake grumbled under his breath and wiggled to wrestle himself free like a fresh wild caught fish. Unfortunately, the frenzied movements of his body also brought me along for the bumpy ride. My shoulder-length brown hair was mussed out of its ponytail as I tried to keep my feet planted on the floor before he dragged me around like a flimsy doll.

"Bad jarhead, bad!" I yelled to grab his attention away from the doorway and back down to me before he tore my poor elbow joint out of its socket. I was ready to start calling him 'Jake, the Big Blue Na'vi' in parody to that cartoonish Clifford dog but he ran out of breath to use in his struggle. His golden eyes finally took a notice of my disheveled appearance and I gave him the meanest glare I could muster.

He cleared his throat awkwardly and glanced away to mumble, "Sorry."

_How does he get into these situations?_, I thought and really hoped that a walking Jake wasn't more accident prone than wheelchair Jake. I was already playing the unwilling nursemaid for Tsu'tey, I didn't need another patient or for Jake to make me the next one.

Norm's voice popped up again to question with a mix of both curiosity and perplexity, "Hey Jake, why is your bow strapped onto your back?"

"Neytiri said to never leave home without it" he explained rationally with a carefree smile and if I wasn't tugging him by the hand, I would've popped both our foreheads for the lapse in common sense. Apparently, Neytiri forgot to tell him about the 'what if' scenarios of bow carrying. Jake merely blinked at my deadpan expression and asked us curiously, "Your point _being_?"

"Take the bow off! That's why you're stuck!" Norm exclaimed pointedly to the puzzled Jake whose thinking light bulb finally lit up in his head. Amused laughter echoed inside the OPS center as Jake fiddled with his good hand to slide under the black string of the bow that held it in place. I heard him mumble inaudibly about carrying a rifle instead as he tried to release himself but the firing string of the bow wasn't budging easily from his skin.

I shook my head as I muffled my laughter (I blamed Norm's contagious nature), ready to fling another joke, but the ex-marine beat me to it by poking my side and ordering quickly, "Shutty, Joanna."

* * *

Two hours later had the last remnants of humankind off Pandora to never return as Jake saw them off, giving a disgruntled Selfridge his last message to take to the RDA with the best of wishes. . .yeah, right. They were lucky enough to get as much as a decent 'goodbye'. Jake just told the people to keep moving until he packed them all in like sardines and the ship wasted no time in leaving since negotiations were over. The Na'vi rejoiced victoriously the second the aircraft faded among the white clouds and disappeared altogether from the blue sky. It took a little while for it to sink in that they were really gone and would hopefully, _stay _gone.

It was over.

I couldn't help the stupid grin on my face as I watched the Na'vi whoop loudly, brandishing their bows into the air while the Avatars shook shoulders in victory. Even Jake displayed his affection by holding Neytiri to his chest before having her translate to the people that he would be returning with further aid to the Tree of Souls in one hour. Hell's Gate would now be under the control of the Na'vi while the remaining humans and I would stay in the Avatar Station which was the only building with suitable oxygen.

My second task of the day was to use the OPS center's main computer with Norm to find a suitable Hometree by analyzing the geographical similarities of the old one and remain close to the forest as a clan like theirs should. As anthropologists, we were used to studying multitudes of cultures in natural environments and after grabbing all the jotted notes of our research and video logs, we set to work by scanning each of the nearby sectors thoroughly.

Thirty minutes into our task, Jake brought Neytiri into the building after Norm and I quickly advised her to take off the bow before she ended up like Jake. Luckily, she was way ahead of us and had it off by the time she squeezed through the door with ease. I almost snickered at Jake's immediate frown to her ingenuity but the man had already been embarrassed enough for today. I was pretty sure my own payback in karma (the demon, a.k.a, Tsu'tey) would be waiting for me when I returned to my own Avatar. Her golden eyes observed the remains of the center, her cyan fingers lightly trailing over the powered down monitors before her interest was grasped by the circular holographic image of the Pandoran landscape.

Jake explained how our technology worked while she tried to grasp the concept of how such a vast scene could be minimized into a small image. Even the image amazed her. The ex-marine went into what he knew about the mechanics of technology but let the machine to the talking as he brought up any sector around the entire planet for his mate's viewing pleasure. We almost laughed good-naturedly at her innocent mind when she asked if people could see us staring down at them but we assured the system was updated last week so it was absolutely impossible. It seemed to calm her down and Jake cheered his mate by bringing up a gorgeously clear image of the Hallelujah Mountains. Was the man suave or what?

After a few minutes of 'oohs' and 'ahhs', I nudged Norm in the side to speak up about why we requested her presence here. It's not that I didn't mind the love fest- if at all, I'm glad _somebody _wasgetting some lovin' after all this- but we needed to get cracking in order to conquer this thing. Norm ran a hand through his brown hair as he approached the couple and politely broke in to ask for her expertise on what their new home should have.

I smiled from my post at his ongoing modesty as his fingers swept over the landscape image and Norm explained enthusiastically, "We want your input on what the new Hometree needs, on what it should have. Close to bodies of water? Close to dense foliage? Open area? Mountainous terrain? Prey of choice? The tree's size? Anything you have would help the search go faster and the Omaticaya can rebuild faster."

"How?" Neytiri asked skeptically as her eyes roamed over the piles of our paper images and notes dumped over dead consoles. Yeah, we were being messy little ikran today with no sense of tidy organization.

"With your input, this large machine gathers the best choices and from there, your clan can move into the one you like" Norm stated with a bright smile at all the possibilities and he began to type into one of the consoles. Since RDA categorized everything the planet wielded as useful for renewable and non-renewable resources, that gave us the advantage when it came to getting results based on food, water, plants, geography, you name it, we had it.

He looked up to Neytiri as she kneeled down to see the anthropologist work but Norm seemed to shrink inwardly at the close proximity and I hid a grin at his socially awkward persona. I cleared my throat loudly as a signal to get him going since he had the oddest quirks in public of either rambling on or speaking too little. I kept helping him along in his interpersonal skills (especially when I caught him listening to a self-motivation recording) and would make sure a confident Norm would be born here. After all, the Na'vi believed you were born twice; a perfect opportunity when he achieved Iknimaya one day. Norm offered us a sheepish smile before continuing his explanation, "For example, if you want a Hometree closer to the Tree of Souls, I will write this into the machine like so. . .and I will get the result of. . .four unoccupied _Kelutral_ trees suitable to fit the capacity of your clan. If you want to be closer to the old Hometree, I get three results. Do you understand it a little better?"

Her lips widened into a smile of comprehension and she nodded excitedly to us, "Yes, I see. Wonderful."

She placed a hand on Jake's cheek as he fiddled with a large green Chinese finger trap he was creating to play a prank on the other Avatars and unsuspecting Na'vi. He gave her an affectionate smile as she disregarded his sudden interest and complimented sweetly, _"Your friends have good souls."_

To us, she gave a sincere smile and guaranteed, _"I will talk to my people about it and tell you several choices after our last meal."_

"Perfect, that will help incredibly" I smiled gladly to her cooperation in this (which would be phenomenal) and hoped that our interaction would bridge the gap a little more as we stepped in to join their world. The new Hometree wouldn't be an exact replica of its predecessor or have its deep sentimental value but the Omaticaya needed to rebuild and seeing the ash ridden remains of the old would not help. I began to fix up our humongous pile of papers but gave up a second later to pop open my laptop. Databases were faster to search through anyway. Ugh, I just knew kicking my techie habits for mental recording by voice would be brutal.

_Eywa help me_, I thought miserably at the upcoming prospect and hoped that if I needed a rage outlet for technology withdrawal, I could take it out on Tsu'tey. I was pretty sure that anything I did would not hurt the man- he already survived falling sky high, I was a speck compared to that.

I brought up a program concerning the topographical features of previously studied Hometrees to give us a boost in aid but the Omaticaya had ample land to choose one from. Their territories bordered the Horse Clans who reigned on the west while the east was shrouded in forest and sea to the Eastern Sea Clans and the north held unknown clans I wasn't aware of. The south consisted of Hell's Gate along with mined lands that were now free of control so that gave them room to expand. I had been waiting to give my brain a good challenge that wouldn't leave traumatic stress and this would do nicely.

Zest was an emotion I welcomed with open arms these passing days and I informed Neytiri, "We will arrive at the sacred tree before sundown. We want to gather more data and eat up to get the ball rolling."

"You have to roll a ball?" the Na'vi asked confused, tilting her head to the side with a puzzled blink and I smiled at her lack of knowledge on human stuff. I would have to remember to watch my words because I wanted to be a part of them, to learn and be one with their culture. . .also, I hoped our everyday sayings wouldn't insult them accidentally. Jake had already told us about their wariness and open hostility when greeted by a polite shake of the hand.

"It's a human expression, don't worry about it" Jake answered on my behalf and grabbed her by the hand to motion with his head towards the doorway. Her movements were perfectly graceful for a trained huntress like her as she stood up to follow him. Her hands picked up her weapons off the floor to keep them close as Jake filled her in on their next task, "Let's go back with the supplies. This can wait since they have faster transportation by connecting to their dreamwalker bodies."

He patted my head and Norm's like a father would to his youngsters and reminded playfully, "Remember, exercise increases longevity."

"Don't you call my Avatar fat, she has curves" I justified quickly to the defense of my alien counterpart since the anatomy of Avatars did have a sturdier build than the willowy Na'vi while our pelvic girths were more curved than theirs. That was to be blamed on the hybrid cocktail of DNA the scientists used to create them. Nonetheless, we trained in the exercise courses to keep our muscles active and for them to be limber as well; it was a mandatory part of the synchronization regimen. I waved my hand at Jake's large one to bat him away and dismissed airily, "Go fly the thermals with your squawking bird dragon, Sully."

"That squawking bird dragon will eat you in one second flat" Jake said haughtily with a proud grin to his comeback and I nodded as a gracious loser to give him the point. I missed having people around with a good and fresh sense of humor although Dr. Augustine's techniques to render RDA people into sniffling babies along with her dry humor did brighten up my days before Jake came along.

"Stop flinging insults, your matches never end and I don't think I can handle another hour long listing of fictional character similarities" Norm broke in nonchalantly from his spot at the main computer as he typed without glancing up.

A forced cough had Jake muffling out under his hand, "Jar Jar Binks."

I gave him the tiniest side glance at his feeble cover-up to bring up one of the many names he branded me with and I faked a loud sneeze to voice over, "Snarf!"

"Scrooge McDuck!"

"Pikachu!"

"Enough, Archie and Jughead" Norm intervened loudly over us before we sat down to think on our new list and both of us looked to him with horrible appall at the comparison. A small mischievous grin hitched at his lips as he laughed, "That's right, I went there."

"Hmm, he's getting better" I mumbled to myself and knew Norm's joking came from knowing facts others didn't but this was a good way for him to open up and zing us. I grinned with pleasure to his advancement in courage and tapped my fingers together to boast, "You have defeated us. Take your victory for today."

Jake's brow raised at me and he asked warily, "Have you been. . .", and motioned heavy drinking with his hand and a few gulps from his throat. I shot him a glare for making fun of my lame dramatics and he shrugged casually, "Just asking!"

I shook my head with amusement to his crazy insinuation (I was not an alcohol type of gal) and honestly admitted to them, "I miss Dr. Augustine, only she could argue the best."

"To Dr. Augustine!" Jake commemorated and raised his fist in her honor but with his overbearing height, it only served to smack against the ceiling above. He winced at the sharp impact his knuckles absorbed and held them against his chest as he grit his teeth in annoyance, "Damn!"

We followed his example from our perches on the floor (no ceiling accidents, of course) but our hands lacked the alcohol needed for a decent tribute. I'm sure Grace would understand our new predicament but our sentiments were with her all the same.

"_May Eywa watch over her" _Neytiri added in warmly with a downcast gaze for our deceased colleague and her old teacher. We smiled at each other and I realized how the tiniest of interactions with others over time could bind us all in ways I couldn't imagine. I'm sure Dr. Augustine would be telling us not to screw up this chance and as a respectful friend, I sure as hell wouldn't.

* * *

Imagine my anger when I woke up in my Avatar form, whom was cozily nestled against a pile of comfortable leaves by the way, only to find a familiar Na'vi poking my torso with a stick. What was I? Dead meat? Had I suddenly added on the task of 'jester' to my job listing? I yanked the stick from his grasp without warning and proceeded to break it in two. He appeared taken aback by my sudden consciousness and retaliation but it was gone from his face the next second.

"Don't you have any manners?" I snapped sourly as I rubbed my poor abused stomach and stood up to wipe off any leaves sticking to my clothes. I replaced the fresh ones back in my bundle and molded it back to its mattress-like form to keep it intact. There, a handy dandy bed just for me. I hurled the dead leaves at his face in revenge but my jaw dropped when the leaves barely even touched him- scattering back in _my_ direction. I waved them away frantically with a pathetic 'no' and blamed it on the blasted wind currents because there was no way he had magical powers I wasn't aware of. With a defeated sigh, I proceeded to pick out the dead leaves stuck in my hair _again_ as I glowered at him.

"You _tawtute_ are lazy, completely useless" he degraded bitterly with an upturned nose in my direction and I scowled to his insult but that only increased his demented pleasure. Did I really have to listen to this guy for the rest of my days? If so, the idea of living on my own in the wild like Tarzan was looking better by the minute.

"_For your information, I was participating in the evacuation of the Sky People with Jake" _I pointed out sharply, not that I needed to explain myself to the likes of him but I had a darn good reason. For some reason, anything I did pissed him off like a banshee and somehow I knew I had become the 'new Jake/random human' for him to hurl insults at. I really did have to marvel at what went on in that neurological system of his because he seemed to contain no chance for plasticity. For extra kicks, I mimicked his stiff cross-armed posture to add in, _"You big overgrown prolemuris."_

His large eyes narrowed dangerously to the comparison of the wild bluish mammal and his facial features hardened to bark demandingly, _"Is that an insult to a warrior of my caliber?"_

My face contorted to a bewildered expression about the little fib on his appearance and I bluntly retorted with my own arsenal of truth, _"You call me skxawng all the time, you broke the record two days ago with a count of thirteen. That gives me the absolute right to defend myself verbally against your attacks."_

_Ha, that should show him_, I thought wittily at my own cleverness to stand my ground against the warrior.

My eyes trailed downwards to finally take notice (I really could be forgetful in heated arguments) that he was standing before the sacred tree instead of sitting up on it. Was he bonkers? There was no way he was ready to be standing up- well, only for a five minute walk to make sure his blood wouldn't clot- but I was pretty sure his stubborn personality would have Tsu'tey reaching and pushing past his limitations. In an ironic way, my own was just the same when it came to persevering over weaknesses but Jake entrusted his well-being to me and the healers so I wouldn't let him down. I swatted one of the reddish beaded braids on the left side of his head and admonished quickly, _"Skxawng, what are you doing standing up?! Other patients with bullet injuries aren't even trying and you're the worst case so far. Back we go to the healing bed."_

"_I will not be ordered by a filthy dreamwalker-"_

Loudly, I called out towards the healers section to put him in the spotlight, _"Tsah__ì__k Mo'at, Tsu'tey is trying to walk around with his unhealed life-threatening wounds!"_

The matriarch turned from her post in front of the Tree of Souls and gave the rebellious male a glare that would frighten most adults into sniveling children. Before she could make a single step towards us, the warrior shuffled back slowly onto the healing bed with a glower aimed right at me. Whatever, I was here to help him heal so boohoo on his stubbornness. His internal muscles would silently thank me for my intervention.

I leaned against the wooden bed of the tree as he rested next to me on my right and grinned down at him to comment slyly, _"For a warrior, you're not that good at keeping away injuries. Most warriors would actually heal first to be on their feet faster rather than risk internal bleeding. You're only a day away from sleeping with the rest of the clan to finish your recovery."_

"Go away" he grunted lowly with thinned lips and glared at the luminescent tree overhead instead of showing civility by meeting my gaze.

"_Don't give the tree your bad energy" _I said idly to further irritate him on being bedridden and smiled widely in awe when a pretty woodsprite headed my way. They were such beautiful little things, I was afraid they would break with the lightest touch whenever I saw one float by and opted to step out of their way to prevent injury. It floated near my face and I placed my hand out despite Tsu'tey's warning hiss, leveling my palm in case it wanted a little rest stop on its flight. I gave him a sidelong look filled with mirth to his crankiness and scoffed, _"You're not their leader so you don't get to say squat."_

I didn't feel a thing when the woodsprite landed and stared in amazement at the glowing seedling's decision to land on my hand. Score one for the anthropologist. The atokirina were held in such great respect and I could see why with their tiny ethereal form; they were almost dream-like. I cooed softly as its little tendrils swayed in the air, "Hello there, little atokirina. Such a marvelous tiny being you are."

Tsu'tey just had to open his big mouth at this point and state coldly, "You are not one of The People."

And _this _is what I had to face among the Omaticaya? I think I might just start passing out 'Vote Jake' pins if it kept me away from this jerk. I saved him, fought for his side over my own species, I was being his damn nursemaid, not to mention helping his people, and after all of that, the guy still buries me into the ground. I wasn't here to kill him- despite what my mind imagined for its own personal amusement- and wasn't holding my breath on our dynamics becoming better. I had already heard about Jake's own personal experience with the merciless warrior and I did not want to end up 'accidentally' killed during training.

"_You are completely asinine" _I hissed softly rather than biting off his head loudly for the public to see and walked away with my little woodsprite in hand. It picked up its previous path and floated upwards to the tree as I walked down the naturally carved wooden walkway, my black working boots crunching over brittle wood chips and random rocks hidden in the grooves of the long roots.

Tsu'tey certainly had a way of making his words bite deep into your self-conscious and I really disliked him for it. I wasn't in the habit of hating people, especially those I helped, but this guy was snapping my last nerve as I spent every day in his vicinity. Too bad I left the punching bag back at the compound because it really would've helped. Boy, I hoped this nursemaid thing would end soon so I could avoid all interaction with that irritating man.

I stepped into the path of where the Eastern Sea clans were gathered underneath the large rocky perches used for temporary shelter and ikran bedding for the time being. The injured had been transferred up to the perches overhead for comfortable bedding since they had a clean bill of health while healers wandered the clearing. As I used this break to explore a little, I saw the matriarch of the Atykwe approaching me with graceful steps. Hmm, maybe I could learn that as my first lesson in becoming a true Na'vi because I was anything but elegant. My hand went to my forehead as I bowed my head to greet respectfully, _"I see you, Tsah__ì__k Nitari."_

She preferred to be called by that rank as I learned more about her over the passing days more than anybody, mostly because I spoke to her than any other Na'vi (cranky warrior excluded, of course). Her heir had been Olo'eyktan of the Atykwe for barely six months before falling in the sky battle as he valiantly protected a band of his own from the Valkyrie and seeing as her mate was with Eywa for many years now, the position was now void of a new name. The matriarch was unable to conceive after medical complications with a still birth child, a choice she said was made by Eywa and would not regret, and had resorted to naming a nephew as her heir years later. Now, she took hold of both titles to lead her people to peace once again after the tragedy. The Na'vi clans had lost three clan leaders in total, two from the Horse Clans and Nitari's nephew. She said Tsu'tey had been lucky in surviving his critical wounds and had spoken to him more than once about hastiness bringing shortcomings. In her face there was kindness for me but there was also wise understanding to remain as a neutral leader. I decided I liked her most out of all the Na'vi I had met, aside from Neytiri, that is.

Her large cat-like eyes trailed over my face as my ears flattened against my head obediently to give the respected elder my undivided attention. One always listened to their clan leaders and would never speak unless directed to; it was strangely similar to human family dynamics where children didn't speak until they were told to. Her lips uttered a soft thoughtful 'hmm' before murmuring to me, _"You are troubled, young one."_

_I don't know how Tsah__ì__k's gain their powerful intuition but man, she is good_, I thought with surprise but smiled at her honest concern for me despite I wasn't even part of her clan.

"_The Olo'eyktan of the Omaticaya can be very frustrating" _I admitted softly with a glum little sigh that was growing common of me every day I spent with him and crossed my arms over my chest huffily. There was just something about Tsu'tey that kept scratching at my brain with unknown irritation.

"_You have a strong heart, a warrior never submits to another unless they are in a contest of physical strength" _she advised firmly to my negativity on the man and pressed a finger between my eyes, the snow white shells on her wrist bracelets clacking together as she moved her hand. With the lightest of tones, she stated simply, _"Both of you are in the wrong."_

I was about to argue my point in the fight with him but she raised her hand for my silence as she continued, _"You must understand that the Sky People have brought nothing but conflict to our world since their first arrival. The Atykwe have been blessed to not suffer much problems because we had nothing they sought, seeing as we live by the seashore. Unfortunately, the Omaticaya have been more open and in close contact, a generous quality of the forest clan that had serious repercussions in the end."_

Her free hand pointed to the bedridden warrior and others of the Blue Flute clan that remained under careful watch of the healers. Golden eyes locked onto the warrior's form and her voice lowered to a somber tone, _"Tsu'tey has been in close contact to the dangers your people have brought, seeing his people slaughtered by those that claimed they could be trusted, his own father among them and a mother succumbing to illness from the grief, losing his first betrothed to the merciless warriors that attacked a neighboring school seeking peace and relinquishing Neytiri to another not of his kind, and now, to have the only home he's ever known since birth be destroyed in scorching flames along with losing people he knew in the haste to escape. As a protector of his clan, he takes that blame onto his shoulders heavily and when he sees you, a remnant of your kind and what you represent, he will project it to prevent another happening."_

"_But I-" _I objected to the idea that I could ever think of harming a sentient species willingly in such inconceivable actions but her finger lowered to tap the apple of my left cheek gently.

"_You would not, I know, that is why I say you are both victims in this" _she explained calmly with a soft smile and I nodded to her sage advice because she was absolutely right. The woman was good at deciphering people, no doubt from her training to be the spiritual leader of her clan and I would not question it. Her viewpoint on his life experiences made Tsu'tey who he was but there were always two parts in an equation but he was astute in knowing nothing about mine. Nitari's ears lowered slightly to my sullen expression and she soothed with that sagely voice, _"There is great good in you, Joanna, and there is great honor within him. Understanding is a slow process but the benefits will bring a closer bond that neither will regret. I see your path as a support beam to his."_

_Ah jeez, please don't say I'm going to be the guy's new best friend, _I thought worriedly at the insane possibility and could never imagine myself sharing a joke and laughing it up with him, much less breaking bread with the guy. . .it was more like the opposite at the present with him laughing and throwing food _at_ me. I didn't have a best friend, I mostly kept to myself on Pandora but if I had a choice, Tsu'tey would not be the first.

I grimaced at the idea and shook my head to have her reconsider_, "I've already spent a week with him and I am already aggravated. Once he finishes healing, he is on his own-"_

"_Kehe!" _she broke in sharply to my opinion and I lowered my ears in submission while hoping that I had not upset her. The shamans were held in high regard and one did not waste their time by complaining. Her hands returned to her sides before pressing over the center of her painted chest and Nitari admitted to me with a lecturing tone, _"Mo'at and I have interpreted Eywa's path for young Tsu'tey during our ruminations days after the battle and you must- no, you will remain close. His soul needs more growth, more balance, and more wisdom because the coming months will test him. Toruk Makto Jakesully and you will provide that support in his progress to better himself."_

"_But I. . ." _I hesitated nervously at spending more time with him and wringed my hands together. I couldn't possibly reach stable ground with the man no matter how hard I tried. . .could I? Even a shred of hope had me chastising myself for thinking of it while the sentimental part actually sought some sort of camaraderie. I looked to her pleadingly as the past days kept popping up a question in my head and meekly confessed to her, _"I hoped that maybe I could join your clan to learn the path to The People. You have been nothing but wonderful to me and I don't mind admitting I have grown rather fond of the Atykwe."_

A pearly smile graced her mature triangular face that was lined with prominent bioluminescent dots on the cheeks and the crown of her head. Her smile turned a little somber and I expected an immediate but gentle rejection for my interest. Instead, she surprised me with a different offer and spoke warmly, _"No, young Joanna. Your place for now is among the Omaticaya just as Tsah__ì__k Mo'at requested and I agree with her wholeheartedly. You will begin your path here but now this_," her fingers pressed over my heart as she promised, _"I will send for you when the time is right and you will be one of our huntresses. Your destiny __is__ with the Atykwe. Eywa has seen to it and you shall fulfill it."_

I smiled in relief that I would indeed have a reserved spot with her clan as the idea of living by the open sea pleased me immensely. The forest was wonderful, yes, but the sea gave you boundless freedom of land and water to transverse. I remember sniffing bath salts in my parents bathroom during my childhood and wondered if that was how the sea truly smelled because most was used for farming food while the rest was too polluted by years of trash, oil, rising temperature, and many other factors. Everything was different on Pandora with an open doorstep to endless exploration and I wanted to live by the waters of life. Nitari pointed in Tsu'tey's direction and gently coaxed me in accented English, "Go."

I really didn't want to go back to be heckled by the king of all buttholes but reluctantly obeyed the wiser leader. I had already seen what the will of Eywa could do in this sacred place from healing to fulfilling prayers so I would trust Nitari's word on this. I just knew trying to chum up Tsu'tey would be brutal on me and swore a little part of me died inside at my impending doom of rejection. Hopefully, Eywa would give me a freebie once he healed and make him slip on a fruit peel before an entire audience for their amusement. A girl could only dream.

* * *

The evening was filled with choirs of prayers to Eywa to watch over the fallen and currently injured after we settled to eat our last meal of the night. The provisions we brought from the gardens helped the clans immensely since no able hunters were available to run about and hunt in the nearby destroyed forest. The burnt areas drew away any grazers that would be good prey and thus, the high chances of scoring a catch were zip. The land was unsuitable to live or hunt in all the way from here to the dead Hometree as ash covered the dirt in white snow and lifeless foliage covered the ground or desperately hung on futilely from their branches with their last ounces of life. Cheryl kept scouting the land with her botany team to preserve what could be saved and rarely took breaks between saving her plants and the Na'vi. We told Norm to help out more at Hell's Gate rather than use his injured Avatar but his dedication to make a difference didn't relent and he was currently wandering around somewhere. I think Max had the longest schedule by playing security chief at Hell's gate, medicinal doctor to Na'vi patients, group leader to us Avatars, and being the head of liaison alongside Jake between the Na'vi and our small group. I'm sure if currency was used among the Na'vi, he would have gotten a good salary for all his work.

I sat on a large root of the sacred tree as the healing bed was adjoined to my left and every time Tsu'tey opened his mouth to berate me, I jabbed the sole of his feet as payback to see if the old Pavlov classical conditioning treatment would help him clean up his act. Nitari's words were embedded in my head about never giving up and I could understand, not that I would ever tell him, the distrust wedged in his mind towards the Avatars. The RDA had indeed destroyed Dr. Augustine's school without regard for the innocent lives inside after the Omaticaya had graciously allowed peaceful interaction and in the end, the clan had been attacked, almost obliterated, just for a bunch of pricey ore. The RDA could kiss my ass with their spouting nonsense about diplomatic solutions; once they saw profit for their own benefit, the guns were out without chance for negotiation. My mind briefly wondered to how much the young warrior had seen in his entire life and I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt because of the psychosocial effects that a traumatic upbringing like that could bring. . .but the man was not making it easy.

As an objective scientist, I was taught to see and assimilate each society or person(s) I studied without biases or ethnocentricity towards them. As you could see, this was incredibly hard when that specific Na'vi was doing exactly that so our minds would ultimately clash. There was absolutely no way around that. Jake gained acceptance from him by taming the fearsome toruk, what the hell was _I _supposed to do? There was no way that was happening to me in my lifetime and I was certain that I would never get amicability on his part by doing nothing but twiddling my thumbs.

"Hey Joanna!" Norm's voice called up to me and a few loud shushes and hisses echoed since people were settling to sleep (mostly children) and he slouched in embarrassment to his outburst. I chuckled softly to his giddiness, he was like a kid in a toy store ever since he had been allowed to stay. Another surprise struck me when Norm's Avatar walked between the evening's fire lit shadows and I shook my head at people's eagerness to push their bodies too fast. I'm sure Max was somewhere shaking his head at patient irresponsibility. Okay, so Norm's injuries weren't as bad as Tsu'tey's but still. . .hmm, she'd have to give him another sisterly-type lecture to the guy. Norm was too much of a good soul, always putting others before himself to make sure they were happy. I could never be mad or grow even an inch of it towards the friendly anthropologist.

"_You dreamwalkers keep multiplying by the hour" _Tsu'tey snorted derisively from his place on the tree's bed and I jabbed his blue foot for the remark with my handy wooden twig.

"That's impossible, your Tsahìk knows exactly who remained" I stated matter-of-factly to his statement with an amused smile and avoided the swish of his tail as it tried to knock the stick out of my hands. I rolled my eyes at the feeble attempt, giving the sole of his right foot another light prod, as Norm approached my sitting perch. I rubbed my hands together in anticipation for whatever had excited him, piping up eagerly, "What is it, buddy?"

"Neytiri gave me a few choices for the new Hometree so I'm trying to remember it all before I unlink and cram in an hour of study" he explained to me with a fast hitch in his voice and sat next to me on the wide root as his hands waved in the air with his words for emphasis. I batted them down gently since his muscles needed to heal after the shots he received to the chest and arms in which he obeyed quietly with a shy lowering of the ears. I smiled kindly at his disposition as I gave his left hand a gentle pat and instantly, he perked up to continue, "Having water nearby would help since they gathered it morning and evening back to Hometree. Neytiri wants to remain close to the Hallelujah Mountains for ritual purposes and a close range to the Tree of Souls is also a plus, and- oh, fiddlesticks, I need to remember the rest."

I chuckled softly to his unyielding stand on never cursing aloud, his parents did a good job on that in my view, and he began counting his fingers off as he mumbled to himself. My fingers twirled the wooden stick as I gazed over the rocky ledges encasing the sacred tree and spotted the dark shadowy forms of the sleeping ikran on their temporary perches. They must be aching to go home and fly free by now in their own territory, especially those belonging to the Ikran People. That thought gave me an idea and I brought up the possible choice, "A large canopy will help the growing numbers along with nesting the ikran who have riders, plus the rain won't sprinkle inside easily during rainy season. I will need to gather more information about their preferences for their domesticated creatures but I'm sure the input will do nicely."

His face broke into a delighted expression that we were heading in the right direction and he patted my knee to inform energetically, "I'm going to tell Jake I'm unlinking so I can make myself a meal, my body's probably starving by now. Unlike Jake, my appetite needs a little more food to satiate it. I'm sure Dr. Patel has leftovers so I'll forage first before busting out my handy cooking skills. Want me to fetch your logs to the study hall?"

If I had to pick a best friend, it would either be Norm or Cheryl because of their upbeat personalities to contrast my workaholic temperament.

"That would be wonderful but grab what you can, I'm sure I have papers strewn everywhere in my room so take care of your own load first" I chuckled gratefully to his offer since I wasn't the best organizer when it came to my paperwork. Books I could organize but papers were just too much of a hassle so most of my important data went into my laptop while my scribbles of every other little thing remained behind. I really did try to organize my paperwork once a month but every new note with my ramblings piled on until I was lost in a mountainous sea of white. Max advised me to use color paper a month ago so I could categorize by colors but I was too tired to reach between stacks of white, yellow, green, and pink, just to find the right color and realize a minute later that the short-term memory I'd been saving had been replaced by my new input to decide on which paper to use. _That _is why I found computers to be more efficient.

I gave him a quiet nod as the bioluminescence bathed us in its ethereal glow and spoke softly, "I will see you there soon, Norm."

With a hop in his step, he jumped off the root to head off to find his usual spot for sleep next to his Avatar. I tried not to raise my voice when he tried to power walk and I called after him with a low hiss to not wake anyone, "Don't run!"

Thankfully, he listened to my orders over his health and my shoulders slumped as I shook my head at his gawky motions in the dark to sigh, "Men."

"_Are you still talking to yourself? You dreamwalkers enjoy your own voices too much" _Tsu'tey remarked dryly from my left since he remained unnaturally quiet as we spoke (he was probably eavesdropping with his paranoid persona) and I jabbed the bottom of his feet again for his hurled insult. I swear he cooked them in his brain and waited for the right time to strike like the extinct vipers of Earth.

"Shut up and go to sleep" I muttered listlessly and stood up to stretch my arms over my head to get the blood flowing in my body after sitting there like a statue next to his highness. I'm surprised I didn't start fusing with the tree root after my constant watch over Tsu'tey. . .man, my butt hurt. I heard a small hiss from his spot and his lack of movement brought a laugh from my throat because I knew he was growing restless at doing nothing. Maybe it was the lack of sleep but the forced upon Sleeping Beauty scene tickled me pink. I walked up to him slowly, carefully treading over the ground to let the sound of the singers cover any giveaways of my location. Approaching the wooden bed, my fingers touched the circular wooden rim and I reached out with my olive branch, "Tsu'tey?"

"_What?" _he sneered as if saying his name would set him on fire. His eyes refused to meet my gaze, choosing to stare at the glowing tendrils overhead or the green threads that healed him. I allowed his disrespect to slip since Nitari kept telling me that my destiny was linked to his for some reason. I prayed to all the known deities in the entire universe that our interactions would only get better and not any more turbulent.

"_What do you miss most from Kelutral?" _I brought up gently, keeping my voice rather low and devoid of any humor that might make him believe I'm hiding something or screwing with him. You really had to tiptoe when it came to that hardheaded Na'vi and I needed to create that bridge somehow. The edges of my fingertips tapped against the rough wood and I chose my next words carefully to ask quietly, "If you could recreate one thing, what would it be?"

"_The canopies" _he answered simply with a grunt and I smiled at scoring an answer. My hands tingled at the possible breakthrough for polite communication between us and leaned forwards to keep prodding for a specific description.

"_And?"_

"_I am not telling you anything else" _Tsu'tey spat with annoyance, scowling down at me with those piercing features of his, and I jabbed his foot again with the stick. He was as tightlipped as a vault and I sighed mentally in despair that I just wasn't getting through to the man.

"_All I ask is for a description" _I requested calmly in a steady voice to show I was being perfectly honest and heard him mutter inaudibly under his breath about me. This was getting me nowhere and decided to risk a tongue lashing as my fingers touched his lower leg tentatively. His golden eyes narrowed immediately and I could feel the anterior and longus muscles clenching underneath my touch. I remained where I was and maintained eye contact as I tried to coax a straight answer from him, _"Two words, one sentence, just something."_

"_Why do you want to know, dreamwalker?" _he demanded defensively and I hung my head at the next deadlock, wondering if I had to actually play twenty questions until I nabbed a half decent response. Suspiciously, he snapped tightly, _"What is the importance of it? Why do you need my opinion?"_

_Yeah, why do you need his opinion?_, my mind questioned itself chidingly and I blamed it on the needed info for their new home. There was nothing personal about the simple question and I was remaining impartial in this; it's not like I cared what he thought anyway. . .right?

"_I am helping Neytiri find your new Hometree" _I answered simply to appease his distrustful mind on the matter and his eyes narrowed further at the statement. If he kept scowling all the time, it would definitely come back and bite him when wrinkles set in. I took my hand away from his leg in case he decided to drop kick me and made an assumption by his grumpy and confused disposition, _"Didn't she tell you?"_

A small growl told me she hadn't and I rubbed my forehead as exhaustion began to settle into my mind, prompting me to hastily summarize for his benefit, _"She is asking the Omaticaya on the best qualities for the new one as Norm and I study the nearest areas for suitable findings back at Hell's Gate with our advanced machines."_

"_You cannot walk a foot without getting in trouble, how do you expect to find one?" _he snorted sarcastically in my direction and I grit my teeth at the jab but he immediately changed the subject with a firm glance, _"Large canopies should allow the ikran rest and room for them to nest while it gives us leisure space. Scattered clearings around the base to create into training arenas for archery, close combat, riding pa'li, group gatherings, along with deep wooden hollows to serve as food storage areas. Can your undersized tawtute brain comprehend that?"_

I was about to slap his chest for the slur but contained that lapse in judgment by playing at his own game. Besides, he never tried to actually hit me and opted to striking fear into me with body language or insulted me by verbal degradation. I couldn't make him fear me with my Avatar in any way because I lacked fighting skills and I was a head shorter than him, probably more. The guy was freakin' tall in comparison to average Na'vi standards! However, verbal spats I could totally go at head on. Giving him a cocky grin, I replied sarcastically, "Of course, my people can travel past their own world into the sky beyond within the blink of an eye with our highly advanced technology. A little information is nothing for us when we have databases filled with records on any subject dating back millions of years."

The remark was aimed directly at him alone for spiting purposes because let's face it, humankind's egocentric thinking is what ruined our home planet in the first place and the possible coexisting with the Na'vi. . .but I wasn't going to tell _him_ that and let him gain the upper hand. Uh-uh. I still had to maintain my dignity after all and he was too proud to let an insult fly by; like I said before, we were two positively charged ions that were designed to repel each other. His white teeth shone against the bioluminescence of the tree above as he shot back heatedly with an accent, "Tawtute."

"Na'vi."

"_Skxawng."_

"_Prolemuris."_

"_Riti."_

"_Lumbering Titanothere."_

A loud clap interrupted our squabbling and I turned to find Jake with an amused expression on his face, not bothering to hide it in the slightest. He walked over to us with his hands clasped behind his back and reprimanded playfully, "We're all adults here, there's no need for childish name calling."

"Whatever, I'm heading back to Hell's Gate" I mumbled quietly at being called to attention over name calling of all things and gave up my newest spat with Tsu'tey. Tomorrow was another day that would give us ample timing to restock on ammunition. I refused to glance back at him and scampered off to bed with a pat on Jake's shoulder, "Night, Jake."

I quickly found my old spot of piled leaves in the area of the Eastern Sea clans and plopped down for my bedtime. I had a huge appetite for a burger right now despite the Na'vi can't really eat that stuff (digestive enzymes and food ingredients made it a whole mess so unless you dared it, you still had to pump yourself with an allergy shot afterwards) but I hoped there were still leftovers from that lunch that my human body could eat.

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**A/N**: I want to thank everyone who has added this story to their faves and alerts because wow, I never expected this much of a good feedback on my little story but thank you once again. I greatly appreciate it. So Tsu'tey is being crankier than usual because no play makes Tsu'tey a dull boy but he'll be up and about in the next chapter to reign in terror. . .just kidding. His spats with Joanna will eventually simmer down to the playful banter that is shown similarly between her and Jake. The search continues for the new Hometree, the whole 'who's leader' issue gets solved, and Joanna tries to nab peace with Tsu'tey (I'm sure all of you are shaking your head at that impossibility already) in the next chapter: True Olo'eyktan.

Thank you to my last chapter reviewers:

_Soccer11-_ thanks!

_Mark_- Your 'Tsu'tey seeing wheelchair Jake' idea gave me one to incorporate in the next chapter since I only thought of Neytiri's reaction.

_Alchemic-ninja100- _Tsu'tey needs more love, the poor guy. My Joanna will rise to the challenge. . .if she doesn't kill him first. ha.

_Extirpator-_ Thanks for the heads up. Any comment for using the Omaticaya in plural form when addressing in subject(the Omaticaya)-possessive noun format? Or is it already plural in construction?

_TopKat90-_ Thanks, I hope I kept him spot on in this one too.

_WaveMasterYami_- I'm glad you like the story and I had to make Joanna rile Tsu'tey because for some reason, he strikes me as the kind of guy that enjoys the thrill of challenges since he is a hunter.

_Saowe_- I thought Tsu'tey was a bit of a jerk at the start of the film but in the end, he ended up as one of my favorite characters. He's the guy you want to throttle but in the end, you hang out together before arguing all over again. Tsu'tey and Joanna will not have one of those easygoing relationships, it's pretty much a great basis for their comedy which will grow much more friendly as they live together.

_Bigoldfrog_- I'm trying to keep the pace shifting steadily to make it interesting but not too fast paced or boring so thanks for the comment.

_Caleb's babe_- Tsu'tey _is _frustrating, I'm sure we all saw that in the film which makes me laugh for poor Jake who's practically dying for air after climbing the Thundering Rocks and gets told to go first to nab his banshee. Now that there's more Avatars around, he's practically a ticking time bomb for them and poor Joanna is a perfect target as you can see. :D

_Gladiatorlady1_- Thanks, I hope I can keep each character true while also tweaking them slightly to allow them room for personal growth and changes in the following chapters. Nothing too serious, of course.

_StephiHope_- Yep and Tsu'tey will stay alive unlike his messed up death in the script.

_Laughingspider_- Thank you and I look forward to you reading my chapters.

_Babydake93_- Don't worry, I always update the stories with the highest traffic and reviews, and this one will keep rolling.

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Thanks to all my readers over the world who took their time to read my chapter. If you liked it, have questions, or comments regarding the story or the Avatar world that I missed or should incorporate, drop me a review or PM. It's all about making this a worthwhile reading experience. Toodles.


	4. True Olo'eyktan Pt1

CHAPTER 4:

**True Olo'eyktan Pt. 1  


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A giant blue Na'vi blob shot past me on the open airfield of Hell's Gate as I carried a bundle of books to from the Avatar Station to the OPS center and practically caused my heart to jump into my throat. My tiny frame of 5'7 compared to this tall Na'vi male made me cry out in exclamation because I didn't want to be road kill on the asphalt and scolded loudly, "Jake! I swear if you cross me one more time, I'm sedating you until you're foaming at the mouth!"

"I'm just showing the Na'vi some old Earth sports" he pointed out innocently with one of his devil may care smiles but I didn't buy the boyish act for a second. The ex-marine had been teaching the Na'vi who remained behind on patrol about the games from our world to lessen their boredom and in turn, they taught the Avatars their own. Basketball had gone very well for about two days until a warrior ripped the hoop right off its hinges after scoring and Jake had been forced to fix the broken basketball hoop. Needless to say, Jake wasn't a very good handyman and the thing almost clonked Neytiri on the head. Football was called off by Neytiri herself for its brutality but for some reason, the males loved it. I blamed it on the testosterone of the warrior males. Dr. Patel chose more easygoing laid-back games like poker, checkers, chess, and other card or board games to make sure no accidents happened.

"The last thing we need is a flattened human on the pavement" I stated sarcastically with a sigh between my lips, hoping he didn't get careless and squash one of us, and felt him jerk the back of my lab coat with a playful grin on his face.

"C'mon, I'll give you a piggyback ride- Cheryl's onto something with that handy transportation" he offered and motioned with his hand for an upsie but I shook my head to the ridiculous idea. I wasn't a child anymore, I was pretty sure of that when my parents told me 'you're eighteen, you're on your own'. Brutal, I know, but that's the crappy life of Joanna Reynolds. He gave me a cheeky grin as his expression brightened and raised a brow to tease, "Don't tell me the very open-minded Joanna is afraid of a ride? You're wounding my Na'vi pride."

I laughed at his feigned hurt expression as he broke my cool exterior and held up my books to politely decline with a passive smile, "Thanks but you can carry these for me. Besides, you're not a Na'vi until the ceremony later on today."

"Oh, hurt my debut celebration, why don't you?" he joked lightly as he placed a hand over his heart dramatically but yanked my books easily into his other large hand. Briefly, I wondered what the Na'vi used for paper or even _if_ they used it. Hmm, I'd have to ask Neytiri about it. Together, we headed to the OPS center which wasn't even one hundred feet away since I had been trying to balance my combined weight of books under my poor carpal tunneled hands to get there before the helpful Toruk Makto came along. Curiously, Jake sought for my advice as he tried to act nonchalant, "You think it hurts?"

"I'm the wrong one to ask, you were there with Grace so I can't give you any answers" I replied glumly to my lack of knowledge there but offered him a sympathetic smile for his attempt. My mind often pondered about it during the recent days as well since Jake would be the first one to go through the Eye of Eywa and soon, the rest of us Avatars would follow. I gave him an encouraging smile and piped up, "Ready to be one of The People, again?"

"This will be the last time- besides, you'll do the same too" he assured with a casual shrug of his shoulders and I felt queasy at the thought. Jake had nerves of steel; me, not so much. Sure, it was wonderful to be a Na'vi but to go from one species to the next needed a moment's reflection. Humans had trouble adapting to life in different countries and a planet would be twice as hard with its different biology, environment, language, traditions, so many things! Nitari's words kept echoing in my mind whenever I thought of it but I had to take the plunge eventually.

I decided to change the subject as I held back that particular dilemma and casually brought up, "So what are you teaching now?"

"Soccer, I think they like it" he boasted proudly, puffing out his chest at the accomplishment, and glanced back to the awkward Na'vi that were trying to hit a customized soccer ball for their size. Neytiri scored it into yellow cargo netting they had nabbed from the ransacked buildings and she whooped to her team for the won point. We grinned to her enthusiasm and he called out supportively, "Good, Neytiri! You're getting it!"

"Thank you, Jake!" her voice hollered back and I chuckled at this odd but adorable coupling. The two were never far from each other and were practically in newlywed bliss around everyone.

We reached the metal stairway heading to the second level and he dropped the books into my arms without warning which almost toppled me to the floor by the weight alone. I frowned to his apologetic 'whoops' and held back both a sigh and a grin when he patted my head like a poodle. Jake had recently gotten into the habit of patting human heads to voice his emotions and to poke fun at our human heights. I headed up the stairs with my bundle and he began to walk back, flashing me a cheeky grin as he informed cheerfully, "There's somebody waiting inside that can contribute. You'll have loads of fun together, guaranteed."

I quirked an eyebrow to his perky attitude and knew a goofy grinning Jake was never a good thing. . .well, maybe for Neytiri but not the rest of us. My eyes watched him run off to rejoin his mate and the others and wondered who he had enlisted to help us. I'm pretty sure Mo'at wouldn't make the journey here and the princess was outside learning soccer so that only left. . .

"Oh come on, is Jake _purposely _trying to ruin my 'me' time?" I exclaimed loudly in both shock and misery when I realized who was cramped inside the OPS center with Norm. That ex-marine was going to get one hell of a tail yanking from me for not informing me about this sudden add-on. I almost groaned pathetically to what the afternoon awaited me in verbal assaults and jokes on inferiority.

Norm jumped up from his spot on the floor, halting his typing into his personal laptop and greeted cheerfully with a grin, "Hey Joanna, guess what? Tsu'tey dropped by to further the search."

_I should've just allowed Neytiri in here_, I thought glumly as I noticed the smirk on the Na'vi's smug face while Norm remained clueless to our ongoing antagonism. _Great, he'll probably crush me like a grape while Norm's not looking and call it an accident._

It suddenly dawned on me that Tsu'tey had never seen me before in my real body since we met and I became a little flustered at my height being considerably tiny to his. With my lab outfit, brown hair in a ponytail, and black rimmed glasses behind my exopack, I wasn't very threatening. If at all, I was harmless as a speck. The man before me exuded complete dominance and strength. . .ugh, I hated to be me right now. I gulped nervously but didn't allow my face to betray any of it as I walked inside to meet the two with my stack of books. Seriously, was he getting bigger as I approached?

Tsu'tey had been cleared out of the rows of patients and could now walk for a limited time to make sure his circulation kept going to prevent any blood clotting. However, he refused to listen as always and from my calculations, I assumed he brought his ikran to get here. The man was incredibly stubborn against all medical advice but I wasn't his mother so I would do nothing, only prod him verbally on the matter. Flatly, I pointed out nonchalantly, "Shouldn't you be recuperating?"

I didn't let him retort an answer as I placed my books on a nearby chair and grabbed my data pad off the console to bring it online, asking absentmindedly, "Did Neytiri view the recent choices?"

"She rejected the first based on the lack of open space to give the Omaticaya place to move around in" he answered with a glum frown on his usual peppy face and shuffled through his papers to grab one, holding it out for me. I grasped it to read the location and walked over to the holographic map to bring up the specific sector to cross it off our search list. True, the Hometree did look a bit gangly with dense coverage surrounding it and zoomed out of the area to bring back the old site of the broken Hometree. The clan needed a tree of the same size but also wide spaces for their daily happenings. "Did you run a circumference width of the old Hometree to match similarities?"

Norm scratched his head- damn it, Jake's habits were rubbing off on him- and he mumbled sheepishly, "No, I was pretty much focusing on the surrounding area."

I was pushed from behind and quickly stumbled to catch my balance before I fell flat on my face. Turning around angrily, I found Tsu'tey's index finger as the culprit for my near fall and gave him a wry expression for it. I couldn't tell if it was on purpose or accidental since their strength could hurl us like a hair pin and let it slide easily. Giving him the attention he obviously sought, I nodded to him in acknowledgment and asked, "Yes?"

"The other Kelutrals in the area as our old home, do they not match your list?" he asked quite calmly, almost inquisitively, instead of his usual snarky self and my eyebrows shot up in surprise to his treating me like an actual person. That and the fact he was speaking English after his obvious distaste for it on his tongue almost blew my mind and I cleared my throat to collect my thoughts for an answer.

There were so many criteria we were using and his simple question had me throwing my paper into the air in frustration. It wasn't Tsu'tey's fault though, if at all, I was thanking him for the straight and simple question. I placed my hands on my hips and leaned against the computer to groan, "We have so many choices jotted down that we can't make one single decision based on them."

I motioned with my hands as if they were weighing scales and told the two men, "If the Kelutral is perfect, the surrounding area may not," with that, I dipped one hand lower and explained the next conundrum we had, "The area may be perfect but the Kelutral is either too small or big. You see how we keep clashing with this? We need to go back to the basics, to the simplest of all."

I turned to type into the central console to bring up the current list of choices, which were over fifteen, and deleted all of them with a simple click of the keypads. Norm cried out in alarm to my rash action and jumped up to see if I had indeed killed all our two week's worth of work. This would be better in the long run rather than have us going back and forth on the same choices or hopping to make the list even longer than it really needed to be. I gave his back a sympathetic pat as he slumped over the silver console in defeat before turning to Tsu'tey and asking carefully, _"Is the size of the tree more important or the surroundings? Does it matter where it is?"_

"It has to be in the forest, our clan survives by having it provide for us" he stated definitively and I typed it into my data pad for geographical location. Great, no further than the forest and there we had good choices in itself to choose from. I motioned with my left hand for him to keep going and the man made it marvelously easy by stating bluntly, "We cannot go to a different region. No plains. No open land. No mountains. No open water."

_For once, I'm glad for his direct tone_, I thought amusingly and typed down each short word he gave me.

"Good" I thanked with a pleased smile for his input and handed my pad over to Norm so he could get to work. This whole week had been time consuming as we tried to narrow down the choices and ironically, ended up with more so maybe Tsu'tey's visit was a blessing in disguise. The workload reminded me strangely enough of the usual work I had done for the RDA before the battle and found myself more at ease with this because I had my handy assistant and a real Na'vi to work with. Okay, I was pretty sure Tsu'tey would rather be anywhere else than near my vicinity but this was for a good cause. Giving my peer a smile, I ordered eagerly, "I need you to input that and delete any other sectors that don't match to start analyzing."

"No problem" Norm grinned confidently to the task and headed over to the console to begin working at his usually fast pace. He was good with that large computer while I kept to my personal laptop or data pads. Too much technology tended to be a little overbearing for me.

"The Kelutral?" I proceeded to ask the other male to keep our research going as I sat down in a nearby chair to scribble everything into another data pad cozily nestled next to my books. I tended to have at least three on hand to keep all of my ongoing business active and glanced up at Tsu'tey, feeling very much like a toddler in my size, to ask enthusiastically, "Same size? Larger? Smaller?"

His face turned sour at the last word and he scoffed disdainfully to my suggestion, _"We are a growing clan, we need space for future generations. A good Kelutral would be exactly as it was before you destroyed it."_

"_And I keep telling you it wasn't me_" I snapped heatedly to his projected accusation and was about to jab the corner of my data pad into his side when-

"We haven't found one" Norm spoke up without looking from his job up front as both of us glared each other down from behind his back. He turned around the next second and both of us took on the appearance of cool nonchalance as if nothing had occurred seconds before. Fortunately for my sake, he bought it and continued to explain thoroughly, _"You had a perfect ecosystem balance in the old Hometree but if we find an exact replica, there will be missing features like abundant water or prey. Is that, um. . ."_

Unlike Norm who remained apprehensive in the presence of the impassive warrior known as Tsu'tey, I wasn't afraid to put the question across, "Is that all right with you?"

"_Prey can be found anywhere in the forest, hunters are adaptable" _Tsu'tey dismissed tersely and I jotted it down into my data pad for filing. Despite my constant rivalry for supremacy against the Na'vi, he really was helping us out tremendously because in the end, both of us wanted what was best for the Omaticaya. Either way, I wasn't going to start praising him with hearts in my eyes just because he contained knowledge that far exceeded mine in this category. Instead, I bobbed my head politely as he counted off each important feature until he finished, _"Water is needed so that is extremely important."_

"Type it in, Norm" I smiled cheerfully as our first task was complete to restart the main computer's search engine and exclaimed aloud when my data pad was yanked away over my head by the warrior. His large golden eyes blinked at it with mild curiosity as another finger tapped it but he returned the pad to me a second later with an unimpressed snort. I chuckled softly to his lack of nabbing whatever reaction he expected but said nothing of it, simply tucking away the pad under my armpit.

His eyes narrowed at me when he saw my amused smile and suspiciously, he asked slowly, "Why are you helping us?"

"Have you not been here the last few weeks?" I teased lightly as I swiveled my chair around his sitting form to the next console to grab a yellow portfolio full of papers. His eyes followed me like an intimidating hawk but I merely shot him an innocent smile and answered truthfully, _"We have been allowed to stay on your world, to join your people, and after what my people have done to yours. . .well, it's the least we could do by finding a new home for the Omaticaya. They need to regain that peaceful balance they lost and having a sense of safety and security after losing their home is a start."_

He remained silent to my long but hopefully touching admission and I believed it was a good step for coexistence until he mumbled under his breath, _"Tiny little tawtute."_

My small foot stomped over his and Tsu'tey hissed at the sudden attack, baring his sharp white fangs at me in challenge as his whole demeanor went on guard. Irritably, I snapped at his condescending tone to stand my ground (although mentally, I hoped he wouldn't crush me like a pea), _"Would you just swallow your pride and work with us on this? I may be tiny right now but as a dreamwalker, I will take you on any time."_

"_Are you threatening me to a contest?" _he shot back with a cocky grin, probably at the idea of being rid of me once and for all but I would greatly disappoint him. As long as I remained a guest of his clan and without proper training, Tsu'tey could do nothing to me because his honor bound ethics would not allow him to. All he could do was whine about me and push me around but killing was out of the question (unless he bent the rules and allowed an animal to maul me).

"_I'm not a warrior and you know that very well, Tsu'tey" _I admonished coldly and waved him away like a bothersome fly as I turned to Norm with the direct order, "Keep searching and gather all you can. I'll be scribbling down notes for reference and working from my laptop."

Grabbing one of the nearby books, I popped it open to search for any more tree sites of importance that could aid the search. I was three minutes into reading more about the Tree of Souls and the theory that more direct sites like those were scattered around Pandora when I felt warm breathing down my neck. It was barely detectable in sound but the brushes of exhaled carbon dioxide against my skin was not. Did the Na'vi not have rules about personal space boundaries? I swore this man wanted to make me the next target at the end of his arrow.

"_You're not very crafty at hiding the exhale in your breathing" _I commented amusingly and kept reading the paragraph in my book as the tickling sensation almost caused me to giggle involuntarily. The breathing stopped the very next second (thankfully, because I wasn't the giggling type) and I advised casually without turning to him, _"Next time, hold it. Our skin is more receptive to physical sensations than yours. . .and don't bare your teeth at me."_

I heard him hiss in confirmation to my last assumption and smiled to my small victory although his attempt to sneak up behind me was funny in itself. Sorry to disappoint you, ninja man. His large index finger obscured my view of the book as he pointed to it and I could see tiny fingerprint lines outlining his blue fingertips while calluses from constant training adorned random spots on his hand. The scientific part of my mind wanted to study his hand further but the logical side told me he'd sooner crack my neck than allow it. Tsu'tey poked the book with curiosity as he touched the paper in circular motions and asked simply, _"What is this?"_

"_Books, we gain and preserve our knowledge from written words on paper so future generations can learn of the past and our mistakes. . .obviously, something lacked and people of power sent our planet into ruin"_ I explained bitterly with a derisive snort at the end and showed him several pages from the start that weren't covered by his finger which held illustrations and more writing. His large eyes squinted as he tried to read the tiny lettering from his height but I summarized it for him instead of letting the poor man get a headache, _"This particular book is about studies conducted on your planet. Wildlife and points of botany interest, to be exact. Some information may not be accurate since my people weren't allowed to travel to the sites- not that I'm going to complain, you have your say over the planet."_

"You Sky People are very. . .strange" he commented slowly as he tried to find the right words and I laughed at his pensive expression. Only Tsu'tey could create a face full of perplexity and dislike that for once wasn't aimed at me. He was right though; for a species that had accomplished many extraordinary things, we still couldn't get along with each other. Tsu'tey's fingers left the book and his voice took on a tranquil tone as he explained to me, _"My people pass down history through song and stories which are to transcend through generations and be told to our own offspring to keep the cycle continuous. We know each of our ancestors by name, Eywa's creation of The People and Her creatures, the history of our clan from both paternal and maternal sides, many things."_

He pressed the fingers of his right hand over his heart and tapped the area to tell me softly, _"One day, I will pass my own knowledge to my children and they will do the same with my grandchildren. When you become one of The People, you will do the same with your own."_

_Whoa, I haven't thought that far ahead_, I thought in alarm to the realization that one day I probably would be tied down to a mate of my own with little Joannas viciously tugging at my legs for food or who knows what. Oh my god, that sounds horrible. I couldn't imagine taking care of a little part of myself, I can't even survive on my own right _now_!

"I can't even name my great-grandparents so I'll probably start anew" I chuckled honestly to the notion and the thought of all the pictures I stored from my childhood in albums stuffed somewhere in my room on Pandora had me pointing out at a picture of a Hometree. His eyes focused on it and I added in helpfully, _"We also capture images in time to preserve history as well and of our own lineages to have as keepsakes."_

"_You don't want to see my baby pictures" _Norm spoke up in front of us and I had almost forgotten he was here with us since he worked as quietly as a mouse. I took a peek to see that Tsu'tey was sitting behind me, glancing down at my book from above my shoulder but switched his line of sight to my coworker. The brunette smiled sheepishly as he was put in the spotlight to share his tale and admitted humorously, "My parents dressed me up in little costumes and took pictures of every little thing I did. I even dressed up as a Na'vi for Halloween once. There were like five Batmans for every ten kids in class but never a Na'vi."

I chuckled softly to his joke because children did indeed have tendencies to go with what was popular due to their short attention spans. Tsu'tey merely blinked in total confusion on the Earth topic and I shook my head gently, giving him a smile so he could forget about the whole thing.

Norm's face took on a solemn expression and he murmured softly, "I'm going to miss them. . .but I think they'd be happy for me."

I smiled kindly at the younger man because unlike me, he loved his family and assured gently, "I'm sure they would. Every parent wants what's best for their children. You're a good guy, Norm, don't be afraid of living the life you want because of what others demand of you. My parents wanted me to be a lawyer but the judicial system was so screwed up over political preference- how was I supposed to help people? You and I find our peace in anthropology, to study and learn the way of others to educate the ignorant but. . ."

"No one will hire one when most indigenous cultures are gone, museums are almost extinct, nobody cares for the roots of human civilization- it's all about conquering the next gold mine like Pandora" Norm finished flatly with a hint of resentment as he summarized the scarcity for the need of our jobs on our planet. The only reason we were useful now in the industry was because of the RDA's Avatar program so most of us specialized in xenoanthropology to add experience to the regular old fashioned kind.

Hell, it took me years of shuffling back-and-forth to gain a decent job in the urban cities and permanent entry into the RDA later on. My family didn't want to support my passion, they already had two other kids to feed, and I had resorted to living in common houses for the poor and scavenging leftover food in diners as I searched for any paying job to raise my experience and gain a steady foot in the door. Trust me, _I_ didn't even want to be me back then but hardships strengthen the soul, I guess. That's what I liked about Dr. Augustine when I first met her- she didn't take shit from anyone. She became the top in her field by her own hard work and refused to let anyone knock her down just because they made more money than her or held a higher ranking within the RDA. She was who I wanted to model after, to gain that hardened personality and keep at the top of my field while also learning new facts.

"Our job now is to use our skills to recreate the newest Hometree for the Omaticaya, we are here for The People and nobody else" I reminded with an enthusiastic grin because I wasn't on that dying planet anymore nor was I under RDA payroll. I had been given a chance at a new life with unrestrained freedom and I wasn't going to waste it. Norm smiled happily in return and the nonverbal communication between us distinctly told me that he wasn't either.

* * *

_(Tsu'tey's P.O.V)_

"Jake, you're gonna fall" Joanna warned worriedly over the loud chatter of numerous people wandering the compound that contained training obstacles and multitudes of gardens. I hadn't explored this settlement very well since my main objective was to help Jakesully's search for our new Kelutral but it was a correct assumption to say it was spacious.

"I'd listen to her" Maxpatel's voice agreed from the same area about whatever the dreamwalker was doing now.

I don't know what felt worse, the fact that I could easily distinguish _her _voice over all the others or that the damn tone in her voice won my curiosity and my feet headed in her direction. I blamed it on my feet.

The past hours had been spent over the important factors for my clan's Kelutral and despite I kept trying to find a flaw in their truth or any hint of deceiving, I found none. However, it did not mean I would let my guard down on any of the remaining dream walkers; I learned that early on during their first years here. I would continue to be highly suspicious of them until they passed Iknimaya, no sooner. Jakesully would undertake the test before the Eye of Eywa to truly become one of us in body and mind for all time but after his leadership role in the battle against his own species, my dislike for the man had dissipated into respect. Now, I had more than a dozen new skxawng novices that would undertake the path to being one of The People so Jakesully's origins were the least of my concern.

My feet walked over the rough and warm ground; solid ground that surprisingly did not crumble or shift under my toes as it lay before the training fields and held groups of my people and dreamwalkers attempting to catch an orange ball. My brows rose to this strange behavior in gameplay and what it possibly meant but I soon received an answer when one of my warriors scored it through a metal hoop attached to pole of the same material. Highly strange indeed.

I wasn't one for games in my current condition but it seemed my people were enjoying themselves so I said nothing, simply nodding in their direction and keeping on my path. Soon, I found myself facing the back of the building in which the remaining Sky People dwelled in until it came for their time to pass before the Eye of Eywa. A group of them bundled together in a circle to chat along with Neytiri.

Instantly, I recognized the friendly tawtute male, Normspellman, that had been with us hours prior and saw that he was laughing at another male in a moving chair who was amusingly joking with loud laughter. The leader of the dreamwalkers, Maxpatel, was there as well and he was shaking his head towards the two while Joanna had a frown on her face. I often wondered if she would ever smile in public with geniality but was pleasantly surprised to know that privately she did- even if it was during humorous conversation only. I didn't understand tawtute humor nor was I a sarcastic type of man. . .well, unless you included cynical criticisms to apprentices and Sky People. . .but I would train myself to rival the sharp tongue of Joannareynolds. Even her name was hard to pronounce so I always stuck with Joanna and she told me herself to use the shorter name.

"I really hope you're not trying to injure yourself before the transfer" she pointed out sternly to the man rotating his chair in sharp angles and glanced at Neytiri for input, _"Does he act like this with you?"_

My clan sister let out a weary sigh and confessed flatly, _"You have no idea."_

Frankly, I was at a loss at what they were speaking about because from what I could see, Jakesully was nowhere in sight. I tried to search the sea of people but saw nobody that matched the Toruk Makto and glanced back down at the ground before the solar glare of the high sun hurt my vision. Approaching the two women from the side, I inquired curiously, _"What are you two talking about?"_

Joanna waved a hand in the direction of the two men and bluntly explained, _"Jake's probably going to crack his head open hours before meeting Eywa and is pretty much laughing about it."_

A loud cackle of laughs echoed to my right and Neytiri hissed over in said direction to scold, _"Act your age, my Jake."_

"Oh!" was the response and I tilted my head in confusion to the unknown voice because I could not see the dreamwalker she was referring to. All I could see where the two conversing men and before I baffled my mind further, I asked tiredly for a straightaway answer, _"Where is Jakesully?"_

Joanna simply pointed to the tawtute swirling in his mobile chair with a wild grin on his pale face and stated with a bored expression, "There."

My mouth slacked open and I froze to her claim on who Jakesully really was. Him? Of course, I knew the man was a tawtute from the start but I had never encountered his real form unlike his mate. However, I expected to see the tawtute equivalent of the Na'vi warrior he was to all of the Omaticaya people but my expectations never took _this _as a possibility. My mind had a hard time wrapping around the mere idea! The man before me was practically fragile compared to the rest of the able-bodied Sky People as he joked with Normspellman and I blinked several times to make sure this wasn't an illusion. I gave a skeptic glance to Neytiri and asked carefully, "_That _is Jakesully? Him?"

Joanna shot a smirk full of mirth in my direction and asked dryly, _"What? You expected a towering tawtute with four arms and a rippling physique?"_

Neytiri tried to keep her face stoic but I could see the hints of a snicker escaping through her lips and Joanna didn't bother hiding anything as she laughed aloud. That woman was becoming a quick thorn in my side during the recent weeks despite her aid (she truly mystified my mind with her selfless aid and short temper) and I bared my teeth at the tiny alien to keep my dominance as alpha male over her. Women were always considered in the highest regard in our society because our Mother was also one as well but this one. . .maybe Eywa should've allowed us to make exceptions when it came to foreign beings.

I gave her a derisive snort for her lack of respect and turned my line of sight to the tawtute they claimed was Jakesully. He appeared his usual sarcastic self as he chatted away and the physical facial traits were similar to the male dreamwalker that fought alongside me but I could not comprehend why he was sitting in that metal chair while the other Sky People wandered around on their feet. Couldn't he use his legs as well? Was he currently injured? Was this a mode of Sky People transportation? Questions only brought another load of questions and I shook my head to clear them away.

My hands fidgeted as I tried to visibly emphasize my skepticism and I blurted disbelievingly, _"He is Toruk Makto?"_

Neytiri shot me a warning hiss for the incredulity in my voice but I wanted answers. Joanna said nothing on my comment and gave Neytiri a nod as she let her take control over the matter. I think I may have rather faced that tiny cynical tawtute than the insulted and deadly warrior of a woman that had already attacked me once for threatening her mate. I _really _needed to bite my tongue at times.

She raised her chin defiantly and spoke with fierce authority as her golden eyes darted to the man sitting feet away from us, "_He __is__ Jakesully, __my__ Jake, and I will not allow anybody to doubt what he is capable of or what he has done for us. You knew he was a tawtute, Tsu'tey, but he is one of The People. He has overcome the frailties of the flesh to rise above all opposition and as Olo'eyktan, you should respect a kindred warrior's soul._"

I remained silent, crossing my arms like a scolded child, but accepted her words. She was right. Everybody had flaws and mines tended to judge a person prematurely before they proved themselves. . .oh, and thinking straight before I let my short fuse control my words but I blamed that on the tawtute female. Obviously, I was wrong where Jakesully was concerned because he was indeed one of us and I dipped my head respectfully to Neytiri as I dropped the matter completely.

"Couldn't have said it better myself" I heard Joanna mumble under her breath and she gave me an innocent smile when I scowled at her. Was I the only one seeing her blatant disrespect towards me? That woman was going to be more trouble than she was worth but her arguments kept my mind sharp from utter boredom. To be honest, I had no idea if she despised me like dirt under her foot or if she was trying to joke with me every time we met. She was a conundrum. I was never good at understanding the female mind and an alien one. . .I was even more lost.

She surprised me when she called up to me with friendly offer, "You want to say hi? He's been telling the warriors how to play certain sports while he lets his dreamwalker body rest a bit. Unlike me, he's going back and forth without sleep-"

"_That will soon end" _Neytiri chuckled lightly and walked over to where the real Jakesully was giving hand gestures to a couple of my people regarding the game he was teaching. I watched the interaction closely as Neytiri rested a hand on his face and the man smiled widely, grabbing her hand into his smaller one to plant an affectionate kiss to her palm.

He really _was _Jakesully.

Apparently, Joanna saw the bewilderment on my face and motioned for me to walk with her as she explained calmly, _"Jake had an accident back on our home planet which caused him the loss of mobility in his legs. It happens when you severely injure your spine. He was a warrior there and when he came here, his dreamwalker body was a second chance and as you can see, he won't let an injury stop him from letting him live his new life."_

"_This planet is dangerous for Sky People, why did they allow him to come here?" _I asked curiously as I tore my gaze away from the mated couple to the small woman walking next to me. Her species puzzled me on their ways of life and I wondered if I could secretly gain more knowledge by spending time with this particular female. She claimed to be a 'scientist' and from my experience at Dr. Augustine's school, they were the smartest professionals in their species.

Joanna rolled her shoulders in a shrug and answered uncertainly, _"All I know is that he was needed for a dreamwalker body that was meant to be his brother's but he passed away before the trip could be made. I don't know much on the rest, you'd probably have to ask Jake himself."_

Jakesully noticed our approach and gave us his usual friendly smile to greet amicably, "Tsu'tey, Joanna. I'm surprised to see you haven't killed each other yet," his smile widened even further as he piped up, "That's good."

"Yeah, we've joined in an unholy union to reach a common goal" she replied dryly, her words dripping with sarcasm, but the Toruk Makto's face remained undeterred. I didn't really care one way or the other on their sarcasm, I just wanted to help the efforts to rebuild my clan. Joanna crossed her arms and shuffled her feet over the black solid ground as she asked hastily, "Are you done inspecting us, 'dad'? You're making me feel like it's prom night with that weird stare."

"If you want to jump him in the gardens shadows back there, be my guest-"

"Jake!" she exclaimed shrilly to the insinuation while I tilted my head in confusion to what the Toruk Makto implied. So she _didn't _want to beat me in the shadows? Was there a double meaning I just wasn't understanding? My Eywa, Sky People were perplexing. Joanna ruffled the man's dark hair and grinned amusingly to jest, "I hope a viperwolf humps your leg in the forest."

He batted the woman away as the other tawtutes around us laughed and turned to me to ask with a serious tone, "So how do you like it here so far, Tsu'tey?"

A second later, he laughed aloud before I could answer and clapped his hands together to modestly say, "Where are my manners? I'm sure you didn't expect to see me like this or. . .well, actually, I'm not sure what you expected but this is me. Can't say I'll miss this body if the transfer at the Tree of Souls goes correctly but trust is a two-way street and I won't keep it secret from anyone."

Despite my distrust towards Joanna and the others, Jakesully and Normspellman held my trust after their continuous interactions with the Omaticaya. After all of my merciless treatment to degrade the tawtute warrior, I no longer held any ill will towards him or the other man next to him. Neytiri was correct about his abilities to surpass the injuries in that body and use his dreamwalker form to regain all of the strength and valor that had been lost. He was our Toruk Makto.

I gave him a respectful nod before speaking straight from the heart as Eywa taught us, "It is always an honor to walk alongside you, Jakesully, whether you are a tawtute or not."

Jake nodded to me with a smile filled with both surprise and gratitude and used his arms to swirl his mobile chair in a full circle which caused Neytiri to smack his head gently. He laughed to the protective strike and assured her worries, "I'll be fine, Neytiri."

To me, he asked curiously with a mischievous smile, "Have you ever played basketball, Tsu'tey?"

. . .

"I'll take that as a no" he answered for himself because I really had no idea what the man was talking about. I glanced briefly at Joanna for a hint and she pointed to where others were throwing that orange ball around. Oh, was that it? Jake beckoned me forwards with his hand and stated with no room for question, "Norm and I are going to teach you."

My tail swished behind me nervously and I tried to find something to say because I really wasn't the type to play with others. Training, exploring, hunts- _that _I could do but not this. Surprisingly, the person I least expected came to my rescue as the female tawtute stepped in between us to disapprove gently, "I don't think he's ready for that kind of exercise. He's still healing and Mo'at only gave him clearance to ride his ikran, even though I'm skeptic on that being safe."

"I agree" Maxpatel added in helpfully as Joanna smiled kindly at his support. What the-? Why did she never smile at _me _like that? All she did was frown and scoff sardonically but she was perfectly courteous to her peers. That cursed woman would be the end of my sanity.

Jakesully tapped his chin in thought as he stared at both of us (I was still trying to figure out Joanna's true motive) and finally, he uttered a small sigh to agree, "All right, but once you're healed, you'll be part of the team. Now, run along with your new boyfriend, Jo."

"Jake!"

He laughed boisterously to the joke and that tawtute term, I understood well. If he thought I had the tiniest inkling for a creature of the same species that tried to annihilate my clan into extinction, he was sorely mistaken. My fangs bared slightly towards the fuming woman and she matched my heated stare as she locked her narrowed gaze with mine to reply to Jakesully without a shift in façade, "Nah, he'll be my punching bag. It will be fun at first but eventually, I'll lose interest and throw him away."

"You're a cruel one, Joanna" he sighed with feigned disappointment and cheered up brightly the next second to tell the others, "C'mon, let's go play some ball."

"Jake!" Neytiri called out with a warning bite in her tone as he tried to speed away but she grabbed the handles on the back of the chair to halt him.

"I'll be fine, honey! Honest!" he assured hastily with a goodbye wave of his hand and pushed his chair forwards as he headed off to play the strange game with the men. Neytiri growled under her breath and followed from behind to most likely make sure her mate didn't do something that would bring injury to anyone. . .but mostly just Jakesully.

Once the respected woman of our tribe left our vicinity, I hissed down to the woman beside me with the quickest venomous word that came to mind, _"Tawtute!"_

"Hey, if you want to squeeze out of Jake's crazy schemes, you have to be prepared to take an ego hit, pal" she shot back curtly and prodded my knee with her second finger- was that supposed to be a threat? Seriously? I knocked her little hand away with a disgusted snarl and she rolled her eyes to my irritated disposition to state bluntly, _"Look, you can either head out there and attempt to play, probably opening up two of those gunshot wounds in the process, or you can come with me to go pick fruit for the clan and I'll let you have any fruit you want. What's it going to be, Tsu'tey?"_

. . ._"By Eywa, I hate you."_

"_Shut up and hold my basket."_

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**A/N**: Okay, the chapter's pretty long so I cut it in two. As you can see from the two different viewpoints of Joanna and Tsu'tey, she analyzes everything in sight while he's highly skeptic (overboard overprotective) of everything around him but yet they both assume the other hates them. They're so alike, they can't even see it. Obviously, that romance will never be dull and will take its time to flourish (mostly because Tsu'tey is a stubborn fella) even though Jake's teasing isn't really helping matters. I hope Tsu'tey's reaction to Jake's real form was believable because I'd probably be the same: expecting a gung-ho soldier with rippling muscles but alas, no. Thanks for reading and tune in next time for Joanna actually giving Tsu'tey a pep talk (does anyone really expect that to go well?) and Mo'at calls a meeting to determine the Olo'eyktan.

Thank you for all of your fav/story alerts since the last chapter, I really appreciate all of your feedback and continuous support to keep the fanfic going. As always, my response to my last reviewers:

_Mklnay_- Thanks for the constructive review, the whole first person perspective makes it iffy with tenses but I'm proofreading all I can (probably more than five times with my picky brain). As for Joanna, I'll be keeping her away from the 'damsel in distress' type and the 'I can handle everything super fast and perfect even though Tsu'tey can so totally handle this better but I want the spotlight'. It's funny because she's similar to him with her way of thinking where one needs to prove themselves to gain respect but once he gets over that 'dreamwalkers are bad' ideal, they'll get along great after a tree fall or two. I love writing Tsu'tey's personality, he's brutally honest, cynical, stubborn, but once you delve deeper into his character, he's quite the passionate fella.

_Mark_- Ha, I'm pretty sure Tsu'tey would squash him like a fly the second he looked at him funny. Thanks again for the Tsu'tey meeting Jake idea.

_Laughingspider_- Oh, the foreshadowing ideas delving in the minds of all readers. But for now, Joanna's stuck with the Omaticaya until she learns to be a true warrior and Tsu'tey won't be making it easy. . .but then again, when does he really?

_TopKat90_- Glad the humor amuses you. I'm trying to keep it humorous in this one since the next part will be a bit serious since Tsu'tey will either stay or step down as leader.

_Soccer11_- Thanks for your loyal reviews, dear reader!

_Caleb's Babe_- I understand the woes of work, you just want to curl into bed and hibernate like a bear. Hope this chapter was long enough for you. :)

_D'mon child_- Yay, glad Tsu'tey remains in character. I'll keep writing the story as long as I have readers, don't worry.

_Anonymous_- Thanks for the kind words on the story!

_Nekuranekomegami_- Thanks for finding the fic 'amazing'! I appreciate your words.

_Blargmeansno_- In the original outline, I was going to keep her with the Omaticaya but the other clan extends the story further and aids character development. Don't worry though, for now, she's stuck with Tsu'tey and the others but has to remember she can be yanked away at any given moment. . .which is actually what will happen later on in the story.

_Artermis1922_- Thanks for the review and I will update as soon as I can.

_KThxBai_- Thanks for the passionate words on the fanfic, I'm glad you like it!

* * *

**SNEAK PEEK OF PT.2 **(unedited)**:**

So here I was, lying down restfully on my pile of leaves as I stared up at the beautiful Tree of Souls. The wandering atokirina never ceased to amaze with their hovering and it was a peaceful view that took away daily stress from my mind. That blew over the next second as Tsu'tey's face broke into my line of vision and I really began to wonder if he knew about personal boundaries. I flicked his nose with my fingers to bat him away with a playful smile, "Are we to have another argument about superiority?"

"That depends, do you submit to me?" he challenged arrogantly with a smirk and I resisted the notion of kicking his head with my foot. Nah, I don't think I had it in me to be that cruel after his help today. However, once he was perfectly healed and I learned the basics of being a warrior, it would be on.

Instead, I laughed to his eagerness to knock me down a peg and scoffed dismissively with the same smug tone, _"In your dreams."_

He hissed at my defiance to let him have the upper hand in this tug-of-war of ours which gave me a reason to grin toothily to his grumpy expression. I gave him a brief glance from my perch and noticed his attention was temporarily focused on a target from afar prompting me to ask softly, "You all right?"

His eyes snapped back down to me and he tilted his head to the side to state, "Clarify."

I bit my bottom lip in thought and nursed it the next second as I forgot that Na'vi canines were much sharper than human ones. My finger came back without blood so I took it as an okay to keep talking as I returned my gaze to his and pointed out softly,_ "I know this is none of my business since I'm not part of the Omaticaya but I can't really avoid the gossip flying about regarding the position of Olo'eyktan. That's why I'm asking if you're doing all right because I know after all the stress you've endured, this is the last thing you need."_

Hastily, I shifted my line of sight away from his face and added in to sound nonchalant, "Not that I care or anything."

_"The people will choose who they see as worthy, it is difficult having an Olo'eyktan without a mate and a Tsahik who is mated to another- a division of power that should not be"_ he explained stiffly without meeting my gaze while I nodded like a bobblehead to understand the social structure of clan leadership. His whole posture was tense and I could see the contracting muscles over his knuckles as they lied next to my side. No, this was bothering his mind more than he let on and I listened quietly as he stated firmly, _"I will accept what is best for my clan. Eywa spared me from death and I will not waste it by arguing-"_

_"But you are the Olo'eyktan, that has to count for something"_ I broke in matter-of-factly to his logic but he turned around to watch the Horse Clan as members groomed their direhorses for the return home. I could understand why a proud and private person like he would evade this in order to protect what he valued above all else but honestly, he deserved what he worked for in life as well. _"Tsu'tey-"_

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Thanks for reading the chapter and have a nice day (or slumber if you're reading this at night)!


	5. True Olo'eyktan Pt2

CHAPTER 4:

**True Olo'eyktan Pt. 2**

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* * *

**

Jake had been transferred into his Avatar body to finally become a true Na'vi in the eyes of everyone and his human body barely buried for more than twenty-four hours when rumors sprung up again about the position of Olo'eyktan. There was a growing division as Jake and Neytiri were the main attraction for their efforts to rebuild their clan and as a mated couple with Eywa's blessing, people sided with them to lead the Omaticaya since Tsu'tey lacked his own (well, she was taken from him but it's still the same) and was still recovering from his injuries. As a neutral party, I kept my mouth shut when gossip passed through huddled groups enjoying a refreshing drink of water Jake had brought with the newest food crates from Hell's Gate. Another karma point that raised his potential on the scoreboards.

Tsu'tey's injuries kept him out of the public's eye but I could see his unwavering devotion to take care of his people. Despite his gruff attitude towards the Avatars and I, he took time to check on the injured despite the pain it caused him to sit down, he gathered the children that remained frightened from the aftermath to tell them stories of laughter to keep their hearts warm, he stole fruit I picked in the gardens back at Hell's Gate to give to recent mothers to feed their toddlers (not that I minded because he was horrible at hiding them), brought food to the elderly population to care for them just as he'd been taught by his parents, I could go on but then I'd seem as if I supported his place as Olo'eyktan. I would remain impartial to both parties and let the Omaticaya make their choice. My knowledge on their social ladder was bleak as I tried to piece together what I could from Jake's old journals but I knew that having no status within the clan required no input from me.

Not to say that Jake wouldn't make a good leader either. He was more levelheaded than Tsu'tey and wasn't prone to a short temper in tense situations. He held the honorable title of _Toruk Makto_ and wasn't afraid nor would quit when a test came forward to question his loyalty. As the Na'vi said, when one needed strength, Eywa would send tests to prove and harden one's spirit in the midst of personal conflict. Jake had surpassed all obstacles and cared after the Na'vi as well by playing tag with the children (after he taught them), made sure everyone had a bowl of food before sitting down to eat himself, helped carry items that others needed help with. . .qualities of another good choice for Olo'eyktan.

The people were finishing their recuperation and the Horse Clan would head out at dawn tomorrow to return to their open plains. The enclosing forests apparently gave them a sense of claustrophobia and they longed to see the endless span of land. Norm decided to remain with the Omaticaya clan out of familiarity with Jake and the rest of us to accustom himself to the new life change but thanked them for the honorable invitation nonetheless. The Ikran People of the Eastern Sea would take their leave after that following day to make sure all of their riders could make the flight back home. I was sorry to see the Atykwe clan go after spending time among them but Nitari had already told me my place was with the Omaticaya. . .for now. All I could do was wait for that day. . .if Tsu'tey didn't annihilate me before then.

I hoped that my presence around him during the past weeks- well, almost a month in Earth time- was slowly convincing him that I intended no harm despite our ups and downs in emotions. Our fruit picking yesterday actually went pretty well and he held the basket instead of hitting me on the head with it as I picked the fruit (although he had better access to the top of the bushels). We went a half hour without calling each other names like toddlers and together, we made a fruit salad to feed the Na'vi that were stationed there for the afternoon after he taught me how to cut it. When I tried to cut decorative shapes, he told me to stop seeking attention and I had replied that humans cut fruit like that all the time. Don't get me started on the twenty minute lecture he pinned on me about how humans were weak, Na'vi were better, how I was in his world now, how fruit should be cut, that he was the boss and I was a child- I pretty much tuned him out after that. I came to when he started eating a portion he saved for himself while I returned to pick a few herbs that would settle upset stomachs because I often saw fussy youngsters and Mo'at told me it helped when grinding the leaves into the food. All in all, a good time and Jake's transfer was a sight unlike any other. Atokirina had flooded the Tree of Souls with their ethereal light as the Avatars and I stood to the side to watch in complete awe as the Na'vi connected to Eywa. Soon before we knew it, Mo'at's chanting to Eywa had stopped and Jake gasped in a lungful of air as his first breaths of life as a Na'vi began.

So here I was, lying down restfully on my pile of leaves as I stared up at the beautiful Tree of Souls. Would this sight greet me when it was my time to transfer to this body? The wandering atokirina never ceased to amaze with their hovering and it was a peaceful view that took away daily stress from my mind. That blew over the next second as Tsu'tey's face broke into my line of vision and I really began to wonder if he knew anything about personal boundaries. I flicked his nose with the tips of my fingers to bat him away innocently with a playful smile, _"Are we to have another argument about superiority?"_

"_That depends, do you submit to me?" _he challenged arrogantly with a smirk and I resisted the notion of kicking his head with my foot. Nah, I don't think I had it in me to be that cruel after his help and recent injuries. However, once he was perfectly healed and I learned the basics of being a warrior, it would be on. I was pretty sure I'd lose in under five minutes flat to his seasoned skills but if I could last a minute, it would be something.

Instead, I laughed to his eagerness to knock me down a peg and scoffed dismissively with the same smug tone, _"In your dreams."_

He hissed at my defiance to let him have the upper hand in this tug-of-war of ours which gave me a reason to grin toothily to his grumpy expression. Tsu'tey was becoming the man of a thousand faces as I spent time around him and chuckled softly. I gave him a brief glance from my perch and noticed his attention was temporarily focused on a target from afar, prompting me to ask softly, "You all right?"

His eyes snapped back down to me with a click of the colorful beads adorning his hair and he tilted his head to the side to state, "Clarify."

I bit my bottom lip in thought and nursed it the next second as I forgot that Na'vi canines were much sharper than human ones. My finger came back without blood so I took it as an okay to keep talking as I returned my gaze to his and pointed out softly, _"I know this is none of my business since I'm not part of the Omaticaya but I can't really avoid the gossip flying about regarding the position of Olo'eyktan. That's why I'm asking if you're doing all right because I know after all the stress you've endured, this is the last thing you need."_

Hastily, I shifted my line of sight away from his face towards the floor filled with tiny tree roots between flat slabs of rock and added in to sound nonchalant, "Not that I care or anything."

"_The people will choose who they see as worthy, it is difficult having an Olo'eyktan without a mate and a Tsah__ì__k who is mated to another- a division of power that should not be" _he explained stiffly without meeting my gaze while I nodded like a bobblehead to understand the social structure of clan leadership. His whole posture was tense and I could see the contracting muscles over his knuckles as they lied next to my side. No, this was bothering his mind more than he let on and I listened quietly as he stated firmly, _"I will accept what is best for my clan. Eywa spared me from death and I will not waste it by arguing-"_

"_But you are the Olo'eyktan, that has to count for something" _I broke in matter-of-factly to his logic but he turned around to watch the Horse Clan as members groomed their direhorses for the return home. I could understand why a proud and private person like he would evade this fact in order to protect the clan he valued above all else but honestly, he deserved what he worked for in life as well. _"Tsu'tey-"_

"_Neytiri is the rightful heir, our clans always pass leadership to the firstborn to abide by ancient tradition" _he stated adamantly to his code and I turned to my left side to watch the direhorses with him as they let out a happy barking noise while their riders brushed their coats. His tail flicked against my clothed side but I watched him quietly as he explained with admittance I never thought he'd indulge me with, _"I was first chosen as Sylwanin's mate, Neytiri's deceased older sister, since no other could best me in skill and named as Neytiri's afterwards to keep the clan strong. I planned to follow what was expected of me the day I was chosen but now there is a split path. Jakesully is her mate now and he is a powerful warrior with a title of his own, I will admit, which gives him all he needs to take this position with the rightful Tsah__ì__k. If I take a mate, they will not be deserving of the title of Tsah__ì__k as Neytiri has been training continually and that would throw off the balance. A clan must always have a mated pair consisting of an Olo'eyktan and a Tsah__ì__k that will rule strongly as one entity but remain powerful in their own rights."_

"_But you've trained for this, there is much Jake needs to learn-" _I objected to his choice on the matter, even going as far as to grasping his forearm to assert my point. His entire frame visibly tensed to my touch and I recoiled instantly for my forwardness, backing away like a scolded child as I mumbled out, "_-but I respect your opinion._"

Eywa really was testing the poor guy like Nitari predicted and I found myself dishing out sympathy for the predicament the warrior found himself in. He had barely survived the brutal battle weeks ago and now he would probably lose the most prestigious title he'd been training for. Oh god, I _was _going soft on him, wasn't I?

I chastised myself for my honest slip of the tongue and avoided the stern gaze of the warrior looming over me because I really wasn't in the mood to be lectured for stepping over boundaries. We were supposed to have a harmless rivalry between us, not reach a forced consensus over a specific topic that had me staring at the floor like a peasant to their king instead of breaking bread with him like the Atykwe Tsahìk wanted.

Max's voice broke out between the crowds and my shoulders released the withheld tension from the silence filling the small area between us. The doctor sure had excellent timing. I spotted him summoning our group with a wave of his hands and my ears perked up to strain my hearing as he informed us all, "Okay, people, listen up. It's time to head back so be polite and say farewell to the Horse Clans, especially you, Norm."

"Gotcha, boss" Norm assured with a friendly military salute and headed off to the area sectioned off to the Horse Clans.

Cheerfully, Max finished energetically with a grin, "It's make your own pizza night so let's get moving."

Jake's voice overlapped his with a disappointed groan as he sat on a nearby boulder, dramatically sulking into his arms, "Oh, c'mon, you just _have _to have pizza the day _after _my transfer? All I got was steamed fish as my last meal and it wasn't even good fish."

"All right, pizza" I grinned giddily as Jake's sullen demeanor caused me to laugh aloud and stood up to stretch my spine, purposely flicking my tail in the warrior's face as I walked down the wooden steps. He sent a bristling scowl in my direction but I remained unaffected as I decided to leave the scene on neutral terms rather than with hostile arguments. Besides, my purposely pesky gestures took his mind away from his troubles for at least a few seconds. For the second time today, I gave him a friendly smile and told him, "I will see you tomorrow, Tsu'tey."

When he saw no further insult attached to my farewell, Tsu'tey gave me a baffled stare full of skepticism and leaned forwards to double-check by questioning, "That's it? No sarcastic remark?"

"_You're already under pressure and I won't make it worse just for my benefit" _I stated simply and rolled my shoulders in a shrug in an attempt to sound nonchalant. I didn't want him thinking I was soft on him or anything, it already seemed to backfire minutes ago and I wasn't going to retry it. Tsu'tey didn't strike me as the 'tender' type of guy, he probably saw that as a weakness. Besides, with our clashing personalities, we were bound to be arguing by noon tomorrow; it was a practical given.

"Tsu'tey!" Jake's voice called over to the warrior as he ran over, graceful in his steps as a true Na'vi which had me envying both males agility when compared to my own. The taller male stood up slowly as he clutched his midsection to protect the healing wounds and I leaned down to help him but he held his hand up to stop my efforts. I sighed mentally to being rebuffed again but if he could do this himself, it was a great improvement. I backed away to give the men space as my friend spoke with business embedded in his tone, "Mo'at wants to see you, Neytiri, and I privately. Right now."

My eyes darted between both men as I tiptoed backwards to avoid looking like an eavesdropping mouse to their serious matter and scuttled away quietly like a hermit crab. Giving a hasty wave of the hand, I told them in friendly farewell, "Good luck, you two. . .and whoever remains Olo'eyktan, don't screw it up."

"You're too smart for your own good" Jake teased lightly to my direct manner of speaking and I stuck my tongue out childishly to his friendly jest. I left the two men alone with the hopes that both would get a just ending to this dilemma and rejoined my group in the center of the field as they headed to converse with the Horse Clan.

The same words kept echoing in my mind: Who would be Olo'eyktan?

* * *

Inside a small makeshift hut, Mo'at sat before the three as smoking incense in a bowl separated the two parties and filled the animal skin hut with its spicy aromatic scent. Neytiri sat between both males and held her mate's hand supportively as Jake smiled at her, sniffing the air for its calming aroma. Tsu'tey sat on her left and rested against a bundle of folded blankets to give his abdominal muscles a rest but his face was stoic for the matter at hand. The future of the clan was at stake and he would pay perfect attention to what would be asked and the final decision. He would abide to the Tsahìk's decision on the true Olo'eyktan since the matriarch was the wisest of all members in the clan and would best interpret Eywa's will.

Mo'at brought up the topic that was circulating throughout the clan with a neutral voice as she eyed each of them carefully, _"You all know of what our kinsmen speak about as of late and I am here to silence it by choosing who Eywa has deemed as worthy of the title."_

Tsu'tey dipped his head respectfully towards the Tsahìk and vowed firmly, _"I am prepared to do what is asked of me to best serve The People and the Great Mother."_

Jake nodded to the man's statement because they all had the clan's best interest at heart and spoke up to add in his own view on the matter, "I don't see why Tsu'tey can't be leader and Neytiri the Tsahìk."

"Traditions, my Jake" Neytiri explained softly as she reminded herself to teach her mate more on the old traditions set forth by their ancestors and motioned with her right hand towards her mother. Carefully, she explained, "A clan must always have a ruling pair who are the _Olo'eyktan _and _Tsah__ì__k_, they can never be separate. We are trained from a young age to mature into our respective roles but now, there is a division as Tsu'tey is _Olo'eyktan _and I am-"

"With me" Jake finished glumly and didn't want to label himself a fiancée snatcher since Neytiri had fallen in love with him rather than Tsu'tey while also causing Neytiri to forfeit her future role as clan matriarch.

Mo'at's gaze turned to Tsu'tey, who remained quiet and observant, and she pointed out calmly, _"You have not chosen a mate or expressed interest in one since the battle and have wasted time that could have proven valuable in testing possible choices."_

Jake was about to defend the warrior with the reason of his current injuries but the shaman turned her cool gaze towards him and continued, "And you, Jakesully, do not know much of the old ways of what an _Olo'eyktan _should be. In the end, we have two candidates in which the Omaticaya can be led by but only one who has Eywa's blessing to lead this clan successfully."

"_Did Eywa show you who should lead, mother?" _Neytiri asked tentatively since the meeting was mostly between the other three but knew her mother had asked her to be there for a reason. A Tsahìk _always_ had a purpose in mind when she summoned someone's presence before her.

Mo'at raised a hand to order their silence and reached up to the reddish necklace that descended from her headdress that rested over her braided queue, removing the sharp thorn that dwelt in its sheath. She struck Jake's chest as she'd done on his arrival before the Omaticaya months ago and tasted the blood at the tip with her tongue to finalize what Eywa had shown her during deep meditation. Jake glanced warily at Neytiri for the silence engulfing them as Mo'at lingered in thought, closing her eyes once in a while until she was finished contemplating. She cleaned the end of the thorn with a nearby cloth that lied next to the bowl of incense without saying a word to anyone. The ex-marine dabbed at the wound with his fingers but Neytiri batted his hand down for his restless movements (he wasn't the kind of man to just sit around). The Tsahìk repeated the same action with Tsu'tey's chest this time but the warrior remained unflinching as he stared straight ahead while Mo'at closed her eyes to begin the process again.

After minutes of grueling silence that had both Tsu'tey and Jake staring at themselves with worry at the delay, Mo'at opened her eyes to wipe the thorn yet again and replace it back in its protective sheath. The task of appointing a true leader was challenging and making sure that she interpreted Eywa's will to the last word was a responsibility one trained from youth to decipher perfectly. If one faltered in translating the tiniest hint, everything would come apart at the seams and Mo'at would not let anything awful befall onto the Omaticaya. She had been appointed as the future Tsahìk as a child by Eytukan's mother (also a previous Tsahìk) and would make sure that her successor knew everything, if not more, about the revered but powerful importance of being a matriarch. Softly, she breathed in the calming but spicy incense through her nose as every thought Eywa had sent over the passing weeks fell into order and spoke slowly, _"I will carry out Eywa's decision and Her word final."_

Her golden eyes locked onto her daughter's and firmly, she stated definitively, "You will resume your studies to be the future _Tsah__ì__k_-"

Neytiri's eyes widened in shock to such an order and she broke in with a perplexed voice, _"But mother-"_

"Eywa has deemed you as the rightful woman next in line for my position" Mo'at stated sharply as she reprimanded her child for interrupting and Neytiri lowered her head respectfully in submission to correct herself. It wasn't easy having a mother that was also a dominant member of the clan. The matriarch turned her gaze to Jake and her eyes pierced his as she went on resolutely, "Jakesully will take over as _Olo'eyktan _as the Great Mother has shown me of what will be and he is the rightful choice. His qualities are similar to yours, Tsu'tey, and I have glimpsed into what your future holds as well and it is not as _Olo'eyktan _of the Omaticaya."

Jake expected his previous rival-turned-ally to revert back to his old attitude and punch him square in the face for yanking away yet another precious item. Instead, Tsu'tey closed his eyes to the verdict as his body went rigid to the fact he would have to give up what he had trained for. In his heart, Tsu'tey already had the heaviest inkling that it would come to that but hearing it made it harder to bear. Neytiri and Jake found themselves surprised to this mature reaction of the usually short-tempered man but felt sympathy that they would gain from this while he wouldn't.

"Tsu'tey, you must see this as the obvious choice as well" Mo'at explained softly with her own sympathy as the warrior glanced uneasily between her and Jake. As a matriarch, she was compelled to comfort members with troubles but as Tsahìk, the task of appointing the clan leader overcame that need. Without hesitance, she explained firmly, "There will be balance with Jakesully as _Toruk Makto _and he will learn from you. If power remains with you, a new _Tsah__ì__k _will have to be found and that takes time- both to find a suitable choice and to train them. Clans can never be seen as weak or they will be conquered by a stronger clan to join as one of their own. Nobody is above the word of Eywa Herself."

The warrior didn't want to admit it but the Tsahìk was right and their people greatly needed balance at this moment as they remained in sanctuary within the Tree of Souls. If he himself couldn't lead, he would honestly pick Jakesully as the next because of his advanced skills in battle against the Sky People and negotiation. Where did that leave him then? Would he return back to his position as a hunter with the same high standing? Or would he be seen as a failure in leading his clan? For not being strong enough to protect them?

"_You have done all you can, young one" _Mo'at soothed with a low voice as she saw the conflicting emotion running through his eyes while Tsu'tey glanced at the thin trail of smoke leaving the purifying incense pot.

Would this be the end of his path in life? To have burned brightly like a fire for years as he was deemed the best only to have the flame smothered in the prime of his life as everything came crashing down around him? All of his training, was it for nothing then? His fingers lightly grazed the black palulukan claws on the ceremonial necklace over his chest and the Tsahìk spoke gently with reassurance, _"It is in the clan's best interest, Tsu'tey, but Eywa watches over you, child."_

Jake spoke up quietly as he tried to lighten the tension that was painfully obvious, "If he doesn't want to-"

"I will relinquish my title under one condition, Jakesully" Tsu'tey decided with a faint voice the ex-marine hadn't heard before from the stern man and Jake nodded silently to the request while Neytiri touched her mate's shoulder with worry etched on her face on what the warrior wanted.

Jake expected a task of astronomical proportions that only Hercules himself could do because one never knew with a tough warrior like Tsu'tey but found himself taken aback when the warrior proposed decisively, "I want to choose the new Omaticaya _Kelutral_."

"The _Olo'eyktan _must decide matters like that-" Neytiri argued on her mate's behalf but Jake raised his hand to let her argument drop as he considered the demand. Tsu'tey knew the land better than he (and without the handy use of computers) and he had to learn a lot to pick up the reigns as a clan leader if he wanted to live up to everyone's expectations. Jake had already seen Tsu'tey's contribution on the matter as he promised to travel to Hell's Gate every day to help out his human friends (and to make sure they didn't screw up- either was fine by him).

Jake clasped Tsu'tey's shoulder in camaraderie and agreed with a smile, "You have my permission to choose it. In fact, you can lead the whole thing, brother."

Tsu'tey gave a brief nod of thanks as he was given leadership in that and pressed a palm to the center of Jake's chest to uphold his side of the bargain. As a warrior, his pride stung for being asked to step down but as a loyal member to the Omaticaya and their current clan leader, he was entrusted to oversee the wellbeing of his clan and if Eywa chose for Jake to be the new leader, so be it. Formally, he kept his voice steady as he spoke, "And I, Tsu'tey te Rongloa Ateyitan, transfer my rank of _Olo'eyktan _to you, Jakesully. Lead our people wisely and justly. . .and do not make me regret my choice."

"You'll be around to kick me if I screw up, right?" the ex-marine joked lightly as he accepted the heavy responsibility onto his shoulders and the other man returned a smile as Neytiri sighed to her mate's ability to lighten tense moods. Plus, she would beat Tsu'tey into extinction if he tried to attack her mate like she'd done weeks before.

"Thank you, Tsu'tey, I mean that" Jake told him respectfully with a serious tone as he made direct eye contact with his clan brother. Months ago, he'd have pegged the warrior to behead him in one slice for his wish to join their clan and now, he was handing over leadership without brandishing anger at him.

Jake truly respected him and hoped their relationship as friends would strengthen as time passed. Truthfully, he spoke with an earnest smile, "To do what you've just done, that speaks very highly of you and your dedication to make sure the Omaticaya prosper and remain as one," slowly, he translated all he had learned from the past months with a clear voice, _"I will do my best to carry out the same honor all Olo'eyktan's have done before me."_

Mo'at smiled at her daughter's mate for his persistence to learn every aspect of their culture and spoke proudly, "You have surpassed all our expectations for you, Jakesully, especially mine. _Olo'eyktan _is a great honor and heavy responsibility, your spirit will grow stronger over time as you have people who care for you to show you the way."

Neytiri placed a delicate hand on his left cheek as she tried not to tear up for having her mate receive the same rank her beloved father held honorably for decades and whispered faintly, _"Olo'eyktan."_

Mo'at turned to Tsu'tey and acknowledged his sacrifice with words of advice, _"You have done a great deed that will benefit the Omaticaya greatly in seasons to come, Tsu'tey. You will not be disappointed by it. Eywa will reward you greatly when the time comes but for now. . .you must teach Jakesully all he needs to know to lead our clan efficiently. Your place in the hierarchy has not changed and you will always one of our best and highly respected members."_

_It should make me feel better but it really doesn't_, Tsu'tey thought glumly to his stroke of luck lately and _really _hoped Eywa had something better because so far, everything was falling apart for him. _Being critically injured and relinquishing my new rank isn't really filling me with joy or keeping me enthusiastic towards the future._

The only words he could manage to reply with were the ever respectful, _"Yes, Tsah__ì__k."_

Her sagely eyes pierced his to hold his crestfallen gaze and she stated firmly as her fingers touched his forehead, _"I am very serious, Tsu'tey. The Great Mother will never forsake protectors of Her children and your path is still ongoing. Jakesully's and my daughter's has been finalized as leaders of our clan but you have yet to reach your potential in life. You are meant for great things as well but remember that the Omaticaya is just one of many clans under the caring of the Great Mother. Conflicts will arise one day and you will be needed as a powerful warrior to protect the innocent."_

"_Then what is my path, Tsah__ì__k?" _he asked calmly although pleading mixed into his tone but Mo'at took her hand away to raise it in the air to halt the thoughts running through his mind. Why couldn't he be pointed in the right direction to reach what Eywa had planned for him?

"_I can only guide you per Eywa's will, the rest is up to you" _she explained softly to suffice his insistent curiosity and his ears flattened to the unclear answer in its form of a riddle. Her gaze returned to the young couple that had remained silent and she stated firmly, "Now, it is time for you to address your clan, Jakesully."

He stiffened at making another speech since his last had been weeks ago when the humans left and Neytiri calmly soothed his back with her hand, offering a serene smile to help him find the words. Tsu'tey hoped he'd muster the usual warrior strength he showed on the battlefield to speak to the public or else he would doom his identity as Olo'eyktan. A clan leader always had to exert complete authority and confidence to keep the People calm with a sense of constant security. Part of him wanted to laugh for a few good seconds at Jake's loss of words but the no nonsense part of his personality was having none of it. Their clan needed strength and to prove to other nearby clans that they weren't vulnerable after what the Sky People had brought upon them and it only served to make them stronger in the end.

"You are _Toruk Makto _and _Olo'eyktan_, act like it" he ordered sternly and Jake gave him a flat stare that distinctly read 'yeah, that's a lot of help'. Tsu'tey smiled amusingly to the ex-marine's ability to infect people with his humor and assured in a lighter tone, "I will be next to you in case you need help although I hope it will not come to that."

Jake brightened up at a sudden thought that could benefit everyone and suggested to the warrior, "Hey, you can be my advisor-"

Mo'at stood up in objection to their delay and ushered the trio out of the hut with a firm voice, "Address the People, Jakesully."

The ex-marine stood up uncertainly with a slow gait as the other two followed his actions and he shook away the nerves of inadequacy from his mind with a roll of his shoulders, nodding to himself in reassurance.

_I'm the leader now, meaning no screw-ups and all business_, he told himself determinedly as his military mind took on the new objective and eased away any nerves. He may have been out of the military but a marine never lost the attitude. _Just like ordinary briefings, get in and out._

A last minute question popped into his mind as he assessed the situation and Jake asked warily, "They won't stone me, will they?"

"Not unless you say something wrong, I will take slurs for you but stones are another matter completely" Tsu'tey pointed out simply with amusement hinting at his usually cold voice and he stepped out through the cloth door of the hut.

"What about upholding my honor?" Jake joked innocently as Neytiri batted him over the head for his playful mood, muttering 'skxawng' under her breath while his beads clacked as he fixed his hair to make sure she didn't fuss up his style. He was starting to look pretty damn good in beads and feathers. Proper appearance was a must in public speaking, especially for a clan that was about to meet its new leader.

"By then, I will claim I never knew you" Tsu'tey responded to the jest from the other side and Neytiri sighed to their playful banter at this moment of all times. Well, it was better than having the two hate each other into extinction.

The two stood behind Tsu'tey as he addressed the growing and eager crowd of their clan with his usual commanding voice, _"Brothers and sisters, the choice of Olo'eyktan has been made very carefully and to maintain the strength of our clan, I have chosen to transfer my role of Olo'eyktan to Jakesully and our future Tsah__ì__k."_

With that said, the warrior untied the necklace he wore that was used by newly appointed clan leaders of the Omaticaya and handed it over to Jake with a small nod. The shorter Na'vi took the ceremonial item into his hands carefully as he began his new role and declared aloud with the strong voice that matched his military background, _"I will not disappoint you. . .any of you."_

Jake turned to face the large crowd as expressions of all moods showered him but whether they approved or not, he vowed to protect each of them, down to the last unborn child, as his voice reached every last person in the crowds, _"I will make sure the Omaticaya grow strongly as before to reclaim what the Sky People took. My first priority is to make sure everyone is fed and thriving healthily during the passing days until we find our new Kelutral. Tsu'tey, Neytiri, and I are working very hard with the remaining dreamwalkers to find our new home. I know it will not be the same or hold all of the memories you once shared with the lost Kelutral but young generations will grow and make their own in the new. Only time can heal the wounds but I will make sure that everyone will be able to live safely and happily from now on, to put everything that happened with the demons behind us, and thrive once more for as long as I breathe!"_

Neytiri gave him a fond but proud smile as he managed to speak every word in her language fluently and knew that soon he would be speaking only in her tongue alone. Hope was being renewed and she would help reform the glory of the Omaticaya once again with never-ending relief that the Sky People were gone.

"_Share with me your worries and hopes for a better tomorrow and I know that together, we will have happier days to come" _Jake finished strongly and both his companions nodded in agreement as the crowd hooted proudly for the new Olo'eyktan as they saw the resolve in his face and the unyielding support from two of the strongest members of the clan. Jake would lead them wisely without falter until Eywa called him for eternal rest.

* * *

I don't know what the hell possessed me to link up to my Avatar as everyone headed to sleep in the station but I blamed it on my natural curiosity and the twinkle of sympathy for Tsu'tey that kept jabbing at me. Beats me why that man kept intruding into my mind. . .not that I would ever tell him for then he would certainly gloat over it.

My eyes blinked open to the swaying bioluminescent tendrils of the Tree of Souls overhead and slowly sat up to adjust to my surroundings. The entire area was covered in complete darkness, apart from the tree itself and a few random fires burning to add guidance since bladder lanterns took time to make (no hunting meant no stomachs to lure fireflies into). Everyone around me was asleep, save for a few speaking groups near the fires and I wasn't surprised to see Jake watching over the people as a protector while he chatted with Norm, who was whittling a piece of wood into who knows what with a small knife. My left eyebrow raised when I saw Jake wearing the carefully crafted feathered necklaces over his chest while his throat was covered by the ornament I had previously seen on Tsu'tey today.

Guess they made Jake the new boss.

Somehow, it didn't surprise me since Tsu'tey had told me his viewpoint on the matter along with the high probability of losing the title but I wouldn't blame him if he resented Jake a little. It seemed that everything that should've been his was going to the new guy. . .oi, I hoped he wouldn't take it out on us Avatars (mainly me). My ears perked up when I spotted the warrior next to the Tree of Souls, kneeling down in prayer position as his right hand linked his queue to a glowing vine for his connection to Eywa. The scene before me would've been perfect studying material for my research but I was stumped at remembering that I wasn't really an anthropologist anymore. That part was now behind me. I was meant to follow the way of a true Na'vi and live the rest of my life amongst them.

Carefully, I tiptoed quietly towards Tsu'tey as I tried to keep my breathing shallow to not disrupt his ruminating session. My feet hadn't even reached the last wooden groove of a step when his stern voice froze me in mid-step, _"You are awful at masking your steps. Lumbering around like a drunken Palulukan for all to hear."_

_At least his cruel sarcasm didn't take a hit_, I thought dryly to his constant criticisms on my Avatar motor skills.

His eyes opened slowly as he disconnected his queue from the bioluminescent vine, letting it slip from his fingers delicately and he turned to face me directly. The bioluminescence didn't soften his sharp features as I hoped they would because the darkness actually did make him appear more intimidating. I gave him a meek but friendly wave of the hand in the hopes that he wouldn't take me as a threat but doubted he'd understand human gestures. Tsu'tey spoke softly with the slightest hint of surprise in his voice, _"You are not supposed to return until tomorrow."_

I rolled my shoulders with a simple shrug as I tried to brush off my presence here (mostly because it was for his benefit and wanted to keep it hushed) and murmured truthfully, "Yeah, well, I wanted to see what happened and by the lack of certain attire on you, I assume Jake is _Olo'eyktan_ now?"

"You guess correctly, dreamwalker" he confirmed stiffly to my remark with the lightest furrow of his brow and I kneeled down next to him to offer a small smile. The little bits of grainy rocks below dug into my skin and I shifted to sit on my butt for better comfort as I kept my gaze on the stoic warrior. His golden eyes narrowed into slits immediately at my sympathetic gesture and he hissed spitefully, "Do not pity me, tawtute."

"_I'm not, it's called sympathy- you might learn a thing from it" _I stated tightly for receiving that ungrateful reaction instead of a lukewarm 'thank you, I appreciate the sentiment'. The man was just very hard to please and I blamed my sappy emotional side for dragging me here to offer a hand. I often forgot Tsu'tey was a different being altogether and wasn't raised with the same ideals I had so customs would need to be learned and assimilated. I remained unaffected by his brusque tone towards my compassion (part of me hoped he actually _had _a peaceful side) and pointed out offhandedly, _"And you need to sleep because all that slouching will hurt your spine."_

He sneered at my parenting tone and I rolled my eyes at his stubborn nature. I really should smother that sappy side of me into nothing because he obviously had no need for it. Couldn't my conscience give compassion to another injured warrior who didn't have the personality of a rock? I was mentally arguing with myself when I saw his ears lower as he glanced at the swaying vines of the tree and I had a change of heart _again_. This man really was spinning my head around like a dreidel. . .damn Na'vi ear fetish. Gently, I gave him a friendly smile and asked softly, _"What will you do now?"_

"_The same thing I have been for years, providing for my clan" _he answered shrewdly as if I'd spoken hypocrisy for daring such a question and the corners of my lips twisted into a frown. You see? I'm getting _nothing _from the guy! His line of sight shot over to where Jake was talking to a few tribe members and I followed his gaze from behind his shoulder as best I could since he was way taller than me, even while kneeling. I hated feeling tiny compared to the guy; it felt even worse back at the OPS center with him as a giant and me as the ant. Simply, he stated without glancing back at me, _"I will teach Jakesully everything he needs to know about being Olo'eyktan and I will remain a great warrior for the Omaticaya."_

"_Hmm, and here I thought you'd brood and take it out on me" _I grinned humorously to lighten the mood and balked when a thoughtful look of mischief passed over his face at the comment. Quickly, I added in to rebuff the tempting idea, _"Too late, I'll tell Jake and he can punish you. . .,"_ an impish grin broke over my face at a sudden realization and I mocked giddily, _"Wait a minute, that means you have no authority over me now. I could yank your tail and-"_

He shot me a dirty look filled with loathing and I waved my hands before me to admit nervously, "Kidding."

I really should stop bothering him since this day had pretty much rolled him through mud for making him renounce his leadership. If someone yanked my position as lead anthropologist, I would be a little miffed too and decided to speak to him as a person rather than a comedienne. He deserved that because I was a firm believer in that old saying 'reap what you sow' and all those motivational mottos that pushed you to succeed all on your own. Tsu'tey had done everything asked of him to lead his people without question and he was rejected for it. . .is this what Nitari meant? About Eywa testing him?

I bit my bottom lip in apprehension over speaking on it since our conversation had been private and decided to remain ambiguous as I advised softly, _"Everyone has a rough spot through life, sometimes several rough spots, but maybe this is Eywa's way of testing you for something better."_

"There is no greater honor than to be Olo'eyktan" he declared sharply as his breathing quickened, his hand absentmindedly brushing over the bare spot on his chest that previously held the necklace for a new clan leader. Tsu'tey was good at masking his emotions but body language proved otherwise as I could see the sting from the aftermath with every clench of his muscles. It hurt him to lose the prestigious title, probably more than the physical injuries he carried now, and my gaze softened as I sympathized with his pain. He turned around to rest his back against the bark of a nearby root and looked to the sky overhead as if it held all of his answers as he faintly asked, _"What else could there possibly be?"_

"_I'm not saying I have any answers but if Eywa provides, she should have a better path for you after everything you've done for your people" _I offered gently and scratched my head nervously (darn it, Jake), random beads clacking from stray braids on the side of my hair. Hmm, when was the last time I bathed my Avatar? I really needed to keep a better tab on my counterpart, I didn't want to come back to find an animal dry humping my leg.

"_It is hard not to feel lost at the turn of events"_ Tsu'tey admitted grumpily and glanced at the floating woodsprites above us. He was good at keeping his emotions at bay and mature enough to not whine excessively over it (though his anger was another issue) which increased my respect for the Omaticaya warrior. His forlorn expression combined with the lack of attire on his upper body really made him appear more delicate than he really was. I was perfectly sure he could break me in half if given the chance but right now, I couldn't help but want to pat his back for a pep boost. Of course, I didn't do so because he'd probably choke me for merely touching him but still.

Instead, I let my eyes roam over a wayward atokirina that dangled above his head before it settled on the tip of his left ear. Tsu'tey paid it no mind but his face relaxed as the little being rested there, almost as if it gave off its own empathy. . .could the atokirina communicate with the Na'vi? I knew they were special spiritual beings but their physiology remained a mystery to human scientists.

"_Don't sit and sulk your problems away, it never works- trust me" _I advised softly and resisted from running my fingers over the little woodsprite joining our conversation. Its tiny strands licked at the air despite its lack of movement and I smiled for seeing one up close yet again. The Na'vi deciphered them as signs from Eywa to her children. . .so what was it trying to say? 'You'll be fine'? 'Don't kill the woman'? 'You make a nice rest stop'? 'Be nice to each other'? Hmm. . .wasn't that what Nitari kept telling me? That Jake and I would support Tsu'tey to help him better himself?

_Eywa, I hope you're right_, I thought skeptically as my eyes watched the spiritual woodsprite. As if it listened- not that I'm keeping pure coincidence as another reason- the atokirina left its perch on his ear and floated back up to the glowing vines. Tsu'tey remained unaffected by its leave but flicked his ear as if it had tickled him.

I hesitated for a moment before bringing up the topic quietly, _"Can I confide in you?"_

He blinked awkwardly at my request as if I'd suddenly said I wanted to eat his ikran alive and withheld an aggravated sigh for his constant distrust for me. Why couldn't he see that I just wanted to talk to him openly? I placed my palms on the floor as I hung my head, raising my voice slightly to snap, _"Just say yes! It's not a secret that will cause worldwide destruction in one second."_

Tsu'tey nodded with an annoyed sneer and I picked up the mumbled words 'crazy' and 'female'. I dismissed his one sided conversation and resisted from throwing wooden chips at him in rebuttal. Gathering my thoughts into a ball, I fiddled with a nearby wooden stick as I tried to keep my words neutral but sympathetic. I even managed to give him a friendly smile as he stared at me with those distrustful golden orbs and I spoke calmly, _"I have been talking to one of the Tsah__ì__ks here and she told me that your path has already been written. That you need more growth, I don't know anything specific, but that is what I've been told. . ."_

I wanted to say more to enlighten him but I couldn't betray the Tsahìk's confidence. A sigh of regret left my lips as my little stress stick tapped against the floor and I faced the warrior to speak freely,_ "I won't defy that trust but Tsu'tey, you must persevere and figure out what Eywa's true intentions are for you. Don't let this hang over your head, rough tumbles happen to everyone but you can't hold onto it or else it will ruin your life. You're a warrior, you look towards tomorrow and remember that your people need __you__- not your title, but you as a person. "_

His lips thinned to my heartfelt words while his eyes scanned my face for any visible deceit but I gave him a placid stare. I meant every word of it and I hoped he believed it because I knew how it felt to be shuffled around like nobody important and he was a big part of his clan, regardless of his status. Everybody and I mean _everybody _knew the man and greeted him every morning. I cast my stick aside and clasped my hands together, wringing my fingers nervously over my lap because his silent stare was pretty unnerving and pointed out, _"Look, you and I are going to be in the same clan until I can join the Atykwe so-"_

"_Why would they want you? You have nothing to offer them in rank or skills" _he pointed out cynically with a small disbelieving scoff that rubbed me the wrong way and the last straw broke at attempting peace. All my kindness and _this _is what I get? Snarky comments? No, enough was enough. I punched him in the bicep but lacked any real initiative behind it (I didn't want him to attack me on the spot and break my neck for all to see) so it came out half-decent as I glowered angrily at him. His teeth bared at me for the surprise attack and he warned crossly, _"You dare attack-"_

"_Just stop, okay! I'm trying to be nice after your crappy day and attempting a possible bridge for coexistence between us but you burn it with every word you say" _I snapped with frustration, being at wit's end with this man, and stood up to end this whole conversation. Tsahìk psychic powers be damned, I was done. Stomping my foot, I jabbed my finger in his direction and spat furiously, _"I give up. It is useless trying to understand you and I'm not going to try anymore! You are the most closed-minded, stubborn, ungrateful, and hateful beast of a Na'vi I've met!"_

I stomped away in a huff as my shoulders carried all of the tension and thought spitefully, _I hope he gets eaten by a man-eating plant out there! He's turning into what Quaritch and Selfridge would be if they mutated together into one personality!_

Ugh, the man was completely infuriating even when I _wasn't _trying to argue with him and it was better to cut my losses. Forget this whole nursemaid thing, Jake could find another dummy to take the hits because I was done. D-O-N-E. . .wow, just thinking it released humongous loads of stress the man had brought upon me since we met.

"He can kiss my blue ass all the way Polyphemus" I muttered uncaringly under my breath as I briskly walked off to my little bed pile of leaves. Several crunched under my foot as I found it in the dark and settled myself into my usual fetal position, forcibly shutting my eyes closed to unlink. The quicker I left Tsu'tey behind, the better.

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**A/N**: And thus, they have a new leader while Tsu'tey wonders why the hell is Eywa screwing with him while poor Joanna can't catch a break as their attitudes clash (although she is trying but friendship, much less romance, is a path that takes time). I often read fanfics where Jake gets to be leader while Tsu'tey basically hands the title over like a used Kleenex and wanted to delve into what the poor warrior must feel at having it taken away but yet at the same time, knowing that if Eywa commands it, he will man up and do what he must. . .hope I made sense with that (I was listening to McKennitt's 'Dante's Prayer' song that I used for this chapter because the lyrics pretty much reminded me of Tsu'tey). So as you can see, he's not peppy about it but accepts it while Joanna tries to cheer him up since her own background bears similarities to his but I won't delve into that until much later chapters. For now, it's getting the clan into their new Hometree which Jake and his group will hike up to in the wilderness in the next chapter. Joanna is given an offer by Tsu'tey to help her fit in easier (le gasp at his niceness) while Norm runs from pissed off wasps and the clans head back home.

I want to thank each and every reader that has added this story to their story alert/fav because I appreciate your interest in reading it and it's my number one in traffic so my fingers will not stop clacking on the keyboard to bring up the next chapter- _The Omaticaya Kelutral_. Now, onto my dear reviewers who I clap to in thanks:

_Jinxed Fox_- I think a lot of readers liked that quote and it's best to have characters have memorable quotes than repetitive catch phrases. I'm glad I could make you laugh!

_Cake-ya-san_- As long as this story is 1 in my traffic, it will keep being written.

_Caleb's babe_- Long chapters is what I do best. Haha. If you thought basketball and soccer was funny, there's a chapter where Jake teaches baseball in the new Hometree; he and Tsu'tey are on the same team while Norm's playing home plate and. . .well, I wouldn't want to be charged into by two competitive men while defending it.

_TopKat90_- Yeah, Tsu'tey and Joanna are like a yo-yo, they get mad but eventually make up. You'll see in the next chapter and the following ones when they move into their new Hometree. Their friendship will develop pretty well but admitting any romance on their part will be harder than surviving a thanator.

_KThxBai_- She has Tsu'tey holding easy stuff as she gives him an out in a sticky situation but he'll have her carrying stuff for him like a pack mule when they get to the new Hometree and when she starts learning to be a huntress.

_Death magic doom_- I try to update as quick as I can but I have other fanfics and my quirky self just _has _to write long chapters so unfortunately, the readers have to wait a bit but I love you all for your patience. I love international readers, we can join together in our fondness for one topic despite being oceans and country borders apart!

_Littlemisspurplesunshinee_- Thanks for the love and I will keep updating as long as I get hits and reviews.

_13oct_- I see Tsu'tey and Joanna more of the joking kind of couple while Jake and Neytiri try to be the mature duo (although Jake adoringly fails at it). I think I'll do the sneak peaks from now on since most seem to like it.

_Mklnay_- I do love your long reviews. You're right on the first person p.o.v since you're seeing through their view alone so the reader only gets their input and guesses while third point, you can dig into all characters and manage what they can and can't know. Oh yeah, there will be a catalyst that finally reaches the breaking point for the two (in much later chapters, past 10 I think) and they'll start a decent friendship without trying to hack each other to bits. True, the Na'vi know nothing on human sayings so I think I'll try to use all that old fashion historical mindset where everything is literal so poor Jake will have to explain all his strange quotes. As for Jake, Joanna pretty much sees him and the Avatar drivers as a surrogate family since her own is pretty screwed up. I had to laugh for a few minutes at your words on Tsu'tey: 'but kind of nice deep, deep, DEEP down'. Priceless.

_Mistressofdarkness666_- Thank you for loving the story and don't worry, I won't give up this little tale and you can get a fanfic fix with the sneak peak below.

_Xio Yven_- Oh my, I know what you mean but I try not to stay between updates longer than a month if the story is at the top of my traffic chart. People would get along swimmingly if they understood the other without natural biases and the problem with Tsu'tey and Joanna is they prematurely assume all the bad flaws about the other instantly without working to bridge that gap but I'm sure Eywa will knock their heads together one way or the other, or have the Tsahìk's do it.

_Dark Inu Fan_- You're right about the Avatar drivers being background characters. The viewers saw a lot at the start of the film but when the RDA wanted to blow up the Tree of Souls, suddenly it's just Jake and Norm fighting. Well, the script had Max's surprise attack and they took it out which is why I used it in the start of the story to incorporate all the characters into doing something meaningful instead of being one dimensional. And yes, Tsu'tey and Joanna walk a very thin line indeed which makes the reader wonder if he'll be happy or not when she has to leave with the Atykwe clan eventually.

_FreedomFox_- Thanks for the review and the support. I try to have and continually learn how to expand my grammar although recently, my fics suffer slips with migraines I keep having which annoy me to no end. I'm glad you like their little spats. Unlike Jake, who would joke his way out of Tsu'tey's insults, she shoots them right back to rile him.

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**Next time on "Tsu'tey and Pals":**

"_I can give Jake the coordinates and he can take you there" _I suggested brightly to the notion that Hometree would be chosen today and turned around to point a finger in his face. By Eywa, he better make a choice today. Firmly, I ordered him, _"You better choose because I want to sleep in a hammock sometime soon."_

Tsu'tey gave me a smug look for knowing something I obviously didn't (I hated when he did that) and scoffed mockingly, _"You haven't even started on it."_

I stared at him with a deadpan expression as my brain analyzed the words. Wait, I had to _build _it? His ever arrogant face wasn't filling me with joy and knew this would be another task in itself. Carefully, I asked him slowly with skepticism, _"I have to make it?"_

"_What? You expect me to do it for you? Everybody makes their own hammock to sleep in Kelutral!" _he practically boasted in laughter at me and I simmered in my spot for the lack of knowledge. Great, now I needed to learn how to sew if I wanted to sleep. I knew that their hammocks were sacred but I had no idea that they were made by the sleeper's own hand. I could have punched him in the ribs but we were supposed to be building trust now so I settled on a good heated glare. Yeah, that would work. He dismissed my facial nonverbal retort with a snort and pointed out simply, _"The homemakers usually make extras but with everything we lost in our old Kelutral, everyone will have to make a new one. They are very special to us and creating one bonds everyone in the process."_

"_Which is why we need a new home, Tsu'tey, so start thinking on your choice" _I pointed out simply because the clan needed a new home to feel safe in and begin rebuilding. A place where children could sleep without worry and for families to begin their new life. He glanced elsewhere to avoid my nagging but I smacked the armband over his left bicep to nab his attention as I insisted firmly, "I'm serious."

"I am not afraid of a tiny tawtute like you" he snorted dryly with a placid stare and poked my tummy. What the hell? I wasn't a damn gummy bear. I slapped his hand away and pulled on one of his beaded braids to make him take me seriously. Instantly, he pushed me back and exclaimed angrily to my attack, "Skxawng!"

"Dumb-ass!"

"_We agreed not to use words the other did not understand!"_

"_Fine! You son of a mentally challenged prolemuris!"_

"_Brainless tapirus!"_

"_Oh, you-"_

A piercing whistle broke into our squabble and we turned to find Jake leaning against the doorway with a dismayed expression. He shook his head in our direction and sighed with amusement lining his words, "I swear, you two will kill each other if left unattended."

"Tell that to him, _I_ am obviously the mature one" I replied airily with a defiantly raised chin to further rile him and soon found myself in his grip as it worked. However, I didn't like being held in midair as his golden orbs glared at me and snapped sharply, "Let go of me, you senile banshee."

"Tsu'tey, drop the anthropologist- she bites" Jake ordered lightly with a grin and the warrior smirked to my irritated expression but he didn't obey. Tell me again why Jake made _him _hisadvisor? My friend pointed to Tsu'tey in beckoning and the warrior's attention shifted to him solely as Jake explained, _"I need you and a few others to come with me and search the wreckage of the old Kelutral to keep finding useful remainders."_

"I hope you get splinters in your blue ass" I told my captor in a sarcastic hiss, laughing evilly at the image, and he squeezed my midsection like a tube of cookie dough. I growled at him but it came out like a strangled yowl (too much time in my Avatar was giving me involuntarily adapted behaviors) and doubted I looked very threatening to the giant warrior as he continued smirking in superiority.

Jake walked up to us as we were about to restart a glaring match and found myself surprised when he told us firmly, _"Stop it. I'm seriously starting to think of either separating you two-"_

"_I will not kill her, she is a pesky annoyance that will leave me alone once we find our Kelutral" _Tsu'tey assured our leader while I squirmed in his grip. Out of all the trust tests that existed, this was not one I wanted to try out because I was sure he'd drop me just for the fun of it. Apparently, I amused him because he started laughing while he held me like a toy, pressing his thumb against my shoulders, poking my cheeks, ruffling my hair. . .ugh, I felt like a Barbie under a mischievous boy's fingers.

Jake perked up to Tsu'tey's promise of not squishing me like a bug and grinned slyly to say, "Good. No bodily harm or I will either have to supervise your interactions or start to think this is a bizarre flirting session."

"Jake!" I shouted to the ridiculous insinuation and hoped my cheeks wouldn't turn red to such a notion because the tips of my ears sure burned.

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Thank you again for taking the time to read the chapter (hope it wasn't too long) and have a great day or night! Please review.


	6. The Omaticaya Kelutral

CHAPTER 5:

**The Omaticaya Kelutral  


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**

Two days later, I bid farewell to the Atykwe clan and the others that were established throughout the Eastern Sea. Part of me longed to go with them; I had really connected with them during their stay here and they had been kind enough to give me insight to their history through song. I also learned that their rite of passage was longer than the Omaticaya's journey to the Thundering Rocks by rowing out to large cliff sides and climbing up by hand until you reached the nesting grounds and _then_, you would fight your ikran and make tsaheylu. Maybe it _was _best that I listened to Nitari and trained with Jake's clan until I joined hers. The other part of me, the less impulsive side, chose to remain with trusted friends and among the Omaticaya to begin assimilating this new lifestyle.

I rarely spent time at Hell's Gate anymore, only to eat and research, while the rest was spent among the Na'vi to learn their ways. Neytiri was kind enough to give us help in correcting our accents and common phrases among their clan that translators still hadn't learned yet. Norm and I tended to be a tad too formal in our speech but Neytiri said it was fine and it showed respect for her culture instead of having us use slang or informal speech. If I was to have a teacher in every field, I wanted _her_. Look at what she'd done with Jake!

Ikran began to dot the sky as they departed from the Tree of Souls, joyful screeches filling the air as they returned to the freedom of the skies, and I hoped that one day I could fly with my own. I often saw the children playing a game called 'ikran' (pretty self explanatory) and they chatted away as to what theirs would look like while playing with the handmade wooden toys of the creature. Neytiri had explained that parents (mostly the fathers) whittled them from a piece of the Hometree for each child so the young one could later paint them and dream of their airborne counterpart. I thought it was pretty cute and sentimental because a parent would only carve one and it would show responsibility on the child's part to keep it safe while also having fun with what the future would bring as they honed their skills.

Jake, my ever optimistic friend, had now begun learning how to carve them from experienced fathers and I kept the laughs to myself when he proudly showed Neytiri his half decent creation of what was supposed to be an ikran. . .but the poor thing never had any wings. Neytiri could only boost his confidence with affectionate words while privately, she told the women she would probably have to carve the toy herself for their future children. Honestly, I thought Jake and Neytiri would make great parents because of their balanced personalities and fierce loyalty.

I humbly stood before the Tsahìk, hands wringing together over my stomach, feet shuffling in the dirt, and a somber expression kept fighting to surface over my face. Respect always had to be shown to the clan matriarch but her gentle demeanor also triggered the feeling of abandonment because of her soothing nature towards me. I smiled kindly at Nitari and spoke softly, _"Goodbye, Tsah__ì__k. I wish you could have stayed a little longer but your people need to return home and resume their lives. I only hope for the best after your aid against the Sky People and that your clan keeps thriving with the passing seasons."_

"_You are a good one, Joanna" _she said with a warm smile hitching at her lips and brightening her aging face. I don't know if it was the Na'vi lifestyle or what, but their species aged gracefully unlike humans as their skin remained vibrant, eyes never lost their sharp focus, and hair remained thicker with only a dark gray sheen to show age rather than turning dull white. Her brow furrowed as she reminded me firmly with promise, _"Remember what I told you and trust the will of Eywa. She watches over every step you take and when the time is right, I shall come for you."_

"_I will wait for that day then" _I smiled gratefully at that wonderful prospect and pressed a hand to my heart. Her presence here at the Tree of Souls helped to ease my merging into the Na'vi because many did remain skeptic of us but she didn't turn me away. She was there to speak to me like a mother would to her lost little lamb and I appreciated that beyond anything because she wasn't obligated to do so to an outsider. . .but she did. Gracious to her kindness, I said truthfully, _"Thank you for allowing me to learn more of your clan despite I am an outsider and to speak with you most of all since I know only those that seek advice come to you."_

She gave me a sidelong look that practically analyzed me but unlike Mo'at that made me stand straight like a marine at attention, Nitari was like a mother bear that imposed both authority and care. Her voice filled me with soothing warmth as she spoke knowingly, _"And you do not? Everyone needs a word of advice once in a while because life is anything but simple and as a dreamwalker ready to take the path to being one of The People, you have questions that need answering. You shall find those answers as you begin your journey and you will learn much. Mo'at will be here to aid your path and when you join us, I will be there to help your troubles."_

The corners of her mouth hitched into a sagely smile, the white shells that adorned her fishnet braids clicking together with random beads of blue after a tilt of her head, and Nitari confided, _"Tsu'tey will be a part of your spiritual voyage, do not reject his presence no matter how much you two clash. Two strong forces are always better in unity rather than disarray."_

"_Do I really have to?" _I squeaked weakly to the horrible idea of actually having to spend time with that brute and she chuckled softly, a jolly little laugh that softened her features.

"_Yes, child, remember what I have told you" _she lectured gently and her fingers grazed the clavicle above my heart. I enjoyed learning about each of their gestures for welcoming and farewells as each always related directly to one's heart rather than saying ambiguous goodbyes like humans. Her voice took on a motherly note as she chided gently, _"I expect you and Tsu'tey to be friends when I return for you. Until we meet again, Joanna."_

"Eywa ngahu, Tsahìk_" _I smiled kindly to her as I tried to keep myself composed but found myself somber to her departure. It was like getting a present and having it taken back; it stung. She gave me one last look before walking up the rocky walkway that led to the roosting ikran overhead and I wrapped my hands around my sides to comfort myself.

The whole emotion of separation was a psychological thing for me after breaking ties off with my own family, it was a natural occurrence for me to find parental figures in friends to seek support from. It's pretty much why I considered the people I worked with for years as a surrogate family. Dr. Augustine had been a great role model for me and hearing of her death drew the last straw for me when it came to justifying the RDA's actions towards the Na'vi. Max was the neutral confidant I could go to for anything, he disassembled problems within minutes and told me the best course of action regardless of what my own ego wanted. Norm was growing to be the brother I wish I still had around and I would watch over him since his overly trusting nature could sometimes put him in a sticky bind. Jake was pretty much becoming the joking cousin that spent every day tormenting us but whom we loved unconditionally anyway. I sure hoped that fantasy family of mine would remain for as long as we lived among the Omaticaya.

Cheryl bounded up to me as her arms were jam-packed with supplies to distribute and she handed me a water bottle with a perky smile, "Here, I haven't seen you eat anything. We don't want your Avatar to dehydrate either."

"I'll be fine, I had to see the Atykwe leave before I head over to study with Norm" I dismissed gently to her kind gesture and squeezed her shoulder with an enthusiastic smile to eagerly say, "I think today's the day that the new Hometree is picked."

"That's wonderful since Norm did the mind transfer, you won't be down a partner for long" she said delightfully with a happy smile which I knew would be on everyone's faces if Tsu'tey actually made a choice. After all, nobody expected to stay here for much longer since normality was returning. Cheryl pointed to a fire nearby as a group huddled for the morning meal and she patted her stomach to chuckle humorously, "I'm going to feed this baby and pass out rations. Coming?"

I shook my head to her offer since Cheryl took it upon herself to watch over everyone which made me love her sweet temperament for and smiled politely, "Nah, but you go ahead."

She gave me a wave goodbye and ran off while I headed towards the tree where Jake was currently speaking to Neytiri. I learned the Na'vi didn't show much affection in public (it was much better than human couples who plastered their slobbery kissing in public for everyone to see instead of the bedroom) but there were obvious signs in their body language to depict a couple that just about anybody on Earth or Pandora could figure out. Whatever Jake had said caused Neytiri to bat his arm with a bashful smile and thus, their affection was shown. Neytiri failed to keep her face stoic around Jake despite her upbringing on formality while he simply grinned like he won the lottery every time he spoke to her. Yep, those lovebirds were on cloud nine.

I whistled to the busy chief, who had been groomed quite nicely with yellow and white feathers in his hair today (Neytiri's work, I'm sure), and reminded loudly, "OPS center in three hours, chief!"

He gave me a thumbs up that lit up his mate's eyes curiously and I laughed when he began teaching her the gesture while explaining its purpose. Those two would have quite an interesting marriage as they sailed through honeymoon bliss right now. I stifled a laugh as Neytiri mimicked the thumbs up gesture while blinking in confusion at the same time.

"Joanna?"

"Yeah?" I asked quickly to the one who called me from behind and instead of seeing an unknown Na'vi awaiting with a question, I found the bane of my recent existence.

Since our argument, I refused to speak to him despite the fact we worked together in the mornings at the OPS center and used Norm as my messenger to ask the warrior any questions on my behalf. I refused to acknowledge him whenever I bumped into him to give him a taste of his own medicine and a little part of me liked being bitchy. Confidence was key in keeping the upper hand and being nice to that man has gotten me nowhere for as long I've known him. My face fell into an indifferent glance and flatly, I asked, "What do you want, Tsu'tey? I'm _very _busy."

He eyed the water bottle I was holding onto with intrigue and raised his brow to ask, "Busy with what?"

"I just am! I'm not obliged to tell you anything" I stated heatedly because I really didn't have anything to do at all since everything relating to the battle weeks ago had come to an end. The clans were gone, patients were up and about, able warriors were ready to resume hunting, everything was going peachy now. My binds to this man were cut and I was free to roam where I pleased without having to answer any of his questions.

His hand shot towards me and I jumped back like a frightened rabbit because I expected to be struck or strangled for my brazen attitude. I held my water bottle before me like a shield but who was I kidding? It would most likely hit me in the head as a projectile. I cringed inwardly at the thought of being attacked in public (anthropologists weren't fighters, we tended to blend into the shadows) but felt no strikes on my person and slowly lowered my raised arms to nervously peek at Tsu'tey. No scowl. No bared teeth. No weapons at hand. Instead, he held out a round purple fruit towards me and my brows furrowed to the meaning until he said, "Peace offering."

"_You probably poisoned it, your attitude has been nothing but brutish and offensive since I met you so why should I suddenly accept this?" _I demanded skeptically to this sudden change of heart on his end and crossed my arms for an answer. He might have gotten my pity vote when I started being his damn nursemaid but the gloves were off now.

"_You will be training to be Omaticaya, I was mistaken about Jakesully and he was more of a clumsy oaf than you are at learning so I am offering that bridge to you. . .it doesn't mean I will like your attitude though" _he explained roughly to assert his authority over me and I rolled my eyes at his canny ability to seek peace _and _complain at the same time. My eyes kept shifting from the fruit to his face as I tried to catch whatever angle he was playing but he lightened his stern tone to say, _"You also advised me when I was not at my strongest instead of giving meaningless sympathies. For that, I will take it into account for adding another step on that bridge."_

I smiled at that since he drove me insane that particular night (my poor pillow had suffered my wrath at the station when I punched it for half an hour) and slowly reached out to take the fruit with tentative fingers in case he decided to go back on his word and throw it at me. When that didn't happen, I accepted the token and nodded to him with a satisfied smile, _"I agree then. We will trust each other slowly. . .I really do want to be a part of your people, Tsu'tey. I am not like those you met before that lied, I fought against them with my life just like you did and if they ever return, I will fight them again. I'm not here to harm you, I just want a peaceful life."_

He nodded to my promise which I knew he would use against me if I ever faltered in my attitude but I wouldn't. I wanted to get along with him and not worry that we'd probably smack each other to death or piss off the entire clan with our arguing. I took a glance at my handy gift because I never expected him to actually come to me seeking peace. Maybe there was more to this man than met the eye.

I handed the fruit back to him and immediately, his face turned to bafflement as he held it between his hands. The way his ears lowered gave me the impression that he thought I'd rejected his offer but I quickly explained with a friendly smile, _"I have to return to Hell's Gate to feed my tawtute body, remember? Besides, I have to start studying the last two choices for the new Kelutral and you need this more than I do for the ride there. Eat up."_

"_I will see you there" _he told me with surprisingly calm words before walking away, throwing the little fruit in the air to play catch with it as his tail flicked to the sides.

Hmm, I think this is the first conversation we've had that didn't leave both of us angry at the other. That in itself gave me optimism towards the future.

* * *

"Tsu'tey?"

. . .

"Tsu'tey!"

"_What?"_

"_Stop prodding me like I'm a piece of meat" _I complained sharply and batted his index finger away as it jabbed me between the shoulder blades. Civility took time to occur and I was all for it, trust me, but to have the man poke me every minute or so for his own morbid curiosity was becoming irritating. I had allowed the innocent ticklish pokes for about ten minutes before it got in the way of my work. I rested the book I'd been trying to read on my lap before he managed to knock it out of my hands and explained without glancing at him, _"It's hard enough to read while you keep poking me."_

_Am I the only one he pokes or does he do this to random humans too?_, I thought amusingly and tried not to laugh at the idea.

"_Why do you Sky People wear so much clothing?" _he snorted offhandedly from his seat behind me as we both sat in the OPS center to continue our research for the day. Jake had promised Tsu'tey would pick Hometree yesterday but it hadn't happened because he found a fault with it. Since Tsu'tey would choose the next Hometree, I had expected him to be relentless in his search (which he was when we had been on non-speaking terms) but all he was doing since we arrived today was studying me like his personal lab experiment. Unfortunately, his mind was sharp as a knife at memorizing (probably due to his upbringing) and he answered all of Norm's questions without falter as the other man researched on the main computer. Poor Norm had resorted to using chopsticks to type since his Na'vi fingers were too big and the office had gotten considerably smaller with two grown Na'vi occupying it.

"_Why do your wear so little?" _I asked simply as I scribbled a few notes onto my notebook regarding food recipes, ignoring my fallen book. In order to fit in, I had to know everything about their social structure and as a woman without status, I would most likely spend time helping homemakers with clan duties. The women who did not hunt either cooked, created pottery, sewed, crafted jewelry, or healed the sick. I didn't mind joining any of those activities because it would only serve to further increase my skills. Brightly, I glanced over my shoulder to smile at Tsu'tey and suggested, _"I'll answer your question if you answer mine. Agreed?"_

He mulled it over as I gave him a peek from the corner of my eyes to see his thoughtful expression and he nodded in agreement to explain easily, _"We have no need for constricting cloths or wish to upset our surroundings. Eywa wants us to be close with what She has given us, why shy away from Her gracious gifts?"_

I was pleased that he answered it without any smugness in his tone and explained humankind's view to him as best I could, _"We started out similar to your people but we grew modest in exposing skin and covered our bodies to prevent others from seeing them. We are very self-conscious beings so in turn, it became a way of life. Also, it aids us in colder environments to prevent illnesses that would otherwise cause our vulnerable forms to perish. The only time we will ever be exposed is in private with our mating partner or in bodies of water but nobody swims anymore since we have to wear these masks to breathe our own air because the planet's air is toxic from centuries of prolonged pollution."_

"_When Dr. Augustine started her school, she told us about the condition of your world and blamed it on your people's past mistakes. . .I never understood the concept of how there is another world out there somewhere that I cannot see" _he brought up curiously as his golden gaze tipped skyward since the roof had been sheared off by machinery. His question reminded me of the old world views before the New World was discovered and the fact that Earth wasn't flat and square. He was like a little boy in the field of science for the first time and by the look in his eyes, his mind itched to know more. I knew that I would be the same when it came to learning the ways of the Hunt.

I turned to my laptop as it lay in hibernation on top of a console and scrolled the mouse to get it moving. When the desktop popped up, I tried not to laugh at the image of Jake with his head inside his ikran's mouth as he gave a thumbs up to the picture taker. He'd taken it during one of his daily visits and wanted a picture saved so Neytiri could see it and see it she did. I don't think I've ever seen a man cringe like he did when she gave him the evilest eye in all of Pandoran history. Norm took a picture of that too to remind Jake of his crazy schemes and the consequence known as Hurricane Neytiri. I heard Tsu'tey disguise a snicker into a grunt as I brought up the interactive map that all RDA employees were given to aid work progress and loaded Pandora's system.

Zooming in, I wiggled my finger towards the moon that closely resembled Earth and informed giddily to await his reaction, _"This is your world. Pandora is that little blue-green orb and that huge planet there is the gas giant, Polyphemus, that you see rotating in the sky. Isn't it gorgeous?"_

Tsu'tey brought his face up to my screen to trace his eyes over the picture and he shook his head, flicking his large ear against my cheek while I prayed the tip didn't stab me in the eye as he objected, _"How can I see a world when I am in it right now? How can they float like atokirina in this black veil?"_

"_Did Dr. Augustine teach you about what lies beyond the skies of Pandora? Astronomy? Physics?" _I asked curiously since her school was open years before I arrived here and wondered in amusement to what kind of student he'd been. The lazy one in the back? The one who listened diligently? The one who disrupted and cracked jokes? Although, I'm pretty sure Grace would've scared the stripes off of him. The warrior towered over me but I'd rather tangle with him than Dr. Augustine. Too bad I couldn't complain to her about him.

Tsu'tey shook his head quietly to my inquiries as he remained enthralled with the interactive map on my laptop. So I guess English was the main subject for him in that school. I clicked the mouse to zoom in further and smiled when the seas of Pandora popped up causing him to blink in surprise and shift backwards at the sudden scenery change. I smiled to the probability that he thought this was some sort of magic trick to confound his mind and motioned to the cliffs to explain, _"See? We explore and see further into your moon. It's the same technology we are using right now to find the new Hometree. . ."_

Tsu'tey remained at a loss with the knowledge I was giving him which was blatantly apparent on his smooth unblemished face and I turned my chair to face him as he sat down cross-legged on the floor. I crossed one leg over the other as my hands clasped over my lap and in business mode, I proposed eagerly, _"Tell you what, you pick our next Hometree today and I will teach you all I know in the field regarding astronomy and technology. Deal?"_

He tipped his head slightly in an acknowledging nod and a grin broke over his lips as he mused, _"You are awful at bargaining. I am receiving more than you are."_

"_We have a saying on my world, 'don't look a gift horse in the mouth', so don't complain or I may withdraw my offer" _I threatened sarcastically but held no real promise to uphold it and closed my laptop. A look of disappointment briefly passed over his face but it was gone the next second as he dismissed it away with a sneer but I caught his fascination. However, I said nothing of it to let him keep that privacy and tapped my fingers on the armrest as I pondered aloud, "When the hell is Jake getting here? He better not be playing soccer or teaching wrestling out there."

"Can I take a break? My knuckles hurt" Norm groaned depressingly from his spot and I agreed in sympathy to what he couldn't do anymore, waving a hand so he could do as he pleased for the next fifteen minutes. He ran out faster than I could say Omaticaya and I laughed to his giddiness to explore. It was better than having develop the Na'vi version of carpal tunnel syndrome.

I grabbed my data pad to take my own break and brought up more information on the rites of passage among the Blue Flute clan. It was never too early to learn what was in store for me. Two minutes of silence barely passed when I felt his fingers tugging at my tied hair and withheld from complaining aloud when he had the gall to pull off the black hair tie without asking. I felt like a doll when his fingers burrowed into my hair in exploration and my shoulders slumped at being a guinea pig. Most people in the clan allowed Tsu'tey to do as he pleased because of his high standing reputation but I wasn't most folk. My hair was limp like spaghetti noodles and I had no intention of losing patches of my already fine hair to his strong tugs. . .maybe if he tried to replicate a giant extra soothing massage machine but ultimately, no.

Slowly, I warned carefully to make him understand, _"Tsu'tey, no tugging. Tugging bad. If you pull more than three strands out, I will tear off one of your braids to remind you of no-no's. Now, what is your interest with it?"_

"Do not talk to me like a child" he scolded for my choice of words and I rolled my eyes to his authoritative demand but it was just desserts for his curiosity. Deep down, I knew he was trying to be as gentle as possible with my weaker form but sighed in relief to my rescued hair when he let go. I relaxed with a lazy smile on my face and heard him ask curiously, _"Your hair is the same shade as mine but softer, thinner. . .why?"_

"_My follicles are thinner, mostly because I'm tinier than you, so the protein structure is shaped differently and I just happen to be a tawtute with flimsy hair" _I answered with a chuckle to our obvious height difference, not to mention separate species, and tilted my head back to meet his gaze on the other side. His eyes were practically the shade of molten gold in the dimly lit room and I grinned excitedly to put forth my next question, _"Do you color your hair at any point in life? Humans, mostly women, do it with chemicals but I've been reading Cheryl's logs on seeds you use to dye your textiles that could also be used on hair temporarily. She's been trying to make hers a different color but. . .uh. . .I don't think it's working. If you see her later on today, avoid looking and compliment her anyway. All women need reassurance once in a while."_

Tsu'tey laughed at my secretive whisper at the end and I prodded his nose with my index finger to show I meant business. He batted me away with a single finger for my whole hand and answered me with calm civility, _"We only use items to keep our hair healthy, herbs in bathwater or oils or creams made of natural goods. Why change what we are born with? It is absurd. Eywa made each of us that way to be unique, to love what we were given-"_

"_You say that because all the women and adolescent girls think you're the handsomest man this side of the Aruk River" _I pointed out sarcastically and stifled a laugh that turned into a loud snort as I held my stomach. Tsu'tey gave me a stony glare for the jab (which was so freakin' true anyway) but I kept the cheeky grin on my face until he turned away with a scoff. No sarcastic bite in return? My, I was becoming impressed with 'nice' Tsu'tey; he was actually likable. I tilted my head to the left side and gave him a friendly smile, _"I like people who joke with me, Tsu'tey."_

"_Aren't you afraid I'll hurt your little tawtute_-," at this, he poked the center of my chest with a finger to finish cockily, _"-feelings?"_

"_Do so and I'll break that finger into their three respective joint hinges" _I stated simply with the threat and doesn't he break my façade by laughing at me. Not a mean 'I'll kill you first, bitch' laugh but a 'well played, arch-rival' timbre that nabbed an ear-to-ear smile from me.

"_What do you use to keep your teeth perfectly white? Humans have to resort to chemicals for that again" _I piped up to keep our conversation going since that question kept biting at me constantly. There was not a single Na'vi I'd met that _didn't _have white teeth and wondered what secret whitening product Eywa had given them.

Tsu'tey gave me his trademark smirk and shook his head to tease knowingly, _"You skipped my turn."_

I chuckled softly at his sharp attention to detail which impressed me as a scientist but since he was a hunter, Tsu'tey had to attain top notch skills in strategy for hunting and psychology to track down prey. There was a reason he was the leader of all the hunting groups, after all. He furrowed his brows in thought while I finally learned how to decipher his 'thinking' frown (a slight furrow of his brow) from his 'angry' frown (a deep, almost v formation that could've pushed his eyes back inside his skull). I expected a question regarding the human body or culture but he surprised me with, _"Why did you come to my world? I ask about you specifically."_

That was easy.

I shook my shoulders to clear away any growing cramps as I faced him and smiled, "Okay, sit tight-"

"Sit what?"

. . ._"Just. . .just listen."_

His bottom lip puckered for his lack of understanding that saying but I continued on, _"I wanted to study the way you interacted with your world because you thrived flawlessly without affecting a single organism. My planet has been in trouble for ages and I hoped to bring your lifestyle to a small area to see if it would prosper. . .but all my people do now is fight for resources and raise the worth of food which is why they came here. They wanted to find more resources, I didn't mind if they harvested a plant to return and transplant it in the soil so people could see there was still hope for life to grow. I wanted my people to revert back to the days when they lived alongside our world instead of manipulating it to their needs." _

I frowned in distaste at how far humankind would go to rake in the money, "_However, the Sky People's intentions soon turned to self-gratification when they found the ore under your Hometree and they wanted what was rightfully yours. Our team fought to stop what would happen but the military outranks us, they always do. . .plus they have a strong punch. I don't want to be reminded of the Sky People and I know you don't either, they messed up my life too much on Earth. They are not worth wasting our breath on."_

It was strange how I opened up about any subject matter with him when days ago we'd been at each other's throat fighting for complete dominance over the other. Maybe Tsu'tey wasn't as psychotic as I thought he was. Life was indeed a complex paradox. I massaged my neck before I got a cramp in it because staring up at him really did strain the back muscles and heard him answer my question, _"We chew on a plant that is antibacterial and keeps our teeth healthy. Eating plants that retain water also maintains a clean mouth."_

"_You're not a man of many words, are you?" _I mused softly with a warm smile and stood up to walk over to the central computer. We had conversed enough on our curious ponderings for today and any more could wait until later when we weren't on the job. I'd let Norm off the hook since I was the only one with suitable hands for this and typed into the console as I asked aloud, _"Can you make a choice before Jake comes so we can finally get your people into a real home? Personally, I prefer hammocks to a pile of leaves."_

I brought up the two images of the final duo that would be the next Kelutral. One was near the old Hometree site by less than eight miles, held more pools of water, and had abundant height for the growing clan. The other was towards the east with wide clearings on the base for fields of practice and leisure but not the desired height for future building but large enough to accommodate everyone. It would be a tough call but everyone trusted Tsu'tey to make the right choice and the man was undoubtedly brilliant as a Na'vi. Not that I'd ever tell him that.

"The Omaticaya will not destroy a single shrub just for ample space" he lectured me firmly with his heavy accent and I nodded quietly in affirmation since I had brought up the idea of replanting earlier today which sent him into a hurl of curses in his language. A livid Tsu'tey that ranted in both English and Na'vi was not easy on the ears, mostly because he literally yelled in them to put his point across. Apparently, replanting was just as bad as chopping it down; I had locked that away in my mind for safekeeping to avoid another yelling session 'Joanna, the skxawng'.

"_Does the other have enough room for training ranges?" _I asked carefully, treading lightly on this whole topic, as I pointed to the one in the south with the tallest height.

"_Yes but not as much as I would want" _he muttered distastefully as his eyes meticulously scanned both images that projected vividly before us. If he was human, I was sure he would've made military general by now.

"_What if-" _he shot me a disdainful look as if he expected me to ask him to set fire to both Hometrees and waved my hand to brush his speculations aside. Did he really think that someone that was trying to gain his trust would want to burn his new home down?. . .Okay, sure, that _had _been Jake with the old Hometree but he regretted it immensely and totally redeemed himself.

I raised my chin to challenge his irksome skepticism and stated sharply, _"Would you stop it?. . .What if you assigned rotations to each field? You could use an archery field in the morning and train pa'li in the afternoon? Or if possible, create platforms between the lowest branches to set up a special training area? Who says you can't train in the grassy clearings? It's better than the grassless portions for stealth maneuvers."_

"_You have finally thought of a good idea" _he praised with flat sarcasm and I resisted from pulling the braids on the left side of his head as they dangled next to mine. I wouldn't be surprised if his ego grew every time he struck someone's self-confidence to benefit his own and shot him a heated glare for the wry compliment. Of course, he purposely ignored me as he contemplated aloud, _"I would need to see the structure of the tree firsthand to make accurate plans."_

"_I can give Jake the coordinates and he can take you there" _I suggested brightly to the notion that Hometree could be chosen today and turned around to point a finger in his face. By Eywa, he better make a choice today. Firmly, I ordered him, _"You better choose because I want to sleep in a hammock sometime soon."_

Tsu'tey gave me a smug look for knowing something I obviously didn't (I absolutely hated when he did that) and scoffed mockingly, _"You haven't even started on it."_

I stared at him with a deadpan expression as my brain analyzed the words. Wait, I had to _build _it? His ever arrogant face wasn't filling me with joy and knew this would be another task in itself. Perfect. Carefully, I asked him slowly with skepticism, _"I have to make it?"_

"_What? You expect me to do it for you? Everybody makes their own hammock to sleep in Kelutral!" _he practically boasted in laughter at me and I simmered in my spot for the lack of knowledge. Great, now I needed to learn how to sew flawlessly if I wanted to sleep _and _not fall out of the tree. I knew that their hammocks were sacred but I had no idea that they were made by the sleeper's own hand. I could have punched him in the side but we were supposed to be building trust now so I settled on a good heated glare. Yeah, that would work. Take _that_, macho jerk. He dismissed my facial nonverbal retort with a snort and pointed out simply, _"The homemakers usually make extras but with everything we lost in our old Kelutral, everyone will have to start anew. They are very special to us and creating one bonds family, friends, and the entire clan in the process."_

"_Which is why we need a new home, Tsu'tey, so please start thinking on your choice" _I said softly with a small sigh because the clan needed a new home to feel safe in and begin rebuilding. A place where children could sleep without worry or fear of the unknown and for families to begin their new life. He glanced elsewhere to avoid my nagging but I smacked the armband of dark twine on his left bicep to nab his attention as I insisted firmly, "I'm serious."

"I am not afraid of a tiny tawtute like you" he snorted dryly with a placid stare towards my miniature self and poked my tummy with his index finger. What the hell? I wasn't a damn gummy bear. I slapped his hand away and pulled on one of his side swept beaded braids to make him take me seriously. Instantly, he pushed me back against the console and exclaimed angrily to my attack, "Skxawng!"

"Dumb-ass!"

"_We agreed not to use words the other did not understand!"_

"_Fine! You son of a mentally challenged prolemuris!"_

"_Brainless tapirus!"_

"_Oh, you-"_

A piercing whistle broke into our squabble and we turned to find Jake leaning against the doorway with a dismayed expression. He shook his head in our direction and sighed with amusement lining his words, "I swear, you two will kill each other if left unattended."

"Tell that to him, _I_ am obviously the mature one" I replied airily with a defiantly raised chin to further rile the warrior and soon found myself in his grip as it worked. However, I didn't like being held in midair without a further plan in mind and his golden orbs glared at me as he shook his hand lightly to show who was boss. I grit my teeth as I was rattled like a maraca and snapped sharply to demand, _"Let go of me, you senile banshee."_

"Tsu'tey, drop the anthropologist- she bites" Jake ordered lightly with a grin and the warrior smirked to my irritated expression and ruffled condition but he didn't obey. Jerkwad. Tell me again why Jake made _him _hisadvisor? He already treated me like a pet and I ached to return the favor soon. My friend pointed to Tsu'tey in beckoning and the warrior's attention shifted to him solely as Jake explained, _"I need you and a few others to come with me and search the wreckage of the old Kelutral to keep finding useful remainders."_

"I hope you get splinters in your blue ass" I whispered to my captor in a sarcastic hiss, laughing evilly at the image, and he squeezed my midsection like a tube of cookie dough. I growled at him but it came out like a strangled yowl (too much time in my Avatar was giving me involuntarily adapted behaviors) and doubted I looked very threatening to the warrior as he continued smirking in superiority. Damn it, why were humans so small compared to the Na'vi? No fair. I wanted to bite him but that would further prove Jake's humorous warning and I didn't want to look like a rabid uncultured alien.

Jake walked up to us as we were about to restart a glaring match and found myself surprised when he told us firmly, _"Stop it. I'm seriously starting to think of either separating you two-"_

"_I will not kill her, she is a pesky annoyance that will leave me alone once we find our Kelutral" _Tsu'tey assured our leader with a haughty smirk while I squirmed in his grip but it was of no use. Out of all the trust tests that existed in the universe, this was not one I wanted to try out because I was sure he'd drop me just for the sheer thrill of it. Apparently, I tickled his funny bone because he started laughing while he held me like a toy, pressing his thumb against my shoulders, poking my cheeks, ruffling my hair. . .ugh, I felt like a Barbie under a mischievous boy's fingers. It was a lucky thing he didn't prod anywhere near the breast area or he'd get his large eye poked out by my sneakers.

Jake perked up in satisfaction to Tsu'tey's promise of not squishing me like a helpless bug when he wasn't looking and grinned slyly to say, "Good. No bodily harm or I will either have to supervise your interactions or start to think this is a bizarre flirting session."

"Jake!" I shouted to the ridiculous insinuation and hoped my cheeks wouldn't turn red to such a notion because the tips of my ears sure burned.

"What? I was a constant bother to Neytiri and look at us now, a happy couple" he explained innocently with a mischievous glint in his eyes that was trademark to his crazy schemes. Oh boy, I definitely didn't want to know what pranking evil dwelled in that mind of his. I wanted to poke those golden orbs out with my fingers. He motioned towards us and laughed heartily as he joked, "You're both hardheaded and if this is your way of releasing pent up sexual frustration in foreplay-"

"Do you hear yourself when you talk?" I exclaimed with humiliation to acting in such deplorable manners because I did not see Tsu'tey of all people in that way. We were barely friends as it was! With my dignity at stake, I kicked my way out of Tsu'tey's grip like rabid wolverine until he let go for his own safety to avoid a kick to the face and I collapsed onto the floor on my butt. I ignored the sharp pain shooting up my coccyx and smoothed the wrinkles out of my clothes to maintain my professionalism, nodding to both men curtly, _"Call me when you finish, I'll be in the gardens."_

Tsu'tey stared at us with a look of confusion and asked unsurely, "Fore-play?"

I deadpanned at hearing such adulterated language from a peaceful species like his, especially one I was trying to befriend, and pointed my finger at the warrior for emphasis to exclaim shrilly, "See what you've done? You are corrupting his mind! Play the leader role and leave regular perverted Jake for later."

"Hey!"

* * *

"_Tsu'tey chose the tree!" _Jake proclaimed four hours later as Norm and I were unpacking the food crates that the ikran flyers had brought back to the Tree of Souls. I had linked up to my Avatar body to help unpack while entertaining eager children that wanted pieces of sweet fruit (I'm a sucker for kids) and Norm had hitched a ride back with a hunter since Jake went hours without telling us anything which made us believe the tree had not been picked. I hadn't seen Tsu'tey since I left the OPS center in a huff and hoped to Eywa and every deity in existence that he was doing something meaningful with his time. If he was lying on a field, chewing on a blade of grass and counting the clouds pass by, I was going to kick him into said sky.

We all stared in surprise since he practically ran down the rocky ledges to blurt it out as if we were under attack again and Eywa knows that was the last thing we needed right now. Jake glanced at all of our alarmed faces and calmed down to clear his throat to restate, _"I mean, the new Hometree is ready for us to move in! Who's the best Olo'eyktan in all of Pandora?"_

"_Ratwe of the La'kiru clan? His ancient story is known everywhere" _Neytiri piped up to all of us with a perky smile and Jake's shoulders slumped to her unknowingly innocent but correct answer for his rhetorical question. It was a good thing he found a strong woman that kept him grounded and wasn't afraid to manhandle him to knock sense into his crazy ideas instead of a ditzy kind of princess.

"_It took both of you four hours to make up your minds?" _I asked dryly to the long lapse in time for the assignment and wondered if women had better cognition skills in this planet but at least the problem was taken care of.

"No, Tsu'tey and I headed to check out the place after you left" he explained wittily to my dismay after the two hours I spent doing nothing but playing the waiting game while picking fruit. I could've been analyzing data in the lab! Oh, that overgrown head shaved Prolemuris was definitely going to get it.

On the other hand, relief and excitement flooded me at what would await us at home. _Home_. The word sounded so wonderful as my new life would remain rooted there (until I was ready for Nitari's clan) and I couldn't wait to start. Which tree had Tsu'tey chosen? I wasn't one for surprises but in this case, I anticipated eagerly with exuberance.

Jake grabbed Neytiri's hands into his own, rubbing his thumbs over them, and asked with a hopeful smile, _"So what do you think? Should we take a small group and begin the trip or should we gather more supplies?"_

Neytiri's tail swished anxiously in thought as we awaited orders from her and Jake but I was in no hurry. Sunset wouldn't happen for at least five hours and I had built stamina in my Avatar body to withstand a long hike. The two conversed amongst each other while I cut a bright red fruit called _naxa_ for the nearby children that were playing with their ikran toy, throwing them in the sky or using tiny pebbles as play food or mimicking their flight patters. . .it was pretty cute. Mentally, I giggled at how gender specific colors failed to be in use among the Na'vi unlike humans who specified pink for girls and blue for boys only. I was loving this culture more each passing day.

My ears tuned into the conversation of our leaders as Neytiri decided, _"Take a small party willing to go with you for the first night while we pack up our belongings here. I will bring the next group tomorrow and we will switch until everyone is brought home."_

"I'll go" Norm and I jumped in cheerful unison to a small adventure in the wilderness.

Jake nodded towards us, probably for our crazy enthusiasm, and declared proudly to his mate, _"See? Two already."_

"It'll be like those old camping trips we read about in history before national parks closed down" Norm rambled happily to me in that eager pitch of his but the pit of my stomach told me to doubt that happy go mood about traveling in Pandora. Jake's first chaperoned day in Pandora's wilderness had him fleeing from a hungry pissed off thanator, attacked by a pack of viperwolfs, and slapped around by the Na'vi themselves. What would _we _face?

"_I'll take a party so we get there before sundown" _Jake informed Neytiri who approved immediately and smiled at us to order, "Okay, grab your stuff while I head to gather the group and we'll meet at the entrance in twenty minutes."

A wider grin unsettled my excitement as he clapped his hands once to declare energetically, "This will be fun!"

Two hours later, it was most definitely NOT fun as Jake brought along Tsu'tey for the adventure and the man kept pushing back branches intentionally so they would hit me directly in the face as backlash. Norm had brought our personal belongings that we used for our Avatars in his pack while I lugged a large backpack filled with food, clothes, and hygiene accessories to survive a day or so in the wild. Norm practically circled the path Jake took us on like a happy kid while our mighty leader himself had to yank him back before he walked somewhere he shouldn't (like a Hellfire wasp nest). My boots were already covered in mud while a coat of perspiration drenched my face, chest, and back while the group of hunters walked like it was an everyday stroll through the forest. I envied them at this point.

Jake breathed in a deep lungful of air as he kept up the lead without a break in his step like the ancient pioneers of Earth and exhaled happily, _"Isn't this fun?"_

"_How much farther?" _I groaned tiredly with a parched throat as my foot stepped in something slimy and scurried onwards with aching muscles that screamed for rest to prod Tsu'tey's back for entertainment. He was a perfect outlet for exhaustion relief and I jabbed the curve of his spine with a grin, watching his tail flick at my hand to ward it away. The older warrior hissed at me for the childish behavior and I rolled my eyes, he was probably trying to act tough for his ragtag pals. Tsu'tey was the top dog in his caste and where there was a person with power, people would undoubtedly follow. It was a good thing his female admirers didn't tag along or I'd have screamed for my stroke of bad luck.

"_We're almost there and there's a small lake nearby so you can grab a drink" _Jake told us enthusiastically from up ahead and I rubbed a cramp forming behind my back, digging my knuckles into the tight muscles to knead them. Tsu'tey walked through a dense bushel of plants and I quickly dodged another branch before it struck me square in the face. Oh, how I wished I could smack _him_ with one.

Jake remained oblivious to our antagonistic behavior, probably because he was on cloud nine in happiness of the new Hometree, and kept talking to our group of eight, _"Tsu'tey wants to begin building the food storage areas and training fields so this will work out well. We'll all lend a hand while Neytiri brings the second group in the morning and by nightfall tomorrow, we'll all be settled in."_

"_So who's cooking and waking people up?" _I panted to make conversation and take my mind away from the sweat rolling down the back of my neck. Na'vi rarely perspired in the manner humans did and gained a translucent coat that simply evaporated rather than condensed into sweat but being an Avatar, our DNA helix was bound to get iffy. Ugh, I needed a good cleansing bath after this hike. Remind me again why we _didn't _take the ikran?

My eyes narrowed as every member in the party stared at me dead on, halting me in my steps, and I hoped I hadn't stepped in something bad or smeared the same over my face. . .but that wasn't the case.

Jake gave me an impish grin that matched Tsu'tey's in front of me and I groaned aloud at the eye opening realization that _I_ was the only female here, prompting me to exclaim in complaint, "Oh, that's completely sexist! I have every right to be lazy and wait for my food as any of you. It's not that hard to boil water for stew or tea!"

"_I love hearing her suffer" _Tsu'tey laughed ahead of me to his friends as he resumed the hike and I kneeled down to grab a handful of wet dirt into my hand. He already owed me for never coming back to the OPS center and if he wanted to make jabs again. . .

I threw the clump for a direct hit at the back of his head and jeered cockily, _"Eywa sent that gift, special ordered just for you."_

"What did I lecture you two about?" Jake barked at us from up ahead without glancing at our antics and my shoulders slumped at fun time being over while Tsu'tey glared at me, wiping off the residue of dirt out of his dark hair. Three of the four warriors stifled laughter towards their superior and I cleared my throat roughly before he realized it, catching another deep set scowl from him. Jake's voice broke our flaming gazes away before we went in for the physical attack as he demanded loudly, _"Where's Norm? _Norm!"

"You dreamwalkers are like children, lost and ignorant" Tsu'tey chuckled with his little band of friends and I grit my teeth. Norm had been behind me the whole time since we started the trek and before two other warriors. Atuk and Imaz. Tsu'tey had told me they were newbies in the hunting business but they were nice. Unlike Tsu'tey, they knew nothing of the English language and merely blinked their golden eyes blankly as they looked to me for translation. Tsu'tey was downright scary but these two were too darn adorable to be hunters.

"_Obviously, you didn't mature correctly from your idiotically infantile period because you still act like one" _I shot back nonchalantly but loud enough for all to hear. Take that for trying to degrade us Avatars. His two friends in front of him tried not to laugh and I felt myself a little prideful for the retort until I heard fast and loud footsteps heading our way. Only two people were wearing shoes on this trek and if I was here, then Norm had obviously returned to us. We all turned back in expectation but I furrowed my brows when he ran up to us, flailing his arms wildly.

"Oh god, I pissed off a nest of wasps! Run!" Norm screamed at us as he ran past and I slapped my forehead before running after him with my heavy backpack. Forget this wilderness camping, I wanted to arrive at home with no injuries!

A mile long run later, we found ourselves before the massive Kelutral that would house the Omaticaya clan from now on. It really was a much larger tree than the first and would support more generations once the clan altered it to fit their accommodations. I smiled happily as the humongous canopy shadowed over us like an inanimate guardian welcoming us home and its large roots would separate different areas for training and leisure fields perfectly.

It was perfect.

"_Get off me" _Tsu'tey growled irritably as I clung to his back piggyback style. During our frantic running, I hopped on without his consent as the large colony of Hellfire wasps came at us but we managed to lose them in the dense brush. That and they gave up after thirty meters. Since he was nice enough not to throw me off the whole way here, I jumped back onto the ground with a smile. Truly, Tsu'tey was one of the strongest men I'd met because carrying me _and _my overbearing pack didn't hinder his running the whole way here and I was impressed by it. He didn't lighten up to my cheerful mood as he rolled his shoulders to soothe his cramped muscles and snapped curtly, _"I am not a pa'li."_

"_No, but you imitate a good one" _I joked lightly in the hopes of lowering his abrasiveness towards me and took out a piece of candy from my pocket made from the syrup of several fruits with their dried and shredded pieces rolled in to give it texture. I grabbed his hand and placed the leaf wrapped candy in his palm with a smile, _"Peace offering. I have more if you want another later."_

I stifled a laugh at his baffled expression and wondered if I'd accidentally done a no-no in their culture. He pocketed the candy into a cloth satchel tied to his leather belt while I swayed on the balls of my feet with the same cheesy grin until he glanced back at me to order without threat, _"Keep walking, Joanna."_

And that, I did.

"It's beautiful" I whispered to myself as my boots left imprints in the dirt and ran my hand over the dark wood of the nearest root to feel its rough texture and every little cranny. My eyes noticed the small hollowed coves that grew closer to the insides of the roots and I headed inside farther to see if they were in fact naturally made. I always trusted Dr. Augustine's claims but to see it firsthand was beyond amazing. My feet scampered over the ground like a curious child's as I smiled widely at the numerous alcoves lining the base and from the viewable branches overhead, I could see the same littered through the large trunk of the Hometree. Nobody would believe the sturdy spiral staircase that led up to each different level was naturally formed without a hand to customize it and the emptiness of the base reminded me of the eager hopes every new homeowner felt with their small piece of land. As I stood here, I couldn't help but feel tiny in this span of land but also safely protected from outside dangers. The Omaticaya would be _very _happy here.

Norm walked around the large open area to survey each nook and cranny like a boy on Christmas Day and eagerly asked Jake, "Will we sleep here?"

"Yeah, I don't want you two falling out of the branches and killing your only Avatars" he stated humorously while I hoped to nab the lowest branches when I finished my hammock- which I hadn't even started- and hope to Eywa I didn't fall off. He pointed to a spot in the center of the base where we could place our packs down and I gladly complied, setting down the incredulously large backpack onto the ground to give my back muscles relief.

Jake motioned towards the hunters as he headed up the spiral staircase and ordered briefly, _"Tsu'tey, do what you need to. I'll be surveying the area from the top levels to make sure predators won't wander here and evaluating each branch for sturdiness."_

Tsu'tey gave an acknowledging dip of his head and without further word, left with the four other hunters through the large entrance as the two young hunters rambled about how the stable should look. I smiled to myself at their enthusiasm as Jake finished the orders of the day with us, "You two, gather wood for the fire later on and fill as many water bottles because hard work makes anyone thirsty. Oh, and Joanna, start thinking about dinner."

"What? You _seriously _expect me to cook?" I exclaimed enraged and out of embarrassment because I had no idea on Na'vi cuisine. Sure, I cut a fruit and brewed some tea but I never really _cooked _a meal for a group of people. What if I accidentally gave them food poisoning? I collapsed onto the floor on my butt with a frown at this newest predicament and opened the side pockets of my pack to fish out plastic baggies filled with nuts. Holding up the bag, I piped up innocently, "You guys want some nuts? Yum yum goodness."

"We're not eating nuts for dinner" Jake tried to sound stern but he broke into laughter by the end of his sentence. I slumped in my sitting spot and stuffed the baggies back into their respective pockets as he told me, "I know for a fact that a pack rat like you wouldn't leave food behind."

My frown deepened at his correct assumption and he smiled good-naturedly to say, "We'll help out, marines are taught to be self-reliant in all situations and I'm sure Norm's been to enough summer camps to know how to cook."

"I went to Space Camp, the food was. . .paste and who knows what- way worse than Pandora Camp" Norm pointed out to defend being generalized into the category of 'geeky middle class child' and we chuckled softly to the fact he actually went to camp. I wasn't sure on Jake's background but I sure as heck wasn't able to go to _any _camp at all. I was lucky enough to enter the indoor public pools to keep the summer heat away but after learning that people peed in them, I decided my parents bathtub would be a good substitute.

Jake let out a sarcastic sigh and waved us away, "That's enough chitchat. Let's get to it."

"Aye, aye, captain" Norm piped up with a laugh and carelessly dumped out the contents of his pack all over the floor with a clang. Jake and I stared at the large clutter, my mind readying a lecture when he assured me, "I put everything in categorized cases so no mess. All I have to do is read and sort them out."

He sat down with a thoughtful pout on his lips as he began to sort the clear plastic boxes into neat piles and I watched him separate our clothes from the cases of food. A large white clump that were our bed sheets from the beds in the Avatar compound had been gathered into a big bundle. Hmm, maybe Norm's sorting system was better than mine because I just shoved everything in that we could possibly need. Curiosity bit at my brain and I popped open my pack as my tail swished happily behind me when I found a rechargeable radio that I kept near my private desk to fight off stress. It was small in my hand but very handy. Clothes. Food. Hygiene products (I would dump the toothpaste after I found that plant Tsu'tey told me about). My grin grew wide when I took out my beloved laptop (I bet RDA regretted making these for us now) and clutched it to my chest happily. This day just got a little better after being chased through the wilderness, covered in mud, and playing mother bear to a party of men that could kill with their bare hands but not arrange a single dish of food.

"I'm going to fill up the water bottles" I told him so we wouldn't lose track of each other in this large area of land and grabbed all ten that I brought. Stuffing them into my backpack again, I informed with a smile, "I'll be quick but if I wander off to explore, I should be back in thirty. Maybe I can grab some wood for a fire on the way."

"Be careful of wasps" he called after me worriedly as he rubbed his arms in shuddering afterthought to our earlier encounter. I waved my hand in assurance that nothing bad would happen (this was our Kelutral after all) and headed out for the small pool that I'd spotted to the left of the entrance when we arrived.

The walk didn't take longer than ten minutes and I resisted from soaking my feet in the clear and clean water because I didn't want to get the group sick with my stinky foot bacteria. I'm sure Tsu'tey would slice me open at that. So here I sat as the warm sun beat on my back in a revitalizing but roasting way and the rocks below me actually singed my bare legs as I resisted from dumping cold water over them. The breeze was mild, almost lacking, but seeing as trees covered at least one side of the pools surrounding Kelutral, the wind would pick up eventually.

I reached back for the next bottle to fill but my hand hit empty air and I leaned back as I tried to find it, my fingers touching somebody's foot. My body tensed as I jumped back in surprise, barely grabbing a hold of the rocky ledge before I accidentally fell in like an idiot and looked up to see Tsu'tey. . .chugging down the water bottle I'd previously filled without even a 'hey, I'm taking this'. My brows furrowed to his callous manners and lack of announcing his presence in which I growled heatedly, _"I just filled that! Where are your manners?"_

He stopped his fervent drinking and wiped his mouth in a way that had me wondering what the hell women found so attractive in him as he threw the empty bottle back at my feet. Instead of an offhanded apology, he scolded me harshly, _"You are a child among the Omaticaya with no rank and as such, you will help support a warrior's strength with food and water. I do not answer to you."_

"_You do when it's my stuff you're chugging down your throat- a little appreciation would be nice" _I shot back angrily for his rude mannerisms, wishing I could smack it into him without dying at his hand, and placated my anger by holding the bottle underwater again to refill it (although part of me imagined it was his head).

"_We share everything, there is no 'mine'- that would be selfish and very frowned upon" _he stated sharply to grill me about their way of life but to me it sounded like 'Tsu'tey: boss; Joanna: maid'. I merely glanced elsewhere to avoid that ever present scowl of his and heard him sneer distastefully, _"You still dress like a tawtute."_

"I told you about the mentality regarding modesty the Sky People grow up on" I explained simply about our previous conversation today and speaking in my natural tongue of English caused his scowl to deepen even further. He really hated it when I talked in the human language rather than his but for right now, I spoke it for angering purposes aimed directly at him.

"There is no reason to be- nobody finds you attractive, tawtute" he snickered crudely with his heavy accent and I slammed the filled bottle over his bare toes for the insult. His sharp hiss was music to my ears and I returned it to show that I wasn't intimidated by his petty insults.

"Neither are you, you hideous prolemuris" I snorted derisively with the tiniest smirk hitching at my lips but seconds later, I found myself submerged underwater as he shoved me headfirst into the pool with a single push of his hand.

I thrashed wildly in fury at his attitude in the watery depths but my mind came up with a good scheme for payback and remained underwater holding my breath for as long as I could. I held my place inside the water to gauge his reaction if he believed he'd actually drowned me. . .I was loving this so much, I almost wasted my air by laughing maniacally underwater. Part of me thought he'd cheer for my demise while the other hoped that somewhere deep, deep, DEEP down, he would miss my banter. My open eyes (I hated the intrusive sensation of water) picked up his shadow overhead and a murky calling of my name. His fingers poked into the water to grasp anything nearby as he leaned over the ledge and I grinned to myself at successfully baiting him.

My hands shot out of the water as I pounced and instead of aiming for his hands, I grabbed the ornamental collar around his throat to pull him headfirst into the water with all my strength. I knew I succeeded, which amazed me, when another body hit the water next to mine and let go to swim toward the ledge pull myself up with happy inhaled puffs of air. Oh, the air never tasted so sweet after being handed that karma point and simply sat on the rocky ledge, splashing my booted feet in the water (they weren't going to get any wetter), until he resurfaced.

And surfaced, he did. Tsu'tey practically shot out of the water like an enraged shark as his calculating gaze settled upon me as I sat with a sneaky but triumphant smile on my rocky throne. Oh, I could see the steam rising off his head. I chuckled softly and teased with a smirk, _"Enjoy your swim?"_

He splashed his arms into the water furiously as he let out a string of loud curses aimed right at me that would've made Eywa herself blush. Yet he spoke to Mo'at and Eytukan back then with _that _mouth? I deemed myself worthy of pissing him off and my toothy grin widened like a Cheshire cat's as I asked amusedly, _"So, are you ready to continue our truce or do you want to keep insulting me?"_

Tsu'tey refused to dignify me with an answer as he grabbed the ledge and I batted his face with the end of my tail but he yanked it to pull me back into the water with his strength. . .which was probably three times my own. I cried out painfully from the forceful pull that stung my spine and glowered at him as my nails scraped the ledge to find a good hold. I spit out water as my hair matted around my face to block most of my view but caught his condescending smirk as he stated arrogantly, _"Now we return to our truce."_

I could only frown as he pulled himself out of the water effortlessly in one motion alone and was sure I would slip more than once when I attempted it. Let's face it, I had no strength or flexibility to match his brawn and agility. So there I mused like a wet cat that I'd embarrass myself further and clung to the ledge like a barnacle. Tsu'tey wiped his face clear of water as he sat in my previous spot, sprinkling me with said droplets as I treaded water below, and ordered simply, _"Move along, Joanna."_

"No" I mumbled sheepishly from my spot and shook my head, spraying little droplets everywhere as I tried to fuse myself with the rocks. His hand grasped the back of my shirt without warning and tugged me upwards back onto the ledge as I sputtered in surprise.

My torso landed on the rocks while my legs dangled into the water below and I hated feeling incredibly weak before him. With one movement, he'd yanked me out of the water like a fish and stared down at me as I tried to maintain my dignity (which, let's face it, was below a negative 100 today). He had trained his whole life to be a warrior while I was a scientist with very little strength and focused more on intelligence, prompting my crushed ego to mutter out, _"Thank you."_

I crawled onto the ground on my own to stabilize my balance- also, I didn't want him to knock me back in again- and grabbed my water bottles as I managed to sit upright. Both of us remained in silence in our spots as the only noise around us came from the chirping of insects or the droplets splattering onto the rocks. Hmm, somehow I knew Jake would blow this out of proportion if he saw us because for some crazy reason, he still believed I was attracted to the brute next to me. Ha! Eywa said I had to befriend him, not charm the loincloth off him. . .ugh, I think I traumatized my mind with that image.

I held out a water bottle towards him to regain that peace we had established and told him softly, _"Here. Norm and I have more at our little spot if you or the other hunters need any. Next time, would you please ask so we can avoid this situation again?"_

"_If you treat me with respect, I will" _he replied earnestly, too friendly for a man like he, and I eyed him carefully for any mischief. Nope. Nothing. His eyes roamed over my face with the same distrust seconds later and I flashed him a smile at the strangely impossible idea that we thought on the same wavelength. He proved me wrong the next second when he grunted roughly, _"You smile too much."_

_And you don't smile enough_, I shot back mentally but calmed down because I wanted friendship from him. Okay, _Eywa _wanted me to want friendship from him but it was still the same and deep down, I would much rather converse with him as a comrade than an enemy.

"_Would you rather have me frown? I'm happy right now, we're home" _I pointed out tartly but softened my tone to end the feud as I glanced back at the tree's entrance. The humongous forest green canopy swayed in the wind as birds flew around the lowest branches and from afar, I could see Jake tugging at natural vines that clung to the branches like ropes. Crap, I hoped he wouldn't pull a Tarzan and idiotically break his leg; Neytiri would probably break his other one to prove a point.

"_Can't you be happy about that?" _I asked quietly as the voices from our party mixed into the wind currents and my ears perked up because soon, this whole area would be filled with life. Hunters would clean their catches, children would play and hone their skills, mothers would wash their clothes and sew new ones, elders would share tales of renown with younger generations, singers would fill the quiet void with songs- everything would fall into balance. I gave him a sidelong glance and stated faintly, _"We're home, Tsu'tey."_

A small smile broke over his lips at our realization that we were no longer homeless and safety was now within arm's length. He took the water bottle I held while his other hand grasped my wrist, catching me off guard to the physical touch since all I've seen him do is smack people for their mistakes. I remained motionless as my mind tried to interpret the action but he spoke slowly but respectfully, _"I will be thankful if you cook for our party today. I saw a river nearby and I can catch fish for you after I finish preparing the materials for our training fields."_

I gaped at his sincere words because Tsu'tey was anything but nice. Then again, he had been nice to me in the morning. . .oh, he was spinning my head around with his changing moods. Nonetheless, I smiled for his subtle attempt and patted the top of his hand with my free hand to agree genially, _"I have more than enough to cook with but thank you for your offer."_

He gave me that trademark smirk of his but instead of a jab, he joked lightly, _"Every time I offer you aid or a gift, you refuse me. Most men would be agitated by such etiquette-"_

"_I don't mean to refuse you and I certainly don't want to seem rude but back on Earth, I was taught to never inconvenience anyone" _I explained musingly to his comment which was strangely very open of him to speak about. He removed his hand from my wrist as he focused his attention on me and I'd be lying if I said his golden gaze wasn't intimidating. I maintained eye contact to keep that respect and went on modestly, _"I appreciate what you give but you have other important tasks to attend to and the last thing I would want is to burden you with another job I could handle myself. It wouldn't be fair to you. Clan members help each other to share the workload, right? As for the gift, you needed to eat and you burn much more energy than I do."_

"_You are a complex female, Joanna" _he chuckled softly with personal amusement as he took a drink from the bottle and I shook my head to his comment. Me, complex? Hardly. If I was complex like a planet, he was an entire universe. His next words surprised me with their friendly innocence, _"You will accept a gift from me eventually. Tonight."_

I raised my eyebrow to that because it sounded perverse in the gutter section of my mind and brushed it aside. No, I would _not _fall into misinterpretations caused by Jake's babbling. Tsu'tey, however, appeared serious on the matter and since refusing gifts was seen as impolite in their culture, I agreed amicably, _"All right, Tsu'tey."_

* * *

"This is great" Jake smiled peacefully as he laid on a thick branch with his hands tucked behind his head, tail whisking at the air, as he relaxed to the calming whistles and chirps of night. He stared overhead at the dark canopy as the leaves rustled in the wind but by tomorrow, the rustles would be made by dozens of roosting ikran. Night had fallen upon Pandora and after cooking up a small meal (all thanks to me, of course), our entire group headed up here to relax under the bioluminescent glow of night.

Jake, with his best intentions at heart, tried to place small torches along the spiraling stairway but Tsu'tey had smacked him out of the way to point out they would burn the tree with all the heat (fires were only permitted at the base where dirt was ample to use as a retardant). Atuk and Imaz popped in proudly to install bladder lanterns along the way as they chatted away that their mother (apparently, I was right and they were twins) was perfect at creating them. Norm and I helped them with each level because they were the friendliest hunters out of the bunch while Tsu'tey and the others cut wood from the Hometree to begin creating his archery field and the stables. Any leftovers or unusable pieces were left for fire kindling. His warriors had brought food to store in the natural hollows scattered throughout the tree while they would begin making direhorse stables tomorrow. I had to hand it to the Na'vi, they were incredibly resourceful and perfect at building their homes. I wondered if they learned this naturally as they grew independently or through parental teachings but I'd wait to ask.

"_You made a great choice, Tsu'tey" _he complimented and light rumbles could be heard overhead from the males ikran whom had followed their riders loyally to their new home hours later. I was pretty sure they were settling into their new nesting home, biting and clawing their little abodes to perfection. The ikran were beautiful creatures to watch from afar or up close and their varying colors reminded me of multicolored candy. They were like snowflakes and zebras; no ikran was ever alike in physical appearance to another, they were specifically unique and that made them more special to a rider during tsaheylu. Jake grinned at the trills and growls overhead and asked humorously, _"You think my toruk will fit up there? He likes his space."_

Silence ensued to the question as everyone stared at each other warily at encountering the fearsome creature but Jake dismissed it with a laugh, _"Joking."_

"I forget Jake the Chief is off duty" I smiled slyly while I typed into my laptop about the new Hometree in my daily journaling routine but I was growing tired after today's work. I wanted to make sure I typed everything down perfectly, starting from the day's search on the main console to our current relaxing time. After a few misspells and words I forgot I'd even typed popped into my paper, I decided to call it quits. The last thing I wanted was to sound like a spelling tragedy with 'I run past the wast'. . .yeah, horrible journaling sentence.

Norm sat next to me as he compared the color of two obviously different white socks (one was ivory) and I shook my head in amusement. Unlike Jake and the Na'vi, he wore human style clothing like I did because it really was a habit that needed slow breaking like a polar ice cap. I had almost forgotten that I was the only one here that was in an uplink and sighed morosely at leaving my peaceful surroundings for the metal enclosures of the station, "Don't let my body get ruined when I leave, okay?"

"Sure, but marker drawings and tree sap aren't included" the Na'vi leader teased as he chewed on a round leaf and I gave him the finger for the joke because if he even attempted it, there would be vengeance in the most humiliating degree.

"Hey!"

Imaz, whom I learned was the most curious about anything, mimicked the gesture with his third finger at his brother and I groaned aloud for turning an innocent hunter into an insulting one. Jake motioned with his hand for the young man to stop as Imaz's large eyes remained on his hand and he lectured, _"Imaz, no. That's actually an insulting gesture to show irritancy. You're basically telling Atuk to go meet his maker."_

"_Oh!" _he gasped in shock, clasping his hands behind his back as if they were forbidden to see, and his ears flattened as he sulked in a way that had me feeling entirely guilty over the whole thing. Atuk merely shook his head, being the responsible one out of the two, and told him to dismiss it as he whittled a large piece of cut wood with his knife into an oval shape. I had seen Tsu'tey doing the same during the afternoon and learned the pieces were for the new archery field.

Jake's tone lightened as he directed his attention to me and asked curiously, "So when are you doing the transfer? Max went through today so tomorrow is your day. . .actually, it's the last day."

My eyes widened in mortification to news because it was live or die with Eywa but Jake simply supplied chirpily, "Did I forget to mention that?"

I fidgeted in my spot uneasily as judgment day drew near, less than 24 hours actually, and faintly heard a snicker from Tsu'tey's spot as he sat with his friends. Resisting the urge to throw a stick at him, I bit my bottom lip and groaned pitifully, "Oh! What if Eywa doesn't like me and kills me off? I mean, does the transfer hurt? Will I feel everything that's happening?"

"Honestly, you kind of fade off until you see a tunnel of flashing light- don't laugh and confuse it with Earth religions- and you're free floating with Eywa. . .then you're back in your new body" he explained excitedly as he emphasized the transition with his hands as presentational props and I quirked an eyebrow to the broken and unclear details. He shrugged awkwardly and mumbled under his breath, "I'm. . .I'm not very good at descriptions."

"This is coming from the clan leader himself?" I said with a smile because we all had our fortes and flaws in the field of language. Closing my computer, I stuffed it into my backpack carefully before standing up to stretch. Thankfully, my tail didn't bat anyone in the face this time as I began to control that little appendage much better. My shoulders slumped a second later as I grumbled reluctantly, "Time to head back and face the reality that I'm still a tiny human-"

I heard Tsu'tey bark out a short laugh in exploitation and I shot back, _"Shut up!"_

Ignoring any of his retorts, I continued on with my admission, "It's quiet without you two anymore which only leaves me with Cheryl for company because I'm more prone to machinery for companions."

"We'll be waiting" Norm comforted with a friendly nod and I waved at the group before heading down, my barely filled backpack slapping against my back as I descended the long stairway. Norm and I trained to walk the branches carefully earlier today with the help of the friendly twins whom gladly taught us a bit before sundown.

My feet touched the base of Hometree after a while and I scampered over to grab my blanket from its respective pile since Norm had yet to grab his. The ground of the base was surprisingly flat and wouldn't cramp my muscles unlike the uneven terrain of the Tree of Souls. I folded the blanket in half before placing over the ground, kneeling down to smooth out any wrinkles or clumpy patches. I really hoped no kind of bugs would try to get into my ears during sleep and grabbed a pillow that was just luxury for me since the Na'vi had no use for them. I will _really _miss those. I didn't bother taking off my shoes (bug paranoia again) but removed my jacket to allow smooth blood flow as I slumped down onto my stomach tiredly. Oh, it felt deliciously good to just relax and let my muscles soak it all in.

"You even sleep like a tawtute" Tsu'tey's haughty voice sounded behind me and I stuffed my face into the pillow to groan at his presence. Was he back to being 'mean chauvinistic' Tsu'tey again? My hearing picked up his footsteps, although very faint with his endless practice in stealth, and turned my head to the side to acknowledge him.

"I have to be awake early and I will be sleeping back in Hell's Gate because I still _am _a tawtute- I'm just to tired to change my clothes or think of a good insult" I mumbled under my breath tiredly as sluggishness set in and cuddled my pillow closer. Whatever, I wasn't giving up my pillow just to please him.

"Do you want to be a tawtute or one of The People?" he questioned crossly and I rubbed my eyes to postpone sleep mode. My body yearned it but knowing Tsu'tey, he wouldn't quit until his mind was satisfied with an answer.

"_I am a tawtute, Tsu'tey, but soon, I will discard that body to partake the same path Jake did" _I replied sleepily with a yawn, smacking my lips together, and waved him away from my spot as I curled into a fetal position.

"_Is there a problem with your hand?" _he asked slowly and I laughed at my failed attempt to repel him since human gestures baffled him completely. I would need to learn the Na'vi equivalent of 'go away, skxawng'. His footsteps stopped at my bedside and a shift in the dirt along with his shadow told me he had decided to sit next to me. Slyly, he pointed out, _"You agreed to let me give you a gift tonight."_

I chuckled to his pristine memory and he was right, I had given my word. I always kept my promises and to mar my integrity by denying him would be unwise. Shifting onto my back like a lazy caterpillar, I dug myself into the ground in frozen stupor at his close proximity and chastised, _"You really have to stop scaring me by being this close. A dreamwalker like me gets startled by it."_

Tsu'tey snorted dismissively to my claim while I hoped he'd at least put in five more inches of space between us or else I'd have a panic attack sooner or later. Plus, my gutter mind would take this the wrong way and begin to have a snowball effect with Jake's words. After I adjusted to his intrusive distance, placing my palm against the middle of his chest to push him back slightly, I stated firmly, _"For your sake, I hope it's a nice one if you hope to keep peace between us."_

Thinking back on his offerings, they really weren't heart attack prone and added in politely, _"But I'm sure it will."_

His head tilted to the right as he gave me one of his roguish grins and enticed me with the words, _"Would you like your first step in becoming one of us?"_

I didn't know whether to trust or hesitate on the offer and propped myself up on my elbows to measure the worth of his little gift. Suspiciously, I asked carefully, _"Does it involve me lost in the forest overnight? Getting dragged against my will? Facing off against a predator that will rip me into shreds?"_

"_No, facial traits" _he answered simply and I tried to read his face for any deceit or possible humiliation he could have in store for me. So far today, I was finding nothing that pointed towards any kind of malevolence on his part and decided to put my trust in him.

I sat up despite the ache in my shoulders from backpacking and agreed with a nod, _"Fine but if you do something bad, I will go straight to Jake."_

"_I just performed it on Norm and he didn't bat an eye or make a commotion over it" _he stated dryly in defense and I stuck out my tongue in retaliation. He scooted next to me and unsheathed a knife that was tied to his leather belt on the side. I had seen him create it weeks ago during his leisure time after he lost his first in the battle with the RDA. Ikran shed their skin and claws, similar to Earth reptiles, and from there, the Na'vi would grab the claws to whittle down into useful hunting or cooking knives. I would do the same during my path by finding an ikran claw of my own and shaping it into a knife. . .sounded fun and hard at the same time.

My eyes caught the brown twine wrapped around the hilt to aid in gripping while I've seen other knives that left the hilt polished without any add-ons. Hunters would customize them to their needs and some kept sets of knives for different purposes. Tsu'tey raised it over my forehead and my body threatened to shift into the old fight or flight response because the man was brandishing a knife at my head! Quickly, I questioned uncertainly, _"W-What exactly did you-"_

Before I finished, he scraped the blade vertically over my left eyebrow ridge and my mouth popped open when small black hairs fell through the air. He was shaving off my _eyebrows_? What if they grew back crooked and thicker? I was still frozen in shock and that gave him ample time to shave off the other one while I could only stare in disbelief at the little hairs in my lap. He. Shaved. _MY_. Eyebrows!

"_Tsu'tey. . .w-why did you do that?" _I asked with deathly calm as I struggled to contain the rage boiling inside me. _This _was his present?. . .I really should've agreed to the fish.

"_We do not have those-"_

"_Nor do you have another finger or toe but do you plan to chop those off too?"_ I exclaimed frantically and ran my fingertips over my naked brow ridges, the bare sensation feeling alien to my fingers because shaving off eyebrows was just eerie. I stared at the tiny hairs that fell from my lap as I hunched over to sulk, shooting him a glare from my defeated position, but his face remained stern towards me.

"_Dramatic like a child" _he snorted under his breath and I hissed for being deemed as one by a merciless man like him. I hid my hands from him in case he did have a sudden change of thought and decided he wanted to lop off my extra fingers but saw his gaze soften towards me. Instead of his sharp tongue, he assured my worries, _"You will look like one of the People, not a tawtute."_

I liked the sound of that, especially to hear it from him of all people, and let the anger fade away because eyebrows really were more of a human thing. I wanted to be like him: a Na'vi. I brightened up at his words because if an obstinate man like he believed in me, then I would make sure to succeed so I could prove that not all dreamwalkers were bad and we all didn't need to master a Toruk to do so.

Earnestly, I gazed at him expectantly and rambled bashfully, _"Promise? I mean, I can't really change my appearance of the extra fingers, I would if I could but. . .won't that make me stand out more as a dreamwalker? To show that this body wasn't born like yours-"_

His hands touched my shoulders lightly at the edges and my anxious gaze locked onto his as he stated firmly, _"You complete Iknimaya and you will be one of The People until you die. It does not matter what you look like. Do you remember what I told you during the hours of the high sun regarding how Eywa specifically created each of our appearances?"_

Weakly, I exhaled the insecurities over my appearance with a halfhearted nod but held out both of my hands so he could see them from the vibrant glow of the nearby fires. Softly, I pointed out morosely as I moved my fingers, _"But you don't have five fingers, Tsu'tey."_

He grabbed my left hand into both of his, opening it to trace his fingertips over each digit to outline each groove and line. I felt more like an outsider as I saw the difference in the anatomical structure of his four digit hand and swallowed the lump I felt forming in my throat. I wanted him to know my determination in this but both of us weren't very open people. . .not yet, anyway. Nevertheless, he managed to comfort my worries by soothing gently, _"It does not matter. You cannot change your appearance any more than you can order the sun itself. Your heart defines you, not your flesh, and you will prove it. Besides, an extra finger will help you grip better during climbing."_

I gave him an appreciative smile full of gratitude for the pep boost as my eyes blinked rapidly to push back any leakage from there to prevent a break in character. Joanna Reynolds was not a sappy emotional woman, I made sure to rid myself of that years ago but kindness and humility would remain a must for one to be of noble spirit. Or so the mottos on my wall back at the station said. My hands shook lightly as he let them go and I breathed faintly, _"Thank you, Tsu'tey."_

"_When our people begin arriving tomorrow, I will remove another tawtute belonging of yours until all you own is what we share with each other" _he informed me with a lecturing tone befitting a father and I nodded nervously to what else he would take away. Oh Eywa, please not my laptop. Still, it was nice that he was helping me pave a small path towards my true goal.

"_So I can share that knife?" _I chuckled playfully to lighten my mood and found myself surprised when he held the twined wooden hilt out to me without a second thought. I smiled sheepishly to the razor sharp weapon and shook my head quickly to decline politely, _"No, I'd rather train to use it first than cut either of us accidentally but thank you for the offer."_

He nodded with a slight arch of surprise on his brow as he sheathed his knife and I smiled to honestly say, _"I'm not an aggressive person, Tsu'tey. Do not judge me based on my entire species. Tsah__ì__k Nitari told me a warrior never submits and I've never yielded to things I don't want to do or insults to my person. Next time, a little civility on your part wouldn't hurt to prevent said defenses in the verbal sense."_

"_We will see" _he stated cautiously and I sighed at reaching another roadblock in the vault of his mind's inner workings. Well, at least I tried. I shrugged lightly to avoid an eruption of Mt. Tsu'tey as I took the optimistic road in life and smiled cheekily when he returned the same mischievous grin. This developing camaraderie of ours would be interesting and I kept my eyes on him as he chided playfully, _"You forgot to give me something."_

"_What? A kiss goodnight? Dream on" _I humored him amusingly with a snicker and laughed into my hands at his bewildered expression to my obviously fake suggestion. He caught on a second later as I continued laughing softly to his second facial expression of the day that wasn't anger and his hand smacked my head lightly like one would to a child. It barely registered as a tap and I asked with a warm smile, _"No seriously, what did I forget?"_

"_To teach me about the realms existing past the skies in exchange for choosing our Kelutral" _he reminded haughtily as he leaned in and his eyes lit up with the glow of the fire as he expected me to agree. I smiled to his enthusiasm to learn because at first glance, I would've pegged him as a man that believed his way was right and all other knowledge was void. He poked my shoulder this time instead of my stomach like earlier and questioned, _"Well?"_

"_When we have time and we're not falling asleep on our feet, I will tell you" _I promised although I did feel regretful to tell him that because I wanted a little more time to indulge him with the information but I couldn't put my synchronization with the Avatar at risk. He frowned at me and I knew he thought I probably wanted to back out on the deal or worse, lied, but I needed to disperse such thoughts.

I gave him my best kid friendliest smile but it was honest enough to show I wasn't minimizing him with the expression as I vowed kindly, _"We'll start with the hovering gas giant tomorrow and you will learn about planets this whole week. I guarantee it."_

He seemed satisfied with my promise since the Na'vi were big on honor and upholding their vows which made me happy because I planned to keep it. The warrior touched his fingertips to his forehead in farewell and politely spoke, _"Until tomorrow, Joanna."_

"_Good night, Tsu'tey" _I said softly with a small smile, offering the same respectful gesture, and plopped myself back into bed to get a good night's rest. I heard him shift as he took his leave and felt him poke my midsection like a gummy bear all over again. Instead of lashing out, I laughed to playfully exclaim, _"Tsu'tey! Sleep. Now."_

Incoherent mutterings were all I heard before silence filled the base of Hometree.

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**A/N**: A very long chapter that gives Tsu'tey a slightly different outlook although his snarkiness remains while Joanna tries to figure him out. . .prompting fights in between the friendship fest. Jake's not making it easier by taking it in a whole other direction. Hometree has now been found and people will begin settling in while Joanna tries to learn how to make a hammock, learning other chores that women do to get the hang of the Na'vi culture but will have Tsu'tey laughing at her. She will do the transfer so Eywa will frighten the poor anthropologist with all of her mighty glory and whatnot. By the end, Tsu'tey will be showing her another tip as the two try to get along.

Also, MANY gracious thanks to everyone who has put this on their story alert and/or favorites because it keeps me writing and since this story is at the top with over one hundred alerts, I really thank you for your ongoing support. If some of you thought it took long to update, I got a cold the day I started writing this (the worst I've had because I rarely get fevers) and my internet went on the fritz because of work that was being done in the house and if life couldn't get worse, I had to fix an issue with my college enrollment because of a measly eleven dollars- they didn't tell me I could fix it online- that prevented me from enrolling for my summer session so now I'm stuck without one (but I'm still going to try my hardest to get in as an add on) and a bunch of night classes for the fall semester I _didn't _want (which will mess up my fan fiction writing since that's when most is done). Ugh, I just had to go into the field of medicine after finishing psychology.

I absolutely _love _reading your reviews and you guys wowed me with the influx on last chapter's so thank you:

_Cake-ya-san_: Yes, Joanna and Tsu'tey have one thing in common: they make good comedy relief that actually means something while also being the main characters in the story. Tsu'tey's path will take time, mostly because he'll be reluctant or pretty much lost, while at times he'll want to drown himself.

_TopKat90_: You're right, it would be interesting and another reviewer recommended it. I believe I _will _use it because I see Tsu'tey getting angry too but probably because he wants to be the only one who can bash her verbally while denying his feelings but will jump in because he respects women; I see him as a protector but he will still rattle Joanna for the thrill of it. As for being seen as a couple, it will be many chapters before the clan sees them that way and Joanna will too but Tsu'tey will be undecided, leading to other conflicts. Jake already has it set on his mind that Tsu'tey needs a girlfriend (to take his mind from berating people) and will try to put them together. . .although he will fail most of the time.

_KThxBai_: Oh, thanks for the comment. Glad you liked it!

_Jinxed Fox_: Yeah, the second part was the tension nail-biting scene that had Tsu'tey in the downs of life. Unfortunately, he projected it onto poor Joanna and pissed her off but now they're walking the yellow brick road together until he screws up again and she drop kicks him.

_Lilmisspurplesunshinee_: I'm very glad Joanna's not a Mary Sue of any kind, I try to make her as realistic as any of us because we all have our good and crappy days. Those two will keep fighting but growing on each other as chapters progress. After all, I like to think Tsu'tey would enjoy the chase since he's a hunter rather than have her listen to his every word like a mad fangirl.

_Xio Yven_: I couldn't have said it better myself on Tsu'tey's and Joanna's relationship. It's rocky as they try to dominate the other but by the end, the two will be inseparable. Some romance tales are easy depending on the character but Tsu'tey is complex with his emotions (anger tantrums aside) so for me, there's no easy way of going from 'hello' to 'be my mate' within a short span of time. It doesn't seem believable for him to fall for one after his biases against the humans and dreamwalkers. The two have to respect each other and become friends before embarking on their romance road. I'm so glad you like my story!

_Blackfuzzdevil_: The movie totally gypped him, it's a good thing fanfiction exists so he lives. . .and doesn't get the title. He just can't win, can he? At first, I was going to leave him as Olo'eyktan as he tried to bridge, probably merge the Atykwe clan with the Omaticaya, as he sought out Joanna romantically while she lived with the ikran clan along with other plot stuff but I scrapped it to give his character more development as both take their own paths to personal growth, working through flaws and problems like normal people, before facing oncoming conflicts that the RDA returns with (or left there covertly). I decided to take the slow pace on the story timeline because we never really saw what happened directly after the battle and before Jake's transfer in the film so rebuilding is a good way to set a foundation. Poor Joanna's patient with him but everyone has their breaking point which will keep growing shorter on her as the two are shoved together in later chapters to work as a team.

_Pyra Sanada_: Tsu'tey wouldn't be Tsu'tey if he didn't insult you while also keeping his honor intact. He'll get competitive when Jake shows them baseball in Hometree and Joanna got lucky in this chapter by nabbing that piggyback ride. Who wouldn't mind a piggyback ride from a Na'vi? I appreciated all of your reviews!

_Laughingspider_: Thanks, I'm so used to writing third person point of view stories because you explore all of the characters way of thinking but I'm getting the hang of first person with Joanna because now, I don't have to worry about what everyone else is thinking. Although for this story, I'll shift p.o.v's to give insight to the other characters in the story because it's not 'Joanna's Life' but all of them. Otherwise, she'd be on the path to a Mary Sue and I will not allow that! :D

_Soccer11_: Thanks for the review, fellow reader!

_Na'viBambi_: Thanks for the kind words on my story. I'm glad you like it!

_SGT CJC_: Thank you for your reviews, starting from chapter one, I appreciate them. That's why I wrote more on Tsu'tey's relinquishing of the title because I rarely found any fics that explored what he would feel during and after it happened, only that he'd given it up like a used diaper and that Jake was head honcho. Since Jake is pretty much getting everything that should've been his, I'm pretty sure Tsu'tey would feel bad about it. As for the grammar issue, I kept fiddling between using laid and all the other present/past tense participles and I know 'lie' is one but I probably messed up on the tenses, I'm not sure. I decided to go with 'laid' on this chapter though. Your little reminder just helps me better myself in my writing quest. And thank you for fav'ing and alerting this story!

_13oct_: I'm glad you liked the last chapter, I hope this one is enough until the next one. The other, I feel, won't be as long (but still hefty) since I wanted to focus on the search and finding of the new Hometree. Glad the emotion is good because I'm trying to be as descriptive as possible by using first p.o.v. without having the story be all about the OC character.

_Mklnay_: I just love getting your long reviews in my inbox. ^_^. I hope this chapter was monster enough in text, it's the longest I've written for this story (apart from the two parts of chap.4). I tend to love and hate the suspense of waiting too, it's irksome to wait but once you read it, some fics may disappoint you (I hope this one won't) while others have you going 'squee!'. I know what you mean about those iffy language phrases that are common in informal language which might not be correct in formal language. My family originates from El Salvador and their phrases for 'you' (_vos_) and 'goodbye' (they say 'good health'- _salud_- to you) completely throw me back every time I visit since my parents taught me regular formal Spanish in the U.S. (they nag me when I don't say a correct word). So there, I find myself with people staring at me strangely like I'm from another planet because of my propriety. As for an updating schedule, I tend to not pass more than three weeks if I have a Goliath like this one because I try to edit every last piece I can but otherwise, this story will be worked on pretty much every day because of the reviews and story alerts. I thought I was wrong when I typed snarky or snarkiness in my story because my spell checker keeps saying it's wrong along with other words I know are correct. Your idea for the Joanna bashing will be implemented into the chapters because I want to see how he'd protect her but then yell at her for making him protect her. I'm so glad everyone felt the pity for Tsu'tey because he needed the support despite his snappy words.

_Dark Inu Fan_: I just love messing with Jake in the story, he lightens a situation very well which is good as a leader trait but embarrassing to Joanna. The idea came after seeing a show where a character ate all the crispy crunchy skin of a bucket of fried chicken (while they weren't looking) and left his friends with the remains after chipping in for none of it. I just thought pizza would sour Jake's mood because he can no longer eat it since he'd most likely have a bad reaction. The Na'vi can have bread made from ground up seeds from Pandora's plants but human food, I doubt it but who knows. Pets can sometimes eat stuff that we do and we're different species. :D

_Jayn_: Everyone loves the teasers, they will be up permanently from now on after all the feedback for them. I'm delighted that I've kept the characters well, especially Tsu'tey with his attitude because I'd never act like him in my lifetime. . .but I still love him for it. I hope you liked this super long chapter!

_BloodyDragon_: Thanks, I have to stew my brain on what I want the two to act out without having it look like they're ready to kill each other and give them room to wind down like average people.

_Judilee_: Thank you for the kind review, I'm trying the best to portray the characters and give them room to grow whether by Jake's new leadership role or Tsu'tey's compassion for others or Joanna's path to being a huntress. Na'vi culture can be a little overwhelming for me but I'm trying to read all I can and nab tidbits from ancient civilizations that would help out.

_Death magic doom_: I'm so glad everybody likes the long chapters, I worry I may bore the readers with the big load of information. As for the hammock, it will not go as well as she hopes for but like the saying goes 'one man's trash is another's treasure'.

* * *

**Next time on 'I Love Seze':  
**

"_What are you designing?"_

"_A new bow, I lost the one I first carved from our old Kelutral during the final battle and I never found it after several searches" _he answered distractedly without breaking concentration as he shaved off a few wooden pieces with his knife. The top of the wood had been rounded off while he worked on the center to shape its crescent form. His eyes squinted in focus as I watched him with interest, seeing how his wrist rotated his thumb carefully as it rested on the blunt of the knife while the razor sharp edge of the ikran claw cut into the wood at a perfect angle that only the most experienced knew how to do.

His gaze briefly flickered to mine to catch my visible curiosity and simply stated, _"You will make your own when you complete Iknimaya." _

Tsu'tey gave me a cocky smirk afterwards as he paused his handcrafting, adding in, _"If you survive, that is."_

"_I'll survive just to spite you alone" _I scoffed smugly to defend myself and felt irritated at his lack of faith in me but dropped the topic to keep civility between us. He was undoubtedly right though; as one of them, I would have to survive my rite of passage to truly fit in. Right now, I held no rank or special skills and with a proud man like he, Tsu'tey would take all the verbal jabs he could get in. That only fueled my resolve even further.

I crossed my arms as he resumed crafting his new bow, watching as his fingers brushed off excess slivers of wood, and asked intriguingly, _"Do the students learn this after they complete the rite of passage or before?"_

"_Your teacher will instruct you on proper crafting and maintenance to make certain you can create one by the end of your initiation" _he answered absentmindedly as he whittled off a few more curly wooden shavings before grabbing a small round gray object that lay next to his side in his satchel of tools. I watched him grip it tightly under his hand, the size fitted the entire circumference of it, and Tsu'tey began to sand the wood smooth. Huh, what a handy little tool. His lips thinned in attentiveness to every calculated stroke and I leaned forwards from my seat to watch his work but heard him snort dryly, _"I pity whoever is chosen for you."_

"_Tsu'tey! Stop being a. . .well, I can't translate it into your language but it's a bad word, I can assure you of that!"_ I snapped sharply to his brusque tone and clenched my fists over my lap to get him to tone down his attitude a bit. Eesh, did he wake up every morning with a stick up his butt?. . .Seriously, _did _he?

I threw my head back to pent out my frustrations in a long sigh until my lungs were out of breath. With that anger gone, I stared back down at him and spoke calmly, _"I am trying to learn as much as I can every day but I can't ascertain a skill instantly, it's impossible. I'm not here to belittle or deceive you. . .but if this is the way you act with everyone, I don't see what's so honorable about you."_

His teeth bared at me as he cast his woodworking aside to point a finger at me threateningly, _"You know nothing about me-"_

"_And that's what I'm trying to understand but you act crazier than a banshee in heat!" _I interjected to emphasize that little irksome trait of his personality and stood up to pace in a straight line. This man kept drawing the last straw on me and we'd barely agreed to be friends this morning! How did he even keep his friends? Or was he still so deeply mistrustful of me despite how much I pleaded my innocence?

Truthfully, I stated firmly to get him to back off, _"I'm not afraid of opening up and accepting what life throws at me. I chose a profession that's based on the complete understanding of another person or society with a perspective that never scrutinizes, mentally conditioned only to accept new information and increase plasticity of the mind as you incorporate it to share with others. To protect and salvage that knowledge from having it corrupted or extinguished. . .are you getting any of this?"_

His lips formed into a frown at the left edge of his mouth as he contemplated for a few seconds before speaking directly, _"I will be honest. . .I lost the meaning of your words more than half a minute ago."_

I pulled at my hair exasperatedly, grabbing braided and unbraided hair into clumps but was careful with my parted queue section (Dutch braids came in handy for feeling the large braid), at why he just sat there without saying anything to me. Was he trying to make me appear foolish? Ha! I could run circles around him with my intelligence. . .but I also knew he could do the same with his own as Gardner's theories on the nine human intelligences remained true even among different species. I was great in linguistic and logical intelligence while Tsu'tey dominated naturalist and kinesthetic intelligence all on his own. I heeded to the sky as I exhaled in a groan full of exhaustion and irritancy, _"Brawn and brains will never agree in a rational equation!"_

I continued sputtering off more scientific nonsense that a Na'vi like him would never understand but his gaze stuck on me nonetheless. More than once I stopped in mid-sentence to jab my finger at him pointedly with the word 'you' attached until I ran out of mental fuel to keep my mouth blabbing. Afterwards, I just sighed deeply to flush it out of my system with a count of ten before sighing calmly as I pressed my hands to my chest, _"There. It's out of my system. . .so don't piss me off or I will tear one of your ears off, probably your right one since it looks like something took a bite out of it."_

I stayed in my spot with crossed arms and a defiantly raised chin towards the warrior for whatever else he wanted to throw at me. After a few seconds of silence, I began to feel awkward as his intensive stare did not move elsewhere and I glanced at everything but him to ward off intimidation. My courage undoubtedly needed serious work.

"_Come here, Joanna."_

I stiffened to the command as it broke the silence between us and darted my head around to realize that nobody was at the entrance but us. Everyone else in the clan was gathered inside as the last meal of the night was in preparation (Cheryl and I would help passing around the leaf plates for clan members later on) and the bioluminescence of the plants around the roots of Hometree gave us light outside. The fire from within barely flickered out any light for us out here so we were shrouded in dim lighting. My feet scooted a few inches away because I'd no idea what he wanted and I disagreed warily with a distrustful glance, _"No."_

"Joanna" he beckoned with that piercing stare of his that reminded me of a predator and I scooted away again like a shy schoolgirl.

"No, I don't wanna" I mumbled sheepishly and turned my gaze towards the fire lit entrance.

"_Why? You cannot control your clumsy dreamwalker feet?" _he mocked with a smirk on his angular features and I glared at him, walking up to him with a brave gait to prove his insult wrong. I wanted to smack that superior smirk off his face and staple a friendly smile to it but alas, no. He'd kill me himself first. I crossed my arms to challenge him from my standing position but he didn't budge to my stance, simply glancing back down to pick up his woodwork as if I wasn't there staring him down with narrowed eyes. The gall of this man! Tsu'tey picked up his gray polisher without another glance at me and resumed his work, ordering tightly with thinned lips, _"Sit down."_

"_Not until you tell me what you plan to do- I can see mischief written all over your big yellow eyes"_ I grilled crossly and waved my fingers over his narrowed feline eyes. His upper lip curled to the close range of my hand (like he hadn't invaded my personal space with his face yesterday) and I placed it on my hip as I slanted them to the right, shifting weight onto my leg to model the common pose that was known as 'angry woman hassles ignorant man'.

Instead of a smartass comment, he met my gaze with an amused hitch of his lips that took me aback and scoffed dryly, _"Really? I had no idea you could read eyes."_

I was about to retort to his mockery of me but after digesting his comment, I found myself laughing at the joke. Crazy, huh? There never was any long lasting civility between us. . .maybe there never would be but for right now, I could handle the nonviolent bickering that strangely reminded me of the old couples I saw in the supermarket arguing about the difference between ketchup and catsup even though it was the _same _thing. The image of an old Tsu'tey and I arguing decades from now in the same infinite loop made me laugh even harder and I scooted up to sit on the root next to him again. I held my sides as laughs continued to spout from my lips and his gaze turned awkward towards me. His puzzled expression hurt my lungs more as a deeper laugh shot through but I managed to wheeze out, _"Imagine. . .us. . .arguing. . .nonstop. . .when we're old. We'll die arguing. . .to our graves. Can you. . ."_

Another long fit of laughter broke through and I squeezed my stomach as it began to hurt from the lung contractions but finished, _"Can you imagine that?"_

A halfhearted grunt was his response and I smacked his right bicep with the back of my hand for a better response. I almost coughed up a lung at this and he barely gave a 'meh'. 'Meh' was not good enough. I wanted a laughing companion, although Tsu'tey was the least suitable choice. He was abrasive, rude, grumpy, and didn't say much unless it meant catching something at the end of his arrow.

I shook my head to this conundrum of a man. . .

* * *

_Hope you enjoyed the chapter and teaser, thank you for reading this whopper of a chapter! Please review with your comments, helpful tidbits, or ideas you'd like to give. Have a great day or night and stay safe out there in the world!_


	7. We Are Home

CHAPTER 6:

**We Are Home  


* * *

  
**

I awoke to the delightful sound of classical music in the air that mixed in with chirps from unknown wildlife nearby and lazily stretched over my blanket like a cat as I smacked my lips together to yawn softly. Curious to the sound because the only gizmo that produced it was mine, I opened my eyes but sunlight painfully struck them as my sleeping position had shifted during the night to face the entrance.

"Damn!"

I instantly covered my eyes with my hands to blink away the painful red blotches obscuring my vision and cynically grumbled under my breath, "Next time, _don't _face the sunrise."

With a yawn of renewed energy, I rubbed my stinging eyes as I sat up lazily with aching legs that were an unwanted souvenir from yesterday's hike. Testing my poor abused eyesight, I found our party eating the morning meal before a fire in the center of the field. I was both relieved that I didn't have to cook again but less than hopeful that there was any food left. Men, and hunters no less, had a tendency for not easily appeased appetites. Oh well, I could scavenge for berries or something to give me a boost of energy. . .unless they were poison because then I'd be in a _lot _of unwanted trouble. Standing up, I stretched every muscle that would've made a yogi happy and walked over to greet them with a friendly smile, _"I See you."_

"Eat up, mama bear" Jake greeted cheerfully with a grin and threw me a red fruit that I caught clumsily before it hit the warrior next to me. Imaz, as always, gave me an innocent smile full of friendliness as he avoided the fruit projectile and ate a piece of cut bread from a brown loaf while a spongy yellow square that strangely reminded me of freshly curded cheese rested in crumbled pieces on a leaf plate. My mouth practically watered at it. I sat next to him since he ranked as my favorite hunter so far, apart from Jake, and he lent me his hunting knife to cut into the fruit as I gave him a gracious thank you.

I sliced into the soft waxy skin as Jake munched on a piece of fruit similar to mine and he wiped away juice from his mouth before joking idly, "We were thinking of stuffing food in your mouth to see if it woke you but Norm backed out."

"Ha ha, try that and you'll wake up to a wasp nest" I threatened sarcastically with a witty grin to an imaginative wasp bitten Jake but his ears flattened against his shaved head immediately. He tried to pull off a Na'vi version of the glittering puppy eye look but I was immune unless it came from a small toddler. Like the saying went 'the older you get, the cuter you ain't'. I rolled my eyes with a small unconvinced shake of my head to lecture simply, "Don't even try it, buster. Just because you have the body of a young man, it doesn't let you off the hook."

I gave him a haughty but thoughtful glance and mumbled out, "Hmm, maybe Neytiri didn't smack out _all _of the child in you."

"Okay, I get it- Joanna awesome, Jake moron" he laughed lightly as he gave Imaz another piece of the spongy stuff and then offered the same to Atuk but the hunter declined politely. Jake's smile only widened a second later as that mischievous glint returned to his eyes in a private joke that only he himself knew and he stated giddily, _"I can't wait to pick your teacher."_

"I want Neytiri because she's tougher than you" I tried to sound serious but failed a second later at his amused glance and tried not to spit out fruit pieces as I muffled a laugh. He gave a shake of his head and I hoped in all fairness in the universe that I wouldn't be saddled with a dreaded taskmaster of an instructor. Or worse, Tsu'tey himself since Jake made it no secret he wanted the two of us joined at the hip. Frankly, I was lost to why he wanted that but this was Jake, half the stuff he did wasn't logical. I licked the droplets of juice trailing down my fingers but managed to admonish him with muffled words, "Jake, I swear you better not pick-"

Earth music faintly filled the area and my ears perked up instantly to the familiar music I'd heard as I woke and tried to peek over the men's heads as I asked curiously, "Who has my radio?"

"Tsu'tey wanted to borrow it and I said okay since you were asleep" Norm answered my inquiry with a smile as he ate his breakfast of fruit and baked flour chips. My teeth stopped nibbling on the skinless fruit and I closed my eyes at the disastrous outcomes because an equation of Tsu'tey + Radio= madness.

_Oh god, not the radio_, I thought worriedly from last night's conversation and hoped the innocent gizmo wouldn't be crushed under a direhorse's hoof. I wouldn't put it past Tsu'tey's character to be sadistic with human paraphernalia; it had no chance of defending itself. His form paced before the entrance with a stiff posture that exerted authority in each step, humorously reminding me of a body guard or protective canine. After what happened to the old Hometree, I was certain he would protect this one fiercely.

I quickly wolfed down my fruit until it was nothing but droplets of reddish liquid and a single medium seed. Placing it on an empty leaf plate, I hopped onto my feet to zone in and target Tsu'tey in my sight. The warrior fiddled with the touch-tone buttons on my radio and my feet scurried over to him as I tried to keep a nonchalant expression on my face. The balls of my feet dug into the soft dirt as he turned sharply in my direction and I gave him a friendly smile to show I meant no malcontent or ill will.

"_I See you, Tsu'tey" _I greeted with a high pitch in my voice, betraying my nervousness instantly over the helpless radio in his hands. I never said I was a good actress. He gave me a sidelong glance in acknowledgement and I pointed to the silver object with a plastered smile to inform gently, _"You have my _radio _there."_

"_Why is it making noise?" _he asked with an annoyed frown on his lips as he studied it between his hands, rotating it at all angles as his fingertips tapped plastic for a visible reaction. Honestly, he reminded me of a curious toddler that could throw a tantrum at any second if he didn't get his way.

"_That's what it does, it has music electronically embedded inside and plays it to the listener" _I explained as simply as I could and saw his brow furrow thoughtfully as he clicked on the control buttons. Tracks began to skip forwards and his ears perked up at the new reaction and he continued to tap the forwarding button while I withheld a mournful groan at the abuse. Tsu'tey was not the gentlest man with the unknown. Desperately, I held out my hand and motioned for him to hand it over as I asked carefully, _"May I have it back?"_

My hands were more than ready to retrieve the radio and he seemed to lose interest because he lacked the knowledge to use it. I was happy at my victory but before he could hand it over, a multitude of overlapping voices interrupted us at the entrance. No, not now! His ears perked up to the growing noise and his loud voice made me cringe when called over to Jake, _"They are here!"_

Tsu'tey left through the entrance to meet Neytiri's party, leaving me behind in the dust without a single glance back, and I groaned mentally at being discarded for not being worthy of his time. I saw him place my radio into the satchel on his side, my eyes watching in dismay as it slapped against his hip and left my vicinity.

Great, how was I going to retrieve it _now_?

* * *

"Ow."

"Ow."

"Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow!"

"_Joanna, stop whining" _Cheryl admonished me like a mother hen as we sat together in a circle of Na'vi women from the ages of adolescence to the elderly that were creating hammocks with textiles saved from the old Hometree and threads they processed by hand back at the Tree of Souls from the Beanstalk plants that grew it. Of course, they only took a small amount to prevent setting off the natural balance in their ecosystem so families would have to share a hammock, single unmated females could find others willing to share, and males would sleep on the lower level platforms for security measures until everyone had their hammock. Other females here with us were creating new pieces of attire from crafted cloth they managed to weave back at the Tree of Souls since everyone had recuperated and now, the time had come to renew every day chores.

It was surreal to begin life in another place but their new territory would bring brand new opportunities. This would be _my _new life and it was exuberantly exciting but this was my viewpoint on the matter, I couldn't speak for anybody else. What did the Omaticaya think? Elders that had lived and grown to maturity in the old? Hunters that were used to every path and track for access to Hometree? Children that had secret hiding spots during game time? What were their opinions? Before I had been assigned to hammock making duty, I wanted to ask Tsu'tey or one of the hunter twins for their outlook but I could find neither. They were incredibly busy with building the pa'li stables and archery fields which I assumed would be tough enough for wear since I had no idea on the basics of carpentry.

Cheryl was picking up the skill of sewing marvelously (apparently her family enjoyed the hobby so lucky her) so it was practically second nature to her while I was having the total opposite in the form of disaster. I lost count how many times I had to restart my weaving because it wasn't even or the threads weren't the same size or they _were _the same size and couldn't be as such to the point I postponed the whole thing. Thankfully, Cheryl became my life saver and offered to share hers with me when it was finished (it would be a while) and I accepted gratefully, almost hugging her if it weren't for the social norm that the Na'vi not show that much physical contact.

My first choice for contributing to the clan with my lack of status had been to plant a garden similar to the one in the compound to help provide fruit and vegetables in the nearby fields but Tsu'tey had pulled me away as he ordered the women to keep me here inside Hometree. He believed I would be a catastrophe if left to my own devices while I smoldered angrily at why he thought he could rule my daily happenings. He wasn't my father or my husband and after I snapped that at him, the women led me away while lecturing me about speaking like that to a man of his stature but their giggling lightened the situation. Apparently, not many stood up to the peevish Prolemuris and women were the least in those statistics. Seriously, someone needed to tell the hunter to take a chill pill or at least take out that arrow lodged inside his butt. Knowing him, he'd probably hunt down a poor animal to take out the frustration on.

"I'm not whining, the needle is literally piercing my skin- look at all my bleeding dots!" I exclaimed by showing her the index finger of my left hand that looked more like a colander. Since figuring out hammock making wasn't in my blood, I had decided to make the children some clothes but I kept stabbing myself more than the fabric itself. Giving children clothing with bloody blotches was not a comforting thought. That and Tsu'tey would be the first to crush me under his foot for disturbing the peace since he had zeroed in on me to be on my best behavior.

"No one is telling you to do this fast, take your time" she advised gently to my outburst as I nursed my finger with my tongue and the other women chuckled sympathetically from their spots. Easy for her to say, I was failing at astronomical proportions. I'd probably finish a simple loincloth in a month and be an old woman by the time I finished the perfect hammock. I grumbled a noncommittal response and returned to fiddling with the needle, which derived from plants that grew nonpoisonous needles or thorns and were pulled by the Na'vi to be used as sharp sewing needles. Larger needles that were used for embroidery or weaving came from thin but sturdy animal bones while the clan's loom (the new one was being created now) did the rest.

Thirty minutes later, I gave up creating a half decent loincloth that appeared to be more of a child's bib and set everything down on my lap. It was a good attempt and I really didn't like giving up on anything but my fingers needed to be spared. Tiredly, I told her grumpily, _"No more, Cheryl."_

She sighed to my quitting (her patience was tremendous compared to mine) and suggested, "Go help with food preparation. That one's pretty easy even a kid can-"

"I can take the hint, Cheryl" I broke in tartly to being deemed a child in skills and handed my sewing items to a young mother next to me who smiled at me. The women here were so nice or maybe they just pitied me. . .whatever, it was still nice. I stuffed the mutated loincloth into the left pocket of my shorts to avoid being laughed at further and sighed hopelessly, _"I'm sure you'll finish faster without my hindrance."_

So here I was on another tiny adventure for redemption as my eyes took in every separate group working on their own contributions for the clans. Children were creating jewelry accessories with the girls crafting necklaces and the boys making armbands. Adolescents were dying fabrics and hanging the finished products outside over slabs of rock to dry. Those goods would then be handed to the group I'd left for sewing by the older women. Males who weren't building were weaving baskets intricately while others sharpened tools and weapons for their fellow clan mates. The elderly were fixing herbs (okay, now I felt feeble) but they were also grounding up seeds of Hermit Bud into flour for food. That would then be handed over to the cooks for storage and other members would help prepare the meals whether in food or fixing the natural dinnerware. Everyone had their part to do to keep the clan functioning and it was frowned upon if you skipped out on it (with the exception of illness or childbirth).

I found Mo'at inside one of the deeper alcoves directing a group of young girls on how to coat the inside of what looked like an animal's organ with a thick and sticky orange substance. Oh! Lanterns! They needed to be sewed afterwards but two holes would be left to allow an entrance for the fireflies and the second to recoat the lantern by hand to keep the little critters returning for yum yum goodness. Maybe I could. . .no, I sucked at sewing. I needed carefully guided training to achieve decent stitching.

I gave a soft cough to alert them of my presence and greeted the matriarch respectfully first before requesting politely, _"Are there any other tasks you need help in? Preferably for one like me who lacks any experience, I won't mind doing child's work. Children are easier to talk to than adults, you make mistakes and they laugh with you, not at you."_

Mo'at gave me a once over that had me standing like a military private but a second later, she gave me an amused smile, _"Am I right to assume sewing clothes did not go well?"_

I showed her my needle stabbed hands and sighed pathetically to regretfully admit, _"Not so well but it doesn't mean I'm giving up on finding another task."_

"_I am glad to hear that" _Mo'at spoke with an impressed smile and beckoned for me with a simple lift of her hand as she told the young girls to begin their work inside (being outside would draw unwanted bugs instead of the good ones). All I could see were little bobbing heads of raven exiting the alcove in giggles and I couldn't help but smile at their innocent giddiness to help. I remained silent to convey politeness to the matriarch as I saw her fiddle with a few things from behind and heard her speak up with a soft tone, _"It is normal to feel disappointed as you acquaint yourself with new tasks but you are learning our ways, young Joanna. Nobody expects you to succeed in every task within a day, no less than an ikran can learn to fly soon after birth. Learning is a natural process, full of both achievements and failures, so keep that optimism."_

I nodded hastily to the uplifting words, even if she couldn't see me, and thanked her for the advice, _"Yes, Tsah__ì__k."_

_She's right, learning an entire culture from the ground up is hard but as a female, our position over males are higher and thus, more will be expected of me_, I thought with both comfort and solemnity as I wringed my fingers over the bottom edges of my blouse. _I will need to learn every single aspect of the Na'vi while simultaneously learning to hunt. Not an easy feat._

Ruminations aside, I blinked out of my reverie as Mo'at walked up to me with two large baskets weaved of thick dark twine and tucked neatly underneath her arm. My eyes spotted three assortment of herbs in one basket as a thick lime green stem wrapped around each bundle like a bouquet and the other held clay urns that were empty. Oh, she wanted me to-

"_Pluck all of the leaves of the first and leave them in the basket to dry in the storage area" _Mo'at instructed carefully as I studied each plant, following her fingertips as she directed what I had to do and with which. Surprisingly, I found myself excited at the simple task and prayed to Eywa that I wouldn't screw this one up. This one was practically children's work!

"_You will place the second herbs in the urn and seal them in tightly to preserve freshness. It should give you three urns in all. The third, you will cut each stalk in half and return them to me so I can preserve them for distribution among the clan members. Once you have finished, bring everything to me and I will give you the next task."_

She handed the materials and herbs over to me, her stoic gaze meeting my apprehensive one as I tried to balance everything and she assured simply, _"You will do fine, Joanna. But if you have any questions, I will be here overseeing each group."_

"_Wonderful" _I thanked in gratitude and smiled gladly for the matriarch's help (and for not making me feel childish like Tsu'tey constantly did) and hauled my baskets full of goodies outside to spend some time in the open sun. The base of the Hometree was comfy with soothing shade but I was more of an outdoors type of gal so out I went to scope out a good area. With the sun beaming down on my skin in comforting tingles (could Eywa prevent skin cancer here?), I breathed in a lungful of dewy fresh morning air as the forest greeted me and went on my way towards the clearings.

* * *

Hammock making was not in my blood but herbs totally were!

I smiled proudly at myself for being good at this task but like Cheryl said, just about _anyone_ could do it. Still, it made me feel naively special. The leaves I tore off the flimsy braches engulfed the nearby air with its sweet minty smell that added to the therapeutic mood of my delightful chore and I resisted from eating one in case it was used medicinally rather than mixed with food. There was a lot to learn when it came to Na'vi cuisine and I had to be careful not to nibble on something I wasn't supposed to. The first urn, although large in size, filled up pretty quickly since Mo'at gave me a hefty batch and I wondered how they made them in the first place. Was an equivalent to clay found on Pandora? There was another group within the base of Hometree working on pottery itself but I decided to stick to this before I put all my eggs in one basket.

While I snapped off leaves, my eyes wandered briefly to the direhorse stables which were coming along pretty well as the hunters knew precisely what was needed and how to achieve it. The structural outline for each stable had already been set up between yesterday and this morning so all the men had to do was finish each wall and the roof (for use in the rainy season) since the Na'vi were more into letting their animals roam in free range within safe distance of Hometree. Right now, the flowers kept them happy and occupied as they lapped up the thick nectar within flowers in a fashion similar to anteaters. Direhorses were plain adorable. Pandora excited me with every little thing, whether visually or by sound or even this chore, but I had to remind myself once or twice that this wasn't a vacation but regular life.

My curiosity got the better of me again, I shamefully admit, and I kept sniffing the leaves repeatedly for their peppermint aroma before dumping them inside the urn. What I didn't know about this particular plant was that the leaves left a dark green dye behind and since my hands were covered in leaves, I took no notice of it until I heard a familiar short but mocking laugh in front of me. It could only be the overgrown Prolemuris.

My eyes gazed upwards to see Tsu'tey lowering a batch of oval cut wood onto the dusty ground as he wiped away a clear layer of perspiration from his striped forehead and shifted his weight onto his right leg. I'm sure the Na'vi females nearby were probably dropping like swooning flies at the image (I heard a giggle or two around me) but I ignored whatever tantalizing Na'vi sex god Tsu'tey was supposed to represent by demanding, _"What are you laughing at?"_

"_Your nose is green" _he laughed matter-of-factly at what I obviously wasn't seeing and walked over to my little boulder with that confident gait of his that always made me feel smaller. I averted my gaze to the ground because I didn't want him seeing my messy face and also as a woman, I grew uncomfortable at the close distance with those rippling muscles that could break me if he willed it. That, and I also didn't want people assuming we were anything more than acquaintances (the last thing I needed were Tsu'tey's admirers giving me the third degree). Apparently, since he was back on the dating market, he was the 1 bachelor. Frankly, I didn't see it- the twins had more charisma than he!

His hand opened the handy satchel attached to his narrow waist and he handed me a pocket mirror- which was the object he was taking from me today- and I frowned slightly because I'd barely had time to look at my face in the morning before he swiped it without so much as a warning. He flashed me that damn devilish trademark smirk of his at my hesitance to see myself in case he was joking at my expense and insisted curtly, _"Go ahead and look."_

I listened with wariness biting continually at me, eyeing him closely for any last minute mischief but he simply snorted at me. I could just feel the friendly genuine concern dripping off him. . ._not_. My eyes widened in horror the second I glanced into the purse mirror and saw the green blotch that was now my nose. Even the area above the cupid bow of my lips was stained! I proceeded to wipe it off with my hands but he grabbed them quickly at the wrists, scolding sharply as his canines bared at me, _"Skxawng. You will only smear the coloring further_!"

"_How do I get it off?" _I blurted quickly with anxiousness as I hoped it wasn't permanent for life and hid my nose from the people nearby to avoid any embarrassing scenes. My stomach knotted with dread by the passing seconds as my eyes remained glued to that horrible blotch in the mirror (why did I have to be curious about everything?) and I decided whether to bolt down to the nearest pool or finish my task. He laughed aloud to my sad misfortune with a timber that carried over the field to practically alert everyone and I kicked his shin with the heel of my foot to pent out my frustrations at him, "Tsu'tey!"

"_Wash it off, you are lucky it is not a semi-permanent dye" _he explained with mockery lining his voice as he avoided another swift kick of my foot with his reflexes. Damn it. Why was he perfect at _everything_? It wasn't fair! I glared at him heatedly and would have gladly smeared my hands over his face to have him share my mortification if not for the fact he was sweating and it would ruin my work.

"_Thank you, now go away" _I stated stiffly for his input of knowledge and returned to my task as if the large blot wasn't on my face. Since it wasn't permanent, I'd wash it off after I finished with everything to avoid any repetition of the same because I simply wasn't vain over my appearance. Tsu'tey, however, audaciously invited himself to my spot and I avoided meeting his gaze, choosing to peek every once in a while past his shoulder because I knew he would smirk at me in superiority every chance he got. So there I sat, plucking leaves and staring at his adorned feet which gave me another question regarding their accessories and how they were made. I'd have to ask one of the women later.

His eyes lit up at the second basket next to me that was full of thin but long stemmed herbs with bushy leaves and he grabbed a stem to chew on the end of it. I nudged his foot with the front tip of my black boot and lightly reprimanded him like a mother, _"These are for Mo'at, not you. Be a good boy and go forage for your own."_

He scoffed a 'cheh' at my words to disregard them, breaking the stem in half before holding out the other piece to me. Was he being, dare I say, _friendly_? My left brow raised to the generous offer as I stared at him skeptically for his reasoning but threw caution aside the next second. After all, Tsu'tey had been kind enough to tell me about my problematic face instead of letting me find out for myself in a more embarrassing setting. He waved the plant through the air, catching my attention, and he brought up casually, _"Remember the plant I told you that is good for your teeth?"_

"_This is the one?" _I asked hesitantly but eager curiosity leaked into my tone and he nodded once before biting into his plant like a toddler with his lollipop. I copied his movements and placed it in my mouth to chew the broken end with my teeth and found it to have a sour center in its stem that definitely livened the taste buds in my mouth. My canines bit into the medium sized leaves hanging off the thin branches and I gave a surprised yip to the strong taste that seemed to resemble a mix between pepper and cinnamon. Note to self, don't chew the whole leaf immediately. Spiciness was better than sweetness in foods in my palate and I grinned enthusiastically, _"It's good."_

He broke into laughter again the second his eyes landed on my face and I restrained from hiding my face from sight, opting to nip the whole thing in the bud by snapping sarcastically, _"Okay, it's not that funny. I get it, big green spot on my face. Ha ha, you saw it, now shut up. Be polite and answer my questions without laughing in my face. Got it, Prolemuris?"_

"_You are like a curious but cocky child, you know nothing but want it all" _he commented dryly as his brows furrowed in annoyance to my name-calling (I just couldn't help it!) but I was undeterred by his taunts, giving him a bland stoic stare. Only Tsu'tey could make insults so verbally creative. . .jerk.

"_I've only read about your culture, I never got to experience anything firsthand since relations between you and the Sky People soured by the time I arrived" _I pointed out matter-of-factly to correct him with a history lesson. He crossed his arms over his sculpted chest to stiffen his posture in the classic cold shoulder maneuver with squared shoulders, thinned lips, defiant chin turned sideways. . .it was almost comical if he weren't dangerous. I gave him a sly Cheshire grin as he tried to appear reserved but I didn't buy it for a second (he _was _Tsu'tey, after all) and nonchalantly stated, _"I bet you failed in all of Dr. Augustine's classes."_

"I know English, don't I?" he retorted defensively with distaste pouring from his words as he tried to prove me wrong. Wow, he _really _hated speaking our language, didn't he? I almost grinned to his pushy manner of getting the right of way on everything and rolled my eyes when he stated proudly, _"My intellect far surpasses yours."_

"_In this setting, but if you traveled away from your world, you'd be a lost baby while I would be your better" _I laughed maniacally at the idea of the Na'vi eyeing everything in sight speculatively while keeping close like a frightened puppy. Oh, how the mighty would fall.

He grinned in a manner that told me he was about to win our debate without question and pointed out haughtily to clinch it, _"But you are here where I am superior."_

"_For now but ranking changes" _I murmured idly with a sly smirk, chewing on my little sprig as I kept the smile on my face that reminded me of the old dueling cowboy expression. . .except I looked more like a housewife right now. Changing the subject for both our sakes, I piped up cheerfully, _"So, what are you working on?"_

"_Archery fields" _he answered simply but I could hear the demeanor change in his voice (he just abhorred challengers to his intelligence, didn't he?) and pointed to a row of trees that faced opposite of the stable in the clearing we occupied. His white teeth glinted against the sunlight and I resisted the idea of imagining him as a poster boy for whitening products with the quote 'Omaticaya Sprigs, staying green while keeping your mouth clean' or 'Take a bite to keep your teeth white'. He gave me an awkward stare when I muffled a snicker behind clenched teeth but continued explaining anyways, _"Eywa has provided perfect alignment for targets which will cut down further building efforts of that field. All I have to do is set up the wooden targets over the bark and the pa'li will be led to the another field for grazing while training takes place. Students will learn to shoot their arrows while others train with pa'li."_

"_All thanks to my genius" _I breathed airily with a snooty upturned nose but laughed aloud seconds later because I could never act in such pompous ways. It wasn't me. I may be brutally honest and realistic but my words never held soul crushing bites for egotistical benefits. Tsu'tey frowned but I eased his premature conceptions of my words by admitting amusingly, _"I'm kidding, the credit goes to you alone. You picked a great Kelutral, Tsu'tey, and I'm sure the training fields will be perfect."_

He tilted his head to await a snarky remark from me but I merely smiled genially at him, resuming my workload with the herbs while I chewed away at my stem but the sour taste was fading. Without glancing up, I snapped off the next row of leaves and pointed out casually, _"I just wanted to say something kind that wouldn't have you yelling my head off again. Going before the Eye of Eywa soon isn't exactly a therapeutic thought." _

"_When?" _he asked curiously, ears perking upwards with the lighter timbre in his voice and I chewed on the end of my stem nervously. Seconds later, he leaned forwards to bat my hands in warning and I noticed that I was absentmindedly going to rub my nose again to ward off the minty smell. My shoulders slumped at that obvious mistake because I didn't want my face looking like a Halloween horror and mumbled a halfhearted thanks before he tried to give a long speech on all my faults.

"_I don't know, Jake is taking the last group soon to finish the soul exchange since everyone will finish arriving here by sunset" _I spoke uncertainly since Jake was the boss on all this while I was kept in the dark and shrugged my shoulders in an effort to ward off the knots trying to form in my stomach. Honestly, I didn't want to think about what could happen because death was not a topic anyone took kindly, especially when it concerned themselves. The five steps of grief over accepting death hadn't prickled at my brain either but I was sure a mini meltdown would be inevitable. I just hoped I didn't make an idiot of myself and embarrass the entire clan. I'm sure Tsu'tey wouldn't let me live it down if I decided to bail at the last second or accidentally fell of the tree bed onto the crowd below.

As usual, my brain decided to scotch guard my mental dilemma and I piped up perkily, _"I will be riding as a passenger on a banshee today. Don't know whose but I'm sure the experience will be wonderful."_

My brows practically shot straight up into my hairline as I brought up a farfetched but nonetheless possible suggestion, "Hey, will you take me-"

"_No, the last thing I want is to be choked to death in midair by a squeamish girl" _he rebuffed instantly and took the thin stem from his mouth to wave the end of it with the leaves all over my face as if washing the idea away. I exclaimed at both the insult and shoddy attack, grasping the end of the plant with my fingers and pulling it right out of his grip. His face contorted into a scowl as his little treat was taken away and I grinned triumphantly.

"_That's what you get for being cocky" _I scolded without a hint of regret for my actions and he fisted his hands as I swished my tail happily from behind. Later on, I would wonder what caused me to behave so daringly around him and why I secretly enjoyed seeing every frown and growl from this man of a thousand faces. But for now, I'll deadpan because he easily nabbed another stem from the bushel next to me with reflexes much quicker than mine.

That trademark smirk spread across his lips and he jeered, _"That's what you get for underestimating me."_

"Touché, Tsu'tey" I commented with reluctant defeat yet again for every successful comeback he made against me. When would it be _my _turn to win? I hurled his used stem because I wasn't about to swap his spit with mine and I gawked in blatant shock when he caught it neatly in one hand. Seriously? What was he? Superman? I was like Jar Jar Binks from Star Wars to his Batman from DC comics. Yeah, _that _bad.

I pouted in effect to his perfect reflexes and really hoped I'd get a tremendous teacher that could teach me that. . .and everything else Tsu'tey had so I could match him in skill one day. It would probably be a _loooong_ time from now but still. Eywa decided to throw me a freebie in her strange cosmic ways because the next words out of his mouth weren't filled with sarcasm or disdain.

"_Eywa will make the right choice, you must be pure of heart with unyielding determination to be one of The People" _he advised me with a firm glance and I managed to give a small appreciative smile. Our bridge towards friendship wasn't perfect but it was far better than when we first met, I'd give Eywa that for her craftiness. He was still rude and rough around the edges but he took an effort to be kind and kindness was a strong virtue. With polite dip of his head, I watched him leave towards his little pile of wood with a friendly smile and returned to my leaf picking before he leaned down and mooned me with his loincloth clad butt. I wasn't _that _close on friendly terms with him.

"_Make sure to clean your face before the ceremony, dirty child."_

"_Tsu'tey!"_

* * *

Was this what I'd become?

A discarded shell that I came to reside in out of obligation to keep living?

I patted my damp face dry with a peach toned washcloth after finishing a deliciously warm shower to wash away the stress that kept biting at me as the minutes ticked away to my inevitable transfer. The woman in the mirror was at least fifteen pounds lighter than it had been before I began spending every day among the Omaticaya and the physical repercussions were showing. Skin was becoming pallid from its previously healthy beige while gray eyes had lost their usual luster (though they were usually hidden behind my lashes and glasses in public) and my dark brown hair was beginning to shed more from the lack of sufficient protein in my diet. Extra vitamins weren't enough to make my body better at this point.

My fingers traveled over the visible ridges of my ribs and every movement I made showed the indentations of bones that were a classic poster for either anorexia nervosa or a fashion runway model. I was pretty disgusted by it. It arose memories of years past in my mind that I wanted to keep locked away in a vault and seeing it now wasn't making me feel better. Was discarding this body for another appropriate just because I wanted to live a better life? Shouldn't this body deserve the same respect?

The inside of my body wasn't faring better either because if I looked like this, war must've been raging from within. The lack of sufficient calcium from my food and lack of sunlight for vitamin D was causing frailty in my bones as they degenerated. My skin was ashy dry from the lack of water and decent hydration while uneven sleeping patterns were throwing off my metabolism which paved the way for minor gastrointestinal problems. Also, the lack of movement was creating the high likelihood of blood clots within my body and I was pretty sure I had a urinary infection from the lack of going potty. So yes, there were a _lot _of side effects from staying inside an Avatar body for as long as I tried to.

I kept telling myself that I would be all right but to be honest, I didn't know if I should be comforted in knowing I wouldn't see the same face I'd awoken to for the last twenty-eight years of my life. This was the body I was born in- well, it _had _been a pudgier and smaller version from the first year of life but still, I'd washed this face thousands of times. I learned how to put makeup on myself, gotten a bad haircut that had me crying crocodile tears, scabbed my knee learning to ride a bike, gotten my first kiss with it, gotten my first period with it (would my Avatar get one? Seriously?), pulled my first tooth from, learned to drive a car with, and a lot of other stuff that I couldn't discard away like nothing.

On the other side of the life awaiting me, I was learning to practically walk without being heard (Tsu'tey yanked me off a root by the tail because I was awful at hovering over him), practicing my speech to sound natural, exploring the forest to accustom myself to our new home, learning what garbs were for a female like me (Na'vi better _not _get periods with these loincloths), cutting food to learn to cook the right things, and I would learn how to be completely self dependent as a Na'vi just as I had been human.

Would I be able to forgive myself for giving up everything I'd been as a human and joining the Na'vi? There was so much to ponder over-

"Joanna, time to go!"

Cheryl's voice snapped me out of my thoughts and I gave my reflection one last glimpse of endearment before grabbing my clothes to begin the day's event:

The celebration of my death.

* * *

"Do I really have to wear this flimsy thing?" I grumbled shyly as I doubted the adornment of forest green leaves covered all of my body and self-consciousness rolled in waves. At the moment, I would've preferred Omaticaya wear rather than this. . .I felt like the porn star version of Poison Ivy!

Norm sighed gently at my little tantrum and I blessed his sweet temperament as he carried me in his hands like a newborn kitten. I was confident that my apprehension was completely visible all over my face and heard him say, "Don't be scared, you'll be fine."

"You better be right or I'm coming back to haunt you" I mumbled dejectedly with lame sarcasm since the whole trip here hadn't lightened my mood whatsoever. Sure, the ikran ride was fun but changing into this flimsy garb when I arrived was anything but that. The Tree of Souls was less than ten feet away and I could see the empty illuminated tree bed as the next transfer was up.

Mine.

I gulped nervously as every fiber in my body tightened and sucked down my nerves into the pit of my stomach as the tree glowed brightly with every step Norm took towards it and felt an atokirina land on my bare thigh. Immediately, I felt at ease and found the only logical explanation tied in with the little woodsprite as I closed my eyes momentarily for a brief sense of peace. They were pure spirits, they would never harm anyone.

Seconds later, my eyes flew open when Norm placed me on the wooden bed without warning and I stared up like a frightened child at Mo'at's large form as she towered over me like a giant. Was she _this _large before? I didn't like being this tiny and instantly longed for my alien counterpart, searching the groups of Na'vi before us that remained to aid with the last transformations. The entire area glowed beautifully like something out of an ethereal fantasy tale and I found it comforting that whether I lived or died, they were willing to aid the Avatars in this endeavor because in the end, all of the Na'vi were intertwined together as one. They remained united and never scattered like humans who could leave you to your own devices if you were deemed unworthy while the Na'vi trained you with tough love until you succeeded.

Another body joined mine on the bed and I smiled in relief to see my Avatar, her face completely serene while the bioluminescent dots became dominant all over due to the feedback of the Tree of Souls. Her body was dressed in garb similar to mine as she laid on her side and I gently tucked a stray strand of black hair behind her long ear. If I lived through this, I'd give myself a nice hair cut to commemorate new life. My gaze lifted upwards to see that Tsu'tey had carried my counterpart here and I reached out to grasp the ends of his fingertips on his left hand with both of my own before he left to murmur softly, _"Thank you."_

I knew that touching was practically rare in public, although not tabooed, but if I had to die, I wanted to at least show a shred of gratitude for his help (gruff toned man or not) whether on correcting manners or this. His large eyes flickered down to my clingy fingers and sensing my anxiety, he reminded me calmly without a shred of sharpness, _"A brave heart perseveres-"_

"_And cowardice goes unrewarded" _I finished faintly to the constant mottos he grilled me with whenever he explained a piece of his culture, mainly when it came to hunting, but appreciated them all the same. He gave a tiny nod in my direction but I yanked on his hands again (which by now, I was sure caught the attention of Mo'at and the ringside row) and I attempted to joke nervously, _"But if I die, bury me under the fan lizards?"_

"_Get on the bed or I will knock you unconscious myself" _he ordered with the lightest of smirks touching his lips and I almost took him up on the offer if Mo'at hadn't hissed for me to do the same. Tsu'tey, I could disobey, but not the almighty matriarch.

I laid flat on my back to become comfortable against the grooves of the wooden bed and within a minute, I felt the tiniest tingles of the natural green fibers attaching onto my skin but felt nothing internally in effect. I shut my eyes in case the transfer was similar to linking up to the Avatar's body back at the station and relaxed as the back of my mind kept tingling. Mo'at began the chant to Eywa in words I couldn't follow fast enough and was soon followed by a chorus from the clan before us both as bright light engulfed the area. I wanted to see the Omaticaya's agile movements as their uniformity for this ceremony was astoundingly in sync ever since I'd seen Jake's and wished I could've seen my own.

My lips broke into a smile as the warm tingle increased but felt nothing until a sharp tug seemed to bite at the back of my skull and a swirl of colors erupted behind my eyelids before everything faded to black. . .

To be honest, I couldn't tell you if seconds, minutes, or hours passed by when I did come into consciousness but it wasn't back to the Tree of Souls. No, there was a familiar tree here but it was larger than the one I been at and last time I checked, I'd been lying down and not standing in the middle of a clearing. Beautiful green grass grew in every inch of this unknown place and could be seen for miles over the flat span of land as I glanced upwards toward the horizon to inspect it. The dewy air of sunrise greeted my nose as the sky was painted a gorgeous pastel of lilac and grayish blue and the wispy cold air of morning tickled my skin gently as I took slow paces to familiarize myself with this place. . .but I couldn't.

_Where _was I?

"You are where I wish you to be" a woman's voice echoed through the field and certain areas of grass faded into small rivers of water in random places. How. . .?

I could only stare at the impossibility and kneeled down to dip my fingers in the water to confirm its authenticity. Crisp, cold water. Definitely real. I tried not to flinch in fear when the voice that carried a constant sweet melody spoke up, "I control every aspect of what you see, hear, taste, and smell. You are in the Eye of Eywa, Joanna."

I didn't know whether to kneel in fear or offer humble greetings.

"Neither, you may do as you like" she stated softly without reserve and I gulped at having the goddess mind read me. Then again, she created tsaheylu in Pandora (who knows, maybe she even created the planet herself!) so I didn't know what to expect. Her voice was already eerily comfortable because I couldn't distinguish whether she was speaking Na'vi or English but my mind deciphered it fluently. She was indeed controlling my senses here in this realm.

I licked my suddenly dry lips, hoping I wouldn't get a cotton mouth, and spoke up meekly, "I always exchange pleasantries and acknowledge others to show my respect, um,-"

"You may call me Eywa or Mother."

"O-Of course, what else would you be called?" I stuttered nervously to the mind reading voice and tried to calm down before I failed the test horribly. The realization that I was before the deity of the entire Na'vi species hit me like a ton of bricks and sheepishly blurted, "You're _really _Her!"

The vines from the humongous tree swayed with the soft wind as light laughter echoed from that certain area and I found myself not as afraid despite this could very well be a scene straight out from a horror film. A glowing bundle of atokirina floated from above the tendrils of the tree in a beautiful sea of white radiance and in awe, I watched as they packed together tightly to create the outline of a female Na'vi. The lithe limbs practically hovered to me in their walking gait, leaving no indentations in the grass of her presence, and she held no facial features that were prominent except for two glowing eyes of pure white light. The luminescence was incredibly bright that I had to keep my own sight away at the risk of going blind.

"I feel this form would soothe your nerves" the deity spoke with an amused timbre in her voice despite there was no mouth on her face to speak from and threw out the field of science and logic on this matter. This was _her _world, her personal sanctuary, so I would count myself lucky for visiting it as any follower of a religion would. I stiffened when she spoke up again to question simply, "You seek acceptance among my children but are you determined to give it every last ounce of strength to accomplish it?"

"Yes, I mean, I'm trying to learn as fast as I can and- oh, I'm just rambling" I sighed embarrassedly to the quick blathering of words and twiddled my fingers as I sat cross-legged on the grass. The trickle of water passing through the field calmed me somewhat and I glanced at her glowing feet before speaking up earnestly, "I know this journey will be anything but easy but I am determined to fulfill it. Neytiri says you can see into the memories of all who seek you so look into mine, See what I've gone through from my life on Earth to the present day. I am not a quitter and will keep trying to ascertain any skill asked of me, even if it's not up to par but darn it, I'll _keep _trying. Look at Tsu'tey's memories, he gets angry like a banshee but I don't quit in knowing something. Or Norm's, you'll see how I try attain everything I attempt. I'm not asking to live on the planet without contributing anything in return because it'll be freeloading and I am not a person that takes without giving back. I-"

"Are you sure you are willing to let go of the past for the future?" Eywa asked softly without any sternness, reminding me of a grandmother type of mindset, and motioned to the small rivers flowing through. The water rose considerably and widened the tiny rivers into full streams until the water touched my knees. Her hand went over the water to hover over it and my eyes widened when I saw two familiar reflections staring back at me, one human and the other Na'vi. Her voice broke me out of my stupefied shock with the question, "Do you have a preference over which body would suit you best?"

I pondered the question because human bodies could not live on Pandora without breathing masks but being human brought me here. In some ironic way, if I hadn't been born human and taken up studying anthropology, I wouldn't be here. On the other hand, my Avatar body would ensure my survival and acceptance among the Na'vi until Iknimaya. There was so much excitement that filled my heart at the limitless possibilities. . .and I found my answer then and there. I tried to put it into verbal words but knew she'd understand me anyway and attempted it with a smile, "In the end, it doesn't matter on the body because who I am, the essence of my _soul_, is what people will See and what I want them to See."

"But you want to live among my children? Even if I choose for you to remain human?" she asked simply and the images over the water faded in an instant as her bright hand returned to her side. The idea actually filled me with dread because I wanted to join Norm and the others in their new adventure and continue what I'd started to do with the Omaticaya. If she left me as a human, how long could I keep using my Avatar without my human body wasting away? Knowing myself, I'd delve into the maximum hours possible and prematurely die because of my devotion to be one of them.

"I have read your memories, every single moment of your life from birth since the moment you entered my realm but I want to hear it from _your _mouth that you are worthy to pass."

"I. . .I thought you would be the one reigning over the decision?" I asked baffled to her request and she offered me her shimmering hand to take as the other was used to recede the waters of life back into tiny rivers in the field. Everything was so incredibly beautiful here. I took her hand to ward off being impolite but felt honored that she actually wanted to touch a little being like me while wondering what exactly was the trial of passing her Eye.

I avoided her eye area as it bathed my body in luminosity and she traced a hand over my cheek, settling it over my temple as she explained, "I judge the final decision but first, I must hear your say and what your heart wants. Life is about balance, not making a choice without hearing the other side. Now, tell me what I've asked, child."

"I want to be one of The People, I've grown up wanting to live with them and I'm trying- no, giving it my hardest to fit in and I will do what is asked of me, _anything_, to have a spot among any clan that chooses me" I spoke firmly and evenly because I did want that more than anything else in my life so far (well, except for my university degree but that was done) and I wasn't about to keel over without an argument. True, there was no way a speck like me could come close to threatening a deity of phenomenal powers- oh damn, she smiled at that with her eyes- ahem, but I would argue until I was blue in the face. If she wanted me to stand up to her (which I believed was her intention all along), then I aimed to please and save my life while at it.

Her feet glided over the grass as she circled me with a Tsahìk's confident gait, glowing pupil-less eyes examining me from head to toe as she asked neutrally, "You believe you will succeed in Iknimaya?"

"I can't answer what I don't know but yes, I'll try my hardest and only attempt it when I feel ready enough to" I answered truthfully about my uncertain future and looked to the horizon overhead as the sky remained clear of clouds. Maybe my own forecast would turn out the same? Clenching my fists, I claimed firmly without hesitation, "I intend to conquer an ikran and prove to the Omaticaya that I belong with them-"

"You are for the Atykwe, remember? Nitari has told you" she teased lightly with a chiming laugh infectious enough to bring one from my own lips. I liked nice Eywa, I didn't want to bring out the vengeful part (I'm sure SecOps would feel that for _years_). The atokirina lengthened vertically to heighten her stature over me and she emphasized its point when she lectured me, "You will be a child to them, learning your first steps within a time span of single seasonal period while others have had years to prepare. Your teacher will be relentless in training you whether in the hottest day to hunt grazers or during a nighttime downpour for night hunting. Simultaneously, you will be learning your contribution to the clan with every day life while training. Can you handle all of that?"

"I survived with four hours of sleep a day during college to study and that was while trying to find a place to sleep and hoping to God, eh, an Earth deity, that I wouldn't get mobbed in my sleeping corner in the nearby park" I stated determinedly and since she'd seen every bit of my life, she would know it to be true. Also, I didn't like bringing the subject up for anybody but she made it incredibly easy on a little soul like me with a small nod. I smiled confidently as the fear from before had faded into nothing and piped up, "I'm up for any challenge, just ask Dr. Augustine-"

"Trust me, kiddo, battling a large reptilian bird isn't as easy like training a poodle" Grace's amused voice broke in and I turned around to see her sitting idly on a large boulder that hadn't been there a second ago. Letting out a surprise yelp, I fell down on my ass as both the scientist and deity stared down at me. Grace gave me a wry smirk, reddish curls brushing against her left shoulder as she tsk'ed and teased, "Oh don't look so shocked, it's not like I'm a ghost- well, not back there in the realm of the living."

My mouth gaped open like a fish as I tried to sputter something out as this place was becoming more surreal with the passing minutes. Or had it been hours? I couldn't even tell anymore! Grace sighed at my dismayed expression, a look she'd given me whenever I was in a slump or confused state, and tried to boost my morale, "I'm not about to bullshit you with high promise of success because we all fall on our asses once or twice in life. You've had your share already so if you're ready for this, you have to see it to the end. No 'I got my ikran and I can fly like a bird' or 'yay, I'm one of you now so I can go where I please', you will be there among the Na'vi forever until you die. You will talk like one, eat like one, bathe like one, crap like one-"

"Grace-" I balked to her potty mouth since Eywa was standing like right _there _in front of us and blushed deeply but she went on regardless.

"Hunt like one, mate like one, have a bunch of offspring, and make sure your clan keeps strong because there will never be a time to think about yourself only" she finished firmly and wagged a finger to lecture me further, "That's the thing with humans, it's all about their egocentric wants but never about the group as a whole. You will care for older members, look after the younger generation, and find a mate who will care for you and in turn, you for him. Iknimaya is just the start to other tests whether physical, emotional, or mental."

I nodded quietly for the mentor talk because life was never simple and it was a ride full of turbulent uplifts and depressive sinks to rattle your balanced state of mind. Her words didn't deter me, not that they meant to, and I smiled at her for being here with me during this judgment. Honestly, Grace felt more like a mother to me than my own ever did. Standing up on my feet, I looked the deity in the face as her white eyes blinded my own painfully but could see why Mo'at would call this judgment the Eye of Eywa. There was no way to save your eyesight if you maintained eye contact. Nonetheless, I managed to declare with searing crying eyes, "I want to live and I don't expect to see your grace until you call me back when I'm dead."

"Understood" she spoke melodiously without a hint of disapproval and turned her gaze towards Grace as the scientist lounged on the boulder with the role of spectator. I blinked furiously with my blurry eyes to bring back my sight but Eywa simply ran her fingers over my brow ridge and voila, everything was normal as if it had never happened. Seriously, Eywa rocked. Gently, she told my friend warmly, "Thank you for the assistance, Grace."

I wanted to have more time to speak with her since we never got to say goodbye properly and in a blink, Grace was at my side giving me a tight hug. I returned it wholeheartedly as I was able to hold her like I would in real life, cotton fabric grazing my fingers as I clasped it, curly hair tickling my cheek, warmth leaving her body as if she hadn't been dead at all. She _felt _real. Sullenly, I whispered fondly against her shoulder, "I miss you."

"We spirits watch over you to make sure you don't screw up so I'll be there floating around" she joked lightly as an atokirina landed on top of her head and ruffled the back of my head before letting go. She faded away instantly as if she'd been nothing but a friendly mirage but heard her chuckle echo through the field, "Good luck, kiddo."

"Live your life with my blessing, little one" Eywa's voice reverberated throughout this private place lacking of time and space causing me to smile happily at passing her judgment. I counted myself unbelievably lucky for it. Her glowing fingers touched my forehead and she calmly stated, "Your ikran will be named Xeki. Remember it."

"Thank you."

"Tanhì."

I gave Eywa's ethereal form a confused face for the comment and could practically hear the smile in her voice as she prophesized sweetly, "That will be the name your mate will call you. His shining tanhì."

I was about to ask why they would call me 'star' of all things but the scene faded from my sight as quickly as it brought me in with the last image being the dispersion of the atokirina. I felt as if I'd suddenly been shot straight through the atmospheric layers of Pandora without a ship. Eywa was gone, leaving me with a feeling of abandonment, and all I could see was pitch black darkness. . .

My lungs filled with precious air as I coughed heavily to regulate my breathing and opened my eyes to meet Mo'at's face which broke into a light smile when my line of sight went all over the place. The Tree of Souls shined brightly above me as tiny tendrils grazed my skin from head to toe and a large group of atokirina lifted away from my body like a veil as they returned towards the tree. My mind could not relay words to my mouth as I gazed upwards in desperation with questions regarding the transfer. Had it worked? Was I-

"_Eywa has deemed you worthy of undertaking a new life, Joanna" _the Tsahìk declared aloud, her palm touching my forehead, and I found myself smiling as if I'd won the lottery. Hell, it _was _the lottery for me!

She let me pass.

My little celebration was cut short when Mo'at leaned down and instructed softly, _"You must now bury what remains of your old life. Neytiri will show you where."_

The following minutes weren't so happy since I was lucky enough to warrant a small burial space next to one of the tree crannies but no atokirina to bury my form with because my soul was still here in this world. Instead, I buried my blue fingers into the warm loose dirt to pile it gently over the limp form of my old self. The body was settled into a fetal position in preparation for it to be part of the Great Mother since we all started out in this form within our mother's womb and a life should be ended the same. I don't know how the other drivers found the whole burying yourself situation but it was heart wrenching for me and I had to stop every few minutes, drowning myself in the ongoing chorus for the next transformation to pause in my burying.

"_You are one of us even without Iknimaya, do not be upset" _Neytiri tried to soothe with her caring manner but she only broke the last wall of my emotional dam and I burst into tears. I cradled my little human head in my hand, brushing my thumb over its cold cheek as reality took hold that tonight would be the last of Joanna Reynolds. From now on, it was simply Joanna, hunting student and herb organizer.

Her hand briefly clasped my shoulder to offer her sentiments and remembering Eywa's words, I found the courage to finish the burial until there was nothing left but a fresh mound. My hand rested on the center of the mound, resting my forehead over it as the last trails of tears traveled down my neck in a somber river. I hadn't cried like this in years but it was a moment that rightfully deserved a catharsis despite my usual reserve on crying. Softly, I whispered shakily, _"Thank you for your help, Neytiri. You. . .you should go help the others."_

Worry etched onto her face but I managed to give her a small smile as I sat up straight again, wiping my cheeks dry of tears and assured quietly, _"I will be fine."_

Neytiri's thinned her lips slightly in reluctance but eventually listened to my request, leaving quietly without sound to help the next person. I really hoped nobody would fail the test. Somberly, I patted my grave and exhaled a lungful of air to rid myself of the painful pressure that had built there before sighing sadly, "I guess this is it, human me. We went through a lot of shit together but this is another journey I must start and unfortunately, you can't go with me."

I bit the inside of my cheek to contain an encore of more waterworks and chuckled unevenly, "It's better that you're buried here where the land is pure rather than tainted like Earth's where nobody will remember our grave given a century. Here, we'll go down in family history once I have a kid-," I couldn't help but shake my head at that absurdity and went on halfheartedly, "We made it to Pandora and though you won't be with me anymore, I'll remember who I _was_. It's time for me to define who I _am _now and learn who I _will _be in the end. Okay?"

A set of hands tapped my shoulders once and I stiffened with surprise as my little eulogy came to an abrupt end. My right hand flew up to press against my heart to calm it from the sudden jolt and relaxed when Tsu'tey's voice reached my ears, _"Come, we must return home."_

My mind told me to follow the warrior but my eyes remained on the small dirt covered mound that rested inside the tree's crook. I had to leave myself. . .my human form there and this was it for me. No going back and forth to live two separate lives anymore; this was really it. If I died in this body, I was dead. Period.

Still, abandoning my human self there felt wrong after everything we'd endured together but this was my choice in the end. I could and would _not _regret it. . .so why did I feel horrible for leaving my counterpart there? Heartfelt words aside, it still stung deeply.

"C'mon, Joanna" Norm piped up behind me with a sympathetic smile and tried to move me away by nudging my elbow as he leaned down but I didn't budge.

The matriarch's voice nabbed my attention when she spoke up behind me, "It is time to leave, Joanna."

Standing up with shaky legs, it felt surreal to be in this body forever and I saw the Tsahìk wiping away perspiration from her forehead as she stood in the center of our little group. Being a shaman, the spiritual connection to Eywa was draining and for her to continue doing this through groups of four since Jake's transfer spoke of her skills in volume. I wanted to help her strength recover for what she'd done for me and looked for any nearby water bottles that may have been left but she dismissed my actions, uttering gratitude for my kindness.

My ears lowered as I turned towards the burial, arms wrapping around my sides awkwardly, and asked softly, _"Will I. . .will she be okay there?"_

"_Your life in that body has ended, you are now on the path to one of the People" _she advised matter-of-factly as my ears flattened against my head to the atokirina floating by, giving this scene more of a somber outlook. Eywa had told me the same and it was time for me to toughen up like Grace said but the longer I stayed here, the worse it became to achieve. Mo'at lowered her tone and justified what I was reluctant to do with a gentle voice, _"You are not abandoning a part of yourself. Hardships exist in all forms of life, this body will face the same as time passes. Your old body deserves its rest after its struggles, do you not think so?"_

Her words rang true in my mind while I wondered how she knew all of that. Were Tsahìk's really that perceptive? My eyes darted warily from her to the small mound but eventually, I found myself nodding in agreement. My old body did indeed deserve its long needed rest after everything life had thrown at us and in the end, would be happy for this rare opportunity.

An atokirina landed on my forearm and I watched its little ethereal tendrils sway, hoping it and its other little pals would take care of my old body. Somehow, I knew they would. Mo'at returned to the platform of the Tree of Souls without further word to resume the transfer process and I gave a nervous Cheryl an assuring nod as she passed by with Max as her helper, looking more nervous than I had been. I hoped to see her at the end of the swirly tunnel. Besides Norm and Max, she was the only driver I really connected with on Pandora and a woman needed another feminine figure to confide in and Cheryl was the sweetest person I'd met so far.

The atokirina's ticklish body caught my attention and I smiled at it to coo affectionately but Tsu'tey burst my somber bubble with an order, _"We must begin the hike back, the cooks expect you to help today. Do not make it a catastrophe."_

"_I can cut vegetables, okay? I'm not that useless" _I shot back defensively after the whole green nose fiasco but he merely gave me a skeptical expression on the matter. I swore the man wanted me to fail at everything just so he could have bragging rights. Evading the idea of leaving, I mumbled halfheartedly, _"Cheryl needs the support though."_

"_She needs Eywa's support, you are meant to return home now" _he stated with his brusque ordering tone but it held a parenting quality that had me obeying him like a pouting toddler. Nonetheless, I tried to make a stand by keeping my feet planted on the ground but he saw right through it and snapped, _"She will return with the others but we must take our first group back. Do not dawdle."_

_Damn it, I never win against him!_, I thought miserably with a slumped posture to my never-ending defeats and my toes kicked at the loose dirt and random wooden sticks.

The warrior began walking away without a single alert to me and I grumbled under my breath. Would it kill him to get some manners? I mimicked his overbearing pose and snarky words to brighten my gloomy mood but Tsu'tey turned around to shoot me a heated glare worthy of a thanator that had me giving him a sheepish smile. The man was downright scary in the bioluminescent dark. I pointed to the little woodsprite on my arm as it traveled with us and mumbled pitifully to nab some kindness out of him, _"But the atokirina. . ."_

An exasperated sigh left his lips as the area filled with radiant light to commence the next transfer, Cheryl's, and he ran a hand over his forehead as if I was a stain he wanted to rub right off. I simply stood there with an innocent smile, swishing my tail behind me, and he grumbled irritably under his breath, _"Joanna, you are killing my courtesy."_

"_You never had any so don't nag me" _I retorted sarcastically and held my right arm to my chest to give the woodsprite cushiony seating as I began to follow the path back to Hometree. There were many long and broken paths that led here but Jake had adorned two small mounds of white rocks on either side of the rightful path to let us know so we wouldn't get hopelessly lost. A person like me who had no navigational sense whatsoever was _very _appreciative. I smacked his side with the end of my tail as I passed by and piped up perkily with a grin,_ "Let's go then, atokirina pal."_

To the woodsprite, I began to ramble despite its lack of ability to communicate, _"This is Tsu'tey, he's a very cranky and stubborn warrior that bores me-"_

"_Joanna!"_

"_I was getting to the nice part" _I pointed out nonchalantly to his reprimand (mostly the hit to his pride) but the atokirina floated away as we hiked away from the Tree of Souls. Well, if it wanted to stay close to its mama tree, I wouldn't complain. I flashed Tsu'tey an impish smile as he tried to keep ahead of me to play leader and cheekily said, _"Huh, I guess it got tired of hearing about you too-"_

He shot me an angry scowl from his place up ahead and I winced painfully when my big toe stepped on a very sharp rock, "Ow!"

How was I supposed to get used to walking barefoot?. . .Wait, why was I still barefoot? I never got to question how my Avatar had gotten into the similar outfit my human counterpart wore and I kept my exclamation in a low but sharp hiss, _"Why am I practically naked? You better not have been the one to dress me or by Eywa, I'll-"_

"_I was entrusted to carry you by the ikran rider that brought you here, I have no idea on your belongings" _Tsu'tey stated heatedly to my wrongful insinuation, his lips set in a straight tight line for the insult, and stiffly pointed down the path so I would keep walking. Okay, never offend him by calling him a pervert. . .still, he could grow a sense of humor. Or maybe the Na'vi didn't like that sort of humor? Oh, I felt so lost every time I talked to this overgrown Prolemuris and he just _had _to sound like a stern father when he scolded me roughly, _"You are stuck with that garb until we return home, clumsy girl."_

"_Oh! I should bury you underneath the field of fan lizards" _I groaned miserably to being bossed around and stomped onwards like a stubborn teenager. Ugh, I knew this body was years younger than my original but the last thing I wanted was to experience all that awkwardness or indecisions accompanied by early adulthood.

By twenty paces, I calmed down with the aid of a few deep breaths of relaxation while hiking through the uneven terrain of the path that left the Tree of Souls. The ground lit up with its natural bioluminescence to light our way home and I turned around, stopping the warrior in his tracks as he walked a few feet behind me. Guess I was playing leader for a few seconds, yippee. Others had already gathered behind us with their belongings and any lingering irritancy dissipated since these people hadn't seen their new home yet. This was a little adventure for them and I wouldn't sour it in any way with a bad attitude, I wasn't that kind of a person. Plus, Tsu'tey needed to keep a good outlook for any possible danger since larger numbers made easier targets and I wouldn't hinder that by nagging like a bitch. Giving him a sidelong glance, I allowed him to pass me and honestly admitted, _"Thank you for easing my worries back there. I won't forget it."_

With that said, we headed home.

* * *

I paused in mid-step. . .only to resume pacing again. This had become a habit of mine whenever I was stressed and for the past thirty minutes, it was all I had been doing. My feet hurt slightly after walking almost five miles barefoot with a chiding Tsu'tey but I was comfortable being back in normal clothing and boots. You'd think the mind transfer would've stressed me out enough to last a week but I had another conundrum at hand already. I needed to grab my little radio back from a certain warrior that was now cutting wood with his knife outside to design something I had no idea on.

The forest around our Kelutral glowed its beautiful bioluminescent shades that ranged from a bright aqua to a simple lilac and I hoped I would catch a glimpse of a fan lizard before the month was over. I loved those little guys! The large tree really did bring me a deep sense of security as everybody participated in activities to contribute to rebuilding the clans and gave everyone familiarity as the Avatars bridged the gap to coexistence.

All of the groups had left the Tree of Souls so everyone was finding their new area up in the treetops to call home. Actually, the Na'vi didn't have sectioned off homes like humans or Ewoks (I really did expect homes in each platform but was cackled at by Tsu'tey when he explained the absurdity of it) but rather kept a separated area for themselves in the natural alcoves to keep their personal belongings in. They could leave belongings in the open because unlike Earth, stealing was against their teachings, or they used the naturally made hollows in the tree to design their own space; one or the other. It was absolutely fascinating to me and I had grabbed myself a small nook to put my stuff in at a section within the lowest branches (if I had to fall, I wanted a short distance) on the left side. Jake told me that warriors slept on the lower levels in case of sudden danger, unmated females on the next level after, families in the middle levels, while Neytiri and he would take the top level as the clans leaders. However, it would be a while before hammocks could hang below the branches.

My tail swished behind me in nervousness as Cheryl packed a variety of aromatic herbs onto uncooked teylu to marinate it before cooking time. The other women next to her were cutting vegetables in similar stir fry techniques to add into the mix. I had cut up my own share, that I could definitely do, and was careful this time of not touching my face in case they stained too. Her voice spoke up to advise me with a small chuckle, _"Taking a step would make your journey faster."_

"Easy for you to say, it's not your radio and he won't aim his anger directly at you" I grumbled miserably in chastisement to myself for not grabbing it when I had the chance earlier and shook my arms to get rid of the nervous tingles. I hopped in place like a boxer and reassured myself with pep, "You can do this, Joanna. He has _nothing _you don't have."

"Except strength, agility, fighting skills, weapons-"

"Not helping!"

What was an independent spunky woman like myself afraid of, you ask? It would probably be the big fat 'no' attached to getting my radio back that would have my waving goodbye like a toddler losing her favorite lollipop while Tsu'tey dangled it over my head like a bully. Ugh, I hated weakness. So instead, I summoned my courage since I'd faced this man before in verbal combat and strutted up to him like an angry extinct cheetah.

I was only four feet away when he aimed those piercing cat-like orbs of his at me and my bravery deflated from a hot air balloon to a tiny water balloon in .01 milliseconds. My movements halted instantly as my posture turned sheepish and my tail touched the floor in submission as I tried to gather my wits. He was like Medusa and Wolverine rolled into one; a tough combo. I crossed my arms to ponder this challenge but he broke the silence by calling out sternly, _"Is there something you need?"_

My fingers tapped together over my chest as I tried to keep it from jumping out of my rib cage. Eesh, could he be any stricter? I had to tread lightly with him since I had no wish of dying in my new body before the night was over. My feet picked up dirt as I walked over quietly to his side as he sat on a root that easily served as a high bench, tapping my fingers over the rough wood absentmindedly. My muscles tensed when my gaze met his and I realized he'd been scrutinizing me since I walked out here (he just screams friendliness, doesn't he?) and politely brought up the topic, _"My radio. You have it."_

"Ray-dee-oh?" he asked confused with a tilt of his head while his face looked like he'd swallowed a lemon and my shoulders slumped to his lack of knowledge on Earth items. By Eywa, I hoped I wouldn't be as lost when I began learning hunting techniques. I was already at a loss with creating a hammock. What other horrors awaited me?

I motioned with my hands to play charades with him in radio shapes and explained carefully as I tried to keep the concern out of my voice, _"A little silver machine you had in the morning that you kept fiddling with because it didn't obey your prodding. Don't tell you gave it away or destroyed it for your own sadistic pleasure?"_

"_You are a pessimistic person" _Tsu'tey remarked bluntly to my worst case scenario and I rolled my eyes to scoff to the side. He's one to talk. He already assumed the worst of me when we first met so I'm not the only one.

"_No, I'm rational and you haven't exactly screamed the title of best gentleman since we met" _I justified simply to ward off the idea of sounding like a wet blanket and crossed my arms to appear more intimidating. By the look on his face and his domineering height, which was ironically higher than before because of the tall root he was sitting on, my courage became extinct and I mumbled in a tired drone, "C'mon, do you have it or not?"

"_Yes, but I will only return it if you explain how it works" _he bargained slyly with that trickster attitude and I groaned aloud at playing teacher again. First I was Mama Joanna and now, I had to be Ms. Reynolds. Well, maybe he would be a good student and dutifully listen without opening his yap. His golden eyes remained directly on my face with that intense but eerie unblinking stare and I waved my hands between us as I yelped, _"Stop doing that, it's creepy! You look like you're ready to skewer and eat me."_

"_I am not a savage beast" _he snapped in retort to my nitpicking and I mimicked his deep and scathing voice with mine as I nabbed a seat next to him on the root bench, pulling myself onto the root clumsily. It was best to let him have his way until I had my gizmo back. He snickered behind closed lips as my tail flicked all over the place like a child's while I managed to grab good footing in the rough bark but by the time I reached his spot, my chest was heaving from breathlessness and I resembled a drunken Na'vi rather than a respectable anthropologist. I wheezed tiredly from a mere nine foot climb which spoke shamefully of my skills but said nothing, simply resting my head on the root as I lay there limp as a noodle and heard him snicker yet again.

Two minutes and a whole lot of simplified definitions and explanations later, my radio was back in my arms safe and sound. Yes, I knew it was old (I had it since my freshman year in college ages ago) and I wouldn't be able to keep it here because it lacked a recharge station but it comforted me. . .damn, I _really _needed some animate friends. Taking Jake's constant advice, I kicked my feet idly against the root as I began my rusty and awkward socializing skills with this impassive man.

Making conversation, I piped up curiously with my friendliest voice, _"What are you designing?"_

"_A new bow, I lost the one I first carved from our old Kelutral during the final battle and I never found it after several searches" _he answered distractedly without breaking concentration as he shaved off a few wooden pieces with his knife. The top of the wood had been rounded off while he worked on the center to shape its crescent form. His eyes squinted in focus as I watched him with interest, seeing how his wrist rotated his thumb carefully as it rested on the blunt of the knife while the razor sharp edge of the ikran claw cut into the wood at a perfect angle that only the most experienced knew how to do.

His gaze briefly flickered to mine to catch my visible curiosity and he simply stated, _"You will make your own when you complete Iknimaya." _

Tsu'tey gave me a cocky smirk afterwards as he paused his handcrafting, adding in, _"If you survive, that is."_

"_I'll survive just to spite you alone" _I scoffed smugly to defend myself and felt irritated at his lack of faith in me but dropped the topic to keep civility between us. He was undoubtedly right though; as one of them, I would have to survive my rite of passage to truly fit in. Right now, I held no rank or special skills and with a proud man like he, Tsu'tey would take all the verbal jabs he could get in because of my lower status. That only fueled my resolve even further.

I crossed my arms as he resumed crafting his new bow, watching as his fingers brushed off excess slivers of wood, and asked intriguingly, _"Do the students learn this after they complete the rite of passage or before?"_

"_Your teacher will instruct you on proper crafting and maintenance to make certain you can create one by the end of your initiation" _he answered absentmindedly as he whittled off a few more curly wooden shavings before grabbing a small round gray object that lay next to his side in his open satchel of tools. I watched him grip it tightly under his hand, the size fitted the entire circumference of it, and Tsu'tey began to sand the wood smooth. Huh, what a handy little tool. His lips thinned in attentiveness to every calculated stroke and I leaned forwards from my seat to watch his work but heard him snort dryly, _"I pity whoever is chosen for you."_

"_Tsu'tey! Stop being a. . .well, I can't translate it into your language but it's a bad word, I can assure you of that!"_ I snapped sharply to his brusque tone and clenched my fists over my lap to get him to tone down his attitude a bit. Eesh, did he wake up _every _morning with a stick up his butt?. . .Seriously, _did _he?

I threw my head back to pent out my frustrations in a long soothing sigh until my lungs were out of breath. With that anger gone, I stared back down at him and spoke calmly, _"I am trying to learn as much as I can every day but I can't ascertain a skill instantly, it's impossible. I'm not here to belittle or deceive you. . .but if this is the way you act with everyone, I don't see what's so honorable about you."_

His teeth bared at me as he cast his woodworking aside to point a finger at me threateningly, _"You know nothing about me-"_

"_And that's what I'm trying to understand but you act crazier than a banshee in heat!" _I interjected to emphasize that little irksome trait of his personality and hopped off the root to pace in a straight line. This man kept drawing the last straw on me and we'd barely agreed to be friends this morning! How did he even keep his friends? Or was he still so deeply mistrustful of me despite how much I pleaded my innocence?

Truthfully, I stated firmly to get him to back off, _"I'm not afraid of opening up and accepting what life throws at me. I chose a profession that's based on the complete understanding of another person or society with a perspective that never scrutinizes, mentally conditioned only to accept new information and increase plasticity of the mind as you incorporate it to share with others. To protect and salvage that knowledge from having it corrupted or extinguished. . .are you getting any of this?"_

His lips formed into a frown at the left edge of his mouth as he contemplated for a few seconds, golden eyes shining down at me from above like a panther's, before speaking directly, _"I will be honest. . .I lost the meaning of your words more than half a minute ago."_

I pulled at my hair exasperatedly, grabbing braided and unbraided hair into clumps but was careful with my parted queue section (Dutch braids came in handy for feeling the large braid), at why he just sat there without saying anything to me. Was he trying to make me appear foolish? Ha! I could run circles around him with my intelligence. . .but I also knew he could do the same with his own as Gardner's theories on aptitude regarding the nine human intelligences remained true even among different species. I was great in linguistic and logical intelligence while Tsu'tey dominated naturalist and kinesthetic intelligence all on his own. I heeded to the sky as I exhaled in a groan full of exhaustion and irritancy, _"Brawn and brains will never agree in a rational equation!"_

I continued sputtering off more scientific nonsense that a Na'vi like him would never understand but his gaze stuck on me nonetheless. More than once I stopped in mid-sentence to jab my finger up at him pointedly with the word 'you' attached until I ran out of mental fuel to keep my mouth blabbing. Afterwards, I just sighed deeply to flush it out of my system with a count of ten before sighing calmly as I pressed my hands to my chest, _"There. It's out of my system. . .so don't piss me off or I will tear one of your ears off, probably your right one since it looks like something took a bite out of it already."_

I stayed in my spot with crossed arms and a defiantly raised chin towards the warrior for whatever else he wanted to throw at me. After a few seconds of silence, I began to feel awkward as his intensive stare did not shift elsewhere and I glanced at everything but him to ward off intimidation. My courage undoubtedly needed serious work.

"_Come here, Joanna."_

I stiffened to the command as it broke the silence between us and darted my head around to realize that nobody was at the entrance but us. Everyone else in the clan was gathered inside as the last meal of the night was in preparation (Cheryl and I would help passing around the leaf plates for clan members later on) and the bioluminescence of the plants around the roots of Hometree gave us light outside. The fire from within barely flickered out any light for us out here so we were shrouded in dim lighting. My feet scooted a few inches away because I'd no idea what he wanted and I disagreed warily with a distrustful glance, _"No."_

"Joanna" he beckoned with that piercing stare of his that reminded me of a predator and I scooted away again like a shy schoolgirl.

"No, I don't wanna" I mumbled sheepishly and turned my gaze towards the fire lit entrance to appear distracted by nothing.

"_Why? You cannot control your clumsy dreamwalker feet?" _he mocked with a smirk on his angular features and I glared at him, walking up to him with a brave gait to prove his insult wrong. I wanted to smack that superior smirk off his face and staple a friendly smile to it but alas, no. He'd kill me himself first. So clumsily, I killed my lungs climbing back up (why had I been stupid enough to jump down in the first place?) but slipped down a few times causing a few burning scratches on the back of my arms. For added mortification, I accidentally grabbed a hold of his tail in belief that it was a sturdy vine to use and caused him to curse aloud for my atrocious climbing skills. When I finally conquered the annoying root, Tsu'tey ignored me completely without even offering the simplest of generosities by aiding me in the climb. And he wondered why I called him an asshole.

Catching my breath, I wanted to strike him across his shaved head since _he _was the one that wanted me up here in the first place! Playing his game, I crossed my arms to challenge him from a standing position but he didn't budge to my stance, simply glancing into his open satchel to resume his woodwork as if I wasn't there staring at him with narrowed eyes. The gall of this man! Tsu'tey picked up his gray polisher without acknowledging me and ordered tightly with thinned lips, _"Sit down, child."_

"_Not until you tell me what you plan to do- I can see mischief written all over your big yellow eyes"_ I grilled crossly and waved my fingers over his narrowed feline eyes. His upper lip curled to the close range of my hand (like he hadn't invaded my personal space with his face yesterday) and I placed it on my hip as I slanted them to the right, shifting weight onto my leg to model the common pose that was popularly known as 'angry woman hassles ignorant man'.

Instead of a smartass comment, he met my gaze with an amused hitch of his lips that took me aback and scoffed dryly, _"Really? I had no idea you could read eyes."_

I was about to retort to his mockery of me but after digesting his comment, I found myself laughing at the joke. Crazy, huh? There never was any long lasting civility between us. . .maybe there never would be but for right now, I could handle the nonviolent bickering that strangely reminded me of the old couples I saw in the supermarket arguing about the difference between ketchup and catsup even though it was the exact _same _thing. The image of an old Tsu'tey and I arguing decades from now in the same infinite loop made me laugh even harder and I sat down next to him again. I held my sides as laughs continued to spout from my lips and his gaze turned awkward towards me. His puzzled expression hurt my lungs more as a deeper laugh shot through but I managed to wheeze, _"Imagine. . .us. . .arguing. . .nonstop. . .when we're old. We'll die arguing. . .to our graves. Can you. . ."_

Another long fit of laughter broke through and I squeezed my stomach as it began to hurt from the lung contractions but finished, _"Can you imagine that?"_

A halfhearted grunt was his response and I smacked his right bicep with the back of my hand for a better response. I almost coughed up a lung and he barely gave a 'meh'. 'Meh' was not good enough. I wanted a laughing companion although Tsu'tey was the least suitable choice as one. He was abrasive, rude, grumpy, and didn't say much unless it meant catching something at the end of his arrow.

I shook my head to this conundrum of a man and offered an example, _"Think about this. I say flatbows are better at supporting stress-"_

"_And I say longbows are far superior" _he argued instantly, his side swept braids clicking as their bright beads touched, and nodded towards his work as proof. See what I mean? We baited each other with perfect success. His yellow eyes shifted to his unformed bow as he stated self-confidently, _"They are easier to create, have better-"_

"_Exactly, don't you see? We're already arguing despite the fact they're both hunting bows and give the same end result!" _I pointed out giddily with a laugh and his lips open and closed a few times like a fish out of water as he caught onto my trap before turning away from me stubbornly. I rolled my eyes to his immature behavior, wondering if everyone here let him have his way which would be a perfect answer for that ego of his, but my eyes widened when I heard the faintest of chuckles from him.

Frozen in my seat, I willed myself not to move to make certain this was real and not a hallucination from an unknown head injury after falling down the root too many times. Tsu'tey was laughing, not at me but _with _me. It was a miracle! When he noticed my silence and the amazed curiosity on my face, he cleared his throat abruptly at being caught but I said nothing of it. Offering a small smile, I joked lightly, _"I'm sure that by our elder years, we'll be comparing the best ikran colors. I say vibrant colors are pretty-"_

"_You would get eaten by a Toruk by sunset, camouflaging colors work best in the forest setting" _he pointed out haughtily about his skills and I lightly smacked his bicep again as I cast aside the whole human-Na'vi touching norms. His ikran was the most gorgeous with a mix of blues and purples (not that I'd tell him _that_) so he shouldn't be one to talk about camouflaging tactics and an ikran chose you, not the other way around. Still, only Tsu'tey would put in a word of argument to refute me. He snorted towards me with disdain as the tip of his nose wrinkled, _"What is it with you and smacking me?"_

"_If I really smacked you, you'd have a bruise" _I stated bluntly with a curve of my lips to his nagging but patted the area with the palm of my hand to humor him. Brightly, I piped up proudly with a wide grin, _"There. A friendly pat. I often forget about the rules on touching after growing up a tawtute so _nyeh_!"_

He stared at me with deadpan silence that unsettled my stomach and finally, he spoke offhandedly without regard, _"You tire me."_

"_Tsu'tey-"_

"_You are going to study the makings of a bow" _he ordered me with a no nonsense voice and I nodded meekly to obey because this was a critical skill I would need in long life. My hands itched to start and Tsu'tey laid his unfinished bow on his lap as he turned to grab the polisher that lay between us and held it up to my face along with his knife. I'm not exactly sure how old Tsu'tey is but when he spoke, I couldn't help but feel like a scolded child by her father.

His voice was firm without any room for questions as he explained_, "A knife and a polisher-"_

"_What kind of knife?"_

Tsu'tey deadpanned to my small question and he shook his right hand that held the knife to spat in emphasis, _"This one, Joanna!"_

"_There's many kinds of knives, Tsu'tey-"_

_He uttered a hiss behind clenched teeth at my little questions and I smiled innocently when I knew he wanted to bury his head in his hands and yell at me. Instead, he growled out sharply, "A normal knife that can carve, all right? These are the only tools you'll use to make one. You will need to make your own knife before Iknimaya and I will lend you this polisher- don't you dare ask what kind because this is the only type- only if you promise to maintain its condition. We take good care of our belongings and even more of our clansmen who graciously provide them."_

_He's actually trusting me with his things?_, I thought with surprise to the prospect and wondered if the passing weeks were really thawing his cold behavior towards me. If this was a means to test my trust with him, then I would not fail.

"_You won't regret it"_ I assured as I kicked my legs happily at my new gift (albeit a shared one) and grabbed the polisher from his hand to study it. The rough sensation reminded me of grittier sand paper but it resembled gray plating that seized my attention over its origins. It also vaguely resembled the meat mallets used to tenderize meat with their pointy ends back on Earth, except much tinier in size and compacted. I glanced at him with burning questions in mind as my hands clutched it to my chest as if it were the newest invention- well, to _me _anyway- and questioned hastily, _"Where. . .I mean, how do you make this?"_

"_Angts__ì__k armor is rough over their backs in certain areas and we break off the pieces from mature members to shape into handy tools- it's very good for smoothing woodwork and crushing certain foods" _he answered simply and I ran my fingertips over the rough underside that could easily peel off skin with the right pressure. He probably thought I was about to do just that and roughly pulled it away from my grasp as he scolded sharply, _"This is not playtime, Joanna."_

"_I'm observing, it's part of the learning process" _I corrected snippily if he thought I was actually that stupid in the first place but he merely scoffed to my justification. Whatever, he'd been taught to learn one way and I was used to Earth based teaching methods. That aside, my tail flicked happily behind me as I awaited orders and asked excitedly, _"So what do you do first?"_

He seemed satisfied with my enthusiasm to learn and began explaining the fundamentals step-by-step, starting with how to find the best wooden piece on Hometree for a bow, as he kept working on his bow simultaneously. I could really see why the clan deemed him the best and it wasn't because of his skill in fighting or hunting, I was seeing his brilliance in the basics of survival. There was endless ingenuity in that brain of his, after all, who else would jump without a care onto an armored aircraft filled with SecOps and survive a crash into a forest while riddled with bullets? Nobody else-

"_Joanna!"_

I blinked rapidly to snap out of my delving thoughts and gave his scowling face a sheepish smile to mumble politely, _"Sorry. Please, continue."_

See what I mean? He held unbelievable senses.

* * *

**A/N****: **Huh, the chapter was supposed to be sixteen pages but it turned into this long piece so I hoped I satisfied you guys. I'll be writing as much as I can before I head to school again and watching the FIFA World Cup and horror films (1980s and older because modern films exaggerate too much) soothes me wonderfully. A little bit of humor with somberness to give it a sense of balance, I guess. The next chapter should be mostly humor but who knows, I tend to edit my chapters a lot before posting. I just loved Tsu'tey in this chapter, he gives advice while also being snippy about it. As for Eywa, I could only see the atokirina coming together as a physical embodiment of her so hopefully, I pulled that off. If you guys have any suggestions of how she could look like also (deities have that shape shifting thing going on), feel free to post your thoughts. Also, I can't express my gratitude enough to all of your fav/story alerts that keep coming in so _thank you_. And a happy yay to my reviewers:

_13oct_- The length of my chapters will usually be long so don't fret, dear reader. I'm sure you'll enjoy reading the teaser too! Well, _two _teasers actually.

_Lilmisspurplesunshinee_- I'm sure every reader wants them together except for Tsu'tey and Joanna themselves. Their relationship will take a while to root into real friendship because Tsu'tey just isn't that friendly, period. The romance itself will take longer because conflicts always arise in love and it will cement their bond. The pacing will be slow because I don't believe he'd fall in love easily with a dreamwalker after years of personal experiences with humankind but thawing him out of those prejudices will keep things interesting. Oh, and yes, Tsu'tey _will _be the one training her (read teaser below) but unlike other stories where he falls in love with the OC, the two will mostly argue and cause mayhem. Also, it'll have a twist at the end when training is almost over so it won't be a predictable plot.

_TopKat90_- I just had to put in the 'man-hunter' and 'woman-gatherer' joke since like Tsu'tey said, those with no rank help the others that do so you know they'll try to take advantage of poor rank-less Joanna. And yes, he no longer pokes her to see if she'll die or get hurt but more out of innocent curiosity since I think the Na'vi still find it strange at how humankind can create Avatars. As for touching, I believe Tsu'tey would do it in private where no one could question his motives and if he did it in public, he'd probably use a bow or stick to ward off touching her directly. The two won't be touching each other in public unless it's in training and that's just when he smacks her over a mistake. When they do start touching, you guys can safely assume it's the start of their outward affection. Tsu'tey will have his own p.o.v chapters whether by first person or third and Mo'at will be more involved after Joanna leaves the Omaticaya to get Tsu'tey out of his depressive (cranky to his fellow hunters) funk.

_Soccer11_- Right now, the two are heading for friendly terms with competitiveness fresh in mind but when they realize their true feelings in later chapters, they'll stay in denial since they're both stubborn. Jake, as usual, will try to help with crafty plans but he ultimately fails too. lol.

_Judilee_- Thanks for loving the last chapter and yes, their relationship will be like a turbulent whirlwind but Jake wants them to be more like he and Neytiri (meaning she does the ordering and he obeys. Ha) who quickly fell in love within three months. Tsu'tey and Joanna will _not _take a few months to come to that point but much longer because of life itself; it's just more natural. Hope the meeting of Eywa pleased your imaginative mind!

_KThxBai_- Thanks! They're already humorously cute and that's without the romance. I can only wonder what you guys will think when they start showing their affection.

_SGT CJC_- Ouch, getting a computer fixed will drive me insane with the lack of web access, you have my heartfelt condolences. Norm did the transfer out of chapter but Cheryl simply said it to let the readers know since writing the whole transfer scenes would be a little repetitive since we had Jake's that blew into 'who's the boss?' so Joanna's would be more sentimental. For now, Tsu'tey will be on normal jerk mode (but still has his nice moments) until it comes time to train his new student. Three guesses on who it is. And thanks for the encouragement because I try my best to make sure everything is thorough (my migraines act up a lot when I'm on the computer which just isn't fair) but appreciate a correction on grammar.

_DarkInuFan_- Oh no, they're nothing like pets- heck, they're more awesome than humans! In this story, let's just say that yes, Jake's eyebrows are gone. The Na'vi shave off their hair so what's a few eyebrows to fit in with them? Piercing earlobes? Why didn't _I_ think of that? Bad Mystic. You have a _great _idea which I think will be useful in later chapters. As for Norm, I think he's allowed to choose since Tsu'tey respects him more than Joanna despite she practically saved his life.

_Pyra Sanada_- A tickle fest would be hilarious but those two are very reserved when it comes to touching (plus the whole society norm) so of course, having Joanna argue with him until they laugh is their way to reach camaraderie.

_Jayn_- I know, each culture has their own way to joke and call someone an idiot so when Tsu'tey had to point out 'You promised to use words I understood', I had to laugh at their cultural differences. Plus, her calling him Prolemuris just cracks me up because I laugh aloud every time I see the cute monkey in the movie and think 'Hey, it's Tsu'tey!'.

_Death magic doom_- The thing with OC's is you have to tread carefully on making sure they don't grab all of the attention but don't fade off into the background at the same time since there's a reason she's an OC. In this chapter, I couldn't have her conquering all the skills of the Omaticaya women in one shot or have her do decently because it's not easy adapting to a new culture so of course, the easiest chore was the best for her (although she ended up with a green face). Same goes with the transfer, she's in for the judgment and out so Mo'at can head to the next person as Tsu'tey tells her it's time to leave. She's there to interact with the characters but doesn't nab the spotlight. Thanks for the compliment!

_xXchibitsukiXx_- Thanks for putting me on your alerts and faves, I'm glad you love the story and am always glad to hear feedback. Updates are usually every two weeks or so because of the long chapter length so don't worry.

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**Next time on 'As Pandora Turns':**

I stood next to Cheryl and watched in anticipation with gripping tension biting at my muscles to see how the whole student-teacher relationship would start off. Max and the huntress spoke briefly in incoherent mumblings before Peyral smacked him clear across the head. We all withheld gasps and a few 'ouchies' echoed behind me as we held unison sentiments. Poor Max massaged his head pitifully as the huntress sighed aloud and he called over to us with a calm voice, "Apparently, lacking eye contact allows the enemy to strike. . .good to know."

"Okay, next up is. . ."

Half the crowd disappeared before Cheryl's name popped up and Neytiri and Tsu'tey remained in the line of available teachers. Even the good looking hunters were gone (sue me, but I was a woman and there was nothing wrong with looking). Please Eywa, give me Neytiri. I will name my first child after you! Heck, give me _all _girls and all of them will be called Eywa!

"Cheryl?"

"Gih!" she squeaked nervously, grasping my arm involuntary but I squeezed her shoulder to tell her to stop being so edgy. With nimble steps, Cheryl walked over hesitantly as she wrapped her arms around her sides and warily eyed the hunters before her.

Jake patted her back to ease the woman's tension and pointed to a hunter near his own stature. The man's hair was styled similarly to Jake's but all of it was entwined in one single braid unlike other hunters who left a few random braids outside the queue braid. His garb was similar to the hunters but there was something different about him that I couldn't pinpoint. Jake, however, spoke up before I could think of it and practically answered it, _"Noren will teach you. I know you tend to be skittish so as a singer, I'm sure he'll soothe your nerves. He's great at teaching students and he likes to talk on just about anything since singing is more his thing than hunting."_

"This sounds more like the Dating Game, Na'vi version" I commented dryly with a small laugh and stopped short when Jake looked at me with a mischievous smile. Oh crap, what was he going to do to _me_?

"What's that evil grin for? Jake-"

"That's Olo'eyktan to you right now, missy" he joked with that evil glint in his eye and I slouched in my spot for opening my yap in the first place as Cheryl left to join her new teacher. Jake wasn't kidding, the guy instantly perked up and began chatting to Cheryl who surprisingly didn't seem to mind it one bit. Lucky them. My friend's cocky smile didn't strike me with confidence and he informed me happily, _"Now, Joanna, for your tendencies to be persistent in everything you do. . .and for being my joking nemesis. . .I have deemed it right for your teacher to be-"_

I shook my head violently as I desperately tried to stop him from saying what I dreadfully assumed he would, "Jake, c'mon man, I swear I'll tell Neytiri you're scared of-"

"Tsu'tey."

Time practically froze for me at that point.

"You planned this, didn't you? I hope we have bladder polyps today, you glowing pickle scaredy cat" I grilled shrilly because that pompous hunter was the last man on Pandora I wanted to spend time with at this point and crossed my arms defiantly. I sniffed in insult and spat out, "I am _not _having that unbearable louse as my teacher."

"Then I wish you good luck on your own because you and he are partners for the next several months" he grinned mischievously without room for question to my deadlock and I wanted to wipe that smirk off. Why was Jake _always _trying to push me into Tsu'tey's vicinity? Did he really want us to end up killing each other? What exactly was he expecting from us? We were like two positively charged ions, we'd repel each other rather than cooperate. . .especially after his latest screw-up.

I whined pitiful gibberish under my breath and stomped over to where Tsu'tey was stepping backwards for every step I took towards him. You see? We would not pair well; he was the tart bubbly Champagne and I was the sweet chocolate cake that would create World War IV around us. Neytiri had to slap his shoulder lightly in attention to get him to behave and I scowled at him despite my smaller stature. He was undeterred by my rebelliousness but had a sour face that distinctly read that he'd rather be anywhere but here. My face fell and I dug my fingers into my hair when I heard Jake declare from behind, _"Norm, for your determination to be one of The People, your teacher is Neytiri."_

"Oh, come on!" I exclaimed frantically to the choice I'd been praying for go up in smoke and balled my hands into fists as I sulked inwardly for my loss. Why was I the one stuck with this uncaring hunter? My mind briefly flickered to what Eywa had told me about my teacher being relentless and I almost groaned aloud for my stroke of luck. I kicked at the dirt listlessly as Norm jogged over to meet Neytiri with a happy grin that was always present as of late. Oh, they were going to get along wonderfully while I would be praying Tsu'tey didn't leave me stranded in the forest to fend for myself. With a disappointed sigh, I mumbled dolefully with a childish pout, "It's not fair. I get this Dr. Seuss _thing _and he gets the princess."

"_I am not a thing" _Tsu'tey snapped sourly to the name calling but I could see he was trying to hide his confusion regarding who Dr. Seuss was (I wasn't going to tell him either) and I blew a raspberry at him to puzzle him more. Nothing like Earth stuff to rattle that hardheaded Na'vi. Then he did something that took me aback completely.

He slapped the side of my shoulder.

A bold move which caused me to gape in surprise because Tsu'tey had never and I mean _never _touched me like that since we'd met. A curious poke and irksome pull of the tail, yes, but actual skin contact? Never. The strike hadn't hurt, he meant it as a warning tap if any but _still_. While I was stuck in my mental stupor, he barked out an irrefutable command, _"You are my student and will treat me with respect and no more tawtute language from now on. Am I clear?"_

I ignored his existence completely because I was still fuming over my computer's assassination and turned my back to him. Part of me was hopping giddily at being so bold towards a man ranked at the top of the hierarchy while the other was cringing in impending doom. Either way, I gave a friendly smile to Norm and congratulated him on the lucky win that everyone wanted, "You're _so_ lucky, pal."

Norm stared awkwardly between both of us (no, not him too!), seeing the obvious tension that we refused to acknowledge, and Neytiri decided to end it by scolding at us, _"Stop behaving like children. Norm, we will take a walk before meeting with Jake."_

They left us alone with a pitter patter of steps that raised particles of dirt around our ankles and I watched everyone speaking with their teachers. . .with perfectly amicable smiles. Even shy Cheryl was laughing with her teacher. It wasn't fair! Why was I paired up with the most aggressive one in the gang? He'd probably shoot me with an arrow and call it a weapons malfunction. Plus, he ruined my computer and I wasn't ready to roll that over or the unwilling ride through mud either. We simply stared at each other impassively without a word as we tried to size each other up in challenge until someone walked over to us but we paid them no mind. If he wanted a staring contest, he'd get one!

A blue hand snapped its fingers in front of me and Jake's voice stated chidingly, "Nuh-uh. See, this glaringhere isn't going to happen. _You two are going to be the best of pals and train happily until Iknimaya. I will die a happy man if you two would swallow your pride and walk arm-in-arm."_

Tsu'tey glared at me one last time before turning his gaze away to bargain with him. To me, it sounded like he was throwing a bitch fit. So there I stood with a deadpan expression on my face while Tsu'tey ranted as if I were completely invisible, _"You cannot expect me to teach her, Jakesully. I am the best hunter in this clan and to be saddled with her of all people. . .it mars my ranking! Could you not give me one of the less volatile dreamwalkers?"_

"_Volatile? You launched my _computer _through the air and almost hit a group of women! You're the psychotic one with anger issues, Prolemuris!"_ I shot back for his description of my personality which he obviously disliked and yeah, I wasn't perfect by a long shot but he was no prize pick either. Frankly, our dynamics seemed to be heading in the opposite direction since yesterday and I'd probably mark us feet away from even walking on the imaginary bridge when days ago we'd been heading for the center. Crossing my arms huffily, I muttered darkly under my breath, _"We're more liable to maul each other than get along."_

"_That's a risk I'm willing to take" _Jake replied slyly with an offhanded wave of his hand towards our wellbeing and I shook my fists in tantrum mode at why he thought we would make a good team. Ugh, I really did feel like a teenager that was unwillingly partnered up with the annoyingly lazy student in a class lab. Tsu'tey was glaring down at me from the corner of his eyes to set forth his dominance like a male lion while I kept my chin raised and my line of sight away from him like an irked lioness.

Why Jake thought we were two peas in a pod was beyond my comprehension. Maybe he saw something I didn't but then again, Jake had a LOT of crazy ideas. People still talk about the humongous Toruk (another crazy idea that could've backfired horribly), which had now made itself a nest at the top of Hometree to call its own when it wasn't out hunting or spending the night in its wilderness dwelling. Most of us thought he'd released the large beast into the wild until it actually _returned _to the Tree of Souls a week later so Jake kept his tamed Toruk and called him _Tsawke_. At first, he wanted to call him an absurdity of names like Tomato or Starburst but Neytiri tore into him and he chose seconds later. Needless to say, most ikran stay in their designated spots underneath its top level to stay out of its way but recently, Jake's been training him to act as a protector to the Omaticaya's ikran. Like I said, who knows what Jake's cooking up in that brain of his when he's already trying to make a Great Leonopteryx play Big Brother to a band of ikran.

Jake eyed each of us speculatively and changed his light tone into complete seriousness that showed his military background, _"I expect you two to act civilly towards each other like mature and polite individuals. Both of you will meet me at the front in twenty minutes and I want to see smiles. Can I trust you two to survive until then?"_

He pointed to me with an indicting finger that quickly reminded me he was clan leader and I did have to obey his say. I sometimes forgot that because of his playful manner and friendly way of speaking but listened like any clan member would as he spoke firmly, _"Do not kill my best warrior."_

Tsu'tey smirked at me for being preferred over me (part of me was envious because I wanted to beat him at _something_) but Jake turned to him with the same tone and warning finger to order, _"Do not kill my friend either."_

I smiled impishly at Tsu'tey for having equal preference with Jake and his upper lip curled in distaste to show his sharp canines. Jake gave us the brush-off when his serious tone changed back to an uppity chirp that would've been a classic diagnosis for bipolar disorder and he cheered optimistically, _"All right, run along now."_

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**A special request to all 'One Of The People' readers:**

Okay, so I'm at the point where I've outlined about 45 chapters for this tale but I'm _stuck_. Yeah, stuck. I can't decide whether to give Tsu'tey and Joanna a _daughter _or _son _as their first child because either could alternate the way the story's headed and I already have the ending settled so don't worry. I've already etched out everything leading up to her late pregnancy so don't be fearful of a hiatus because a hormonal Joanna and an overprotective Tsu'tey are even funnier than when they're grouchy at their current stage. The only problem is figuring out the sex of the baby. So here's what I'm asking of you guys: VOTE FOR A BOY OR GIRL!

Put it on a review or pm (I'll try to post a poll on my profile soon) so I can tally it up and get the story flowing. If you need descriptions on each, here's a special excerpt from the later chapters on the morning after their union (way after their 'bow chicka wow wow' moment- ha, I couldn't resist writing that phrase) where the two discuss what Eywa showed them:

"_I'm sure you'll treasure our own children" I complimented with delight at the idea because he ran from most children nowadays (maybe it was a man thing) but Eywa had shown me something quite the opposite to popular belief. His cheek nuzzled my neck affectionately and it told me he was listening and I admitted softly, "I saw a little girl, she barely learned how to walk and kept stumbling in her hasty steps. She had that same tight lipped look you get when you're concentrating and her eyes were exactly like yours, same angle and everything. She had this lopsided little ponytail on the left side of her head that stuck up in the air in a funny way and she tried to loosen the hair band with a pudgy little hand to get rid of it."_

_Laughter erupted from my lips at her sour face but quickly went on, "You snatched her up seconds later to scold her about not listening and walking off alone but she was pretty defiant, wiggling in your arms like a fish before bawling her little eyes out. You caved in seconds later and let her go as she waddled happily towards the shoreline. She went shell collecting and you sat there with the grumpiest look imaginable except for when she brought a little token to show you every few minutes. She's the first to wake us in the morning and tells us what she wants to eat by pointing at the food. You tell her 'no' on anything and she starts bawling like someone died but you always give in. Daughters tend to wrap their dear fathers around their little finger, you know? Hmm, I should've attempted that tactic when you started teaching me."_

_I reached over to tap his nose with my finger as he fiddled with the blue ribbons in my braids to see if they would loosen and teased him with the last image I'd seen, "She likes to squeal out 'my sempu' with this toothy smile every time she sees you before clinging onto your leg for a hug. Adds a cute little pout on her bottom lip too if you don't greet her quickly."_

_I chuckled amusingly to what I'd seen and almost wished that cute little child was running around. Imagining Tsu'tey actually nurturing children was almost an impossible idea to me since he hid like a Prolemuris in the trees every time one passed by. He chastely kissed the nape of my neck, snapping me out of my amusing ponderings, before telling me with an enticing tone, "I saw something entirely different."_

_Turning around, I traced my fingers through his hair before asking worriedly, "Was it something bad?"_

"_No, Eywa never shows such unless she disapproves of the union and she didn't" he assured with a kiss to my forehead to settle my worries. I cuddled up against his form for warmth (not that I needed any but I'd grown used to it), resting my cheek in the crook of his neck as if this was story time and nudged his side to get him started. He gave a light chuckle to my innocent prodding and I smiled when he gave his side of the tale, "Mines had a boy. No more than three years old. He doesn't like it when you feed him and always crawls into my lap to grab pieces of mine because apparently, you tend to coddle him a bit. Not that I'm surprised but- Joanna, stop glaring." _

_With my little disagreement over being too nurturing (he was right on the money but I wasn't going to give in) put to rest, I pecked a little kiss on his neck to let him know I was joking. He glanced down to flash me a cocky smile that soon faded into sincerity as he continued, "He likes to curl up against you in our hammock at night and you tell him stories but he's hard to put to sleep because you end up asleep first. You take him to walk on the beach but he always tries to swim yet can't so he cries when all the older kids splash in the water and he can't. You fix his hair in the same style as mine but tighten it with extra knots and pins because roughhousing always has him coming back with disheveled hair that takes hours to untangle. Also, he loves getting dirty in the mud while playing with his ikran toy but he cleans it to perfection. You and I painted it blue and white, a combination of our own, and he keeps it in a wooden box for safekeeping when he's not playing."_

_A proud grin touched his lips as Tsu'tey told me gleefully, "He sneaks out when I fish but I know each of his steps before he makes them so I catch him before he's a step out of Hometree. He fishes very good for a child of that age but of course, I always keep a hold on him. Still, I don't mind boasting about him. He likes to show off his catches to you before climbing onto my back so he can see me prepare them. He's like you, eager and stubborn to learn. He even has your glare when I tell him 'no' on anything- see, that one right there."_

_I batted his chest for his little joke but smiled nonetheless. . ._

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Thank you to everyone for reading this even longer chapter and _please _review with your comments or choices._  
_


	8. My Skxawng Teacher

CHAPTER 7:

**My Skxawng Teacher  


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Several days later (we call them sun cycles for easier reference) had our entire Avatar turned Na'vi group before Max as he counseled us on what would happen now that the Omaticaya extended their culture out to us. Obviously, chores and a fluency in the language weren't going to cut it and I knew it had to be about Iknimaya. What else could it possibly be? As the sun broke over the horizon to fill the hazy lilac-gray sky (I loved the fact Pandora was never pitch black and always provided sources of natural light), I sat next to Cheryl with unkempt braids of hair that covered my cheeks in black curtains, rubbing the sleepiness out of my tired dry eyes (Tsu'tey had superb speech skills that kept prolonging my astronomy lessons to the point I fell asleep), and trying to eat my morning meal that consisted of cut reddish fruit in porridge. I liked finding the little cut pieces inside the wooden bowl as if it was a treasure hunt but Cheryl kept slapping my hand gently to pay attention.

_But I'm starving and sleep deprived_, I wanted to complain but interrupting Max's meeting would be downright disrespectful of me. Plus, I tended to be cranky in the mornings ever since Tsu'tey decided to keep me up to suck me dry of astronomy knowledge. I loved going to sleep because I looked forward to dreaming, to no longer waking to the bleak world of human life, and relished each dream my mind conjured or as the Na'vi believed 'what Eywa bestowed'.

Another smack to my hand perked up my alertness and I snapped back to attention.

"Each of us will partake in the right of passage to be truly accepted and trusted by the Omaticaya" Max carefully explained to each of us from his spot at the front and I found it amusing to see him without his short curly hair and glasses. I'd grown so used to seeing him like that but either way, he was still our friendly Dr. Patel. I was happy to be finally rid of my own glasses (I hated losing them and Tsu'tey had once pissed me off by taking them right off my face to play keep away with Jake) and hoped this perfect Na'vi vision would last me to old age.

"Now, I know it sounds- no, it _is _dangerous but with proper training, each of you will succeed. Jake will assign you to an experienced hunter or huntress to begin the process and I want to hear no complaints. We are here as honorary guests and we will act as such because this is their world we are living in."

"What if we really do suck at it? Do we still have to keep trying?" one of the botanists from Cheryl and Grace's team asked nervously. I had to agree with the first part because I was clumsier than a toddler but I'd keep trying until I tamed that lizard bird. Xeki, Eywa had called my ikran. The name sounded cute but I knew the creature would be anything but that.

"If the homemakers can do it, so can you" Max assured all of us with a happy smile that held dimples which had been absent on his bearded human face. Honestly, he looked like the youngest Avatar out of all of us! I wouldn't be surprised if unmated females started paying attention to him now. "You will know when you're ready. Some of you may not want to hunt after mastering your ikran but you can choose a different field to contribute to the clan with afterwards."

Cheryl smiled widely at the prospect and I chuckled lightly to her gentle nature. Really, she didn't like killing a bug and usually ran from them to avoid such scenarios of taking a life. I hoped her teacher would help her through that but part of me was sure that Cheryl would not become a full fledged huntress. I also wondered if I would like the profession as well because I didn't enjoy seeing an animal die since I was trained to study and never interfere. We smiled at each other wistfully at the challenge awaiting us and I squeezed her hand to assure her I'd stick by her.

"When will Jake tell us?" Norm piped up eagerly because for the past days, all he could do was watch the hunters sharpen weapons. He'd tried to wrestle with Jake to test his skills (apparently, the warriors had taken an interest in the sport to Neytiri's dismay) but had lost every round. Still, I admired his never-ending enthusiasm to start.

Max shook his head to the question and answered, "I'm not to clear on that. He has a lot of stuff to learn being the new chief and all so it could be until tomorrow or later on this week. It won't be too long since Mo'at wants you guys to start alongside the other students. Either way, I want every single one of you to fit in as you promised because the Na'vi need the numbers to prosper and together, we can accomplish this."

"Actually, I find every task they partake in pretty fun" Cheryl piped up sheepishly with a small shrug and smiled brightly at everyone. It was true, she was becoming a sensation among the women for sewing and cooking. She tapped her fingers together in modest politeness as she chuckled softly, "I don't mind helping them in anything."

"Can I have Neytiri train me?" I asked out of the blue since the whole 'student training' had me thinking on the possible choices and she was one of them. Neytiri was an awesome huntress, period, and if anyone could turn me from clumsy to proficient, it would be her. Enthusiastically, I pointed out, "If she can do to me what she created out of Jake, I want her."

Max smiled at my brashness (he didn't say I _couldn't _voice my opinion) but put me down gently, "No, Joanna, you will have your teacher _assigned _so none of you will know until Jake himself tells you."

"Oh!" a unison groan of disappointed erupted from our group.

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_(Tsu'tey's POV)_

The grassy clearing filled with delightful morning songs from birds perched in the trees nearby while pa'li could be heard as they happily drank from the nearby pool after guzzling down their morning meal of nectar. The newest hunters took turns in taking each group of pa'li our clan possessed and I could see mine, Aci, in the center of the current group.

My steed had a tendency to be stubborn and have her way most of the time but I let her be unless she caused real problems. The mares always crowded around her caringly since she never bothered them but the stallions were wary of coming in close quarters to her. I was very proud of my pa'li because I was her first and _only _rider since the day she was born. Many years ago, my father rode a stallion and my mother, a mare, so when mating season arrived, the two allowed them to pair off and they produced a foal. Instead of letting her be raised as a random pa'li among the groups for upcoming new warriors, my parents gave her to me so I would train her myself and she would be my steed when I became a hunter. She'd grown up alongside me and I took care of her as if she were my own sibling since I lacked any and now, she really was the only family left for me in the Omaticaya. There had been days when she was stubborn to walk the clearings, happy days when she licked my face with a tongue full of sticky nectar, and sad days when she injured her front left leg sprinting after me but being young aided her quick recovery since older pa'li rarely survived harsh falls and those that did. . .I didn't like to think about. I counted myself very lucky for having her.

I watched Aci from my spot as I sat on a root of Hometree while she finished her drink at the pool. A smile tugged at my lips when she snorted at a nearby male for wandering too close and heard her hooves clack against the rocky floor as she trotted away with a band of mares to where the young hunter waited for them. Morning chores were underway and in a little while, I would be finishing the pa'li stables with my group before undergoing another project. I was not a man to be idle with free time and always searched for something to do, whether by helping my clan or heading off to explore. My hunting group (which would now include Jakesully) would head out in five sun cycles for our turn to catch food and relieve the first group. By then, my bow would be finished and I was using every free moment I had to complete it. Otherwise, my days would be entirely dull with nothing to do.

At the moment, I sanded the center of my bow to accustom my grip on it because I did not need to have a bow I couldn't wrap my own fingers around securely. By tonight, I would finish that portion and tomorrow, I would polish it smooth before attaching the string to complete my new weapon. I missed holding a bow between my hands, it was natural for me after so many years of constant training, and had cursed at myself for losing the one I had crafted from the old Hometree during battle but I would not dwell on it anymore. This was my new home and with it being a new chapter in my life, I would welcome the changes.

My hearing detected shuffling behind me and I recognized it as clumsy footsteps. The sound continued, becoming increasingly louder, and I kept myself from laughing aloud at the terrible stealth of this person. Petite light feet, bigger but daintier than a child's, so it meant it was either an adolescent girl or a woman. Harmless, in my opinion. If it was a huntress, she wouldn't have been noticed in the first place. I decided to play the dunce and clenched my teeth to hide a snicker that almost escaped my throat when I heard the tiniest trip followed by a hushed but grumpy 'ouch'.

Joanna.

_Who else could be this obvious?_, I thought amusingly to her continuous feeble attempts to catch me off guard but she always failed. There was no possibility of her achieving it but it humored me that she was persistent in trying.

The footsteps then hastened (still quite slow for someone inexperienced) and I saw her shadowed figure in my peripheral vision as she jumped at me from behind. A simple but efficient quick scoot to the right side on my part dodged the 'attack' and the dreamwalker was sprawled over the root seconds later on all fours facedown.

"Gotcha" Joanna groaned pathetically as she laid there, giving a few twitches of her limbs and I returned to my woodwork since she seemed to take the fall rather well for someone who had rampant tendencies to argue. I expected her to pester me-

"_Skxawng, why'd you let me fall like that?" _she snapped angrily at me as she rubbed her nose, bringing herself to sit upright but shot me a glare with every movement she made as she rubbed her scratched knees. Apparently, I spoke too soon.

I tilted my head to the side at her perplexing logic and pointed out simply, _"You expected me to simply sit here and let you throw me off the root for your enjoyment?"_

"_It would've been nice"_ she stated sarcastically and I snorted at her wry sense of humor. The woman had a range of innocent lighthearted humor which she reserved for her close companions (mainly her dreamwalker friends) while she used competitive humor to rile me into anger. The only time I had seen a meek side of her was the day of her transfer and often wondered why she wasn't that modest female instead of the one who was challenging me right now. Although, her banter made leisure time more interesting than another who would prattle on about nothing in particular. My eyes caught onto something she held in her left hand and saw that it was made of wood but couldn't see its definite shape.

Ignoring her miffed attitude (she fell by her own actions, by the way), I kept the curiosity out of my voice as I inquired casually, _"What do you have there?"_

Her eyes cast a suspicious glance at me and I resisted from gritting my teeth at her immature behavior. Did she think I was going to throw _her _off the root? Really, this dreamwalker female was challenging in every way. I pitied whoever would have her as a student or future mate; she already irked my mind in every interaction.

As quickly as she'd been mad, her demeanor changed to eagerness that resembled a child's when she showed me her crafted item and declared proudly, _"I whittled a _spoon_!"_

. . .

What in Eywa's name is a _spoon_?

She took my flat stare for disinterest when it was really bafflement to her little creation and watched her eyes narrow in annoyance. She was like the raging sea sometimes and I leaned back when she shoved the small crafted item in front of my face to wave it dramatically while declaring, _"You should be proud I managed to craft something without losing a finger!"_

"_I do not know what you crafted"_ I stated bluntly to her wrongful assumption and her face relaxed instantly with a small forgiving 'oh' passing through her lips. Oh, _now _she was humble before me. What did Eywa see in this dreamwalker that appeased Her judgment?

She turned the strange object in her hand and pointed to an end that held a round shape with depth in the center as she explained softly with a smile, _"On Earth, we used these as utensils to pick up food and eat. I mostly used them with stews or cereal but they're handy. You can also dig with them if you're bored."_

Joanna proceeded to poke my thigh with the tool as if she were trying to scoop out my flesh and I gave her a placid stare for her humoring. Her lips broke into a shy but sneaky smile as her lashes hid her eyes in a downcast glance and I let her be because it was better to be civil than argue with her until I was purple in the face. Also, I was beginning to believe Joanna was one of a kind with her quirky behavior. She gave my leg one last prod before sighing disappointedly under her breath, _"You're no fun today, Tsu'tey. You should humor me after I stayed much longer than I should've to teach you about the sun and suns are broad subjects. If at all, I should be asking questions after every meeting to test your knowledge-"_

I grabbed my things and stood up to walk away from her but uttered a curse when her fingers tugged on the end of my tail. If she was trying to be playful, I didn't appreciate having a body part yanked in that manner. Briskly, I scolded her to correct such undesirable behavior, _"If you try that again, I will throw you over a branch and hoist you back and forth by your tail alone like a toy!"_

Joanna simply scoffed to my threat and stood up to shoot me a heated glare, _"Are you really going to start complaining this early in the morning?"_

I wanted to argue with her, Eywa knows why, to demand that she listen and obey her superior but my mannerisms on treating females of all ages respectfully won over in the end. If she was a male, I would've gladly put her in her place. My face betrayed no expression but firmly, I questioned, _"Do you have work to do today?"_

"_No, my hammock came out slightly smaller than I thought it would"_ she spoke sheepishly, her tail tucking down between her legs, as her whole posture became diminutive in front of me. Was she being, dare I say, _bashful_? I tilted my head with curiosity for her to finish and she placed her 'spoon' inside a pocket on her tawtute loincloth before hesitating modestly in an embarrassed voice, _"A lot smaller. Think children's size."_

A smirk tugged at my lips at how she could create something so small when she almost reached my shoulder in height. Her skills definitely needed to improve or she would have no hammock to sleep in. . .I would have to speak to one of the experienced weavers to help the unfortunate Joanna master that skill. I beckoned with my hand for her to follow me as I headed towards the edge of the root and stated simply, _"You are going to help finish the stables."_

I jumped off the root to land gracefully on the ground, digging my toes into the dirt to cushion the impact, and turned around to wait for the woman. However, I didn't have to wait long as I stared up at the root to see her graceless form coming right at me.

She fell directly on me.

My eyes gazed blurrily at the rustling treetops overhead as my head dug into the dirt with a dull ache settling in the back of my head but Eywa had graced me and spared my unfinished bow from breaking in two as it clattered to the ground. Joanna didn't weigh much but the force from her uncalculated jump winded me more since I became _her _cushion for safety. Golden orbs filled with shy embarrassment met mine when I raised my head to look down at her and she mumbled out a meek, "Oops."

"_You really need a teacher as soon as possible"_ I managed to say before shoving her away by the shoulder and gathering my bearings before people around us became concerned for my well-being (and to ward off embarrassment for being caught off my feet). Smaller hands tugged at my left arm and I tilted my gaze upwards to see Joanna trying to help me on my feet and I halted her by stating, _"Please, the more you try to aid, the more I am injured."_

She frowned for a moment before sighing in defeat to obey, _"All right, I'll wait next to that rock there."_

A short while later, I found myself working on the right side of the stables while the tamed but untaken pa'li were in training with students and pa'li with riders trotted the clearings nearby for exercise. I was certain Aci would be bolting through the forest in sheer happiness when it came time to hunt. With a new task at hand, I opened a work satchel of materials that I'd left behind the stables alongside my other clan mates, who worked on the opposite side and inside, and grabbed the needed items to reinforce the sturdy walls.

As usual, Joanna was touching the outside of the stable walls with a perky smile and I wondered if she had a strange fascination for just about _anything _new. I cleared my throat to catch her attention and she hid her hands behind her back as if she'd done nothing but I dismissed it, simply handing her the materials without a word.

She gave me a perplexed glance as she studied the bundles of differently sized twine and thorns before asking eagerly, _"You want me to help tie the pieces of wood?"_

"_No."_

"_You're giving me a boost up so I can reach and tie places you can't reach?"_

"_No."_

. . .

She understood what I meant pretty quickly but nonetheless, asked me unsurely with a puzzled gaze, _"You just need me to hand you these items? That's it?"_

"_Yes" _I replied with exasperation lacing into my voice because I didn't want to deal with a person that had the mentality of a child or the interest of one because I had better things to do than stand here and explain the concept.

"_This is the enlightening exercise you had for me?" _she groaned in complaint and dropped her arms to her sides to glance at me in disbelief. What in all of Pandora was wrong with her now? Her ears flattened against her braided hair as her posture slumped forwards and she admitted glumly, _"I thought you'd teach me about the pa'li or more about bowmaking. I didn't expect to be charged with the menial task of being a twine assistant."_

I stuck my hand out while I pointed to one of the thicker twines that were fused together from plant fibers for durability and she handed a piece over to me with a small inaudible grumble from her pouting lips. The good thing about Joanna was that she wasn't one to remain in one spot which would be good for training and for that, I offered my advise, _"That will be taught to you by your teacher, I would suggest you bring it up with them once Jakesully appoints him or her to you."_

"_So I'm basically on my own until then?" _she clarified with a small sigh of disappointment and I gave her a brief nod before tying the piece of twine over two connecting pieces of the roof. The others in my group were inserting the tough spikes on the other side to fuse both pieces of wood together because pa'li could be frightened easily and sturdy walls were needed to absorb their heavy impact kicks.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched her fiddle with the twine pieces as she studied them curiously and furrowed my brow at her constant intrigue with everything she saw. The dreamwalkers really were like children at this point for learning our ways but physically, they were dangerous and wouldn't be underestimated by me. I would always remain on guard with them and I honestly didn't know if having them complete Iknimaya would settle that distrust. Also, I wondered if Jakesully would assign me to one of the them since he was tasked with appointing teachers but hoped I could evade the whole thing altogether. My passion was hunting, not teaching.

"_Water?"_

Her voice snapped me out of my thoughts as I worked meticulously on tying each twine firmly and gave her a sidelong glance to ask confused, _"What?"_

"_Do you want some water? I'm sure you and the others don't want to suffer thirst out here which can lead to heatstroke and-"_ she piped up gently and counted with her fingers at all the possible ailments accompanied to it. Joanna was knowledgeable, I would say that about her, but lacked hands-on coordination with any skill.

"_Your point, Joanna?"_ I cut in quickly so I could finish this task instead of debating or partaking in her sudden interests.

"_Just say yes to my kindness to bring you water, you skxawng!"_ she snapped defensively at me and I grit my teeth at her ability to be both generous and insulting. Sparing her a glance, I saw her legs had curled neatly to the side of the boulder while her arms were crossed over her chest as she frowned at the ground. I couldn't help but be reminded of Aci when I reprimanded her for disobedience. Aci remained defiantly stubborn but hurt to my orders before stomping at the ground and trotting away, intentionally ignoring me. I could sense the same from Joanna and wondered if all females, regardless of species, were angry when scorned.

I did not have the time to argue and if it made her feel better, I might as well be courteous to her offer. Otherwise, Eywa might not be too happy if I treated one of Her children offensively.

"_I would appreciate it, Joanna."_

That sentence brightened her face considerably, her sharp features softening into delicate smoothness, and I gave myself credit for succeeding. I withheld an amused snicker when she stood up clumsily, depositing the pieces of twine and thorns in her hands on the boulder, and she turned around to pipe up confidently, "I'll be back in a jiffy!"

I watched her scuttle off towards the inside base of Hometree (most likely for a wooden container or one of her own tawtute devices) and finished tying the section I've been working before a question popped into my mind.

"_What is a _jiffy_?"_

* * *

_(Joanna's POV)_

The whole day was pretty easygoing with everyone having a chore to do to make sure the clan was safe, clothed, and satiated. From morning until noontime (the highest point for the sun), I slaved away on creating decent urns as experienced pottery makers gave me tips with kind guidance and Mo'at accepted three that I made which sent me over the moon happily. I was ecstatic as I watched the entire process of heating and cooling each piece but the women chastised me for venturing close to the heat because it could damage my vision if I stared long enough. From there, I popped in to check on Cheryl's hammock making group and tried once again to make a piece of decent attire. Needless to say, it was not my best work. I now owned a pair of knee length socks of different proportions.

I helped to fetch water from the springs to help with the evening meal which would include fresh bread this time. The seeds had been grounded into flour and the men had been handy enough to built an oven in one of the unused clearings near the back of the Hometree for the women. One thing I loved about the Na'vi were their constant respect for their female counterparts as the givers of life, caretakers, homemakers, hunting partners, loyal mates, devoted mothers. . .I could go on but I'll stop there. Unfortunately, _one _certain warrior saw me as androgynous.

Tsu'tey had been teaching me the basics of grooming a pa'li in the late afternoon and given me the ropy reins to three of them as he taught me how to lead them to their new favorite bushel of flowers filled with nectar. I was completely nervous at being in control over the large animals despite they were tamed but Tsu'tey had assured me they were harmless unless I frightened them. As they lapped up the sweet syrup with their thin tongues, I had been learning what areas to groom with a brush filled with soft hair from who knows what but they liked it. So while I brushed one of their pelts to rid their skin of dirt, a few women passed by carrying baskets full of fruit. Tsu'tey, being a gentleman (hah!), offered his aid and helped them carry the baskets back into Hometree and left me- a complete _novice_- in the care of the pa'li.

So there I stood like an idiot, thinking he was there behind me the whole time while I had a one-sided conversation with the direhorses, until one saw its master walking by and broke into a run. If one goes, the pack will follow. . .so the saying goes but they went all right. I was dragged behind them as I tried to pull the leads Tsu'tey had strapped onto their necks to guide them around the clearing and which they wore at night to make sure nothing scared them off. My crappy agility was nothing compared to their lightning speed so I was dragged through a pond of fresh mud until the animal found its master. The hunter felt embarrassed for me (he wasn't the only one) and offered to return them to the stables for me which I gratefully accepted. The minute Tsu'tey returned, I drenched his face in thick mud before stomping off angrily to wash my skin clean.

Now, my friends and I finished dinner as we sat in the last of the circle rows because we didn't want to attract any more attention than we had since we first arrived. Subtlety was our nature in this new world. I sipped the last of my fruit drink, savoring every last sweet drop, and placed the handcrafted bowl on the floor. The older children liked to make them for the clan and I smiled at seeing a painted mountain of green on mine since the kids liked to decorate them. I poked my clothed stomach for humorous emphasis and joked, "You think we'll become pudgy Na'vi if we stop exercising? I don't think I've ever seen one."

"Exercise will look easy once we start training" Cheryl groaned miserably at the likelihood of aching muscles and wrote in the dirt with her finger to mumble meekly, "I don't want to tame an ikran-"

"Le gasp, Cheryl" I dramatized frantically to her admission and slapped my hands over my cheeks as I swooned my head onto her shoulder.

She laughed at my bewildered expression and chuckled in delight as she admitted softly, "I'm happy doing this down to earth stuff. Cooking. Clothes making. Foraging for fruits. Preserving herbs. My botany research is practically coming to me every day."

"Like Max said, once you master the ikran, you can do as you wish" I reminded gently with total agreement to whatever she wanted to do with her life here and was sure Cheryl would be happy in a calm easygoing environment. Sure, Pandora wasn't the safest planet with its wilderness but as long as she remained in Hometree, she'd be out of harm's way.

"Well, I want to be one of the guys and tame my ikran" Norm piped up energetically with a dopey grin and motioned with his hands in similarity to a flying ikran. His tail batted us in the face as he made a sharp turn and he stopped in his steps to give us a bashful, "Sorry!"

"Norm" we chuckled to his energetic nature but let him carry on in his boyish daydream.

"I have to go journal what I did today so I'll be upstairs on our branch" I informed the crew on the area Cheryl and I would reside in from now on and stood up with a lazy yawn. The days on Pandora exhausted me more than those during Hell's Gate but I found the exercise and the point of actually having _something _meaningful to do simply wonderful. The walk up the spiral stairway was soon becoming easier to hike with daily repetition and for residing on the lowest branch. I didn't even want to think of how long it would take me to climb to the top. The tree was wide enough to make natural walking (even sleeping) platforms to accommodate groups of walking Na'vi before the thick branches extended outwards towards the open sky.

I didn't mind walking this area but I didn't dare venture to the higher levels and I wouldn't until my teacher prepared me to. Falling to my death wasn't something I would go in headfirst without experience. I couldn't wait to see who it would be but at the same time, I was nervous at whether they would like me as a student. Oh, how I hoped I got Neytiri.

Quiet murmurs and shuffles of feet passed by the most commonly visited level and I stopped in front of my neat alcove to search for my laptop. I filled most of the left side with clothing while the right contained other belongings I brought with me. My computer was protected inside my backpack and I easily dug it out, clutching it to my chest as I walked over to sit down at the sloped corner between the tree branches. I wasn't frightened of sitting so close to the edge anymore and let my feet dangle in the air for a moment before they found footing in rough grooves below in case I needed to catch my balance. With a relaxed smile, I turned on my computer and began journaling every detail of my day as everything around me blended mutely into the background.

"_Why aren't you below hearing Ninat and her singers?" _Tsu'tey's voice tickled my left ear minutes later and I flinched since I hadn't noticed him kneeling there beside me. My hands almost lost their grip on the computer and I placed one over my beating heart to calm it down as I avoided glancing at him. Damn stealthy man. I could hear that trademark smirk in his voice when he teased in a low voice, _"You are too easy to frighten."_

"_Most people would politely announce their presence" _I remarked stiffly to remain neutral in voice and kept typing into my journaling program without glancing back at him. I was still pretty miffed about the direhorse incident because he left me alone to deal with animals I knew nothing about and could've gotten my head kicked in. I bet he would've loved that.

I continued typing, allowing my nails to purposely raise the clacking noise to show him I was currently occupied and simply asked, _"Did you need something? I am busy right now."_

"_You are bitter from this afternoon" _he spoke up knowingly but I simply kept typing, offering no word about it. If he wanted a peep out of me, he'd have to apologize for leaving me behind without warning me. I mean, who leaves a person without experience to handle wild animals. . .okay, I know they're tamed somewhat but still!

Instead, he sinks himself into a deeper ditch with this smartass reply, _"I thought you could handle yourself but I was horribly mistaken. I will make sure you are carefully supervised for hereon."_

"_If you wanted an award for crappiest apology, you just got it" _I muttered under my breath as I shook my head to his cold demeanor and typed in all the awful tortures I could imagine into my document. I'd edit it later (I didn't want whoever read this one day to think I really killed an ex-Olo'eyktan Na'vi) but for now, it would suffice my lust for revenge instead of a verbal fight. He kept getting under my skin every day with his varying moods and I stated firmly to flick him away like a bothersome fly, _"You don't have to teach me anything else, Jake is assigning a teacher for me and I'm sure they will be much more understanding. I believe our temporary association will end tomorrow."_

"_Joanna-"_

"_I have work to do if you don't mind" _I spoke coolly without a hint of hesitation and returned to my typing. Hah, let him taste a bit of his own high and mighty attitude. My mouse brought up a file pertaining to the rites of passage and I began highlighting a few areas of interest, giving him the cold shoulder. Unfortunately, Tsu'tey was a very insistent person in getting his way and my subtle hints wouldn't dissuade him.

"_Very well, but I still have one item to take from you and you owe me another _ass-traw-naw-mee _lesson" _he pointed out haughtily as he tried to pronounce the subject correctly with a sour face and I grumbled in complaint because he was right. I'd probably stick to a simple subject like dwarf planets to shoo him away quickly and get a good night's sleep without his impudent mouth.

"_In a minute" _I told him absentmindedly but before I could read over the data on the screen, he ripped the laptop out of my hands and tossed it down into the bioluminescent field below. Oh my. . .What the hell did he just do to me?

My face shifted into a look of sheer horror and dismay as my heart sank at seeing my precious computer plummeting down into a speck before the field below engulfed it into nothingness. Years worth of information had just been silenced by this careless oaf! I would've thrown myself after it loyally if the fall wouldn't have been fatal to me and felt a part of me die with it. How could he _do _that to me without even asking? I mean, was this man maniacally insane?

Tsu'tey remained oblivious to what he'd just done to me and remarked with pride that shocked me even further, _"There. No more tawtute item for today and you are free to speak to me now."_

My eyes stayed locked on the open field below me, holding onto false hope that _maybe _it survived the fall. Oh, who was I kidding! My laptop was as extinct as a tiger and it wasn't coming back. I stood up furiously in indignation to his callous actions and clenched my fists to shout at him, "What the hell? How dare you take my computer without consent? Do you've any idea what you just did?"

"_Yes, freed you from your materialistic ways" _he snapped sharply with a hiss as he stood up to glare down at me in challenge and I hissed angrily at him despite being the weaker one of the two. There was no apologetic tone in his voice as he spat harshly, _"That is a tawtute item! It does not belong here with-"_

"You ruined all of my work regarding your world! You insufferable man!" I shouted furiously without reserve as he basically ruined everything I had typed into the customized computer since my arrival on Pandora years ago because human-sized hard drives just weren't compatible for data backups. I spent nights working on the thing while everyone snoozed in the Avatar sleeping bunker just to keep my data current with all of my new observations and findings. I even wrote in it during break time in my own body, clacking away at the overlarge keys to input my daily logs. Now, in the blink of an eye, this stubborn man ruined years of work, _my _work, simply because I ignored him.

"_Why would you take things without asking, didn't your mother teach you better? You. . .you. . ." _I argued crossly to his logic and jabbed my index finger into his chest roughly as anger clouded my words. I didn't care if he _was _the best of the best, I'd show him _my _best when his rear end made tsaheylu with my foot.

Realizing I was wasting my breath on this cold hunter and the fact that I would more than likely get my ass handed to me, I furrowed my brow to growl heatedly, _"Forget it, you're not worth an argument."_

With a final sharp hiss of dislike aimed at him, I stomped away to head down the spiral staircase with quick graceless steps that had me dodging Na'vi left and right whom were heading in the opposite direction. I had a misstep or two along the way (the rough random patches of grooves could catch you unaware) but luckily, I reached the bottom without falling and plowing people down like bowling pins. That lightened my spirit somewhat because my strides were anything but neat and hoped my training would take care of that. My line of sight spotted Cheryl heading towards the stairs as I reached the base and she made a beeline for me with confusion riddling her usually serene face. Uh-oh, what happened now? Before I could ask, she questioned uncertainly, "Jo, did your computer fall?"

"No, the stupid prolemuris who torments me daily threw it" I replied bitterly with anger aimed right at him instead of my friend and clenched my fists to shake them at my sides to pent out a bit of the rage surging inside. Oh, if only I could choke him until he turned purple, it would be _so _gratifying. I noticed Cheryl had five black keyboard keys in her right hand and my shoulders slumped instantly as I sighed depressingly, "Oh no."

"I was talking to a few of the singers before their choir starts in a few minutes but long story short, that thing almost hit us on the head" she told me with a nervous pitch in her voice, most likely because of that idiot's actions, and she patted the top of her head to emphasize what could have happened. It made me rethink my whole belief that Tsu'tey was astoundingly of sound mind. Cheryl's lips turned downwards in a shy pout before she requested worriedly, "You need to tell your new best friend to cool it and stop throwing projectiles."

"He's _not _my best friend! If at all, he's my bully" I objected shrewdly at such an insinuation that he and I were on such tight knit terms. . .all right, yesterday he was normal but today. . .seriously, was Tsu'tey bipolar? He could be friendly to me when he wanted to but within minutes, he could turn his friendly demeanor into spitefulness. I grabbed her arm desperately as questions filled my mind along with a knot tying in my stomach and pleaded to the whereabouts of my item, "Where's my computer, Cheryl?"

She tugged me along towards the entrance without stopping, precisely avoiding any obstacles in our way, and advised gently, "It's not pretty."

I was led directly to a spot on the left side of Kelutral, right underneath where my private nook and future home of my hammock were located and groaned wretchedly as I saw my laptop in a broken heap of pieces all over the dirt. So much for trying to put it back together. I kneeled down next to my broken (and quite costly) laptop as black chunks and tiny pieces laid scattered everywhere but held the largest chunk that consisted of the motherboard towards my chest to dramatically wail, "Noooo!"

"Joanna, you're going to make people think you're being murdered!" Cheryl chastised me from behind and lightly smacked me behind the shoulder to stop my screeching. I didn't care at the moment and my laptop deserved such reaction after years of valuable service to me.

"My brain is so that counts" I retorted in justification and gently placed the shattered computer on the ground to slump over it in pitiful mourning. What could I turn to now when I wanted to ignore people I didn't like? Computers were a handy excuse for that. My fingers grazed over the scattered pieces for a moment before dusting them off on my shorts and groaned out a sigh between my lips, "This little guy meant more to me than any member of my family ever did and it was a hell lot nicer than his killer."

. . ."It was a _he_?"

"Oh Cheryl, I had everything saved in here- documents, journals, reports, e-books" I sighed morosely to my longtime bundle of work that was now gone and slumped my shoulders in regret that I was now free of technology. Didn't that overgrown prolemuris know how addicting techno gadgets were to my species? I smacked my fists against my knees in an attempt to express my anger when I really wanted to rip Tsu'tey's ears off to smack him with them and grumbled irritably, "I took such good care of it. . .now all I have are my scribbled notes back at Hell's Gate. I have my original laptop too but with these fingers, I'll probably type in three letters with one finger!"

She sat next to me like the perfect dutiful friend that she was and whom I always wanted, mostly because of all the books I'd read as a child filled with loyal companionship and adventuring. Cheryl listened on to my rants as I clutched her arm to huddle next to her like a sad puppy yearning for a warm body to take comfort from. At the moment, I felt like one. She stroked my head with her hand in support until I finished talking and assured me softly, "It will be all right. You're now living among the Omaticaya, you have no need to keep and add in research data anymore. Maybe this is Eywa's way of saying 'let your technology go'? Hmm?"

"No, she wouldn't kill a defenseless computer by channeling the prolemuris- if she wanted to help, she could banish Tsu'tey into an alternate dimension filled with Smurfs" I argued wryly to her point and crossed my arms stubbornly because I wanted to keep blaming the jerk. Sure, Eywa could be happy and vengeful at any given second but she was Eywa, she could get away with it without my say but Tsu'tey was mortal and within blaming rights. I pouted towards the entrance that glowed lightly from the cozy fire within and mumbled under my breath, "I don't want to see the singing today. I want to sleep this hectic day off before it gets worse."

"I'm sure it will be even better tomorrow morning!" Cheryl piped up cheerfully to contrast my sour mood and squeezed me as I glared at the dirt.

* * *

I set down a large clay jug full with water from the nearby springs so the cooks could use it to make their stew for dinner later on tonight. Honestly, I could eat their delicious broth whether it was humid and hot or cold and windy; it was just that good. I had no problem preparing stews (spending my childhood summers with my grandmother helped with that) and always sat down with the cooks to watch each of the vegetables they cut up, every herb that was crushed or cut, and saw for the first time a little round but tough seed they used to dye their food an orange color. Apparently, the seed was multipurpose for food, cloth, and paints. Cheryl sat next to me as she helped to prepare enough tea portions for each member of the tribe and happily chatted away with us with her friendly mood.

"It's so good to actually hold fresh food in our hands rather than that packaged stuff companies sold on Earth" she told me excitedly as strands of black hair framed her face from her unkempt ponytail (I'd braided her hair twice today and had no idea why it got so messy quickly) and I agreed with a smile of my own. Norm offered his own agreement in a laugh from where he practiced swiping at the air with a knife Jake let him borrow. I hoped that knife would remain clean with no accidental blood splatter because Norm tended to be accident prone.

"_Way _better than that seaweed crap they raised, it didn't even taste like real seaweed, more like chewy rope" I muttered disdainfully in remembrance to the stale food that tasted nothing like the fresh purity of Pandora's and shook my head at humanity's inability to coexist. You'd think they had learned a thing or two after conquering lands and annihilating indigenous peoples but no. I tsked to myself as I grabbed a few veggies to cut and scoffed in distaste, "I bet my gram's rolling in her grave at what humans eat nowadays."

My parents were people that opted for convenience and what was easy for everyday life. Anything fresh was costly growing up since the day I was born, May 18, 2126, and the only place I ever saw fresh items were in my grandmother's personal greenhouse. She had grown up with parents that were for green power (one of the last conservationist generations) but humankind's needs for modern conveniences and technological advances soon put it to an end. My gram went to the grave believing that we should let our planet thrive and live around it, not cutting it down to mold it into what we wanted. Humans were perfectly molded for survival when they coexisted with nature as it pushed our species to its limits but now, we were lazy and let our machines do everything for us as if we were helpless children. She was right though, in my view anyway, because now our planet was crap. I adored spending time with her in what was left of the free outdoors in Vermont and learned about her life stories as she taught me how to cook from scratch (something that was nonexistent then and now with kitchenware). My parents were the total opposite of her and lived in the crowded cities which I abhorred for the lack of room to run free. I grew to hate the cities once I entered college but that was another story.

"I'm so glad I got to leave that dank cesspool behind and Mo'at practically gave me my Christmas present by letting me stay here" I chirped happily with a childish grin and cut a white round vegetable that was very sweet to the taste buds and mixed perfectly with the broth with its meaty taste after it absorbed the haxapede fat from the cut meat. Toddlers enjoyed nibbling on the sweet vegetable while older children ate it to keep them healthy from any elemental illnesses.

I heard a whistle in the distance and Norm spoke up eagerly behind us, "Jake and Max are calling us."

"What for?" I asked curiously to what our almighty leader had planned up his sleeve today and placed my knife on a clean boulder that served as a cutting board. Grabbing a few pieces that came from the start and end of the vegetables, I threw the remnants at a few tapiri foraging around the base of Hometree since the clan let them waddle in to eat leftovers and they never caused problems. I didn't see why SecOps always made fun of them, they were adorable and sometimes followed you like loyal puppies. Max liked to groom the 'regulars' as we called them whenever they stopped to chew on plants that the clan didn't use while Cheryl offered leftover food that we had no need of.

Norm gave me an amused expression as a little plump tapirus waddled by between us as it sniffed for food and he told me knowingly with a teasing voice, "That's usually the whole point, Joanna."

"You can't out joke me, I made you!" I laughed to his obvious remark and stood up with a polite farewell to the cooks who smiled in return as they threw their own leftovers to the happy tapiri nearby. I yanked Cheryl away as she tried to finish mincing another serving of herbs but pulled her along by the wrist to see what all the fuss was about with our leader.

We met Jake at the entrance of Hometree and despite our ramble of curious questions, he refused to say anything until all fifteen of us human born Na'vi met up before him with confused but excited expressions. All of us murmured to each other eagerly as to what he could possibly want but Jake simply instructed us, "Follow me, people."

Like trained puppies, we followed the Omaticaya leader and he led us to one of the separated clearings on the left where the pa'li currently resided for daily exercise. He and Max talked amongst themselves while I strained to hear what they were saying but got squat, only an eyeful on what high ranking male attire was from Jake's side. He no longer donned the simple garb that befitted a young warrior but carefully weaved cloth of multiple warm colors of red and orange that leaders wore (depending on their clan colors) and I swore he put more feathers in his hair with every day that passed. The good thing about him was that his friendly and easygoing attitude never changed with his new rank. Most leaders on Earth became pompous and overbearing with power but Jake was casual about it.

Quietly, I crept up behind them with my best stealthy steps as Cheryl objected to my eavesdropping but I only caught the words 'it's best' before they halted without warning. I bumped into both of them clumsily since I didn't stop to avoid getting caught and they turned in surprise to my presence there. I offered a sheepish smile as my foot tapped a nearby rock to ward off my appearance of being embarrassingly guilty and nervously piped up, "Hi. I was, um, admiring your, um, feathers there. Very chic."

Jake gave Max a knowing look to my behavior (I sucked at eavesdropping and Na'vi senses made it even worse for me to achieve) and commented slyly, "I have the _perfect _teacher for her."

"Neytiri?" I blurted happily to the possibility of nabbing the coveted huntress but they laughed.

"_Everybody _is asking for her" Jake exhaled amusingly with a shake of his head and pointed out for everyone to hear, "But only one will get her training though."

He sidestepped to allow us a better view of the clearing containing the new archery field and I noticed a band of fifteen hunters lined up in the center. Fifteen of them for fifteen of us. God- I mean, Eywa- I hoped I got Neytiri. I frowned deeply in distaste when I noticed Tsu'tey among the numbers as he talked to a band of two since everybody knew the man but wasn't surprised since he was known as the best here. Please, Eywa, _anyone _but him. After yesterday's fiasco, he was the last person I wanted to talk to unless he manned up and apologized. Norm walked up to Jake as I fell behind to stay with Cheryl and he asked curiously, "I'm guessing you're out on this one?"

"Olo'eyktan duties" he answered with a smile and motioned to the group for silence with a clap of his hand. I chuckled as he had trouble switching from his goofy grin to business mode and I assumed he was still having issues fitting into the role that required stoic suaveness. I could see why the Omaticaya wanted Tsu'tey, the man was like a rock with emotions while Jake tended to be on familiar terms with everybody. He fiddled with a few braids that fell before his eyes and after that, clasped his hands behind his back in military pose to inform us, "You will now be assigned a teacher for your path to Iknimaya and I chose them carefully to suit your abilities so _no _backsies. They will teach you until you are ready so no complaints because they are experienced in hunting while you know squat. Unless they manage to almost kill you, only _then _will I reconsider. Once I call your name and send you to your teacher, mingle to get to know each other and in twenty minutes, I will see everyone back here for further instructions."

He pointed to Max since the two obviously planned this beforehand and motioned to a female huntress. She had the right side of her head shaved and the left side swept over her face at an angled cut while longer pieces of hair were braided randomly with bright colored beads at the end that reached her shoulders. Damn, she looked like the Na'vi version of a punk rocker. She was certainly the tallest female there and her gait made Neytiri appear like an innocent kitten so I'd tread carefully. Jake introduced her to us with a smile that didn't ease most of us (including me), "Peyral will be Max's teacher and she is known as one of the strongest huntresses. I won't say best because Neytiri may spear me where the sun doesn't shine."

Leave it to Jake to lighten a situation with a bodily harm joke.

I stood next to Cheryl and watched in anticipation with gripping tension biting at my muscles to see how the whole student-teacher relationship would start off. Max and the huntress spoke briefly in incoherent mumblings before Peyral smacked him clear across the head. We all withheld gasps and a few 'ouchies' echoed behind me as we held unison sentiments. Poor Max massaged the top of his head pitifully as the huntress sighed aloud and he called over to us with a calm voice, "Apparently, lacking eye contact allows the enemy to strike. . .good to know."

"Okay, next up is. . ."

Half the crowd disappeared before Cheryl's name popped up and both Neytiri and Tsu'tey remained in the line of available teachers. Even the good looking hunters were gone (sue me, but I was a woman and there was nothing wrong with looking at them). Please Eywa, give me Neytiri. I will name my first child after you! Heck, give me _all _girls and all of them will be called Eywa in your honor!

"Cheryl?"

"Gih!" she squeaked nervously, grasping my arm involuntary but I squeezed her shoulder to tell her to stop being so edgy. With nimble steps, Cheryl walked over hesitantly as she wrapped her arms around her sides and warily eyed the hunters before her.

Jake patted her back to ease the woman's tension and pointed to a hunter near his own stature. The man's hair was styled similarly to Jake's but all of it was entwined in one single braid unlike other hunters who left a few random braids outside the queue braid. His garb was similar to the hunters but there was something different about him that I couldn't pinpoint. Jake, however, spoke up before I could think of it and practically answered it, _"Noren will teach you. I know you tend to be skittish so as a singer, I'm sure he'll soothe your nerves. He's great at teaching students and he likes to talk on just about anything since singing is more his thing than hunting."_

"This sounds more like the Dating Game, Na'vi version" I commented dryly with a small laugh and stopped short when Jake stared directly at me with a mischievous smile. Oh crap, what was he going to do to _me_?

"What's that evil grin for? Jake-"

"That's Olo'eyktan to you right now, missy" he joked with that evil glint in his eye and I slouched in my spot for opening my yap in the first place as Cheryl left to join her new teacher. Jake wasn't kidding, the guy instantly perked up to her and began chatting to Cheryl who surprisingly didn't seem to mind it one bit. Lucky them. My friend's cocky smile didn't strike me with confidence and he informed me happily, _"Now, Joanna, for your tendencies to be persistent in everything you do. . .and for being my joking nemesis. . .I have deemed it right for your teacher to be-"_

I shook my head violently as I desperately tried to stop him from saying what I dreadfully assumed he would, "Jake, c'mon man, I swear I'll tell Neytiri you're scared of-"

"Tsu'tey."

Time practically froze for me at that point.

"You planned this, didn't you? I hope we have bladder polyps today, you glowing pickle scaredy cat" I grilled shrilly because that pompous hunter was the last man on Pandora I wanted to spend time with at this point and crossed my arms defiantly. I sniffed in insult and spat out, "I am _not _having that unbearable louse as my teacher."

"Then I wish you good luck on your own because you and he are partners for the next several months" he grinned mischievously without room for question to my deadlock and I wanted to wipe that smirk off. Why was Jake _always _trying to push me into Tsu'tey's vicinity? Did he really want us to end up killing each other? What exactly was he expecting from us? We were like two positively charged ions, we'd repel each other rather than cooperate. . .especially after his latest screw-up.

I whined pitiful gibberish under my breath and stomped over to where Tsu'tey was stepping backwards for every step I took towards him. You see? We would not pair well; he was the tart bubbly Champagne and I was the sweet chocolate cake that would create World War IV around us. Neytiri had to slap his shoulder lightly in attention to get him to behave and I scowled at him despite my smaller stature. He was undeterred by my rebelliousness but had a sour face that distinctly read that he'd rather be anywhere _but _here. My face fell for being stuck with him and I dug my fingers into my hair when I heard Jake declare from behind, _"Norm, for your determination to be one of The People, your teacher is Neytiri."_

"Oh, come on!" I exclaimed frantically to the choice I'd been praying for go up in smoke and balled my hands into fists as I sulked inwardly for my loss. Why was I the one stuck with this uncaring hunter? My mind briefly flickered to what Eywa had told me about my teacher being relentless and I almost groaned aloud for my stroke of luck. I kicked at the dirt listlessly as Norm jogged over to meet Neytiri with a happy grin that was always present as of late. Oh, they were going to get along wonderfully while I would be praying Tsu'tey didn't leave me stranded in the forest to fend for myself as he enjoyed a piece of candy without a care somewhere safe. With a disappointed sigh, I mumbled dolefully with a childish pout, "It's not fair. I get this Dr. Seuss _thing _and he gets the princess."

"_I am not a thing" _Tsu'tey snapped sourly to the name calling but I could see he was trying to hide his confusion regarding who Dr. Seuss was (I wasn't going to tell him either) and I blew a raspberry at him to puzzle him further. Nothing like Earth stuff to rattle that hardheaded Na'vi. Then he did something that took me aback completely.

He slapped the side of my shoulder.

A bold move which caused me to gape in surprise because Tsu'tey had never and I mean _never _touched me like that since we'd met. A curious poke and irksome pull of the tail, yes, but actual skin contact? Never. The strike hadn't hurt, he meant it as a warning tap if any but _still_. While I was stuck in my mental stupor, he barked out an irrefutable command, _"You are my student and will treat me with respect and no more tawtute language from now on. Am I clear?"_

I ignored his existence completely because I was still fuming over my computer's assassination and turned my back to him. Part of me was hopping giddily at being so bold towards a man that ranked at the top of the hierarchy while the other was cringing in impending doom. Either way, I gave a friendly smile to Norm and congratulated him on the lucky win that everyone wanted, "You're _so_ lucky, pal."

Norm stared awkwardly between both of us (no, not him too!), seeing the obvious tension that we refused to acknowledge, and Neytiri decided to end it by scolding at us, _"Stop behaving like children. Norm, we will take a walk before meeting with Jake."_

They left us alone with a pitter patter of steps that raised particles of dirt around our ankles and I watched everyone speaking with their teachers. . .with perfectly amicable smiles. Even shy Cheryl was laughing with her teacher. It wasn't fair! Why was I paired up with the most aggressive one in the gang? He'd probably shoot me with an arrow and call it a weapons malfunction. Plus, he ruined my computer and I wasn't ready to roll that over or the unwilling ride through mud either. We simply stared at each other impassively without a word as we tried to size each other up in challenge until someone walked over to us but we paid them no mind. If he wanted a staring contest, he'd get one!

A blue hand snapped its fingers in front of me and Jake's voice stated chidingly, "Nuh-uh. See, this glaringhere isn't going to happen. _You two are going to be the best of pals and train happily until Iknimaya. I will die a happy man if you two would swallow your pride and walk arm-in-arm."_

Tsu'tey glared at me one last time before turning his gaze away to bargain with him. To me, it sounded like he was throwing a bitch fit of epic proportion. So there I stood with a deadpan expression on my face while Tsu'tey ranted as if I were completely invisible, _"You cannot expect me to teach her, Jakesully. I am the best hunter in this clan and to be saddled with her of all people. . .it mars my ranking! Could you not give me one of the less volatile dreamwalkers?"_

"_Volatile? You launched my _computer _through the air and almost hit a group of women! You're the psychotic one with anger issues here, _Platypus_- I mean, Prolemuris!"_ I shot back for his description of my personality which he obviously disliked and yeah, I wasn't perfect by a long shot but he was no prize pick either. Frankly, our dynamics seemed to be heading in the opposite direction since yesterday and I'd mark us meters away from even walking on our imaginary friendship bridge when days ago we'd been heading for the center. Crossing my arms huffily, I muttered darkly under my breath, _"We're more liable to maul each other than get along."_

"_That's a risk I'm willing to take" _Jake replied slyly with an offhanded wave of his hand towards our wellbeing and I shook my fists in tantrum mode at why he thought we would make a good team. Ugh, I really did feel like a teenager that was unwillingly partnered up with the annoyingly lazy student in a class lab. Tsu'tey was glaring down at me from the corner of his eyes to set forth his dominance like a male lion while I kept my chin raised and my line of sight away from him like an irked lioness.

Why Jake thought we were two peas in a pod was beyond my comprehension. Maybe he saw something I didn't but then again, Jake had a LOT of crazy ideas. People still talk about the humongous Toruk (another crazy idea that could've backfired horribly), which had now made itself a nest at the top of Hometree to call its own when it wasn't out hunting or spending the night in its wilderness dwelling. Most of us thought he'd released the large beast into the wild until it actually _returned _to the Tree of Souls a week later so Jake kept his tamed Toruk and called him _Tsawke_. At first, he wanted to call him an absurdity of names like Tomato or Starburst but Neytiri tore into him and he chose seconds later. Needless to say, most ikran stay in their designated spots underneath his top level to stay out of its way but recently, Jake's been training him to act as a protector to the Omaticaya's ikran. Like I said, who knows what Jake's cooking up in that brain of his when he's already trying to make a Great Leonopteryx play Big Brother to a band of ikran.

Jake eyed each of us speculatively and changed his light tone into complete seriousness that showed his military background, _"I expect you two to act civilly towards each other like mature and polite individuals. Both of you will meet me at the front in twenty minutes and I want to see smiles. Can I trust you two to survive until then?"_

He pointed to me with an indicting finger that quickly reminded me he was clan leader and I did have to obey his say. I sometimes forgot that because of his playful manner and friendly way of speaking but listened loyally like any clan member would as he spoke firmly, _"Do not kill my best warrior."_

Tsu'tey smirked at me for being preferred over me (part of me was envious because I wanted to beat him at _something_) but Jake turned to him with the same tone and warning finger to order, _"Do not kill my friend either."_

I smiled impishly at Tsu'tey for having equal preference with Jake and his upper lip curled in distaste to show his sharp canines. Jake gave us the brush-off when his serious tone changed back to an uppity chirp that would've been a classic diagnosis for bipolar disorder and he cheered optimistically, _"All right, run along now."_

Tsu'tey hissed inaudibly under his breath with curses I wasn't able to hear and motioned for me to follow as he walked away with a stiff and hostile posture. Wow, he just screamed friendliness, didn't he? My tail swung to the sides agitatedly and I followed with a frown on my face since I obviously had no choice in the matter. Did Jake seriously expect me to follow this guy's every order? He would probably have me training from dawn till dusk. . .okay, that didn't sound too bad to my own persistent brain to succeed but still, I didn't think we'd ever get along. Even now, I was hesitant to speak up because he looked just about ready to kill something and I'd rather let him strangle me to death in his imagination than in real life. We walked around the border of a nearby pool the pa'li enjoyed drinking from and I smiled when I spotted colorfully flat and small rocks littering the area.

I had spent time with groups of little girls and young women as they designed necklaces for practically anyone in the clan with whatever pieces they found to wrap in dyed twine. It was embarrassing when a little girl, no more than six years old, had to teach me- an adult- the entire process (don't laugh) but I was getting the hang of it and I actually loved it. I had always been a d.i.y gal since my college days and making stuff without hurting the environment was awesome and that's what the Na'vi were about. Crafting jewelry was the most fun out of everything I'd done so far and I wanted to master it so people of all ages could wear my creations.

Kneeling down, I picked up whatever pretty rocks I could find hidden between crooks in the rocks and patches of green grass. Grays with little lines that gave them stripes. Brown mixed with colored dots. Oh, if only I knew were I could find naturally colored stones from mineral deposits. I cooed in affectionate awe when I found a little brown stone filled with taupe mottles that was just _perfect_. Oh, you are _so _going in my next bracelet.

"Ow!" I cried out when I felt a sharp tug on my tail and turned around to see my skxawng of a teacher looming over me with crossed arms and a serious frown. Great, what was he pissed about now? A bug stared at him funny?

"_Why is it that you have a short attention span? Not five minutes have passed and you are already focusing on something completely unrelated to the task at hand" _he chastised with acid dripping from his words and ran a hand over his face tiredly as I gave him a flat stare for the critique. So I tended to multitask and switch from one topic to another within minutes, big whoop. You'd think a hunter who wants you to think quickly on your feet would appreciate it but no. His golden eyes narrowed at me as I remained crouched at the pool's edge and he ordered briskly, _"Come."_

He turned around swiftly without further word and droned on to himself in a mess of colorful language. I rolled my eyes to his pushy attitude and pocketed my findings into my short's pocket to tag along after him. Instead of learning more about each other like Jake wanted to maintain peace, Tsu'tey decided to explain each field we would practice in without sparing a single glance at me or asking for input regarding my lack of skill. All in all, he was the overlord and I was the slave. So in turn, every time he talked, I mimicked him from behind and stirred a few laughs from my passerby Avatar companions to my boldness. Sharply, he turned towards me to see what all the laughing was about and I halted my mimics, whistling innocently as I believed he caught me. Luckily, he hadn't caught a peep of it but stared me down like a bug as he demanded roughly, _"Are you listening?"_

"Sir, yes, sir!" I piped up with a high pitch, mocking a military salute he did not understand. He headed off to the next area that was heavily shrouded in vegetation and I fought my way through tall grasses, receiving a bunch of backlash from the bushes where he gracefully stepped through. Honestly, this man was grinding my last nerve already and wished I could pull his braids right off his scalp since they were the only sound I could follow as the beads in his hair clacked up ahead as a signal to me. I was about to yell at him to stop trudging like a madman when I noticed a little woodsprite hovering to the right of me. Our location wasn't far from the Tree of Souls, a few hours walk away actually, and I wondered what it was doing way out here.

"_Tsu'tey, look!" _I called out excitedly to him so he could see it too since the Na'vi saw them as signs of Eywa but my friendliness was brushed aside by his brusque nature.

He was far ahead of me on this unknown and unmarked trail but I could hear his cold retort, _"I am not interested in your newest endeavor with rocks."_

I clenched my fists in the air to his insults and stomped my left foot into the soft dirt as I muttered aloud, _"Oh, he makes me so mad."_

I scoffed to his standoffish attitude and decided to make the side trip alone and followed the atokirina as it floated towards the interior of the forest again. It was so pretty and every time I saw one, I became mesmerized with the little critters. I'm sure my skxawng of a teacher wouldn't mind my leave one bit.

* * *

Jake stood before the assembled duos with a satisfied grin at completing this task (Neytiri could now stop nagging at him for it) and having it over with so he could focus on more important clan matters. Now, he could just sit back and learn all the other hundreds of tasks he needed to learn after Tsu'tey finished his morning lessons with Joanna. The hunter could switch from amicable to ruthless within seconds and Jake came close to bawling once when he couldn't remember part of their history regarding the sacred trees. He hoped Joanna fared better since she was a knowledge sponge and Tsu'tey demanded that his students pay attention thoroughly.

For the most part, the partnered pairs seemed to be getting along swimmingly and he glanced down the line of thirty gathered before him. Good, Max and Peyral seemed to. . .well, they were alive, that's what mattered. Cheryl kept her arms over her chest in a subconscious defense tactic to her shyness and. . .what the-

Jake could only blink in confusion as he deadpanned at seeing Tsu'tey in the line _without _Joanna. The hunter tried very hard to avoid glancing at the bare spot next to him and suddenly became interested in a nearby rock as if it was the newest thing in creation.

_Oh my, already? They just started talking!_, Jake thought in surprise at how the two individuals could behave within a short period of time whenever they were in close contact of one another.

"_Do not tell me you killed her" _he stated in disbelief as the anthropologist was nowhere in sight and prayed to Eywa that Tsu'tey hadn't dumped her in a pool or ditched her in the forest somewhere in an attempt to lose her. Before Jake himself reached terms of mutual camaraderie with the hunter, he made life completely unbearable for him and hoped he wouldn't do the same to Joanna. His military experiences had equipped him to brush off such attitude but his friend was an entirely different story.

Tsu'tey snorted at being blamed for such a thing because he was _not _careless with his students (despite how idiotic Joanna could be) and crossed his arms to reply roughly, _"No, I simply. . .misplaced her."_

"_It's only been twenty minutes" _Jake sighed tiredly and was starting to have second thoughts because it took a while to pair the two together after careful deliberation. He knew how tenacious the warrior could be (he gave him hell when they first met, after all) and believed that being with the open-minded Joanna would settle his worries over trusting the humans that decided to stay. Now, he wondered where in Pandora his friend had gone and if she was safe.

Tsu'tey, on the other hand, was bristling at losing the female and took it as a hit to his pride. Hunters kept constant vigilance of their every surrounding and she just plucked herself out of the forest without him knowing or hearing her. He didn't know whether to yell or throttle her when he found the damn woman. . .if she was alive, that is. He didn't want to think of that possibility either because Jakesully would really bite into him then for killing his friend and upsetting a clan leader would have you exiled faster than you could apologize.

"_You want me to go find her?" _he offered listlessly to his leader as the idea of searching for her was not appealing or enjoyable at all. He would have to take Aci's lead and strap it around Joanna's neck to make sure she wouldn't run off again. _That _idea was enjoyable for the humiliation he would instill.

"_That would probably be best" _Jake stated matter-of-factly and the warrior practically stomped into the forest behind them as everyone stared at him awkwardly but scrambled to get out of his way. Jake frowned slightly as anyone could see the anger radiating from Tsu'tey's retreating back and sighed under his breath, "Hmm, that's one reunion I don't want to be a part of."

* * *

_(Joanna's POV)_

"_Who's a cute little atokirina? You are and so are you and you. . ."_ I rambled on excitedly as I sat on a large fallen log in the forest while watching three woodsprites hovering above me. I had stopped wherever they decided to take a pit stop at and became their resting post which I didn't mind one bit. I loved these little guys so for them, I'd do anything.

Heck, I was having more fun with them than I ever had with Tsu'tey since we met and they did it by just floating around with their little waving tendrils. Just thinking about him boiled my blood but he was bad energy and my little friends liked good. One rested on my index finger while the other two floated idly overhead in a silent dance and I cooed affectionately with a wide toothy smile, _"I wish I could keep you but that wouldn't be nice of me."_

One of the hovering wood sprites began to move away deeper into the forest and its little companions soon followed loyally while I frowned to their new path. The one on my finger trailed behind the others as the last and I groaned aloud from my perch, _"Oh, no, don't leave."_

They were heading further into the brush and I wondered whether to follow them. The atokirina were mysterious little spirits, after all, and were believed to be connected as messengers of Eywa herself so maybe she was trying to tell me something? Either that or the little woodsprites were completely lost and wanted directions from me. I stood up to walk behind them slowly since the Na'vi trusted them and mumbled sheepishly as grass crunched under my boots, _"If you can hear me through them, Eywa, please don't let Tsu'tey kill me before I can complete Iknimaya."_

I didn't want to stray too far from Hometree for my safety but curiosity won over and who knows, maybe they would bring me an adventure. I should also start changing thinking gears from observant anthropologist to cautious hunter-in-training since dangerous wildlife could be just around the corner without warning. The atokirina hovered on without a care to my presence and I followed diligently until a blue hand appeared out of nowhere and slammed me against a nearby tree trunk. Instinctively, I kicked at the aggressor to free myself and narrowed my eyes to hiss dangerously, _"Tsu'tey! Let go of me!"_

Damn it, he found me.

"_You disobeyed my order to follow" _he snapped angrily and kept me pinned to the tree with his arm pressing horizontally against my collarbone as he applied pressure whenever I resisted. How the hell did I not hear him coming? Damn, he was better than I gave him credit for. He was downright furious as his brow furrowed deeply against his narrowed golden eyes and his fangs bared at me as he spat lividly, _"I will not be embarrassed before my Olo'eyktan by the likes of you."_

"_No, you do that all on your own"_ I shot back heatedly and bared my teeth to get him to back off but his grasp on me barely allowed me to swipe at his face. Damn, he sure knew how to lock an enemy in place. He hissed deeply at me in a way that frightened me for a second from its ferocity but the need for self-defense wiped it away. I kicked at whatever I could reach, threatening him with a shout that gave away our location to any predator, _"I swear if you don't let me go, I will kick you in the balls! You won't have a penis by the time I'm-"_

He tightened the pressure on my chest to my threat and I sank my teeth into his forearm to force my own release of anger and to stop the pain forming in my sternum. I tasted blood with its sweet coppery texture on my tongue and with my sharp canines, I knew it had to hurt and voila, Tsu'tey threw me aside like a rabid viperwolf. Just because I knew squat on hunting techniques didn't mean I couldn't hold my own in self-defense and street smarts. That had been one of the first things I'd done when I entered college; to learn self-defense.

I crouched cautiously on the grass as I eyed him for the next movement, raising my ears as far as they could to make sure no sound escaped my hearing, and spat at him sharply, _"I will not listen to a pompous hunter degrade me in public and stand there taking it without saying a word. You want respect, Tsu'tey, give me the same-"_

"_You are a child in the eyes of the Omaticaya, you have none!" _he sneered harshly as he sidestepped around me with hostile posture and I grabbed a round black rock to hurl at his head. Of course, the jerk dodged it with ease by fluidly sidestepping and I clumped grass under my hands in anger that he hadn't gotten some kind of bump for all the crap that spewed out of his mouth. His tail swayed behind him in irritated alertness as his ears flattened against his skull, lips hitching in that damn smirk to taunt, _"You even throw like one."_

"Oh!" I growled at his persistence to irritate me on every level and reached forwards to kick at his ankle with the sole of my foot but he jumped back easily. Damn it, why was he perfect at everything? I scowled at his reflexes and hoped I could stand my ground if he decided to beat the crap out of me this very second. Instead of lunging at me, he pointed to an unmarked path in the forest to our left and barked out another command, _"You will return with me or I will drag you by the hair, female or not."_

"_Absolutely not, you ruined my walk with the atokirina" _I objected crossly to his demand and scoffed to brush off his order since he'd ruined my stroll around the forest. The atokirina were long gone, especially after our tense rumble right now, and narrowed my eyes at him because he ruined it.

"_As if an atokirina would seek you in the first place" _he sneered disbelievingly and I clenched my fists to hurl a nearby stick at him but he swatted it away like nothing. Oh, he was just unbearable to be around now and I wanted to be rid of him so maybe Jake could see how he really was back at Hometree and possibly assign me somebody else as my teacher.

"_What reason would I have to lie? There were three of them and they headed that way before you slammed into me like a crazy thanator" _I shot back irritably to his inability to ever believe me on anything and stood up with a defiant hiss aimed right at him. This argument was going nowhere and he already ruined my peaceful walk so why waste my time. Raising my chin, I stated coolly to put in the last word, _"I will be returning home with or without you now."_

I walked off in the direction he'd pointed because I honestly had no idea on what paths I'd taken since my sight remained with the woodsprites only. How far was Hometree from here? From behind, I heard him snap back at me as calculative but audible footsteps followed mine, _"I am the dominant one here, not you!" _

His stride caught up with mine and he charged forwards to take the lead easily since his height surpassed mine by many inches. Lucky bastard. I wasn't about to take a back seat and let him lose me in this dense foliage so I hastened each of my steps, lengthening my strides as far as I could without tripping to keep up with him.

When I managed to grab a good lungful of air without panting, I muttered, _"Skxawng."_

He halted instantly to my slip of the tongue and turned around to grab me by the throat roughly as I struggled to free myself once more. Okay, I'll definitely watch my mutterings from now on to avoid this ugly scenario because I knew he could break me without working a sweat. My fingertips dug into his wrists to find the pressure point under them as he shook me once to rattle my movements and snapped strictly, _"You are my student and will treat me with unyielding respect. You will earn yours when you listen to what I teach you. Understood?"_

"_Yes. . .try not to spit on me next time" _I replied tightly and his piercing eyes narrowed into slits as he glared me down. At this point, I decided to be the loser and let him win this round since he was my teacher (and he could break my neck in a minute). I bit the inside of my cheek to swallow down what I _really _wanted to say to him and muttered bluntly, _"Fine. I propose we act civil but playful banter is allowed as long it doesn't attack vulnerabilities. We act out frustrations during training once I'm actually decent enough. . .you better be as good as Jake says or I will eat your eyes like candy."_

He said nothing to my offer but let go of my throat without any apology as I gingerly rubbed my sore skin from his abuse. Jerk. I could see why Jake grumbled about him back then when he used his Avatar and didn't appreciate being choked. Tsu'tey resumed his walk back to Hometree with that stiff and perfectly postured gait while I tried to weave carefully through the bushes but failed, getting prickly scratches on my arms as I pushed the plants back. The prolemuris finally agreed from up ahead and stated aloud, _"You will be my greatest challenge yet."_

I rolled my eyes to his smartass remark, avoiding a branch of leaves he allowed to smack me in the face but his plan horribly failed. Tell me _how _is he supposed to help me by being a pissed off thanator? I broke into a run as my sight surveyed the nearby surroundings of barely there paths made by the Na'vi and dense bushes, passing him by without a care and heard him growl at me. Instead of being snippy towards him, I changed my tone to see if it would bait him and yelled back in friendly challenge, _"Last one back to Kelutral is a smelly riti."_

Surprisingly, he followed suit after me and didn't hesitate to hold back the taunts, _"It doesn't count when you already are."_

"_Oh, you ugly prolemuris!"_

He ran past me in the forest with a haughty smirk on his face as he left me to bite his dust and his mocking voice taunted back between the thick foliage, _"It's better to be ugly than smelly!"_

Eywa graced me with heavenly intervention when Tsu'tey failed to see in front of him as he mocked me and smacked his head directly on a tree branch that stuck out and fell flat on his back with a hard but comical thud.

It goes to say you should never insult atokirina.

* * *

**A/N**: And Tsu'tey digs himself into another hole while Joanna shovels the dirt inside. This chapter was loads of fun to write and next chapter will have their first training session in 'All Work and No Play'. I usually answer your reviews but I will have to thank you all individually by name only because while writing this chapter (mostly the end), a beloved family member (one of my elderly great-uncles) passed away while on a trip to Canada so our family is morning his loss throughout four countries as relatives prepare to fly out of both the US and Canada. We are privileged to have loved ones in our lives and in tribute to my uncle, I wanted to post a little snippet from the second half of this Avatar fanfic depicting Tsu'tey and his relationship with his children because family is a special bond regardless if you're a father, mother, wife, husband, sister, brother, cousin, aunt, uncle, nephew, niece, step-parent, step-sibling, best friend, or grandparent, and it lasts unbroken throughout time. As if that wasn't bad enough, my pet hermit crab (Peanut) had to die a few days ago too from reasons unknown.

As for the baby of Tsu'tey and Joanna, I never thought of using twins but a lot of you asked for them along with the poll results on my profile (and reviews and PM's) so **twins **it is! Otherwise, a baby girl was second in place. I won't say anything on Neytiri and Jake but let's say Jake's genetic predisposition for being a twin will come in handy except in a way he never expected. I want to thank everyone who gave an answer because seriously, you guys made my outlining on paper so much easier! I'm past chapter 50 in outline where the children become prominent characters so thank you. To show my love, I've decided to give you the full name of one of the twins: _Tanhí te Lileyi Joan'ite_. You'll see why Tsu'tey names her _way_ later when she's actually born. And _this _is why I will love the interaction between the sweet and gentle tempered Tanhí (ironically, she gets no stubborn traits from either parent) and her overprotective father:

* * *

"Sempul, I have a question" Tanhí asked curiously as her feet dipped into the water on the shore, her toes gently flicking away tiny teal colored fishes that wandered too close towards the riverbank. She liked it when they tried to feed on her toes but despite the ticklish sensations, she doubted anything her feet had would be healthy for them and acted in protection to them. Her father simply nodded for her to continue as he cut away the bones of a speckled brown fish he'd caught that her mother was fond of and she smiled in regards to their never-ending fondness for one another.

Tsu'tey, however, almost lost a finger during his meticulous cutting when she asked innocently, "Is mating painful?"

Those were the _last _words he expected to hear throughout his lifetime because Tanhí was. . .well, his baby Tanhí! He'd break whoever tried to deflower his only daughter because _nobody _was good enough for her. A man could hunt down a Toruk with their bare hands and bring the carcass to him and Tsu'tey would still refuse them as a suitor. He was about to lecture that she wasn't old enough to know all about the mating process (even addressing the distinction between men and women had caused his blood pressure to drop years ago) but sighed mentally as he stared at her expectant face that was void of any child traits. He hated admitting that his little Tanhí wasn't so little anymore; if anything, she held many physical similarities to his mate from the age when he first met her. Ugh, he _never _should've agreed to Neytiri's proposition because his daughter was to be protected and there was no better place than the Atykwe clan. She was born there and should die there. Why couldn't it be her brother that asked this? He was better suited to explain mating in context to a male rather than a female, especially not his own daughter!

He hesitated as he tried to find the right words on the topic and tried to evade the matter by subconsciously stabbing the fish with his knife. It helped to ease the internal rage and awkwardness but he didn't want to ruin the meal he wanted to surprise his Joanna with. Beheading the dead fish, Tsu'tey brought up casually despite his inner turmoil, "Hasn't your mother explained this to you?"

"Yes but she didn't tell me what happens during mating in the emotional and mental aspect, just the physical act itself" she explained thoroughly, _too _thoroughly for her father's taste and Tsu'tey turned a few shades paler for being in that current situation. How did Jakesully do this with his daughters? He was already a broken shamble by a simple question. Men weren't equipped for this when all they wanted was to protect their children. Tanhí blinked as her father's face creased to something unknown to her and she leaned forward to ask worriedly, "Father?"

All Tsu'tey could do was improvise his answer to such a question and glanced at his knife as he raised it to his face. Joanna was so much better at this than he was, why didn't their Tanhí run to her? Uneasily, he looked at the knife in his hand as he tried to explain with a rough but cracking pitch in his voice, "Well, mating is- it's like a knife and a sheath, Tanhí. You have a sheath and although very delicate, a knife will fit in. . .oh Eywa, I _cannot _do this! **Joanna**!"

Tanhí tensed to his loud yell which probably scared off half the fish inside the large river and wondered why her father stopped speaking. Was it something she said? Frankly, she hadn't understood a single word of it but her father always held answers for everything so she'd been confident he could solve it. Her fingers fiddled with a bangle of bright yellow beadwork on her right wrist as she watched her mother walk up to them with a net in her arms as she stepped over the larger rocks that were used as stepping stones since they remained dry. She could hear her twin yelling at the fish to come back and heard a splash in the water a second later, most likely because he decided to go in after them. Her father remained on his perch next to the fish as he cleaned his knife in the shallow water nearby along with washing away the mental thoughts on the act of mating. For the first time in his life, Tsu'tey pondered what Joanna's father would think if he actually saw who mated his daughter (as if being an alien wasn't bad enough) and winced at the plights of fatherhood.

"Tsu'tey, you ruined our catch!" Joanna scolded in annoyance since her mate was adamant about stealth and couldn't believe _he'd _blown their fishing instead of a novice hunter. She threw the heavy brown netting at his feet as he projected a frown at the fish he was preparing, his foot absentmindedly kicking the net as if it were one of Tanhí's suitors. Joanna sighed at the loud splashing from the river causing her to shout sternly, "Kanei, you're hunting in a river, not the ocean!"

The splashing halted instantly and Tanhí watched her brother grumble towards shore as his loose hair draped over his face like a wet blanket, completely obscuring Kanei's features but it didn't hinder his steps. Tsu'tey pointed towards their daughter as she soaked her feet with a shy smile aimed at the fishes swimming by and he explained firmly with irrefutable order, "She has questions about mating. I've done _all _I can."

"Why don't I believe that?" she asked dryly to his obstinate frown and shook her head to his uneasiness towards the act of mating since it created their children in the first place. Out of both, his libido was insatiable so of course, _now _he chose to complain when their daughter had questions. Apparently, the facts of life didn't apply to their beloved Tanhí. He gave her a stubborn glare as he quickly placed his fish in a clean leaf to roast it later for her but said nothing of it. Joanna saw his little covert act and smiled at his sweet thoughtfulness while Tanhí wondered if she'd ever get a straight answer out of them.

Tsu'tey glanced at his mate pleadingly so she could take over the conversation because he felt at ease when his daughter wasn't asking about adult topics despite she was already a woman. Joanna found it both sweet and humorous that her mate was like a mother thanator whenever people told him Tanhí wasn't a baby anymore. It would turn to dismay when he beat hunters that stared at their daughter the wrong way or scared them off when they tried to be friendly. Her Tsu'tey would always be protective of their daughter, regardless of how old she was, and admired that trait since the day Tanhí and Kanei were born.

_Why couldn't Eywa let her stay a child?_, he thought grumpily towards his only daughter and Joanna patted his cheek fondly as she read every sentiment written over his face. Tsu'tey would never forget the delivery of their first children, especially Tanhí's, no matter how many years passed and always vowed to protect his twins. _I'll kill whoever hurts them._

"Sa'nu!" a boy's voice called towards them and Tanhí chuckled as her youngest brother scampered over with a large wooden bowl in his hands. His golden eyes never stopped glittering with excitement and Joanna quickly turned around to make sure he wouldn't slip over a rock and hurt himself as he carried his bundle. She'd nursed to many boo-boo's since he learned to walk but Eywa made her little one resilient in his mishaps.

Tsu'tey decided not to ask what he found interesting this time but heard him pipe up with confusion as he stared into the water filled bowl, "Sa'nu, I can't figure out what the little fishes eat. I scraped off some of the green stuff under rocks but they don't want it. I put tiny pieces of bread to see if they liked it but no. Should I grab some of the plants underwater?"

"No, the tide's too strong for you and maybe the little fishes aren't hungry, eveng" Joanna chuckled softly to his enthusiasm to learn everything about the world and kissed his round cheek affectionately as Aník smiled happily at his mother. She patted a boulder next to her mate, who looked more than ready to leave, and ordered gently, "Sit with your father and stay within his sight-"

"But sa'nu, the fishes-" Aník whimpered sadly for being stuck on land when he wanted to frolic in the water but Tsu'tey put an end to it by pointing to the boulder next to him. Their son tried to appeal to him by clasping his hands over his small chest and gave him an innocent pout as he spoke softly, "Sempu-"

"On the rock" Tsu'tey stated simply because the innocent baby look only worked its magic when they were under five years of age and all three were past that stage. He withheld a smile as his youngest placed the bowl on the ground and quietly apologized to the animals as he sat down. Honestly, he was _exactly _like his mother. . .well, if she'd grown up a Na'vi, that is.

"What about childbirth? How do you even know when you're pregnant?" Tanhí spoke up and this time, Tsu'tey had to physically cringe as he muffled an uncomfortable groan in his throat. This was torture! It was hard enough knowing his little Tanhí wasn't so little anymore but the idea of being a grandfather at this point sent him reeling away from the women. Enough was enough.

He grabbed his son by the wrist and guided him away from their secluded spot as Joanna chuckled to his discomfort, knowing she'd have to settle his worries later on. Their son tried to keep up with Tsu'tey's long strides as he complained aloud about his lost treasures, "But sempu, the fish-"

"We can find more fish, Aník" Tsu'tey lectured quickly to save himself from the mother-daughter talk and headed off to fetch his oldest to save what they could from their fishing trip. Now, he had to endure his bawling son as he cried rivers of tears about losing his fish and leaving them to starve. Boys he could deal with but females were an entirely different species.

* * *

Next time on **'Tsu'tey, the Skxawng'**:

Have I ever said how much I love Na'vi breakfasts?

Unlike modern diets on Earth where I lived, the Omaticaya ate larger meals at morning to give everyone sufficient energy for their upcoming tasks. Hunters usually ate the most to keep their stamina and strength to full capacity while the elder population was satiated with light meals to help them with their work indoors. There was no such thing as lunch but snacking occurred whether by fresh fruit for carbohydrates that brought energy or shredded Hexapede meat with a piece of bread for protein to build muscles and maintain the work schedule. The last meal of the night wasn't as large as breakfast but decent enough for those that kept working after sunset but most relaxed to hear the singers or reenacted plays pertaining to the songs of old.

I nibbled on a piece of _niag _which similarly resembled freshly curded cheese and I loved the salty taste as it squeaked under my molars before I added a piece of soft bread into the mix. Healthy grains, fruit, meat, and niag really made a hearty meal that filled one completely for the day ahead. Since we were appointed teachers yesterday, Cheryl kept nibbling in smaller bites as her nervousness took over while Norm tended to gobble everything down in eagerness to start the day. I will willingly admit that I am constantly nervous over what Tsu'tey will have me do but our first day hasn't really started so I can only hope for the best.

Unfortunately, the best was yet to come.

I was about to ask Cheryl to trade a piece of her niag for my naxa fruit when Tsu'tey burst in unannounced to wedge himself between us. Cheryl could only scoot away to the left to give us space with a politely shy smile which he returned respectfully and I rolled my eyes at how he could be a gentleman to just about _everyone _but me. Last time I checked, I was still a female and a lot nicer than he was.

"What now, prolemuris?" I sighed tiredly because I wasn't in the mood for an early fight and batted his knee when it came in contact with mine. He uttered a low hiss at me for the physical touch (it's not like he didn't manhandle me yesterday unless he suffered amnesia) and I hit his back with the fluff of my tail to shut him up. His hand instantly reached out to yank the end of it and his narrowed eyes shot me a warning glare that caused me to end it.

"Joanna" I heard Max say in a lecturing tone from off to my right and I sighed under my breath for gathering attention. I didn't like being in the spotlight but if Tsu'tey kept hounding me incessantly, it would be unavoidable.

"But he started it" I argued weakly to our small argument but knew everyone would take Tsu'tey's side over mine. He was the Omaticaya's Mr. Popular and everyone's go-to guy while I was the invisible tapirus. I tried to ignore his presence next to me since he sought me out instead of the other way around and waited for him to speak. Obviously, with a man like him, it wouldn't take long.

His lips hitched downwards in a scowl before he leaned forwards to state sharply, "My name is Tsu'tey, you skxawng-"

I could practically smell the morning fruit on his breath and quickly cut in to retort, "And my name is Joanna, prolemuris-"

Norm cut into our little fight with muffled laughter as he sat next to me on my right and blurted amusingly to everyone, "I swear you two belong in a _sitcom_."

"Eat your breakfast, Norman Allen Spellman" I reprimanded with a warning finger because we were not friendly funny in the slightest and he pouted to my use of his full name. There was no way I could ever be mad at him and patted his shoulder to let him know to never take my words seriously. He was like Cheryl, completely innocent and friendly to those that returned the kind sentiment and I treasured their friendships after lacking them on Earth.

Tsu'tey placed a leaf plate next to mine and I arched my left brow to the assortment of colorful fruits and porridge. Frankly, I was at a loss to the meaning and hoped to Eywa he hadn't just presented me with an old-fashioned bride price because we were incompatible to say the least. That, and I'd probably have a heart attack if he actually had such feelings because I sure didn't. Thankfully, he set aside my exaggerated worries when he explained carefully, "You will be adding this or substituting it to your morning meal regimen- either will suffice. No student of mine will slack off nor will they run out of energy or I will leave you in the training field without sparing a single glance."

"What if a thanator's after me?" I demanded worriedly to his cold manner in training (I liked grumpy Tsu'tey better than this guy) because at least Neytiri stayed to check if Jake died or not during training. Didn't my carcass deserve a little inquisitive prod from his bow to see if I twitched instead of a stubborn stomping off?

"Child, be proud that I'm training you in the first place" he hissed irately to my questions but I was completely in the right to ask questions regarding my life if he was going to boss me around. Tsu'tey shoved the food in my direction and I bared my teeth at him to show I wouldn't submit to being minimized but grabbed the meal anyway.

I was going to be full with the meal I had already served myself since I never expected this. . .I wasn't sure on calling it kindness or parenting but grabbed a few pieces of bright violet fruit to nibble on. Apparently, he didn't trust me and kept watching until I finished the piece before nodding in satisfaction. I steadied my gaze on the leaf plates and grumbled under my breath, "I'm still mad at you for killing my _computer_."

"I shouldn't have to explain myself to you, I am your teacher" he snapped sharply with a heated scowl that made me cringe slightly because he looked ready to kill something. I almost groaned aloud when he went back to criticizing me like months ago as he pointed out haughtily, "You are an inexperienced novice and a clumsy person while I'm a seasoned warrior, a master archer, ikran makto-"

"A foul skxawng-"

"-A foul- _Joanna_!" he practically yelled at me with a deeper timbre in his voice but it wasn't my fault he fell for my add-ons. Oh, but it made me laugh like a hyena. I couldn't help but be amused by his deep set scowl as golden eyes burned at me like molten gold and I resisted from angering him further by poking his nose. He absolutely hated it when I tried it yesterday at night as he corrected a few of my words in his language because they had become obsolete. I kept attempting the new pronunciation as he listened on but once he started zoning off into his own mind, I had poked him right where the rosy pink hue melted into cyan. . .and boy, was he pissed. Colorful language ensued while I acted like I knew none of it and let him stomp off to sleep. He came back a minute later as if nothing happened to ask about his astronomy lesson. Tsu'tey was seriously one of a kind.

I busied my hands with the meal he brought me and piped up casually to retain civility during breakfast, "What if I can't eat all of it?"

"Bring it with you, we have a long hike to Hell's Gate" he stated briefly and began to stand up but I pulled him back down by the attire wrapped around his stomach (I still hadn't asked what it was called) and caused him to fall right on his ass. He shot me a glare reminiscent of when I'd fallen off the tree root and onto him days before so once again, I flashed him an innocent smile because I didn't mean to hurt him in any way. Besides, it's not like I pulled at his loincloth and caused a wardrobe malfunction for all the clan to see. Now, _that _was something to raise hell about.

"Sorry, but what are we doing there?" I asked curiously as to why he wanted to go there of all places since he disliked anything relating to the human species more than anyone I knew. A man like Tsu'tey seemed to be more akin to the forest or areas with foliage instead of an open military base. What was so interesting about Hell's Gate for my first day?

This time, it was his turn to grin at me but it appeared more devious than kind. I stared at him awkwardly because devilish gazes leaned more towards something humiliating and the bright twinkle in his eyes didn't settle the growing bundles of nerves forming in my stomach. Unfortunately, Tsu'tey gave nothing away and he spoke nonchalantly with hint of cleverness laced in his voice, "Oh, you'll see."

Damn.

* * *

A/N: Again, I apologize for not responding to you in this chapter but a gracious thank you to _**Soccer11**__, __**death magic doom**__, __**lilmisspurplesunshinee**__, __**mistressofdarkness666**__, __**Nina**__, __**daydreamer727**__, __**fool I am the weasel**__, __**N.C**__. __**FIREFIGHTER-CHICK**__, __**sana-dracios**__, __**warriorcatShadowscar**__, __**Na'viBambi**__, __**KThxBai**__, __**SGT. CJC**__, __**Dark Inu Fan**__, __**jjbroadway**__, __**TopKat90**__, __**SkyHighFan**__, __**Queen Larisi**__, _and _**Mavir'kukor**_. I greatly appreciated all of your feedback for this story because it helps me become a better writer along with crafting every possible idea to make this story wonderful for you. Another thank you to everyone who has put this story on their fav's and alerts. We're up over 100 alerts and 14,000 story hits in over forty countries so THANK YOU, my readers.


	9. All Work And No Play

A/N: Na'vi language will no longer be italicized since it is the only language spoken among the Omaticaya, with the exception of the Avatars. Italics will be used on English words or as emphasis on certain spoken words, regardless of language.

CHAPTER 8:

**All Work And No Play  


* * *

**

Have I ever said how much I love Na'vi breakfasts?

Unlike modern diets on Earth where I lived, the Omaticaya ate larger meals at morning to give everyone sufficient energy for their upcoming tasks. Hunters usually ate the most to keep their stamina and strength at full capacity while the elder population was happy with light meals to help them with their work indoors. There was no such thing as lunch but snacking occurred whether by fresh fruit for carbohydrates that brought energy or shredded Hexapede meat with a piece of bread for protein to build muscles. The last meal of the night wasn't as large as breakfast's but decent enough for those that kept working after sunset in the clearings but most relaxed to hear the singers or reenacted plays pertaining to the songs of old.

I nibbled on a piece of _niag _which similarly resembled freshly curded cheese and I loved the salty taste as it squeaked under my molars before I added a piece of bread into the mix. Healthy grains, fruit, meat, and niag really made a hearty meal that filled one completely for the day ahead. Since we were appointed teachers yesterday, Cheryl kept nibbling in smaller bites as her nervousness took over while Norm tended to gobble everything down in eagerness to start the day. I admit that I am constantly nervous over what Tsu'tey will have me do but our first day hasn't really started so I can only hope for the best.

Unfortunately, the best was yet to come.

I was about to ask Cheryl to trade a piece of her niag for my naxa fruit when Tsu'tey burst in unannounced to wedge himself between us. Cheryl could only scoot away to the left to give us space with a politely shy smile which he returned respectfully and I rolled my eyes at how he could be a gentleman to just about _everyone _but me. Last time I checked, I was still a female and a lot nicer than he was.

"What now, prolemuris?" I sighed tiredly because I wasn't in the mood for an early fight and batted his knee when it came in contact with mine. He uttered a low hiss at me and I hit his lower back with the fluff of my tail to shut him up. His hand instantly reached out to yank the end of it and shot me a warning glare that caused me to end it.

"Joanna" I heard Max say in a lecturing tone from off to my right and I sighed under my breath for gathering attention. I didn't like being in the spotlight but if Tsu'tey kept hounding me incessantly, it would be unavoidable.

"But he started it" I argued weakly to our small argument but knew everyone would take Tsu'tey's side over mine. I tried to ignore his presence next to me since he sought me out instead of the other way around and waited for him to speak. Obviously, with a man like him, it wouldn't take long.

His lips hitched downwards in a scowl before he leaned forwards to state sharply, "My name is Tsu'tey, you skxawng-"

The smell of sweet morning fruit on his breath hit my nose and I quickly cut in to retort, "And my name is Joanna, prolemuris-"

Norm cut into our little fight with muffled laughter as he sat next to me on my right and blurted amusingly to everyone, "I swear you two belong in a _sitcom_."

"Eat your morning meal, Norman Allen Spellman" I reprimanded with a warning finger because we were not funny in the slightest and he pouted to my use of his full name. There was no way I could ever be mad at him and patted his shoulder to let him know to never take my words seriously. He was like Cheryl, completely innocent and friendly to those that returned the kind sentiment and I treasured their friendships after lacking them on Earth.

Tsu'tey placed a leaf plate next to mine and I arched my left brow to the assortment of fruits and porridge. Frankly, I was at a loss to the meaning and hoped to Eywa he hadn't just presented me with an old-fashioned bride price because we were incompatible to say the least. Thankfully, he set aside my exaggerated worries when he explained, "You will be adding this or substituting it to your morning meal regimen, either will suffice. No student of mine will slack off nor will they run out of energy or I will leave you in the training field without sparing a glance."

"What if a thanator's after me?" I demanded worriedly to his cold manner in training (I liked grumpy Tsu'tey better than this guy) because at least Neytiri stayed to check if Jake died or not during training. Didn't my carcass deserve a little prod from his bow instead of a stubborn stomping off?

"Child, be proud that I'm training you in the first place" he hissed irately to my questions but I was completely in the right to ask questions regarding my life if he was going to boss me around. Tsu'tey shoved the food in my direction and I bared my teeth at him to show him I wouldn't submit to being minimized but grabbed the meal anyway.

I was going to be full with the meal I had already served myself since I never expected this. . .I wasn't sure on calling it kindness or parenting but grabbed a few round pieces of bright violet fruit to nibble on. Apparently, he didn't trust me and kept watching until I swallowed every last morsel of it before nodding in satisfaction. I steadied my gaze on the leaf plates and grumbled under my breath, "I'm still mad at you for killing my _computer_."

"I shouldn't have to explain myself to you, I am your teacher" he snapped sharply with a heated scowl that made me cringe slightly because he looked ready to kill something. Did he wake like this and go to sleep with the same face? Honestly! I almost groaned aloud when he went back to criticizing me like months ago as he pointed out haughtily, "You are an inexperienced novice and a clumsy person while I'm a seasoned warrior, a master archer, ikran makto-"

"A foul skxawng-"

"-A foul- _Joanna_!" he practically yelled at me with a deeper timbre in his voice but it wasn't my fault he fell for it. Oh, but it made me laugh like a hyena. I couldn't help but be amused by his deep set scowl as golden eyes burned at me and I resisted from angering him further by poking his nose. He absolutely hated it when I tried it yesterday at night as he corrected a few of my words in his language because they had become obsolete. I kept attempting the new pronunciation as he listened on but once he started zoning off into his own mind, I had poked him right where the rosy pink hue melted into cyan. . .and boy, was he pissed. Colorful language ensued while I acted like I knew none of it and let him stomp off to sleep. He came back a minute later to ask about his astronomy lesson.

I busied my hands with the meal he brought me and piped up casually to retain civility during breakfast, "What if I can't eat all of it?"

"Bring it with you, we have a long hike to Hell's Gate" he stated briefly and began to stand up but I pulled him back down by the attire wrapped around his stomach (I still hadn't asked what it was called) and caused him to fall right on his ass. He shot me a glare reminiscent of when I'd fallen off the tree root and onto him days before so once again, I flashed him an innocent smile. Besides, it's not like I pulled at his loincloth and caused a wardrobe malfunction for all the clan to see. Now, _that _was something to raise hell about.

"Sorry, but what are we doing there?" I asked curiously as to why he wanted to go there of all places since he disliked anything relating to the human species more than anyone I knew. A man like Tsu'tey seemed to be more akin to the forest or areas with foliage instead of an open military base. What was so interesting about Hell's Gate for my first day?

This time, it was his turn to grin at me but it looked more devious than kind. I stared at him awkwardly because devilish gazes leaned more towards something humiliating and the bright twinkle in his eyes didn't settle the growing bundles of nerves forming in my stomach. Unfortunately, Tsu'tey gave nothing away and he spoke nonchalantly with hint of cleverness laced in his voice, "Oh, you'll see."

Damn.

* * *

A small but thoroughly impressed sigh passed through my lips, "Oh."

"Since you are of tawtute origin, I decided this would be a good place to evaluate your skills firsthand and start from there" Tsu'tey explained calmly to me as he motioned with his hand towards the old training field at Hell's Gate. I don't even remember the last time I'd been on it because after gaining temporary (now permanent) entrance to the Omaticaya, most of my time had been spent amongst them.

I had to hand it to him, he was brilliant, because I wouldn't have figured out his intention for coming here for the life of me. Maybe good ol' Jake was onto something by appointing me to Tsu'tey. During our hike from Kelutral, we actually managed to get along without blowing into a heated argument for dominance as he gave me tiny insights on tracking regarding crushed vegetation and conditions of the soil. I actually found myself enjoying it as he explained everything in detail. Nodding in agreement to his plan for today, I clasped my hands over my stomach eagerly and admitted with sincere honesty, "You're really good at this. . .and thank you for customizing this for me since I'm clumsier than-"

"A sightless baby tapirus" he finished for me with that trademark smirk of his and I glowered at him for the wisecrack. Oh, if he wasn't so much taller, I'd pull off his ears.

I wagged my finger at him as he headed over to the wooden hurdles used for practicing our jumping and hurdling, a replica to the track-and-field sport that tested our Avatar's stamina. They were set up in the standard 400 meters with high and intermediate hurdles, and at the end, the field switched into a steeplechase. I chased after him as he ignored my reprimanding finger but lectured him from behind since his ears couldn't escape me, "My grandmother always said to never say bad things about someone else or my children will inhabit those unpleasant traits in the future."

Tsu'tey halted to give me a sidelong dull expression which told me he wasn't buying my little saying (it's not my fault I tended to plaster mottos onto boards for inspiration back when I was human) and pointed out bluntly, "You insult _me _all the time."

"That's because _you _start it" I snorted snippily, proud of my superior wit but frowned when he pointed to the hurdles with a jabbing finger. He sure knew how to knock you down a peck by pulling rank. I raised a curious brow in question to what he wanted of me since I would be learning the Na'vi ways, not repeating what I'd learned as a human, and sardonically asked with a sneaky smile, "Do you even _know _what tawtutes use this for?"

"Yes!" he shot back defensively with a stiff gait that was meant to prove me wrong and walked over to the first one to scrutinize every inch of it. He reminded me of a man buying furniture and withheld from laughing aloud when he declared bluntly with a curt tone, "You run around them to test your dodging skills. Not the best in _my _opinion- why are you laughing?"

"That's not what they're used for, you _jump _over them while running" I informed him simply as I muffled my amused laughter by covering my mouth to what he came up with and watched him turn away with crossed arms like a grumpy child. The man should learn to take hits to his pride or at least acknowledge the correction but I said nothing. I simply let him be so he wouldn't become further irritated for being wrong but I had to respect him for letting me practice on this before heading out into the wilderness. Out there, he would prove superior in all aspects while I would be as clueless as a fly ready to be swatted.

Tsu'tey wasn't amused by the escaped snorts from my muffled giggles and shot me a scowl to sneer snippily with authority, "Since I amuse you, I'm sure you won't mind preparing for your run while I scrutinize- I mean, _evaluate _your skills."

I narrowed my eyes to his intentional slip of the tongue as he tried to act nonchalant with a placid stare between the hurdle and I. Smartass.

"It's not my fault I know everything about Earth and you don't" I mumbled tartly under my breath as a consolation prize and stuck out my tongue as I walked past him to the start of the field. Every conversation between us turned into a tug of war and as always, I was at the losing end. My shoes picked up dirt as I stomped to my starting position and chided him with a small frown, "You already have home field advantage here so don't get your loincloth in a bunch because you don't know this."

I checked my shoes to make sure they were securely tied and threw aside my beige camouflage jacket since it would only hinder my running. The long hike here had already given my muscles enough exercise and even then, Tsu'tey had ordered that I keep on his tail and not lose sight of him for a single second as he tried to evade me in the forest. Needless to say, I failed horribly within two minutes since I lacked tracking skills and acute hearing which then led him to berate me about having neither. My only solace was that I kicked in his right kneecap afterwards and pointed out he was supposed to _teach _me that before stomping off. Somehow, I knew that was only the first fight of many more to come.

I could feel his eyes boring into my back like lasers and voila, I caught his antagonizing gaze when I turned around and stuck out my tongue in retaliation, "Nyeh!"

"Begin!" Tsu'tey barked in command and I hissed at his sharp tone, purposely using slow steps towards the starting line. Unfortunately, I didn't expect for him to start chasing me like a madman on fire and I took off down the path as if my life depended on it because I was not about to let him catch me.

* * *

(Third person POV)

The track-and-field sports had been completed and they had drained the energy out of Joanna's legs but thankfully, Tsu'tey gave her a break- although reluctant- as he came up with the next evaluation. He'd already assessed her running abilities and agility (his madman chasing helped to push her threshold and it brought him pleasure to see her run like the wind) after an hour of practice. Tsu'tey wasn't the type of teacher to sit back and watch a student either succeed or screw up on his watch. Instead, he partook in the same exercises as Joanna to keep her on her toes and she damned the man all the way to Polyphemus because he didn't falter in any of them. Not even the pole vaults which were hard for anybody! As an alien who had no inkling of the sport, he'd picked it up like second nature within minutes! Joanna was practically a newborn compared to him in skills and hoped the coming months would help her become better because at the moment, she couldn't help but sulk in self-pity.

Joanna's skin was sweaty everywhere, even in parts she never knew existed, and her maroon shirt was literally a wet rag drenched in perspiration. She'd tied all of her long hair into a librarian's bun, queue and all, because it was practice and she would have no use for it there. The muscles of her biceps stung since she'd just finished a lengthy set of pull ups on bars located on the east side of the field near the wooden wall that sooner or later, Joanna knew would have to be scaled over by rope. She never was any good on that thing.

She massaged her achy arms as she panted to regulate her core temperature along with her heart rate and heard Tsu'tey order coldly, "The wooden beam to your left, go."

Gritting her teeth, she shot him an irritated glare and almost exclaimed in dismay when she saw him dangling over the pull-ups bar with his feet locked over it as he hung upside down like a damn monkey. Tsu'tey's amusement only rose when he saw the anger written over her face and used his tail to adjust his balance into a small swing on the bar as he stared at her nonchalantly from upside down. Oh, how he was enjoying this.

Joanna clenched her fists, causing the muscles in her forearms to ache at the contraction, and grumbled disappointedly in a breathless voice, "No fair, why's he good at _everything_? That trick's like elementary school old but he shouldn't achieve it within seconds. He's not even from _Earth _which makes it worse for me!"

Tsu'tey came to realize that his student tended to mutter a _lot _(actually, 'a lot' was an understatement in itself)under stress and that wasn't a trait he particularly liked in his students. If she kept rambling nonsense, any predator would pick her off and he'd have his first dead student. He would have to get rid of that annoying aspect of hers to benefit her life and his own peace of mind.

"Did I say you could _talk_?"

"Shut up, prolemuris!" she nagged back and he jumped off the bar with a neat flip that had her gawking in outrage. He decided this was a good time as any to cut off her sharp tongue and proceeded to aim his steps in her direction which instantly sent her scrambling up the wooden beam. His lips almost cracked a smile for exuding such intimidation to the dreamwalker and Tsu'tey crossed his arms to watch her carefully to begin the evaluation. True, he had no idea what the contraption was used for but he was concerned with her movements and reactions to the environment around her. Surroundings changed constantly and one's body must always be able to adapt to those changes in order to ensure survival. Her posture didn't falter as she stood on top of it and she pointed out nervously, "Look, this beam is for people with _gymnastic_ ability or-"

"The Omaticaya have actually started to use it to practice flexibility and jumping, adapt to it" he cut in simply since those were several rumors he'd heard from the warriors that took turns watching over the area and Tsu'tey found it degrading that they found human items _useful_. It was unnatural; not of their world. He didn't want to deal with the Sky People or any of their tools anymore for as long as he lived and the only reason he'd brought his student here was because of her background. If she would've been a Na'vi born student, he would have taken her to the forest where they were accustomed to for practice immediately.

Tsu'tey delved deep into his thoughts of dislike for the alien culture that he didn't notice Joanna having fun as she performed a handstand over the balance beam. Pandora's lighter gravity helped a bit but despite she had no strength, her parents had put her into gymnastics at an early age and ballet when she'd reached high school to keep her dainty and feminine. The two helped when it came to flexibility (the only reason she kept taking the classes) but Joanna wanted something more that would allow her build in which she took martial arts which was a beautiful but challenging activity. The idea of having her teacher testing her on that. . .she hid a sneaky smile.

She rested on her stomach on the beam to give herself a breather since her tutor seemed occupied in his own crazy mind (Joanna didn't want to delve into that either) and stood up to practice a few 180 degree jumps with her legs, hoping she wouldn't make a mistake and break her ankle in misstep or injure her pelvis by smacking it onto the beam. The RDA's budget was too cheap to buy safety mats for practice so she had to be careful not to fall onto the hard ground. She smiled with a growing ounce of pride after every successful jump or hop and spoke aloud with optimism, "Hey, I'm not as bad as I thought in this body. I might not have gung-ho muscles like Jake from his military exercising but _gymnastics _is good enough-"

"What are you doing?" his harsh voice snapped into her pep talk and she managed to plant her feet safely on the beam before her teacher screwed it all up for her.

She hissed irately at him, keeping her balance poised with the aid of her tail as she kneeled down to grasp the edges of the beam with her hands and pointed out sharply, "Doing what _you _ordered if you'd been watching the whole time. Unless you know _gymnastics_, you're not going to know what I'm doing. I kept trying to tell you but no-o-o-o, the taskmaster-"

"Finish and head to the wooden wall for your last exercise" Tsu'tey cut in callously because he wasn't about to be put on the spot by his student of all people. Teachers were superior and they maintained that rank throughout the entire teaching process; he was not going to have his authority usurped by the likes of a _dreamwalker_. Joanna, however, smiled widely at the thought that the evaluation portion would be done but the smile deflated when he added in, "We'll begin on the next set on another field after that."

She bit the inside of her cheek to hold back from arguing and proceeded to do a handspring to dismount the bar. Tsu'tey, being completely unaware to her previous training, began worrying that she knew nothing of what she was doing and would end up cracking her head open on the hard black ground. He matched her movements with perfect precision, tracing his fingers over the side of the beam with caution that she'd fall any minute as his eyes were trained on her moving form. Joanna, on the other hand, was sure she could handle an easy beginner's dismount with little effort and remained oblivious to the tension rolling down Tsu'tey's shoulders by the second.

The second her hands and feet left the beam, Tsu'tey leapt forward and grabbed the woman in the middle of her small flip before she could touch the ground. Joanna yelped at the sudden stop and kicked her legs in surprise to her failed dismount but stopped when she saw Tsu'tey as the perpetrator holding her. She narrowed her eyes for being pulled away from something he'd ordered in the first place and was about to snap at him but he beat her to it by demanding sternly, "I ordered for you to finish, not carelessly leap off to crack your head open-"

"I _was _finishing and if you allowed me to explain, you'd know that in the sport of _gymnastics_, that's the finish!" Joanna pointed out sharply to grill him about it since she wasn't keen on looking like a damsel in distress in his arms. That would give him motivation to keep taunting her lack of skills and this was a sport she _could _handle unless he managed to learn gymnastics like a pro in a matter of minutes too. His angular features darkened as he scowled but she continued on to put him in his place, "I've practiced this from childhood until my _college _years, okay? If you let me talk about it instead of nagging me, you'd know I trained on this since it's the only thing I'm good at besides analyzing cultures. You should've just watched to either see me succeed the dismount or be a catastrophe with it, then that would've told me not to get ahead of myself and try again."

Instead of a tart reply or furious reprimand, the hunter surprised her with relative calm.

"How is it that you can keep perfect balance on that but you trip over branches like a child?" he questioned her with stunned curiosity since she was becoming more of an enigma than any student he'd ever had.

"Rough patches? Random loss of equilibrium? Look, I don't know why I'm clumsy, it's a universal mystery" she answered back with a frown to her motor skills and wiggled her lower legs as she prodded his chest with her fingers. His kind of act of 'saving' her lightened her attitude to his grumpy tone since he was only looking out for her and Joanna was indeed grateful for it. Frankly, she expected him to let her fall and crack whatever bone she landed on with a side dish of stern lecturing but found herself a little surprised that he actually cared. Maybe he wasn't as merciless as she thought. Joanna gave him a small smile and avoided his gaze since their distance was a little too close for comfort as she spoke sheepishly, "Thank you for looking after me, teacher, but. . .um, can I walk on my own feet again?"

He let her down with a dismissive snort and headed to the wooden wall that held ropes over one side only. The Sky People were very strange in their training courses but the sooner he finished evaluating Joanna's skills, the sooner he could implement his own specialized training that held nothing of tawtute origin. He would remove every last trait that belonged to that wretched culture and she would be reborn as a Na'vi woman, fiercely loyal to her clan. However, for the time being, he was stuck with a naïve novice that couldn't tell her north from her south. Joanna simply followed along loyally with a slumped posture and sluggish steps, tail curling around one leg nervously because she didn't want to climb that thing and spoke up timidly, "I should tell you beforehand that I'm not good at climbing it."

Tsu'tey gave her a hard stare that distinctly read 'you better' and she squeaked out in second thought, "But I'll try my best."

Joanna rubbed her hands together to settle the nerves gathered in her stomach because she was giving it her all in this so he could see firsthand that she wasn't wimping out on anything. Flaring her nostrils in challenge, she ran without stop towards the last obstacle course and planted her boots flatly against the wall as her hands grasped the brown rope desperately. Tsu'tey had to admit he was impressed by her jump but the feeling didn't last when Joanna remained stuck in the same spot as her feet struggled to raise her body up but she was failing horribly by the passing seconds.

_Eywa, give me strength_, he thought miserably for his stroke of luck and walked over to where Joanna was trying to lift herself up to scale the wall but her boots simply scratched against wood without boosting her up. If at all, they caused her to slip further down.

"C'mon, how does Jake do this?" she panted heavily and let her feet dangle as she supported herself on the rope before attempting good footing on the wall again. She managed to keep them on the wall without sliding down this time but they weren't going up either. What a bothersome conundrum. Tsu'tey popped in next to her on the second rope since five were set up to give numerous people chances at the obstacle and she glanced down at him to groan pitifully, "Oh no, please, don't embarrass me further."

"It cannot be that hard, you did fine back there" he tried to encourage since he had ruined her practice with the strange wooden log and grabbed hold of the rope with both of his strong hands. Joanna clung to her rope like a meek kitten as she watched him plant his bare feet securely on the wooden wall and he began climbing it as if it was second nature. Splendid. He managed to catch a glimpse of her crestfallen expression as he passed by and normally, he'd be laughing in mockery at her but since he was her teacher. . .he had to support her. Tsu'tey wrapped a piece of the rope around one fist to lock his place in and glanced down at her to point out, "Try your best. Practice is crucial, Joanna. When you attempt Iknimaya, you will need to catch a vine in midair to lift yourself up to the Thundering Rocks. If you cannot do that, you _will _fail."

"I'd rather climb a vine than this!" she growled angrily in regards to the stubborn wall and lifted herself on the rope a few more inches despite the aching muscles in her arms. Her feet, however, kept sliding down and ruining her climb. She let out an exasperated hiss and let herself dangle again as she tried to consider a new tactic but the swaying momentum of her dangling smacked Joanna against the wall multiple times.

"Ouch!"

"Climb it!"

"Fine, you prolemuris!" she shouted back with heated intensity and resumed her climb, running at the wall quickly to prove herself wrong. Oh, how she needed to be wrong this time. Tsu'tey thought she might actually achieve it until she managed to get herself at an odd angle with her feet high above her torso (practically upside down) and he resisted from slapping his forehead when she called out sheepishly, "Tsu'tey, I don't think this is right- _whoa!_"

Joanna's legs went into the air and they latched onto the rope before she fell down on her head. The blood rushed to her brain as she hung upside down but hey, at least she got her feet at higher altitude than her head. Tsu'tey quickly finished scaling the wall with flawless finesse that his student lacked heavily and he sat on the top of the wall to watch Joanna kick her feet in futility. He'd never seen anything so pitiful and that included injured prey he put out of their misery. He didn't want her to accidentally fall and injure herself before actual training began and ordered with an aggravated sigh, "Stop. We will attempt this another time."

Joanna sighed in glorious relief that only Eywa Herself could intervene in to cut her some slack and lowered herself inch by inch until her head touched the floor. Using her feet, she let go of the rope and kicked at the wall so she could twist herself back onto the ground on her own two feet. She'd never been happier to leave that contraption for something else. Tsu'tey saw the decent display of flexibility and took it into mind for her customized training routine.

Unfortunately, the next area was in the middle of a field filled with long grass that covered both Na'vi up to their heads but gave ample space to run or hide yourself. Tsu'tey would've liked a field with taller grass but it would have to do for now; this was only to assess her skills, not train the dreamwalker to her limits. Joanna tapped her left foot on a patch of green grass and raised her head to stare up at the tall hunter in question, "You know, if you're going to leave me stranded in the wild, you might as well just say it and get it over with."

"I'm not deserting you" he snapped coldly to her farfetched delusions and bared his teeth at woman to make her stand at attention. To be ignored was a peeve of his and Tsu'tey would not tolerate it from anybody except his Olo'eyktan and Tsahìk.

_No matter how much I want to_, Tsu'tey considered in distasteful afterthought and resisted from grinning wildly at the idea.

He smacked the back of her head, adding in a skxawng for reprimand, when she focused on a buzzing violet insect nearby and relished the scathing glare sent his way as he instructed, "I want to test your stealth. If it's anything to go by as it was during our hike, I will not expect much from you. This field is void of predators so I want you to find me."

"And if I _don't_?" she asked hesitantly at being left alone in such an enclosed area and started scanning the high grasses for any memorable markings to prevent her chances of becoming lost.

"You'll be serving me last meal tonight" he replied haughtily to the easily won gamble and proceeded to blend seamlessly into the tall grass as she gaped in horror to what he would make her do. Why that arrogant monkey!

She bolted into the thick grasses to catch the jerk but couldn't find him anywhere as green filled her vision and space was too compacted to allow good peaks in between the foliage to pinpoint her teacher. The man was undoubtedly good at this. Joanna stomped her foot in fury that he expected her to catch him like a pro and knew he put up that bet so he could win it with total ease. He was stinkier than a skunk!

Half an hour passed as Tsu'tey laid on his back over a fallen log in the center of a small clearing within the field where he'd patiently waited for his student but she hadn't shown up yet. He'd taken advantage of the time by chewing on a blade of grass, enjoying the silence as the gentle gusts of wind kept him cool under the sun overhead as he rested with a small smile of tranquility on his face. His world was peaceful once again and the only things he had to worry over were the successes of his hunts and training the dreamwalker. The red-orange beads on his tresses clacked against the wood and each other as he shook his head at the prospect of spending months with her. She would, without a doubt, drive him insane.

He flicked his idle tail against the small blades of grass below to occupy himself before he fell asleep on the job. So far, he'd only seen that her agility was average, her flexibility was slightly higher than that, and yes, her intelligence to adapt was better than most beginners but when it came to strength, endurance, and perception. . .he had a _lot _of work cut out for him. He used to laugh constantly in sadistic amusement at Jakesully for his clumsiness and thought Neytiri had actually been soft on him but no, dreamwalkers really _were _crawling newborns!

_Eywa must be using this as backlash for my behavior back then_, he thought miserably and let out a lazy yawn as the passing clouds overhead flowed with a hypnotic trail. _Please show me that she is not a hopeless case or it will take seasons to get her to take the first test. It'll be embarrassing to see her running during Uniltiron and screaming hysterically over the poisonous arachnid. The tawtute have been known to be squeamish over anything unknown. That will be the end of my teaching career. . .I hope Eywa did not spare me just to torture me with teaching the sharp-tongued Joanna._

His ears perked when he heard footsteps reaching his vicinity and shook his head at every crunch of grass that would be dismissed by the untrained ears and inexperienced grazers but his hearing picked it up perfectly. The subtle shake of the plants as she weaved through them instead of _with _them caused him dismay. Her choice of approach won the prize as she walked towards him which gave him an easy whiff of her scent as the downwind current handed him her current location. Didn't she know to clash with the wind instead of letting it carry your scent in the direction you walked towards? Tsu'tey shook his head in pity at every fault in her step and sat upright to shake the drowsiness out of his head, ruffling his hair with his fingers to tingle his scalp and rejuvenate him to finish this whole routine. He'd already seen enough and would start her on the lowest of basics on a rigorous schedule so she wouldn't lag behind the other students.

He would turn a clumsy toddler into a fully functional independent adult within the time limit or retire as a teacher for upcoming warriors forever.

Tsu'tey's lips thinned into a frown as he thought uneasily, _I really hope it doesn't come to that, every student has potential and Joanna-_

He heard the tiniest minuscule squeak of success lodge in her throat in a futile attempt to be muffled and Tsu'tey's ears drooped at her dead giveaway. He'd _never _had a student this bad. . .then again, he'd usually given away the bad ones to Neytiri or the other teachers to not deal with the hassle. Yes, he was fickle but didn't care who knew that about him. He was Tsu'tey and a mighty fine warrior so he got away with it.

Tsu'tey decided to play the dunce, as always, and acted as if the decomposing hollows in the log were his newest fascination to give his student the impression that he was distracted. His ploy worked perfectly when he heard the swish of the grass as she left her spot and the quick and close footsteps as she gained momentum for an obvious jump. The seasoned hunter was ready for it and twisted his torso in her direction to catch her by the forearms efficiently with a maneuver he practiced for deflecting small predators away (when they tried to take a bite out of his backside) and threw his student flat on her back on the other side of the log next to his right leg.

"_Arggh, I had you!" _she protested in a mixture of disappointment and annoyance which caused him to laugh at her comment because he'd have to be deaf and blind to be caught unaware. Joanna may have been a catastrophe at catching her targets long range in stealth operations but deflecting in close combat was something taught to her in college after too many late night reports of college campus abductions. She grit her teeth at being underestimated as he sneered down at her while her arms were useless to protect herself. Hands, however, were free roaming and she used her fingers to sink them into his strong biceps which unlike hers weren't nonexistent so they gave her enough grip for her next move.

Tsu'tey tried to pry her off immediately but she clung on like a rabid viperwolf as she brought her legs over her head to give him a direct kick in the center of his chest with enough force to be released. With nothing but air to grip onto, Tsu'tey became unbalanced on the log and fell over in the same manner that caused the log to be marooned.

_I think she just got another point in her flexibility_, he thought dizzily as he stared up at the wispy white clothes filling the afternoon sky.

Joanna's face broke into a beaming smile for finally beating him. . .even though Tsu'tey's own surprise and overconfidence aided in his downfall but it was something. Maybe he could teach her to advance her hand-to-hand fighting skills since she knew he would pummel her into the ground given a fair warning. She sat up quickly as she expected retaliation from him, rubbing a sore spot on her upper back from the fall, but was greeted by feet from the other side of the log.

_So that's where he landed_, she thought impishly and poked the dusty arch of his right foot to stimulate a reply. A low growl was emitted from his lips as he moved his legs to the side to sit upright again and brushed the dust off his backside with a deep scowl on his face while she beamed at him happily for her accomplishment.

Tsu'tey remained in training mode despite the tiny fault in character and grasped the front of her damp shirt to lift her over the log in one clean move, dumping her over the ground on her back once more. Joanna uttered curses in English at him since he abhorred the spoken language and clenched her right hand into a fist to strike him in the bent of his elbow to make his joint flick the nerves in reflex, allowing her to free the shirt from his grasp. She may not have been strong like Tsu'tey or other hunters but when provoked, she packed a mean little punch to weak areas.

He returned his hands to his side and she let down her guard (Tsu'tey mentally sighed at her lack of attention) to dust herself off. His hand reached for her hair but she caught his wrist in one hand, shifting her weight to divert his angle away and used her left to cover the side of his face to obscure his view. His teeth bared at her as he used his free hand to grasp her troublemaking one and Joanna snapped instantly, "Would you stop? I'm very sure this isn't part of the _stealth _process."

Tsu'tey dodged the question since pride got the better of him and he pointed out in justification, "You must be prepared for the unexpected-"

"You haven't started teaching me yet" she cut in sharply to contrast his argument and he glared at her as she managed to create a dent in his claim. Joanna tilted her head to the right as mischief glinted in her golden eyes and she drew circles in the air with her dusty index finger to chide gently, "I think you're _threatened _by my verbal competency to challenge you."

Tsu'tey decided to play the dunce this time to safeguard his pride because yes, Joanna was growing to be a thorn that could break down his best arguments with simple analyzation that he couldn't comprehend. Give the dreamwalkers a piece of wood and none could create a spear but give them written words or verbal issues and they will solve it as easily as breathing. Tsu'tey wanted to learn everything he could about his enemy and with Joanna teaching him whatever he asked of her, he would delve into the tawtute mind to learn them inside and out. If they ever returned to his world, he would destroy them in the most humiliating manner.

"Get up and follow me" he instructed with a firm tone and stood up to retrace his path back to the obstacle course with Joanna dutifully following. His student was better in agility and flexibility than he first thought so he would hold back that specific instruction until her weaker attributes were up to par with those to keep her balanced. A student with good agility and bad perception would have them running clear off a cliff while good perception would have her steering clear of a nearby thanator but bad agility would get her mauled. Balance was essential for every upcoming hunter.

He stepped through the tall grasses with nimble dexterity, leaving no footsteps in the grass by walking quickly with light steps while Joanna mimicked his path and loudly crunched every patch of grass. Tsu'tey would _definitely _teach her light stepping as her first class. Archery will raise her perception in targeting along with her strength by handling the stress on the bowstring. Tracking will sharpen her senses while aiding her stealth skills and raising her endurance in pursuing prey. Climbing and hiking will strengthen her body with new muscles as it simultaneously increased endurance in high altitude and long distances. Pa'li training will introduce her to tsaheylu and hone her mind with new stimuli. The rest of her tasks to learn would fall into place slowly after that.

This time, Tsu'tey didn't manage to lose her and the two returned to the obstacle course together as she hoped this was the end of the evaluation. She tucked her hands behind her back as a diligent student, holding back her tired pants, and watched him drink from his water bottle with a flat stare.

_Oh sure, he gets to drink when he's only done half the work with me and I've sweated out every drop of water in my body_, she thought scornfully and resisted from clonking him on the head with his own bottle. Her body already began to feel lethargic from the lack of food or water needed to refuel the energy back.

While she imagined torture scenarios, Tsu'tey picked up her water bottle and chucked it at her without warning. Joanna missed it completely, reacting at the last second as it invaded her line of sight, and watched the handmade bottle land with a crack on the asphalt. She stared at it in misery as the clear clean water flowed onto the hot ground and clenched her fists for him ruining her first Omaticayan water bottle. She worked hard on it! In the clan, you either used a canteen made from the leathery hide of the Sturmbeest or let a mature but hollowed out _ikei_ fruit dry out completely so it could be filled with water to store it (vaguely similar to a calabash). She'd done the latter and had used dark green paint (once she learned to create paint) to litter the celadon toned bottle with polka dots to personalize it.

The entire field echoed with Joanna's reprimand, _"Tsu'tey!"_

He hissed to her shrieking tone as the sharp ring caused his eardrums to ache and shoved his own water bottle into her hands to stop the awful sound. If she triggered a search by the Omaticayan warriors stationed there, Tsu'tey would have her exercising from dawn till dusk for the false alarm and embarrassment to him as an instructor. He resisted from deepening his frown when he saw her guzzling down the water without a care for manners and was about to scold her about drinking cool water too quickly without stopping after rigorous exercise but Joanna tightened the small stopper back onto the ikei bottle to hand it back. She pouted instantly and held a hand to her stomach as he gave her a knowing but parenting look she didn't particularly like and she grumbled out anyway, "I have a tummy ache."

Tsu'tey sighed in exasperation, resisting from punching his fists through the air, and shot her a threatening glare to snap acidly, "You're going to be the bane of my existence."

"And here I thought being an overgrown prolemuris was your _worst _problem" she retorted casually with a cocky grin and held back her laughter to prevent her stomach from cramping further as she pointed toward the trees far off to their left. Joanna knew it wasn't courteous of her to keep insulting her own teacher but she honestly couldn't help but fight back against his remarks rather than bite her tongue. Her grin widened gleefully as she suggested playfully to the warrior, "I'm sure your little pack is waiting back home to groom you- wait, I think I can see your _brother _back there!"

He roughly shoved her forward and she stumbled to catch her balance as he snarled heatedly, "Woman, dare to insult me again-"

"Stop acting like the victim in this, _drama queen_" she scoffed to his antics with English emphasis and purposely avoided the piercing gaze he shot at her. Her steps kicked up tiny rocks from cracks in the asphalt ground as she gazed at the blue sky to ponder with a flat tone, "If at all, we're pawns in Jake's weird sense of humor."

The hunter merely grunted a 'hmph' to her opinion since he would not speak of anything ill regarding his leader unless it was of the utmost importance to the clan (or joking in the man's company) and glanced away from her upbeat attitude. Why couldn't she be meek and quiet? Her little follower, Cheryl, seemed to have the right mindset and Tsu'tey cursed his luck.

Joanna leaned forwards on the balls of her feet to pipe up innocently, "So. . .?"

Tsu'tey bit the inside of his cheek to contain his irritation and gave her a flat stare to question frigidly, "So _what_?"

She shot him a glare for his careless tone after everything he'd put her through today and snapped pointedly, "Are we finished for today or did you forget the whole point of being here? We've been away from Kelutral since early morning and it's about to be late afternoon! I don't want to get caught by predators and-"

"Joanna, for Eywa's sake, stop nagging" he groaned exasperatedly and grit his teeth at her rambles, wishing he could grab a few leaves and ball them into his ears to drown her out. Her frown deepened but he didn't care, he wanted to wipe that annoying knack out of her attitude.

"I nag because I'm worried, you skxawng" she hissed defensively to his rudeness and raised her tail in the air like a stubborn cat to emphasize her argument. Pandora was no walk in the park, especially at night, and Joanna didn't want to get caught in a dangerous situation with nothing to protect herself with. Walking away from him, she grumbled under her breath, "It's not my fault you don't scream protective teacher and I have to worry on protecting myself."

The last thing he wanted was an insult to his reputation as a protector to his people and he turned to follow her like a furious thanator to demand brusquely with a growl, "And why would I not protect you? Woman, you have no logic in your head-"

"Because you still see me as an enemy" Joanna stated briskly to the widely known fact that the man didn't bother to hide and crossed her arms huffily. A sidelong stare was sent his way as she pointed out simply, "I'm the outsider with no social standing so how can I expect to trust you if you don't trust me? As the Earth saying goes-"

"No, you say _Pandora's _sayings from now on" Tsu'tey interjected harshly and tapped her on the forehead in reprimand before pointing to the western end of the base which they would follow and head north back to the Kelutral. He saw no point in arguing or continuing the useless conversation and pinned her defiant face with a hard stare as he ordered coldly, "We will speak back at home. Training is over and you are to remain silent."

_Skxawng_, she thought angrily to his careless tone and imagined him getting pecked at by a mob of angry ikran until nothing was left but his hunting knife. Ha, now _that's _entertainment!

Joanna slapped the back of her legs to stop the first prickles of upcoming cramps because they would hinder the whole hike back home and she had no inclination of stopping. Kelutral was home, not Hell's Gate, and she yearned to be back safely among the Omaticaya. Tsu'tey's eyes widened when she called over with a hopeful tone, "Can you carry me? I'll praise you every ten steps with whatever you want to hear."

He didn't turn back to acknowledge the ludicrous idea and sharply reminded, "I warned you that slacking off-"

"I'm not slacking off, my legs just feel like a sack of rocks and muscle failure is annoying to get rid of" she justified matter-of-factly and decided to plop facedown on a grassy patch nearby to relieve the ache growing in every inch of her muscles. It's not her fault that her legs wanted to have a mind of their own and disconnect from the ruling power of her nervous system. Her hand closed into a weak fist around a section of clumped grass and she mumbled tiredly, "Me go sleep now."

She then heard Tsu'tey mutter from the sidelines, "Eywa, give me strength with this demon-"

"Hey!"

* * *

(Joanna's POV)

Silence filled Kelutral as everyone nestled into their hammocks to sleep the night away and float into dreamland. The ceremony to bless the hammocks took place before dinner and was pretty sweet in sentimentality because it united everyone in the clan as one and silently told you that everyone there was family. The Omaticaya were one with you and you were one with them; I hoped to feel as such when I became a huntress. The males continued to sleep at the base of the tree and the sturdy platforms between the lowest branches to give the bedding commodities to the women and children with all of the hammocks that had been completed which luckily, were being produced marvelously and with good pace. The Kelutral would be filled at night with purifying incense and herbal aromas for weeks to come until all the hammocks were completed. I'm sure the men's testosterone would be put to good use down there anyway. Secretly, I laughed because Tsu'tey would be with them and after serving him like a damn maid at dinner, I took it as comeuppance. I had already changed into comfortable pajamas for the night since I wasn't ready to start wearing Na'vi clothing (I was very modest when it came to clothing of any kind) but was currently staring at Cheryl's hammock which dangled over nothingness.

This was my first night sleeping in one.

Cheryl had crafted it perfectly while all I did was supply the materials from the Beanstalk Palm and I didn't skip on the praise because mine was probably a playtime toy to the peppy child I had given it to. I would attempt to make another one for myself (I didn't want to inconvenience Cheryl for too long) with help from an experienced mother in a few days when I didn't have training with Tsu'tey. I don't know if it was Cheryl who asked them to help me but I was deeply grateful to whoever it was because I didn't want to miss out on a valuable skill that united all of the Omaticaya.

My muscles sorely ached for peaceful rest after what Tsu'tey put me through at the obstacle course but I was squeamish of tackling _this _newest obstacle. My bare toes dug into the rough grooves of the bark as I watched the immobile hammock dangle but thankfully, it did not sway. I wondered what would happen when stormy season rolled in but decided to leave that be before I frightened myself further. I was supposed to tough things out now as a huntress in training, right? _Right_?. . .

I found my tough mental façade breaking and within a minute, rampant questions burst through. What if it couldn't support us and we fell during the night? What if a draft swung us over and threw us out? What if-

"Joanna."

"Nothing!" I exclaimed in surprise to being caught unaware and quickly retracted my foot from the branch to prevent slipping or tripping over anything. So much for summoning my courage to tackle this and freaking out over a simple voice behind me. The familiar voice surfaced irritation within me and I swiftly turned around to face a weaponless Tsu'tey and raised my chin to meet his gaze, snapping defensively, "Don't do that! I could've fallen."

"I assure you, _you're _not the one who is disappointed" he commented dryly with a small snarky tilt of his nose and I was ready to strike him with an argument but he beat me to it by using a damn good excuse, "Do not yell. Children are sleeping."

"Oh" I grit my teeth for being beaten before my debate began and covered my mouth with a hand absentmindedly before anyone heard any more of my outbursts. I didn't want to come off as hostile to anyone who didn't know me. Embarrassment sure was smiling upon me today with its curse and handing Tsu'tey arrogance over me.

"What are you failing at now?" he asked nonchalantly with a bored glance in my direction and I shot him a scowl since he believed himself witty enough to bury me in humiliation. Weren't teachers supposed to encourage and boost your confidence? Noren cheered Cheryl on like a freakin' male cheerleader while mine was the football player trying to tackle me into solid ground like an enemy. You tell me who had the better teacher and this was after _one _day; I didn't even look forward to the rest.

"Nothing, I'm just waiting for Cheryl so we can head to sleep" I lied to protect my dignity over the fear of falling from that white hammock because I wasn't going to let him know just so he could berate me. Hammocks were wonderful to sleep in, yes, but _not _over hundreds of feet in the air. Slanting my hips to the right, I crossed my arms and playfully chided him with a grin, "Let me guess. You and the men are comparing weaponry and who does the best chest thumping? As a hardheaded prolemuris, I'm sure you'll beat them all."

A tight smile formed on his lips at my comeback, the sharp points of his teeth glinting in the bioluminescence, and he mimicked my crossed arms to glance at me coldly. I expected a tongue lashing in case he expected me to call him 'teacher' every minute of the day but he merely stated, "You have a sharp tongue, Joanna."

I smiled confidently at my ability to go head-to-head with him verbally since most would call blasphemy on me for boldly standing up to him. I understood that the Omaticaya respected him, he _was _their Olo'eyktan for a certain time, and part of me respected him for his tenacity to protect this world. Unfortunately, his view towards me and manner of speaking was atrocious and needed work. Hopefully, I would gain skills to match him in the physical arena and gain an ounce of respect from him in that field as well. Maybe he'd learn to curb that short fuse of his while we spent the following weeks together.

Tsu'tey gazed at the branches overhead to examine each of hammocks located underneath them like a mother hawk and I told myself he was being watchful over the clan rather than checking if any could come undone at any minute. Ugh, I was driving myself insane with this fear. Thankfully, he broke into my dark thoughts as he explained his reason for being here, "I am teaching our Olo'eyktan lessons in his new responsibilities since he has energy that surpasses everyone's, even the most stubborn children, and refuses to sleep. I have allowed him a few moments to speak with his mate but before I fetch him, I wanted to check on those sleeping here to make sure they are comfortable."

"I'm sure they are, this is their Kelutral, they are no longer homeless" I assured gently since he was being civilly truthful with me and followed his gaze to see the white hammocks decorating the branches. Eywa, I hoped the hammock's ropes held. Since we moved to the new Hometree, I often noticed Tsu'tey's tendency to scrutinize everything in sight as if it had to pass _his _judgment. Honestly, you'd think he'd be glad that Eywa gave him all of this- not to mention a second chance at life- and Jake should be left with all that leader worry while Tsu'tey stuck to his fair share. Whenever I saw him doing so (whether he was studying a bush or the pools nearby), I wondered if he was comparing his old home to his new one in an attempt to assimilate or reject this new dwelling.

I knew that I couldn't erase his memories or put pressure that this was his home now but maybe coaxing him with evidence that everything was fine, would in turn, allow him to make new memories without regret. Clasping my hands neatly behind my back, I tiptoed quietly over to his right side as he kept scanning above and softly explained, "They are safe now in this beautiful Kelutral and no longer have to worry where they will sleep or when they will eat. Eywa has provided for The People by guiding you, bask in that security you have given them," I paused for a moment as I admitted to him, "It is a rarity to see a caring alpha male on Earth that takes the well-being of his people to heart without seeking compensation and you surpass what most of my species cannot do."

He stopped examining the hammocks above us and lowered his gaze to mine to figure out if I was faking my sincerity. This bridge of trust was harder to make than any _real _bridge but I didn't let it discourage me. I hoped my words would settle any gnawing doubt he held (but not inflate his ego further) as I said softly, "Take pride in what you've accomplished so far but remember, that alone, there is only so much we can do before reaching our limits. You aren't Eywa, Tsu'tey, but I'm sure the clan will remember you for many generations to come as one of Her most special children."

I gave him a small encouraging smile because despite the fact that Tsu'tey was at the top of his rank, even he needed reassurance like any normal person once in a while. Nitari's quotes sure came in handy for me today. I remained optimistic that he would one day repay that same kindness to me as I trained because in my old life, I sure as hell didn't receive it from my own family. All they did was complain about my chosen major until-

"Your world sounds very hostile, Eywa teaches us to never deny aid to one of The People because we are all equal in Her eyes" he enlightened me in a calm voice that sounded so eerily unlike him that it took me completely aback. His voice had gone from its deep and biting tone to a low and baritone timbre that caused me to nod to that fact since I couldn't find my voice yet. Maybe my words had gotten through? I took it as a positive since he wasn't so gruff anymore and he appeared more docile in both voice and facial features. Leave it to Eywa to simmer his hotheadedness into pleasantness. Tsu'tey continued the conversation with that low toned voice as he inquired simply, "How much do you know of the Great Mother?"

I had studied their monotheistic religion carefully since they depended heavily on it and found myself loving their fundamental beliefs more than my own theology, especially now that I was in a body so similar to theirs. I never nagged about the one true religion because in the end, we all believed in a higher place of personal illumination for our everlasting days. Why should war determine who is right when it only killed innocents? You didn't see the Na'vi obliterating each other; Eywa united them as one people and Her children. There was never a distinction when they lived on the same planet that gave them life.

"Quite a lot, I had more access on learning about your beliefs than actually seeing your culture at work as I am now" I answered bashfully to the restrictions the RDA enforced since the Na'vi were hostile towards anything not related to Earth and in respect for them, I had reluctantly stayed put at the Avatar station. Luck had stuck with me since I retaliated against the RDA because so far, I was enjoying every second of this beautiful life. . .even the jests of a cranky Tsu'tey. He was a Na'vi and real in every way which assured me that this was _my _life now and with his guidance (hopefully, not catastrophic in result), I would continue it.

"Your language, religion, biology- that is what I mostly studied and the rest I recently gathered from Jake when he first joined your clan as a guest" I explained with a small chuckle in remembrance to all the questions I poked him with whenever he was outside the Avatar uplink and didn't take on the image of a mountain man.

Tsu'tey gave a small snort in acknowledgment but after closely watching his interactions with Jake, he played big brother and smacked Jake in the right direction as he tried to ward away the fact that the two got along swimmingly. I rolled my eyes to his immature action and ignored it as I admitted with embarrassment tinting my cheeks, "I know that my profession regarding research is over now but I still get that happy victory in my head when I learn something different, a fact, a word, a song, preserving herbs, making a hammock- okay, _that _one I failed horribly but I learned the lesson of try, try again. At least the kids I gave it to can enjoy it for fun. This is a new way of life and I'm trying as hard as I can to understand everything. . .but I need your help as my teacher to guide me."

As an afterthought, I added in, "Don't let it go to your head, master hunter."

I finally gained a smile on his part that wasn't filled with superiority or haughtiness and returned it with one of my own to see how long his face would remain void of its cautious stares and glaring features. I'm sure that a lot of Tsu'tey's personality was formed in effect to his social environment and the psychological trauma that my people plagued his with, I believed, would be a very hard thing to erase from his psyche. Perhaps with abundant time, he would come to trust me and with humankind being banned from here, his demeanor would lighten. I had only seen his soft and serene features once, back when he lost his title as clan leader, and he'd given me the impression of an average man rather than the snarky aggressive one I usually dealt with. I wanted to see that part of him again.

A gentle flow of wind rustled the leaves nearby and I hoped it wouldn't grow strong enough to sway the hammocks themselves. My moment of silence in regards to my unconquered fear was broken by Tsu'tey when he informed me, "Tomorrow after training, I will show you how we gather fruit from the bushels in the western section where poisonous plants roam. All you need is your hands."

I bit my bottom lip at his generous but somewhat dangerous offer but unfortunately, I had a habit of finding chores to do after training and already taken up another offer. Shifting in my spot, I stared at the floor as if it was the newest discovery on Pandora before regrettably admitting, "I can't, I will be making urns with Mo'at and the other women. There's no way I can decline helping the Tsahìk and she thinks I'm getting better-"

He raised a hand to interject into my rambling and I twiddled my thumbs nervously since I didn't want to sound ungrateful to his first offer that we actually do something apart from training on _his_ account. Usually, the second our meetings were over, he disappeared like the wind without so much as a goodbye. The corner of my eyes watched his tail flick at the air in thought and I decided to aim my line of sight on his shoulder because I wasn't about to let him think I was observing his derrière when it was really his tail. His ego was already large enough and any more blood rushes to the head would have mine exploding from embarrassment. I tensed when his voice hitched back to his usual tone but the rough edge to it was gone as he suggested, "We will fish the day after for teylu in the nearby estuary where they gather and you will learn the basics until you catch one."

Catching shrimp grubs? No problem. As long as it wasn't a sturmbeest, I was sure I could handle it with proper guidance. Otherwise, I'd blame it on his teaching skills and short fuse. I flashed him an eager grin since I hadn't seen the estuary (I didn't know we had one close by) and agreed wholeheartedly, "That, I can completely go for."

Turning around, I placed my toes on the large branch to dig into it in examination as I glared it down as my greatest nemesis and grumbled, "Now, how do I conquer _you_?"

"Keep walking until you reach the center of the hammock" Tsu'tey's voice guided me from behind and his hands encased my shoulders as he nudged me in the right direction. Easy for him, he was used to climbing branches like an acrobat. I took slow baby steps as my worried mind tightened my body completely in nervousness and I tried not to glimpse below the branch. I believed that old saying of 'never look down' because I was certain my foot would accidentally twitch in the middle of a step and bam! I'd be skydiving without a parachute. Tsu'tey didn't like my slow movements one bit and he scolded me from behind, "How do you expect to get there without looking? The ground will not eat you."

"No, but it _will _absorb my blood splatter" I replied uneasily but gazed around the area where other hammocks on my level were stationed, sparing quick but wary glances at the abyss below for directional purposes. Once I reached the center of the branch over my hammock, it took three nerve-wracking attempts at sitting for me to accomplish that while Tsu'tey simply sat with a casual air next to me. My toes barely touched the hammock's center when I extended my leg to test its manageability and saw him giving me a flat stare for my meekness. Look buddy, it's not my fault I never learned to climb beds like this. I kept the sarcastic comments to myself and questioned him for the next set of orders, "Now what? I'll probably slide to the side, knocking it off balance, and prematurely end my new life."

Tsu'tey muttered something about being overbearing under his breath and with nimble movements, jumped into the hammock with perfect ease. My fingers tightened over the rough bark as I expected the support straps to snap at any second and send the warrior plummeting down to his death but after a minute of hyperventilation, I calmed down. Despite my on and off dislike for him, I found myself not wishing for his immediate demise. He made life interesting in the unlikeliest of ways.

He merely watched my reaction with a lukewarm gaze and basically made himself at home by stretching out over it as if he were sunbathing at the beach. That was not fair! Why did he take it so casually while I was at the edge of a nervous breakdown? Nervously, I told him with a high squeaky pitch in my voice, "Sky People have a tendency to fear heights. I have no problem climbing mountains but this is a little more than what I would deem comfortable."

"Eywa embraces Her children during sleep, She will not let you fall" he assured astutely but coming from him (my tormentor), it wasn't putting me at ease in any way. I highly doubted Eywa herself would make sure to nudge me back into the hammock with her own hand when I was an inch of away from going overboard in my sleep. A goddess had way better things to do than keep tabs on little ol' me. I eyed the white threaded ropes supporting the hammock with nervous animosity but Tsu'tey held out his right hand towards me and stated firmly, "Trust me, numeyu."

I whimpered nonsensical gibberish under my breath and nervously extended my shaking hand. My fingertips desperately sought his as I leaned forward and prayed I wouldn't lose my balance and topple us both off the hammock down to our deaths. Jake would probably rule our deaths with attempted murder of the other. Perspiration formed over my skin, especially the hands, as I nibbled on the inside of my cheek from fear that I wouldn't reach him and he assured exasperatedly, "You are already afraid and you've _barely _moved at all! Don't be a child!"

I gave him the quickest glare I could muster to shut his big mouth and dangled my right leg over the side, angling my hips so I could somehow touch the white hammock. Tsu'tey showed obvious annoyance on his face as he waited impatiently but I would take my time. He was trained to do this since childhood while I wasn't so he wasn't one to talk. I bet if I put him on a mountain bike or made him bungee jump on Earth, he'd have a word or two that were similar to my sentiments right now.

Unfortunately, my leg was short a few inches from the cloth but managed to kick at his hand accidentally and I grumbled to myself in chastisement. Ugh, I hated looking weak and it was worse because I was in the company of the clan's best warrior. He stuck out his other hand and my breath hitched because I wouldn't be able to grip anything in case of a mishap if I took both. On the other hand, I couldn't whimper like a blubbering baby and embarrass myself further before him by rejecting his aid. Oh, Eywa, give me strength. Bluntly, I muttered out my last words in case I miscalculated this drop, "If we fall, I blame it all on _you_."

Taking that leap of faith, I grasped his right hand first to intertwine my fingers with his and jumped down unsteadily with a small fearful outburst. The moment my feet touched the soft material of the hammock, I kneeled to balance myself and disentangled my hands from his to clutch Tsu'tey fiercely around the torso like a life preserver as the hammock swayed to the sides from my abrupt uncoordinated landing. I expected the thing to become unbalanced immediately and throw us off but the sides kept up a good barrier of fabric to keep us safely tucked in. Hmm. My eyes darted to every movement around us in case I started to hear ripping from up above since Tsu'tey weighed considerably more than Cheryl and heard him speak up with a snapping voice, "You can let go."

"Not on your life" I shot back to his tone with a small worried whimper and kept using him as my life preserver because he started this whole mess to begin with. All right, it was _my _own fear that started this and he was only trying to help me overcome it but the dependent side of me needed him as mental stability. My constant, if you will.

"Must you dig your nails into my back?" he hissed irritably in a disgruntled voice that told me he was in discomfort from my grip and I shifted my gaze away from the bedding towards his face. His features were scrunched up in obvious uneasiness which I blamed on both the norms on touching and my hold but I wasn't about to let go.

. . ."Yes, yes, I must."

So there I clung like a wet cat holding on for dear life while Tsu'tey frowned at my childish, not to mention shameful, display but I didn't care. Hammocks were unpredictable and it took me four tries of achieving laidback sleep while living abroad in South America to study the changing social dynamics as cultural diffusion of modern times affected a conservative township over the course of a year. I suspiciously eyed the gently rocking hammock I kneeled on and he sighed irritably to scold me, "It is _perfectly _safe. If you do not believe me, let go and I will show you."

"No, I'm quite comfortable here" I rebutted weakly with a nervous squeak and squeezed the man even tighter at being left alone in this contraption. My fingertips could feel the rigid tension in his back muscles as they tightened under his flesh and the curve of his shoulder blades since I had him in a tight hold. The rational side of my mind nagged that I shouldn't be treating him like a child's teddy bear but I didn't care. For once in my life, I associated him with safety and survival. To people above us, we appeared like lovers in an embrace and hoped no rumors would start flying around because I did not see him in that light. A prolemuris was a better catch. He began squirming in my grip and caused the hammock to sway more in effect and I exclaimed defensively, "Tsu'tey!"

"Joanna, if you want to gain knowledge, you must learn to See first and trust in The People. . .now release me!" he lectured sharply to snap me out of it and I faltered in my hold when his body stiffened completely. I could feel every movement of his muscles as they clenched like granite stone and was sure mine were practically nonexistent under my new flesh. Reluctantly, I dropped my arms back to my sides to leave him be and hated appearing like a scolded child. I was twenty-eight, this kind of awkward crap should be behind me already!. . .Damn heights.

I remained silent in my spot and let my narrowed eyes do the talking as I waited for him to explain his point. His hands went to the right side of the hammock and he pulled loose fabric that remained at the edges to raise it upwards until the fabric created a cozy rooftop over us. Wow, it transformed from hammock to cocoon in seconds. His golden orbs sought mine in the dim light that filtered through the fibers as he explained carefully while smoothing the fabric above us, "You will pull this over when you sleep to enclose yourself and the fabric will not move unless you push it back yourself in the morning. Nobody has fallen out unless they meant to intentionally but knowing your uneasiness, do not cling to open edges or deposit all your weight in one area unless it is the center. These walls will not fall, families sleep soundly and newborns are quite happy to be cradled by Eywa."

His hands pushed the safe rooftop back down to reveal the dark green canopies above us but left a safety border on both sides by raising it to waist level as we kneeled. Huh, if that didn't remind me of safety bars on a baby's crib, I didn't know what would. Either way, knowing there was a safety zone in this hammock made me feel incredibly better at knowing I wouldn't fall but I was still edgy on whether the hammock would hold. The palms of my hands rested on the soft and intricately weaved fabric that felt smoother than silk itself as I kneeled but felt the intertwined fibers imprinting onto my knees since I didn't shift my weight. Slowly, I leaned back to sit down nervously, biting my bottom lip in stress relief, and hoped my movements wouldn't cause erratic swaying. My ears perked instantly to muffled laughter next to me and I zoned in on Tsu'tey trying to keep a straight face to my actions. Oh, _now _he wanted to be Mr. Funny Guy.

I shot him a heated glare for finding personal amusement in my mental turmoil and snapped defensively, "Don't laugh, I'm new to this."

"If you cannot conquer this, how do you expect to climb the Thundering Rocks?" he pointed out simply but I could hear the honesty in his words and I frowned at the floor because he was right. I didn't want to fail any of the tests for the right of passage, especially taming an ikran, but fear could be psychologically crippling. I wished he could understand that but our unique upbringings brought up those indifferent walls and heard him lecture on, "You must trust in your skills without fear when you are out in the wilderness. Otherwise, you will fail and you will not be one of The People."

"But I need your help, that's the whole point in you being my teacher" I stated matter-of-factly and rested my chin on my palms as I gave him a knowing stare. Student-teacher relationships were about encouraging the pupil to reach past their limits to success and I wanted the same. He eyed me strangely but I ignored the man of a thousand faces as I insisted, "I want you to help me conquer my fears until I am ready. Not a 'you killed your prey, go tame an ikran' but a 'you have sufficient practice to take down an enemy the size of an ikran'. Jake said you're one of the best so I want to reflect that."

My shoulders slumped when he didn't respond and I had half a mind to smack a reply out of him when he nodded to me with a simple statement, "Until tomorrow, Joanna."

"You're just going to _leave _me here?" I blurted at being in this hovering burrito on my own; it was practically entrapment in a cage! Leave it to Tsu'tey to raise my hopes up and squash them by leaving me hanging, quite literally.

He grinned cockily (the bastard) to my frazzled expression while I felt like a fly in a widow's web and Tsu'tey stated knowingly, "I am sure Cheryl will be along shortly. Unless we are family or mates, spending the night together is frowned upon. That and we would probably snap this with a third person sleeping in it so no, I will _not _be sleeping next to you."

I balked at his insinuation and grit my teeth at the audacity of this skxawng, _Just because he has the female population swooning at his feet doesn't mean I'm one of them. I'd have to be completely drunk and void of my brain to find this jerk appealing._

"I don't need you for mating, I need you to break my fall with _your _body so _I_ can live" I snorted sarcastically to wipe that smirk clear off his face because I would not have him thinking such ludicrous things about me. I'd kick him in the crotch as proof that I held no such sentiments. Batting his face with the fluffy tuft of my tail, I waved him away like a spoiled child and dismissed him, "Go have fun. . .no wait, how will I get out of this thing tomorrow?"

"The same way you entered, you really should think before you leap" he advised chidingly with a teasing tone in his voice that irked my brain but I simply stared at him placidly. Without warning, he stood up in the hammock and I squealed fearfully that he would drop us but he barely caused any movement. Okay, so he was perfect at _this _too. I glanced at him in both wariness and shame in which he shook his head at me for my squeamish reactions and ordered sharply, "If you are not below for morning meal tomorrow, I will come here to scold you."

"You're a cheerless man, Tsu'tey" I mumbled under my breath since it wasn't my fault I lacked skills in climbing and watched him ascend back onto the branch. Oh, how I wanted to prove him wrong in his preconceived assumptions of me.

His yellow eyes peeked over the branch as the stray braids in his hair dangled in the air and I resisted from batting them like a cat with its toy as he advised firmly, "Rest well because tomorrow, we have work to do."

I frowned to being lectured once again and it was hard _not _to feel like a teenager at this point since I was under his ruling thumb without a say. On the other hand, his bossy attitude helped me get into this hammock and although I wasn't sure if I'd be able to get out once dawn arrived, I was grateful that he spared the time to help. It was best to remain polite to stay on his good side and nodded to him as I spoke softly, "Thank you for helping me, Tsu'tey."

"May Eywa watch over you" he said in farewell, touching his fingertips to his forehead and ducked back behind the branch to leave me alone in the hammock. I smiled confidently that maybe, just _maybe _I wouldn't fall out of this hovering hammock. Boy, I hoped Cheryl would hurry up so I wouldn't feel so alone in here.

* * *

(Third person POV)

"You know, I really would prefer to have you as my teacher again" Jake piped up casually as he watched the rustling treetops of their Kelutral as he stood next to his mate on the topmost level of the residential branches. Their hammock had been set up days ago as Mo'at and Neytiri worked together with the other women so Jake now had a cozy bed to settle into. He didn't mind sleeping on the floor, military tours of duty had taken away such discomfort, but Jake wanted his mate to sleep the night away in comfort.

Neytiri's lips hitched into a shy smile but her golden eyes pierced his with a knowing glimmer as she brushed her loose strands of raven hair, the wooden comb in her hands gliding through the long tresses with ease. The glow of the bladder lanterns brightened every aspect of her being and Jake found himself falling head over heels for her again for the tenth time this day.

Her voice chimed softly as she pointed out easily, "No, your mind would wander where it shouldn't and you need to concentrate. I trust Tsu'tey to keep you in line."

"Norm has a gorgeous teacher, shouldn't _I_ have one too?" he preened playfully and leaned down to give her a chaste kiss on the cheek as she tried to ignore his flirtation. It was a boyish charm that she'd first found irritating but grew to adore as they spent their time together. Neytiri increased the strokes of her brushing and batted his rear end with the tuft of her tail but it only fueled his energetic mood when he wrapped his own around it.

Unlike Jake who was boisterous in joking, she kept calm and serene to rile him as she stated nonchalantly, "Many think Tsu'tey is handsome-"

"Oh, like I'm really going to find that man in the same stunning way I find _you_, my own mate" he cut in dramatically with a laugh at the mere idea and shivered at it in afterthought but hey, he was a man who already nabbed his life partner. He wasn't about to examine anybody else, man or woman. Let the rest take care of their own attraction.

Neytiri quickly beat him to the punch as she chided gently, "Have you _finally _given up on the ridiculous notion of pairing Tsu'tey with Joanna?"

Jake gave her a cheeky grin that turned her stare flat as he scratched the side of his head, piping up innocently, "If I say yes, will you stop asking?"

She jabbed his right side with the end of her comb and chastised him, "You cannot do Eywa's work, Tsahìk has told you that. Let the two come together on their own accord-"

"We'll have grown children by the time it happens" he joked wittily and grabbed the comb from her hand to pass it over the left side of her head. His mate smiled warmly to the affectionate gesture and allowed him to keep rambling as he brushed her hair, "I'd like to have a baby, a little girl with flowers in her hair or a boy who likes to mud wrestle. They should have siblings and we'll protect them even when they're adults so they don't lose each other like I did Tom and you with Sylwanin. Our boy will be an even better Olo'eyktan-"

"Why do you doubt yourself, my Jake?" Neytiri asked faintly, cupping his back of his left ear with her hand and delicately stroked his cheek with her thumb. He gave a half-hearted shrug since he questioned every decision he made for hours just to make sure everybody would benefit and be happy. It wasn't easy being the new leader and learning a new way of life put his self-confidence in question constantly. Of course, he only shared this with his other half for rational judgment but Neytiri didn't see why he berated himself when the clan was safe and they were resuming their lives peacefully again.

He leaned into her calming touch and she halted his brushing to embrace his taller form to quell his worries. One hand smoothed over his braided hair while the other stroked his muscled back to soothe his mind from every problem conflicting him as she held him tenderly. As the future Tsahìk, she'd been raised to be neutral and reserved in public but privately, she would be the supportive and loving partner of her mate. Jake sighed deeply against the crook of her neck and admitted tiredly, "I don't know if I'll understand every part of your culture, past and present. At times, I think I'm on the right track but the next day, everything seems to fall apart when I can't remember something. I then think to myself, what if it's a crucial fact and I embarrass myself or insult somebody else? I'll be expected to keep peaceful relations with neighboring clans, with respectable Olo'eyktans and if I can't remember my own clan's background, how will I relate to theirs?"

"You cannot expect to learn everything so soon, it takes time" she replied kindly and stroked the back of his head gently to wash away his negative thoughts. As one who wasn't born on her world, she understood his concern about learning everything she'd learned from birth but Neytiri respected his unrelenting insistence nonetheless. Her cheek grazed his as she comforted softly, "You are like a sapling right now and with proper care, you will grow into a strong tree. You cannot know everything there is, even I don't know it all, but I am here for any questions you have or if you need a reminder on anything, _I am here_. You are not alone, my Jake, so do not feel anguished over this."

He brightened up to her support, holding her smaller frame to his, and her words managed to squash down any insecurities his mind was burdened with for the moment. That's what he loved about his mate, she could smack him into place when he was being an idiot or comfort him when he was feeling his lowest. His arms squeezed her fondly as she smiled warmly at him and he kissed her on the lips to offer his thanks, whispering against her cheek after they parted, "I love you."

"You better" Neytiri chuckled softly and outlined his lips with her fingertips. A smile broke over his lips for the featherlike caress and her eyes traced over his face as she whispered wisely, "You have the makings of a great Olo'eyktan, have no fear."

Their trained ears picked up a set of footsteps approaching them and Neytiri eliminated them as being her mother's dainty steps since her hammock was a few branches away on the same level. Jake, however, had gotten used to hearing the familiar heavy step and mumbled with a feigning pout, "I'm guessing my time is up."

Tsu'tey cleared his throat to announce his presence to the noble couple and Jake gave him a friendly wave of the hand that had the other man confused. The ex-marine often forgot sociable human gestures baffled the Na'vi and reminded himself to forget them before they landed him in trouble like his first handshake. Jake cupped Neytiri's chin and told her with a smile, "Go to sleep, I will return soon."

Tsu'tey gave the princess a non-verbal farewell that she returned amicably and he turned to head back down when Jake suddenly snickered, using his hand to cover it and transformed the sound into a cough. Neytiri batted his arm in chastisement as she tried to keep her own amusement down by forcing back a smile. Tsu'tey turned around instantly to see what the couple found so humorous and politely asked, "Would you care to indulge me in what you find amusing, Olo'eyktan?"

"You might want to avoid letting people see your back, I don't know _what _you were doing just now-"

"I was helping Joanna accustom herself to a hammock" the warrior replied earnestly as he was taught to do with his leader and had nothing to hide about his previous whereabouts. Jake's face turned from amusement to joy as he shot his new friend an insinuating glance for those words and Tsu'tey quickly tried to restate as embarrassment stung him, "No, Joanna was afraid to climb in and I aided her until she felt safe enough. It was strictly _educational_."

Neytiri had to shift her attention back to combing her hair to hide the giggle trying to surface and Jake nodded amusingly as he grinned to commend, "Of course, helping others is a virtue of yours but I don't see what the scratches on your back have to do with it."

Tsu'tey froze in dismay and instantly reached back to touch every spot on his back that he could reach with his fingertips and noticed a few welted hairline scratches over his shoulder blades. _Joanna! _She must've dug deeper than normal and left marks on him like a piece of meat. By Eywa, what must his leaders think of him? He quickly gathered his defense on what to tell his leaders and felt his mouth dry up at the embarrassing moment.

"I'm sure Joanna was _very _thankful-" Jake started with a mischievous grin and briefly wondered if indeed something had happened between the two and whether Tsu'tey was trying to hide it. He was sure Neytiri would point out the high statistics against such an occurrence but he liked being optimistic.

"There is nothing between us but mutual dislike and now, she's strengthened it by mutilating my back in a pathetic attempt to trick others to believe it came from acts of carnal pleasure" Tsu'tey stated brusquely as he kept his voice low because he didn't want anyone knowing of it except the two people he trusted most. He ran a hand over his forehead as it creased from worry, teeth gritting in anger towards the bothersome student, and fretted over the whole thing with a deep sigh, "What will people think when they see me? The warriors will laugh in humiliation and any women will gasp in shame and children, oh, the children-"

Neytiri took charge, as usual, and walked over to the nook she shared with her mate (Jake took this time to finally laugh into his hand before choking) to locate the area where she stored weaved cloths and clothing. She was a very organized woman and kept everything in their rightful categories while Jake was charged with keeping their personal belongings racks in tiptop condition. Finding a suitable navy cloth that would fit over the hunter's back, she grabbed it and returned to drape it over the man's shoulders with a sympathetic smile, "You may borrow it for the night. I'm sure the marks will fade but if not, you know where to find the healers."

"My gracious thanks, Neytiri" Tsu'tey replied respectfully with a friendly smile for her help and tied the corners into a knot over his chest to make sure it wouldn't fall during his walk back down to the base of Kelutral. His student was going to train so hard tomorrow, she'd have to crawl into bed after what she did to him. He looked towards the chuckling Jake and summoned stiffly, "Time to go, Olo'eyktan."

"I told you not to use my title in private" he reminded with a feigned groan and kissed his mate's forehead in farewell, hoping she'd still be awake when he returned so they could speak freely in private. One of their favorite pastimes was to tell stories of their pasts and coming from different worlds, it was never a boring subject for the duo. Neytiri returned the affection with a fond smile and stroked his cheek in farewell.

Jake met up with the taller hunter as he waited for what he wanted to hear and Tsu'tey restated flatly, "Jakesully."

"It's _Jake_, how many times do I have to tell you that, brother?" the other groaned in misery for the honorifics but Neytiri already knew Tsu'tey did this with brotherly teasing while her mate would rebuff, only to renew the same scenario again.

"Of course, Jake. . .sully."

She shook her head in fond amusement for both her mate and childhood friend as they began to walk away together. Out of everything that had occurred in the past months, the expectation of Jake and Tsu'tey seeing eye-to-eye was impossible but nowadays, it was a common occurrence. She heard Jake curiously ask with an eager grin that was always laced in his tone, "So, you say Joanna's scared of _hammocks_?"

Case in point, both Jake's and Tsu'tey's shared amusement of teasing Joanna senseless.

"Like seeing an ikran scared of flying, it's unbelievable" the taller hunter replied with a laugh that had Neytiri slumping her head for those two skxawngs and their torture on poor Joanna.

_I might have to even the field with my own subtle tricks_, she thought innocently and walked over to the branch holding her hammock. _Eywa keeps the balance and two against one is not very fair. Jake should also know that to get two furious ikran to fly together, you must let them unite in something that appeases both rather than keep slamming them together until they bite you in the hand._

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**A/N**: Yeah, so I decided to use the obstacle course they showed in the movie as Tsu'tey's first test of Joanna's skills since being teacher won't be easy for him but he's a brilliant little hunter so he'll get it soon enough. Hammock terror is just another phobia for those afraid of heights but I'm sure he'll have Joanna hurling through the air like a flying squirrel without her consent. The next chapter will have Tsu'tey praying for salvation as Joanna finally nabs her first target in archery. . .his rear end. All of the food names have been made up from items seen on Earth and words I jumbled into Na'vi sounding words.

Also, **I have a question for you readers **in regards to your thoughts whether the Na'vi women nurse their babies? It says in the Avatar Wiki that breasts aren't used in the same way humans use them but yet in the script, on page 55 where Jake explores his first morning among the Omaticaya, it distinctly reads '. _. .a young mother pounds seeds into meal, while nursing an infant_'. So, what do you guys think? Neytiri will be having a baby before Joanna and I have to figure out if she'll be nursing the little tyke or not. Na'vi aren't supposed to be placental mammals but the only known non-placental mammals on Earth still manage to feed their kids (mostly marsupials) by supplying breast milk to help them grow since they're born early because of the lack of a placenta with its internal feeding that they don't have but offspring are born with good motor skills but lack a developed brain. I've been researching to see how I could develop a Na'vi pregnancy (I'm leaning towards 'yes' on the breastfeeding because of the marsupial thing) but I would value your input as well.

Thank you, readers, for the new fav's and alerts since the last chapter, I appreciate every one and it keeps me clacking away at the keyboard with an uplifted spirit. As for my last reviewers:

_Judilee_- I'm glad every chapter is everything you expect it to be, I try to stick to different emotions rather than just one. Tsu'tey's a great teacher but his animosity towards the dreamwalkers will have subconscious biases flaring up against Joanna until it reaches a breaking point in about two chapters, I believe. Ha, you're right about Joanna and Tsu'tey not having anything easy- parenting will be about the same since Tsu'tey will be overprotective over his only daughter.

_Robyn Peters_- Thank you for loving my story and the fighting duo shall be graced by a set of rambunctious twins.

_Na'viWolf_- Don't wake your family on my account, I've had my shares of lectures (during high school) over being too loud in the middle of the night. It was worth it in my mind and I always reminded 'reading is educational, remember?'.

_KThxBai_- I don't think I've had 'genius' in my reviews before so I graciously thank you!

_Lilmisspurplesunshinee_- Yes, Tsu'tey will surprisingly be a good daddy with an attitude that's nothing like the grumpy one he shows right now. Each training session will be torture for Joanna since he doesn't kid around and with their animosity, conflicts are inevitable.

_Soccer11_- I thought you readers would like the snippet but unfortunately, it's many chapters away. I plan on writing two volumes for this story, 'One of The People' for Joanna's path and another for when the children pop out as the new generation. I'm still sketching out the details on where to set the divide.

_Mark_- Tsu'tey will pretty much be annihilating anything and I mean _anything _that relates to humankind and Earth; he simply doesn't want a reminder of them or for it to upset their natural balance of simplicity. The poor laptop was just another casualty. The next chapter will be Tsu'tey vs. Earth soaps. As for the computer, I'd think they'd be assigned on Earth for each Avatar driver heading up to Pandora to prevent a waste of money since humankind is all about that in the future there. Tsu'tey's still learning about the universe, mostly his own system, but in another chapter, he and Joanna will find Grace's old school (I saw an image of it on the Avatar Wiki where Jake touched a handmade solar system) so he will learn of her solar system there. The two will be getting along by then.

_Na'viBambi_- I'm sure Tsu'tey would crush the Smurfs under his feet if Joanna actually got her wish. I love Tsu'tey stories too because he needs love so that's why I'm making this story very long (so much that it will be split in two).

_DarkHiems-hime_- Trust me, I understand the workload of college (especially laboratory classes). I'm glad the detailing is good, it's what I strive for to make sure the readers can imagine every movement and emotion with each character. Tsu'tey is a stubborn but fun one to write because he can be both polite and cruel in the same sentence which probably adds to his appeal. And _thank you _for the information on genetic predisposition of twins, I never knew that but now I do. My biology classes only taught abnormalities and gender mutations within chromosomes during meiosis and mitosis.

_Caleb's babe_- Tsu'tey will always have humiliating ideas up his sleeve, especially for one who constantly argues with him. Humor will always accompany those two so you'll be smiling a lot.

_Smellysoap_- Everyone seems to like the long chapters so I'm glad over that fact since I don't want to bore them with the length. Tsu'tey's dislike for Joanna gives it that extra spice to connect with her but at the same time, ruin the progress they make. They're getting to the breaking point in their verbal battles since I can't have the two nagging in a way that will make them seem immature which is why one of them always makes peace with the other. Each person is different when falling in love and with Tsu'tey being both temperamental and stubborn, he'll be in denial before admitting it.

_TopKat90_- Oh, how I loved your long review. I love working with Tsu'tey's POV since it shows the Na'vi aspect of what he sees about Joanna and his new life while in Joanna's POV, her views on Tsu'tey and her adaptation to Na'vi life. I'm sure Tsu'tey would rather fling the spoon away than use it since he doesn't want to see anymore Earth things (hence, the throwing away of Joanna's items). He's distrustful by nature but with time and recurring atokirina, his hard shell will crack. Joanna will take the dream hunt first like every student should and those that want to become full-fledged hunters, will have to tame the ikran. In the Avatar Wiki, it says they're post-adolescent once they come out of the chamber they grow in so the drivers are pretty much at the stage to partake in the rites of passage.

_Nekuranekomegami_- Thanks for loving the last chapter, I try to make it as wonderful for you readers as I can.

_Dark Inu Fan_- Tsu'tey's too smart to kill Joanna off himself, he'll simply torture her with tasks and dangerous obstacles to see if they do it for him. He'll pretty much bet on every training session that she'll fail (which she unfortunately will) and get treated like a king at mealtime with her as the maid.

_Death magic doom_- I didn't see stables in the movie either but I can't imagine the pa'li being out in the open during rainy season and the Na'vi care for their counterparts so I'm sure they want them comfy like the ikran who get the top canopies. In the story, they're kept in the clearings so they can graze and wander on their own (like in the film) during daytime but at nighttime, they sleep in the stables or a comfy outdoor spot but their lead should be attached to something to prevent them from wandering away from Kelutral and getting eaten by a predator.

_Kudokuchan69_- Thanks for reading the story, I hope the long chapters didn't deter you. Good detailing is what I try to achieve so all the readers can get a sense of what each character is doing or thinking.

_Djinn17_- I'm glad it's one of your favorites. My favorite character in the film was Tsu'tey and I hated to see the poor guy die while Jake got the glory. Not to say I don't love Jake either, his character both amused and impressed me. Tsu'tey needs a little of the same love Jake and Neytiri have so I aim to give that to him, no matter how stubborn he is.

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**Next time on 'Pandora's Funniest Videos'**:

I shivered as I slid on the last piece of my clothing, my warm cotton socks, and tightly strapped on my hiking boots as my teeth chattered against the dewy air of dawn. My upper lip curled at the freezing water in the natural pool that I had now called my own personal bath since I hadn't heard or seen any around Hometree. Since I arrived on Pandora, I resorted to using the natural pools or rivers to bathe quickly (mostly because I saw several Na'vi taking a quick dive in them) and asking for the bathroom had been embarrassing enough. I honestly didn't know how the Na'vi kept their squeaky clean and flawless appearance but I wanted to know if I was on the right track.

Now, I walked back to Kelutral as I tied my hair into a chignon- queue and all attached- as I pushed in a black thorn into the side to keep it locked in place. I just needed it to strop dripping and then it would be free to roam in the air to dry. I'd always been a little nervous on brushing my hair since the queue was extremely sensitive to the touch but the women had taught me how to brush my hair free of knots while keeping the queue strands separate. As always, I was grateful for any help and they showed me hair accessories to either clip or tie my hair with, loving every tidbit of information I was given. I took what I learned and applied it to my lessons in jewelry making since little rocks could be applied with natural glue, derived from tree sap or melting collective tissue from an animal into liquid, and sticking it onto a leather strap for tying hair or an arm band; thorns from plants could be decorated with paint to hold thick hair; ribbons could be made from weaved fibers and dyed into favorite colors before tying hair with them, and many more. I didn't care how feminine it sounded but I loved creating accessories with every little item I found whenever I explored.

My arms remained tightly crossed over my chest, shoulders arched forward to somehow warm myself up by huddling my limbs close to my body and using my hands for friction to build up warmth. The hearth was always lit, day and night, at the base of Hometree and I couldn't wait to taste the warm flames on my skin that repelled the numbing cold. My pink bag of hygienic items slapped against my left side as I walked back to Hometree since they were all I had when it came to cleaning myself. I was very shy on asking for help and obviously, it kept biting me in the butt at times like this.

"What happened to you?" I heard my damn teacher's voice off to my right side where it pointed towards Kelutral's entrance and I turned to hiss softly at his blunt tone. I was cold beyond reason and the last thing I wanted was to be insulted before the day even started! There would be enough time for _that _during normal training hours.

"I took a b-bath in the pools back there, t-that's what" I stuttered out between chattering teeth as I kept rubbing my arms for heat and hoped my nose wouldn't start dripping clear mucus. Oh, wouldn't he start laughing then! Most clan members remained inside at this early hour to help prepare breakfast or chatted with friends to begin the day so there were rarely any people walking outside. Tsu'tey tended to wake early and scan the perimeter to make sure there was no danger. There was a great difference between us as I huddled like a shivering kitten and he stood proudly while being clean as a whistle. What pool did he go to that didn't leave him a bundling mess of chattering teeth? This only soured my mood as I pouted at him to question grumpily, "H-how do you people _not _get sick in cold f-freezing water out there?"

His brow raised to my question and he began laughing directly at me. Not a simple laugh of amusement but a straight out boisterous 'what an idiot' laugh. I'd never and I mean _never _heard him sound like that in front of me since he tended to yell at me most of the time. I couldn't help but feel shamefully tiny for my lack of knowledge here and wished he'd at least spare my humiliation. Ever since we began training a few weeks ago, he never hesitated to minimize me whether in public or private- either was inconsequential. There were times I wanted to give him a black eye so badly but disrespecting him would be dishonorable (ironically, he could do it to me without marring his reputation) so I resolved my problem by watching flying ikran from my shared hammock during evenings. Only nature herself could soothe the emotional tears the hunter created within me.

"We do not bathe there during mornings. . .maybe leisure dives during warm afternoons but at _dawn_? What gave you that idea?" he asked with genuine disbelief to my actions and shook his head at me in a way that told me I _should_ be ashamed. Tsu'tey gave me a stern stare that caused me to gulp nervously and he turned around swiftly to order, "Follow me."

Well, walking would warm me right up so I followed obediently and kept pace with him. I could now walk without stumbling over every little bump on the ground and my tail no longer batted anyone on its own accord. I was capable of keeping up with my teacher without losing him and had even begun to memorize the bioluminescent dots on his back to pinpoint him easily. Tsu'tey may be a jerk of a skxawng but the man knew teaching and I never hesitated on telling Cheryl and Norm about my day as the three of us shared our tips to help each other out. Cheryl remained undecided on completing Iknimaya but Uniltiron was mandatory of every student. She was simply happy working within Hometree and helping the clan however she could with her gentle nature.

Norm, on the other hand, was going to take the same path as I and practiced every day for long hours to make sure every muscle was honed to respond towards every kind of danger. Neytiri was much nicer to Norm than she was to Jake because she herself actually admitted it once during a group hike to a nearby mountain that had me exploring every area like a child while Tsu'tey chased after me. All of us had plenty of time to practice before the big day but one of us was ahead by miles and that somebody was Max. When he wasn't training with Peyral, he watched everything the hunters did and actually took notes using a strip of cured leather and a chiseled stick dipped in dark soot from the clan's hearth to write all of his findings down. Tsu'tey and Peyral were similar in attitude in regards to training but the difference was that she complimented her student and boasted to all of the teachers that Max would be the first to complete Iknimaya. I found the two to be a formidable team, followed along with Neytiri and Norm but Tsu'tey and I seemed more likable to kill each other first than me taking down prey.

Tsu'tey and I arrived in the clearings in the northern sector of Hometree that faced the deeper brush of the forest and headed left past a large root that obscured the clearing. I had never ventured here before since practice dwindled my exploration time and Tsu'tey had to supervise my outings because I knew nothing about the area. He motioned for me to follow with a flick of his hand and my face deadpanned when I saw about ten Na'vi taking showers in the area. Of course, they used hanging vines of a vibrant green as curtains to shield themselves from onlookers but you could nab a good peek if you looked in the right place up-close. I wasn't a pervert though. The ground was covered by naturally made wooden stairs which aided in drying one's feet while smooth and densely packed dirt encircled the area as children dried themselves while chatting happily.

How the hell had I missed _this_?

Tsu'tey showed me two large logs that had been carved in the center to hold water in a similar fashion to tubs and dipped his hand into the clear water to explain carefully to me, "We warm up water over the fire pit inside before we empty it here where the sun can continually warm it and you can bring your own pail to grab what you need. You head behind one of the separated stands to wash yourself and that's it. The water is refilled until sunset and the leftovers are used to wash our serving bowls after last meal."

_The Na'vi are the epitome of the old motto 'recycle, reuse'_, I thought warmly and dipped the ends of my fingers into the warm water that tingled me everywhere. Tomorrow, I would definitely be showering here.

Tsu'tey laughed at me again with that cocky smirk plastered over his angular face and I frowned in displeasure to his teasing of me as he snickered, "I can't believe you were out there bathing like a pa'li. You will come here next time unless you want to risk an illness."

"I wasn't doing it on purpose!" I snapped irately at the idea that he believed that of me and hated to have my intelligence undermined in such a manner by him of all people. He knew I could run circles around him in the field of science and I put up with cocky questions constantly during our astronomy lessons as he tried to find a question I could not answer. Unfortunately for him, I managed quite well and he was left with a defeated scowl which only deepened when I quizzed him on our discussion. By the next morning, I would be paying for his wrong answers by training my ass off but I'd get him back at night with my lessons. Tsu'tey often nagged that I shouldn't question him on his new knowledge of astronomy but I pointed out that it balanced our teacher-student relationship but I knew he was really trying to slide out of being tested. He was a man that enjoyed challenges. . .challenges that he could handle.

His golden gaze scrutinized me from head to toe as I tried to stand up to him to deter his assumptions but being a fair woman, I let his little quirks slide. He didn't have to show me where the showers were but his honor to help others never faltered, even when it came to me- the dreamwalker. His brow lifted in surprise when I nodded respectfully to state, "Thank you for informing me of this place, I appreciate it."

Of course, he dismissed my gratitude with a careless exhaled snort that never failed when he was in my presence and I rolled my eyes with my own flippant attitude. His eyes shot down to the little mesh bag that dangled over my left shoulder and he asked curiously with a cautious gaze, "What is _that_?"

"A bag to carry my showering items like shampoo, soap, conditioner, body scrub. . .why are you looking at me like that?" I asked warily with a slow drawl and instantly tried to decipher another one of his unreadable expressions. Oh, how I hated separating his cool 'I don't care' face from his nonchalant 'I want that out of my sight but I'm not telling you' look or the ever popular 'I hate that but I'm forcing you to get rid of it with indifferent insults'. I wondered if anybody in the clan had successfully translated every stare he gave because there should be a book on it; it would save me the psychological torture.

He held out his hand in demand for me to give him the items and I clutched the bag to my chest, groaning miserably, "No, you already killed my life's work, I'm not giving you this too."

"You are obliged to obey me and I distinctly remember you agreed with me" he pointed out sharply and easily snatched the bag in one swipe from my grip with his strength. His hands fiddled with the magnetic clasps but once he managed to rip it open, he pulled out my pink body wash. He shook the bottle furiously as he tried to figure out how to open the thing, his bottom lip pouting in thought as his brow furrowed in annoyance and I chuckled evilly to myself. A warrior beaten by a plastic body wash bottle, how humiliating. I almost began to pity the poor guy as he tried bending it in half but halted him with a sharp hiss when he tried to sink his teeth into it. I didn't need for Tsu'tey to accidentally poison himself for being careless and inadvertently blame _me_.

I yanked it out of his hand with one strong swipe and he glared at me like a baby who'd just had his favorite toy taken away. Ignoring him, I popped the top open with one move from the back of my thumb, smirking proudly over what he couldn't achieve before declaring dramatically with emphasis, "There, oh _mighty _warrior."

He grabbed it with a heated glare for the hit to his pride and I grinned cheekily for my small jab to his highness. Tsu'tey really needed to learn the meaning of 'loosen up'. He brought the open bottle to his nose to sniff it carefully. . .only to hurl it directly onto the ground the next second and stomp on it with his right foot. I pushed him back by the chest as the pink liquid gushed out over the dirt, narrowly missing my recently washed legs, and exclaimed shrilly, "_What the hell is wrong with you?_ All you do is destroy things!"

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Thank you for reading and please drop a review. Have a great day or a cozy night of sleep from wherever each reader hails from!


	10. Cupid's Wayward Arrow

CHAPTER 9:

**Cupid's Wayward Arrow  


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**

I shivered as I slid on the last piece of my clothing, my warm cotton socks, and tightly strapped on my hiking boots as my teeth chattered against the dewy air of dawn. My upper lip curled at the freezing water in the natural pool that I had now called my own personal bath since I hadn't heard or seen any around Hometree yet. Since the day I began to live among the Na'vi, I resorted to using the natural pools or rivers to bathe quickly (mostly because I saw several Na'vi taking a quick dive in them during several outings) and asking for the bathroom had been embarrassing enough. Period. I honestly didn't know how the Na'vi kept their squeaky clean and flawless appearance but I wanted to know if I was on the right track before people took notice.

Now, I walked back to Kelutral with jittery steps as I tied my hair into a chignon- queue and all attached- as I pushed in a black thorn into the side to keep it locked in place. I just needed it to stop dripping and then it would be free to roam in the air to dry naturally. I'd always been a little nervous on brushing my hair since the queue was extremely sensitive to the touch but the women had taught me how to brush my hair free of knots while keeping the queue strands separate. After all, their queues started from the top of their heads so they were the top experts on this. As always, I was grateful for any help and they showed me hair accessories to either clip or tie my hair with, loving every tidbit of information I was given. I took what I learned and applied it to my lessons in jewelry making since little rocks could be applied using natural glue, derived from tree sap or melting collective tissue from an animal into liquid, and sticking it onto a leather strap for tying hair or an arm band; thorns from plants could be decorated with paint to hold thick hair; ribbons could be made from weaved fibers and dyed into favorite colors before tying hair with them, and many more. I didn't care how feminine it sounded but I loved creating accessories with every little item I found whenever I explored the land around me.

My arms remained tightly crossed over my chest, shoulders arched forward to somehow warm myself up by huddling my limbs close to my body and using my hands for friction to build up warmth. The hearth was always lit, day and night, at the base of Hometree and I couldn't wait to taste the warm flames on my icy skin that repelled the numbing cold. My pink bag of hygienic items slapped against my left side as I walked back to Hometree since they were all I had when it came to cleaning myself. I was very shy on asking for help and obviously, it kept biting me in the butt at times like this.

"What happened to you?" I heard my damn teacher's voice off to my right side where it pointed towards Kelutral's entrance and I turned to hiss softly at his blunt tone. I was cold beyond reason and the last thing I wanted was to be insulted before the day even started! There would be enough time for _that _during normal training hours.

"I took a b-bath in the pools back there, t-that's what" I stuttered out between chattering teeth as I kept rubbing my bare arms for heat and hoped my nose wouldn't start dripping clear mucus. Oh, wouldn't he start laughing then! Most clan members remained inside at this early hour to help prepare breakfast or chatted with friends to begin the day so there were rarely any people walking outside. Tsu'tey tended to wake early and scan the perimeter to make sure there was no danger. Honestly, the man had endless energy because he was up before anybody and asleep _after _everybody. There was a great difference between us at the moment as I huddled like a shivering kitten and he stood proudly while being clean as a whistle. What pool did he go to that didn't leave him a bundling mess of chattering teeth? This only soured my mood as I pouted at him to question grumpily, "H-how do you people _not _get s-sick in cold f-freezing water out t-there?"

His brow raised to my question and he began laughing directly at me. Not a simple laugh of amusement that he tried to keep hidden out of politeness but a straight out boisterous 'what an idiot' laugh. I'd never and I mean _never _heard him sound like that in front of me since he tended to yell at me most of the time. I couldn't help but feel shamefully tiny for my lack of knowledge here on this world and wished he'd at least spare my humiliation. Ever since we began training a few weeks ago, he never hesitated to minimize me whether in public or private- either was inconsequential to him. I despised him for it. There were times I wanted to give him a black eye so badly but disrespecting him would be dishonorable (ironically, he could do it to me without marring his reputation one bit) so I resolved my problem by watching flying ikran from my shared hammock during evenings or walking a nearby river for solitude. Only nature herself could soothe the emotional tears the hunter created within me.

"We do not bathe there during mornings. . .maybe leisure dives during warm afternoons but at _dawn_? What gave you that idea?" he asked with genuine disbelief written on his face to my actions and shook his head at me in a way that told me I _should_ be ashamed. Tsu'tey gave me a stern stare that caused me to gulp nervously and he turned around swiftly to order, "Follow me."

Well, walking would warm me right up so I followed obediently and kept pace with him. I could now walk without stumbling over every little bump on the ground and my tail no longer batted anyone on its own accord. I was capable of keeping up with my teacher without losing sight of him and had even begun to memorize the bioluminescent dots on his back to pinpoint him easily through dense foliage or Na'vi crowds. Tsu'tey may be a jerk of a skxawng but the man knew teaching and I never hesitated on telling Cheryl and Norm about my day as the three of us shared our tips to help each other out. Cheryl remained undecided on completing Iknimaya but Uniltiron was mandatory of every student. There was no way out of it without remaining a child in the eyes of the People and having no rank didn't look good on anybody. She was simply happy working within Hometree and helping the clan however she could with her gentle nature.

Norm, on the other hand, was going to take the same path as I and practiced every day for long hours to make sure every muscle was honed to respond towards every kind of danger. The lanky Avatar that Norm had been months ago when we met was gone and a leaner but muscular Norm was emerging with each passing day. Neytiri was much nicer to Norm than she was to Jake because she actually admitted it once during a group hike to a nearby mountain that had me exploring every area like a child while Tsu'tey chased after me. All of us had plenty of time to practice before the big day but one of us was ahead by miles and that somebody was Max. When he wasn't training with Peyral, he watched everything the hunters did and actually took notes using a strip of cured leather and a chiseled stick dipped in dark soot from the clan's hearth to write all of his findings down. Tsu'tey and Peyral were similar in attitude in regards to training but the difference was that she complimented her student and boasted to all of the teachers that Max would be the first to complete Iknimaya while Tsu'tey called me a blind tapirus that was doomed to fail. I found the two to be a formidable team, followed along with Neytiri and Norm but Tsu'tey and I seemed more likable to kill each other first than me taking down prey.

Tsu'tey and I arrived in the clearings in the northern sector of Hometree that faced the deeper brush of the forest and headed left past a large root that obscured the clearing. I had never ventured here before since practice dwindled my exploration time and Tsu'tey had to supervise my outings because I knew nothing about the area. He complained half the time we were out in the wilderness and I hated feeling like a child with its cranky babysitter because I never got to be on my own.

He motioned for me to follow with a flick of his wrist and my face deadpanned when I saw about ten Na'vi taking showers in the area. Of course, they used hanging vines of a vibrant green as curtains to shield themselves from onlookers but you could nab a good peek if you looked in the right place up-close. I wasn't a pervert though. The ground was covered by naturally made wooden stairs which aided in drying one's feet while smooth and densely packed dirt encircled the area as children dried themselves while chatting happily about their day.

How the hell had I missed _this_?

Tsu'tey showed me two large logs that had been carved in the center to hold water in a similar fashion to tubs and dipped his hand into the clear water to explain carefully to me, "We warm up water over the fire pit inside before we empty it here where the sun can continually warm it and you can bring your own pail to grab what you need. You head behind one of the separated stands there to wash yourself and that's it. The water is refilled until sunset and the leftovers are used to wash our serving bowls after last meal."

_The Na'vi are the epitome of the old motto 'recycle, reuse'_, I thought warmly and dipped the ends of my fingers into the warm water that tingled me everywhere. Sweet, warm water. Tomorrow, I would definitely be showering here.

Tsu'tey laughed at me again with that cocky smirk plastered over his angular face and I frowned in displeasure to his teasing of me as he snickered, "I can't believe you were out there bathing like a common talioang. You will come here next time unless you want to risk an illness."

"I wasn't doing it on purpose!" I snapped irately at the idea that he believed that of me and hated to have my intelligence undermined in such a manner by him of all people. He knew I could run circles around him in the field of science and I put up with cocky questions constantly during our astronomy lessons as he tried to find a question I could not answer. Unfortunately for him, I managed quite well and he was left with a defeated scowl which only deepened when I quizzed him on our discussion. By the next morning, I would be paying for his wrong answers by training my ass off but I'd get him back at night with my lessons. Tsu'tey often nagged that I shouldn't question him on his new knowledge of astronomy but I pointed out that it balanced our teacher-student relationship but I knew he was really trying to slide out of being tested. He was a man that enjoyed challenges. . .challenges that he could handle.

His golden gaze scrutinized me from head to toe as I tried to stand up to him to deter his assumptions but being a fair woman, I let his little quirks slide. He didn't have to show me where the showers were but his honor to help others never faltered, even when it came to me- the dreamwalker. His brow lifted in surprise when I nodded respectfully to state, "Thank you for informing me of this place, I appreciate it."

Of course, he dismissed my gratitude with a careless exhaled snort that never failed when he was in my presence and I rolled my eyes with my own flippant attitude. His eyes shot down to the little mesh bag that dangled over my left shoulder and he asked curiously with a cautious gaze, "What is _that_?"

"A bag to carry my showering items like shampoo, soap, conditioner, body scrub. . .why are you looking at me like that?" I asked warily with a slow drawl and instantly tried to decipher another one of his unreadable expressions. Oh, how I hated separating his cool 'I don't care' face from his nonchalant 'I want that out of my sight but I'm not telling you' look or the ever popular 'I hate that but I'm forcing you to get rid of it with indifferent insults'. I wondered if anybody in the clan had successfully translated every stare he gave because there should be a book on it; it would save me the psychological torture.

He held out his hand in silent demand for me to give him the items and I clutched the bag to my chest, groaning miserably in protest, "No, you already killed my life's work, I'm not giving you this too."

"You are obliged to obey me and I distinctly remember you agreed with me" he pointed out sharply to our deal and easily snatched the bag in one swipe from my grip with his strength. His hands fiddled with the magnetic clasps but once he managed to rip it open, he pulled out my pink body wash. He shook the bottle furiously as he tried to figure out how to open the thing, his bottom lip pouting in thought as his brow furrowed in annoyance and I chuckled evilly to myself. A warrior beaten by a plastic body wash bottle, how humiliating. I almost began to pity the poor guy as he tried bending it in half but halted him with a sharp hiss when he tried to sink his teeth into it. I didn't need for Tsu'tey to accidentally poison himself for being careless and inadvertently blame _me_.

I yanked it out of his hand with one strong swipe and he glared at me like a baby who'd just had his favorite toy taken away. Ignoring him, I popped the top open with one move from the back of my thumb, smirking proudly over what he couldn't achieve before declaring dramatically with emphasis, "There, oh _mighty _warrior."

He grabbed it with a heated glare for the hit to his pride and I grinned cheekily for my small jab to his highness. Tsu'tey really needed to learn the meaning of 'loosen up' unlike other hunters who happily joked about in conversations. He brought the open bottle to his nose to sniff it carefully. . .only to hurl it directly onto the ground the next second and stomp on it with his right foot. I pushed him back by the chest as the pink liquid gushed out over the dirt, narrowly missing my recently washed legs, and exclaimed shrilly, "_What the hell is wrong with you?_ All you do is destroy things!"

"That is _foul _smelling-"

"It's '_strawberries and cream'_, thank you very much" I shot back snippily in defense to my scented wash because it certainly wasn't disgusting as he claimed. Lots of people loved the scent back at Hell's Gate (it was out of stock by the end of the day it came too) and I had a knack for purchasing sweet scents so boo on him for his awful taste. Then again, he hated everything I owned so it could be exaggerated dramatics on his part to appear dominant over me. Oh, how the prolemuris annoyed me. My eyes glanced at the pink goo decorating the brown dirt and the half empty bottle holding the indent of his foot right in its center, crossing my arms to refute his insults, "There's nothing wrong with it. I'd have you know it's a popular scent among the tawtute-"

"It is artificial, fake scents and chemicals- completely _awful_" he sneered with a wrinkle of his cat-like nose and added a last stomp on the bottle to finish crushing it under his foot. Honestly, this man was crazier than a prolemuris defending its territory and they only hurled mushy fruit at the most. I hated that he was taking out his anger towards humans against me and chastised myself for ever agreeing to letting him oversee my independence over human made items. Boy, was I regretting it every day that passed. I believed the last items I owned were my shoes and clothing now but I wasn't about to give _those _up without a fight. I'd beat him over the head with my boots if I had to.

Tsu'tey brought me over to the side of Hometree's trunk where growths on the bark created good shelving for use by the Na'vi. His long fingers hovered over several sealed urns with names burned onto them and prodded at the inscriptions for emphasis to command sharply with a hint of pride in his voice, "You will use these from now on. Handmade soap from natural herbs, oils, and fruits that will clean and protect your skin- nothing like that _horrendous _soap of yours."

I snorted to his snippy tone since he was obviously throwing out those jabs for dominance and frowned as he lifted his chin proudly to what his culture had to offer. He was correct since naturally derived items were healthier for one's body but the prolemuris didn't need a bigger ego. I let the matter drop and mentally bid adieu to my hygiene products, which were nestled underneath his arm and ready to be dumped, as I mumbled out tiredly, "Fine. What about cleaning my hair? I don't want it knotted, it will drive me crazy to brush all this long hair if it's tangled."

He unsheathed his hunting knife with a single swipe of his hand and motioned the sharp pointy end towards my hair with a haughty smirk, "If it is such a problem, I will simply cut off the front."

My fingers dug into my damp locks in an attempt to block his crazy idea to lop off my hair and I exclaimed guardedly to defend my long locks no matter what the cost, "No, I don't want to be bald! Go cut yours off, you crazy prolemuris!"

Pushing him back with my hands, I slapped his hand away to keep that knife far from me and stated firmly with thinned lips, "I like having long and thick hair, thank you very much. I never had any like this. . .well, maybe as a teenager but. . ."

My fingers traced over large bun of hair at the back of my head that completely put to shame the old head of limp stringy hair I used to have and nowadays, made sure to keep it healthy and vibrant. The protein rich concoctions of their hair soap would help to maintain a shiny coat and briefly wondered if they had anything similar to hair masks or oil treatments. Oh, there was bundle of information within mother nature to help a body keep healthy and I wanted to learn everything. I took notice of his perplexed stare as my fingers kept fiddling with the top of my bun and I shuffled my feet together, shifting my eyesight down to them as I modestly inquired, "What?"

"You are very strange to fawn over hair" he remarked softly and shook his head at my actions. To him, it was probably neurotic behavior but I adored my hair. I didn't care how vain it sounded but after having paper thin straw-like hair for years, voluminous hair was my dream come true. . .aside from being a Na'vi but this was a perk in the package anyway. He motioned to a large clay bowl filled with little green leaves that served as wrappers to an unknown filling inside and he picked one up between his thumb and index finger. My eyes blinked with childish curiosity as to what it was and didn't glance away as he explained slowly, "I'm only saying this once: Open one by twisting the sides open but only _before _you clean your hair and apply it to saturate all of it with this blend of oils for a fair amount of time. Clean your hair as usual but this will keep it strong and glossy."

I grabbed it from his hand with a wide grin and a happy gleam in my eye as I studied the careful wrapping between my forefingers. My, I couldn't wait to use it tomorrow. Tsu'tey decided to scold my enthusiasm with a reprimanding hiss, "Do _not _open it until you use it."

"I'm not a skxawng" I shot back since my mind did not lack common sense and stuffed the plant wrapper into my short's pocket before he could cut in with a smartass comment. Sometimes, my anger got the best of me and I walked right into a trap that would have him firing off perfectly scored taunts and insults at me. A visit to the river a few days ago backfired on me when I hurled insults at Tsu'tey, which instantly scared off the fish he'd been trying to catch for the day, and their slimy skin brushing against my legs caused me to lose my balance and splash I went into the water. He laughed at me the whole return trip home since I was completely drenched and felt lousier when a group of prolemuris mimicked his laughter while they foraged for fruits in the trees.

The urns drew my curiosity to the shelves and I carefully opened the top of each urn to see the different kinds of soaps that were held inside. Black. Beige. Berry. Orange. My nose curiously smelled each spicy, sweet, floral, and woodsy aroma that pleased my sense of smell. I couldn't wait to try each variety and heard Tsu'tey grumble inaudibly to himself behind me (it was best to ignore him and deny him the attention) and I looked back to ask excitedly, "Do you have scrubs?"

He took a step back at my question and tilted his head to ask with complete bafflement, "What?"

"Scrubs, you know, soaps that have little rough particles to peel off the outer dead layers of skin and reveal the new?" I explained easily as I closed the urns tightly to prevent the escape of freshness and walked over to him with giddy steps for his aggravation on the subject. Tsu'tey, however, remained lost by my curiosity and gave me a blank stare that pretty much said 'what the hell are you talking about?'. I smiled with lighthearted amusement to his lost appearance and reached forwards to grab my bag from his hand. Visual aids would work best with him.

Tsu'tey gave the mesh bag a protesting yank as he was reluctant to release it and I grit my teeth, shooting him a dark stare as I opened the bag instead. Ugh, didn't he trust anybody? What did he think I would do, beat him to a pulp with a plastic _bottle_? My fingers dug through the bag as my other hand batted away his meddlesome one and cursed his awful impatient attitude. I finally grabbed the round jar-like container from inside before he started snapping at me and opened it up to let him glimpse into the pasty pink goo littered with tiny fuchsia particles. Grabbing a dab with my index finger, I smoothed the layer over the back of my hand so he could see and explained excitedly with a grin, "See? You have these little particles to scrub your skin smooth of dead cells rather than your every day soap but you use it sparingly. This is all chemical like you said but I had a grandmother who made this stuff naturally but items were always hard to buy due to pricing."

I rambled on about the processed resources of Earth and its hefty pricing before a thought hit me and I grasped his forearm without warning. His whole body tensed to the unexpected touch but I didn't really care at the moment as I pitched my idea enthusiastically, "Why don't _we _make some? I'm sure the women will love it! It will be all natural-"

"Have you noticed I'm a _man_?" he replied dryly to my happy giggles to block the idea since I loved projects and pinned him with a heated glare for his interruption but grudgingly correct fact. Otherwise, he'd be a very ugly woman. I'm pretty sure no man wanted to partake in female hobbies unless they consisted of hunting. Tsu'tey was as manly as you would find because every time I encountered him outside of training, he was either grooming his pa'li, Aci- she was both a frightening but gorgeous mare- or crafting arrows or practicing his archery, and my personal favorite in similarity to Earth, drinking with the men.

I, on the other hand, was becoming a handy person in crafting items and my weaving had improved considerably since I'd gotten my new teacher in that field. Kusa was a sweet woman with a bundle of three young ones, all girls, who happily sat next to me to chat endlessly about anything when it was time to make jewelry. I'd be meeting them tomorrow for my sewing lesson but I saw them every day during mealtimes when they clung onto my legs with sneaky Cheshire grins while their mother chased after them. I hoped to Eywa I would not have more than one child, if any, when the time came and that they wouldn't play hide-and-seek with me because of my worrisome nature.

Tsu'tey figuratively knocked my socks off when he chuckled at my frown and suggested casually, "Tell the women later on, I'm sure they will be curious about creating it."

He agreed with _me_? Him? The man who horrendously abhorred anything and everything from Earth?

My face beamed with a peppy smile at the prospect but he deflated it when he added in firmly, "But leave _me _out of it. I will not be blamed for any of your blunders."

And like that, he torched the friendship bridge one step back. Honestly, we were taking more steps backwards than forwards in this arrangement. This man was harder to crack than a vault but I decided to attempt a little reverse psychology on him. His short anger streak always failed him when it came to this and I used it to my advantage whenever I saw an achievable goal.

"I'm sure men will find it beneficial, you gather sweat, grime, and who knows what else from your activities" I rebuffed with a passive-aggressive voice, wrinkling my nose in distaste as my eyes wandered over his sharp features and rubbed my index finger down the center of his forehead. His eyes narrowed into slits at my forwardness to touch his person but I was going to make my point, regardless if I actually collected any visible dirt on my finger. For emphasis, I rubbed it together with my thumb as I gave them a false scrutinizing gaze and faked disgust to complain aloud, "Who would want to touch skin like _this_?"

"Joanna-"

"I certainly wouldn't so you'll do a perfect job at repelling anyone from such bodily filthiness. . ." I chided nonchalantly to see if it riled him and almost broke my stoic façade with a grin when his sharp teeth bared at me. The rest of my words trailed off as I batted my eyelashes to play the innocence card and closed my little jar to deflect any blame because I knew he was glaring at me without needing to confirm it. He was Tsu'tey, there was never a time he _wasn't _glaring at me and I often wondered if he slept like that too.

"Hot springs, they purify skin too" I piped up purposely to change the subject and mentally gathered all of the mumbo jumbo women spouted about spa time back on Earth. My evasion worked like a charm as he gave me a lazy blink that distinctly warranted clarification and I explained with a friendly smile, "Natural pools of water that are heated underground by Pandora's crust. They bubble and are always warm. . ."

Tsu'tey remained clueless by the blank stare on his face and my own squinted as I tried to get the message across but his little island was floating farther away from me by the second. Hesitantly, I asked unsurely with a slight tilt of the head, "Have you ever seen any? I'm running out of explanations for you."

"No, but maybe others have, I rarely take notice of such since the hunt is my field" he replied simply and motioned with his head in the opposite direction. I already knew his body movements meant business and I straightened my spine to ready myself for my first morning order, quickly dumping the jar back into the mesh bag. Tsu'tey did not disappoint my assumption as he batted the top of my head with a thin branch that popped out of nowhere and stated firmly with the first order, "The morning meal will be served soon and I expect you in the training field afterwards."

"_Sir, yes, sir_" I piped up with a high pitched voice that never failed to irk him and gave him the mock military salute that he never understood with a peppy smile.

Tsu'tey always made sure I ate at every meal and would walk by to inspect my area to make sure every crumb was gone or he'd sit next to me (intrusively, mind you) until he saw everything gone. You'd think it was an endearingly caring trait on his part but no, he was adamant that I followed his detailed diet to the dot or he'd drop me as a student. It mostly consisted of carbohydrates in the morning and protein later on or some other crap, I wasn't a nutritionist so I simply ate it without complaint since those large eyes of his unsettled me when they didn't blink. All I knew is that I didn't like being verbally manhandled but as long as it kept him from biting my head off in public, cheers!

His face turned stony for a few seconds of silence before turning away, his calculative eyes locking onto mine as he ordered coldly, "Get moving."

* * *

"I want to ride _that _one."

"No."

"That one?"

"No."

"What about-"

"No."

. . .

"Take your pick."

I sighed exasperatedly to his pickiness over my decision- it was _mine_, after all- and placed my hands on my hips in argument mode to remark tartly, "I _would _but you keep objecting to every one I choose. If you'd listen-"

Tsu'tey proceeded to leave me in the clearing as he walked by all the available pa'li in the stables while I shook my fist behind him but chased after the man. Sometimes, I really wanted to hurl a rock at his head and see if it actually dented him or if his stone-like body would bounce it back. The second I halted in front of him, he aimed a stern glare at me and pointed to a pa'li located at the farthest end. I walked over to the area with a frown on my face and expected a behemoth of a creature as I passed each direhorse that was either dozing or waiting for a rider. Large pa'li, mostly stallions, were the only ones the idiot let me ride but blinked when I saw a young colt that the youngsters played with often. Its bright blue eyes blinked at me with a cheerful glint that were too sweet to ignore and I watched its tail sway happily.

Peke? He wanted me to ride _Peke_?

I grimaced instantly to the embarrassing choice and my shoulders slumped forward in disappointment, my bow almost slipping from my hands to the action but I quickly recovered. My teacher had a knack for being psychologically brutal and unforgiving; I bet it was because I called him filthy only an hour prior. Tsu'tey seemed wonderfully amused to my sour disposition beside him as I stared at the young steed that pawed the ground with his hooves and I grit out to refute sharply, "This is the training pa'li the _childre_n use. I can't-"

"Are you not also in training?" he pointed out simply with a haughty tone in his voice that rubbed me the wrong way and if I had the ability, I would've knocked his front teeth out. He jabbed his index finger in the direction of the colt and I could feel the exhale of his breath on my face as he commanded frigidly, "Go."

I gave him a flabbergasted face for the order, squeezing my bow from irritation to his crazy ideas, and objected sharply, "But-"

"I am your teacher and you _will _obey me" he stated strictly with narrowed eyes as he leaned over to dominate me with his taller figure and I growled under my breath. Oh, he was one sadistic son of a Prolemuris.

I stomped off towards the small steed that waited for me while mimicking his words but he saw none of it or else I would have more laps added to my daily running routine. My hands caressed the long neck of the pa'li as its two pairs of eyes watched me to assess my threat level and flashed him a friendly smile. I often brought the colt something to eat when I had spare time on my hands but Tsu'tey didn't care about my leisure wanderings (nor did I want him to). The shock on his face was sickeningly gratifying to see as I initiated tsaheylu with the pa'li because I was certain he expected me to go flying across the field.

This wasn't my first time because the first had been terrifying for me since I barely spent ten minutes with the pa'li before Tsu'tey ordered me to make the intimate connection. My fright didn't help any and ordering the stallion for the first time had sent me flying straight onto Tsu'tey when the creature hurled me through the air. I refused to ride a pa'li unless it would be the one I kept because I wanted a better connection without apprehension but Tsu'tey, as always, had other ideas. He had me attempt to ride three different pa'li so far but none would have me because I was either hurled or knocked off, mostly onto him or into a pit of mud. The pa'li could look majestic when ridden by a master but they refused you if you couldn't maintain the bond. Tsaheylu was unlike anything on Earth and your counterparts, whether in the sky or land, became a part of you in a way that would have pet owners dying with envy.

I handed Tsu'tey my bow as I flashed him a peppy smile that only deepened his frown and walked back to Peke. I placed my palms over his back to give him a few friendly pats before hoisting myself up with a smile, tucking my legs close to his sides to keep myself on his back. Every emotion surged through me and natural instinct that ran throughout the pa'li's mind flowed into mine but I eased it with my own calming blend to tell him it was all okay. The little guy became calm instantly with its light demeanor and pawed at the ground with its front hooves as I petted the back of its thick bluish-gray neck to speak mentally, '_It's all right, Peke. I will not hurt you_.'

"Better?" I piped up cheerfully about my accomplishment to Tsu'tey, who's face frowned deeply to my success and crossed his arms to remain stoic around me. Whatever. I conquered the little steed so my mounting wasn't as bad as it was weeks ago and I would take pride in that. He could either love it or lump it.

"Order him to trot" he barked suddenly and I shot him a glare for the sharp tone that caused Peke to snort at the air from the unity of our minds. You know, I rather liked this one. He didn't frighten my mind nor did he make me tread carefully unlike the others. With a fond pet to Peke's hide, I asked for him to move forward slowly and smiled triumphantly when he took a few steps in a straight line in the manner in which I asked. I'd learned from Jake's mistakes to never order with simplicity, you had to imagine what you wanted down to the last detail and allow your partner to see as well or else you'd go flying like both of us had.

"Stop."

I followed the instruction and Peke listened with a short call, halting before a wooden log and I rewarded him with another caring stroke to the side of his neck. Peke replied with a series of happy neighs and I laughed softly to his friendly disposition. The little guy grew on you but I knew that within a year, he'd grow to be a gorgeous young stallion for a warrior since he was nearing that stage in life. He was bigger than the other colts already but his gentle temperament made him a favorite among the youngsters. It worked in my favor wonderfully since I saw him every other day in the fields where he grazed and decided to cherish Peke as one of my favorite clan animals.

"Tsu'tey?" I asked softly as a new idea formed in my mind and outstretched my left hand towards him in beckoning. The older man simply grumbled inaudibly under his breath and walked over with a questioning glance to my summoning. Goodness, he even looked bored and half-asleep for being here with me. Regardless of his cranky mood, I proposed politely to be on his good side, "I think- no, you're right. I'd like to practice with Peke until I'm comfortable to ride a stallion or mare. Is that all right with you?"

I expected an insult about being childish but instead, he nodded stiffly. He agreed with me? _Again_? Was he trying to trick me into something I was unaware of? Tsu'tey ran his hand over Peke's snout and the colt licked the palm of his hand playfully, prompting him to falsely scold him with words I couldn't hear. The steed got a smile from the brusque man that I'd yet to achieve and offered my own when he turned his gaze toward me and stated simply, "Only for a few weeks. I expect you to mount a grown pa'li by the end and to ride it within the month. You must be able to shoot down prey before the dream hunt or you will fail."

My eyes narrowed to his last words because I heard them constantly (they were already fused into my dreams) and pointed out shrewdly, "You know, I think you _want _me to fail sometimes. You lash out at me with orders when you know I'm a novice and you tell me I'm going to fail at least every ten minutes. How am I not supposed to feel disillusioned? I should make Peke kick you between the legs. . .that is, if I _could_."

He didn't find my humor amusing but then again, Tsu'tey never found _anything _funny. I think the world would end before hearing that man utter a laugh. Well, a nice laugh anyway. I concealed a smile as an order went out to Peke to lick Tsu'tey's face and I received a question of '_Why? He's not food_' but I insisted anyway. The colt blinked in puzzlement at the air before licking his right cheek as it was closest and I laughed cheerfully when his lips curled in distaste to the warm slobber. His face might've showed repulsion but he certainly didn't push Peke away which reminded me of his caring nature for animals and his clan mates. Would _I_ ever see any of that?

"Good boy" I murmured softly and patted his left haunch with a smile to his obedience. Peke backed away from the hunter before his whole face was covered in translucent saliva while I withheld a chuckle to his wet face, amused to his sour appearance. This pa'li lesson had been the best of all I'd partaken in and even better, I'd get to call Peke my own until the month was over. His blue eyes blinked happily at Tsu'tey, who didn't say anything to the friendly colt but I knew irritation boiled at me behind those golden orbs of his.

A moment later, he snapped out the next command, "To the archery ranges."

That would most definitely _not _be fun.

* * *

Did I mention I was awful at archery?

Most of my colleagues had the basics down of nailing a target but I couldn't hit anything dead center yet and most arrows pierced the edges of the target or went clear off into the unknown. As punishment, Tsu'tey had me create new arrows by hand for all that I lost but it backfired on him since he taught me the skill and it was easier than nailing a target. Nowadays, I created my own arrows during my free time and didn't bother asking him for some anymore. I tended to use bright feathers on the fletching so the hue would help me find them in the foliage instead of losing them. So far, it was working 50/50.

My practice for today was anything but easy because Tsu'tey decided to bring me to a public range instead of a private one where I wouldn't feel so vulnerable to criticism. This day was turning out to be different because instead of helping me like a dutiful teacher, he was running off his yap to a bunch of his hunting buddies while I struggled to keep my bow straight enough to fire. My right hand shook on the fletching since my balance took forever to maintain steady with my footing but Tsu'tey would only yell at me and give me useless tips like 'stand up straight'. That was a broad statement without any specific instruction on how I should keep my form or where each limb should be stationed. Whenever we practiced elsewhere, his tone remained cold but he was helpful in straightening my stance until I could shoot my arrow. My gut had a bad feeling that this day wouldn't end well and I wasn't talking about the bland goop he had me eat at breakfast.

The entire lesson had me ready to curl up with the blues when he started snickering in his conversation and knew his glances directed at me were only for humiliation. I wish I had a meat cleaver to chop his tail in two and then we'd see who was left laughing. A subtle intake of breath calmed my nerves somewhat since being stared at unsettled me and I clenched the muscles of my arms to steady myself. The tips of my fingers held onto the nock and simultaneously gripped the string while the left steadied my bow in the direction of the round wooden target. Seconds later, I let the arrow fly and my heart beat quickly in my chest as I hoped it would pierce the center.

Luck wasn't with me.

My tail curled over my right leg in wallowing shame as the arrow clung onto the southern edge of the target and tried not to be affected by the sudden laughter off to the right of me. Is this how he encouraged his students, by ridiculing them in public? I kept my eyes to the floor as I grabbed another arrow off the grass, checking the fletching for any last minute ruffles before pressing it against the string. I needed to remain focused on anything to fight off their snarky laughter. Pulling the string back until it was taut underneath the pressure that was produced, I aimed the tip of the arrow dead on the center of the target. I would take my timing with this one and if I failed, I would learn from my mistake. Hopefully, after all thirteen mistakes, luck would pity me and hand me a free pass.

"You would think that after three weeks of lessons, she'd manage to shoot the target" Tsu'tey laughed aloud to his posse of pals and I grit my teeth as I kept my arrow from prematurely firing off. Why couldn't he shut the hell up or take his entourage elsewhere to laugh at me? Students were training around the entire area so why did he have to make _me _the laughing stock? I wished Neytiri was training with Norm today since she had perfect senses and always put him in his place when she saw me struggling. There were times I really wished Jake would allow me to switch teachers because I was disliking Tsu'tey with every passing week we spent together.

I tried to tune out his rude comments and refocused my aim on the target but big mouth opens his yap again, "A tapirus makes a better student and they lack opposable thumbs!"

My teeth bit the inside of my bottom lip to contain the string of curses I wished to unleash aloud but it would only bring me a reprimanding lecture. Counting to five in my head, I regained my calm and straightened my posture to what a huntsman's should be. I maintained my concentration despite the incessant rabble behind me and zeroed in on the center before releasing my arrow towards the target. This one had to hit, it just had to. I withheld from blinking to see the result and almost groaned in misery for scoring in the ends yet again. The endless chatter to the right wasn't helping and I grit my teeth in aggravation to their careless noise as it grew louder, calling out sharply to them, "Do you mind?"

"Did I say you could speak? No, you finish the entire set _first_" Tsu'tey snapped briskly with a scowl aimed right at me like I'd done something bad to him as he stood in front of his little clique. The other warriors actually showed more politeness by hushing down their tones but this man, this insufferable buffoon, simply chastised me for something he was doing.

Being of a lower rank and maintaining my politeness, I tried again with a pleading tone, "But Tsu-"

"No talking" he repeated coldly with a derisive sneer and returned back to his conversation without an ounce of consideration for me. I merely gaped in astonishment to his awful and shrew behavior and turned away from him as I bit into my hand, muffling a furious scream that I wished to make his ears bleed with. Of course, blabbermouth continued on, "As I was saying. . ."

What an insensitive asshole!

One day I would defeat him in one feat, I didn't care what it was (I briefly wondered if he knew the old game Jacks) as long as I won. I'd rub it in his face and gloat. Yes, gloating would do quite nicely. With mental steam rising from my head, I leaned down to grasp the next arrow for practice and sighed under my breath as I shifted my arms into the classic archer's stance. The students located around me were doing far better with their practice and my ears lowered at my awful skills that didn't seem to be improving one bit since I started weeks ago. This was my weakest field and instead of receiving the thorough aid that I needed, Tsu'tey was laughing it up without a single tip to spare. I admitted that I pitied myself at this point for having no improvement and was losing hope that I would become better. My left hand shook slightly at my dip in confidence and in turn, the bow became unbalanced and I lowered my arrow with my right hand to halt its shaky course. This would only cause more humiliation and Tsu'tey would be more than ready to dish it out.

_Is it too much to ask for a little help on his part? I know I'm not his favorite person but he should be here next to me instead of being a regular Chatty Cathy_, I thought irritably to his rudeness and bit the inside of my cheek since I'd drawn blood from my bottom lip after gnawing on it for too long. My eyes darted between Tsu'tey and the target in the hopes that he'd have a last minute conscience slap but I waited to no avail.

I found it hard to find my voice amidst the depression sinking in and meekly called out, "Tsu'tey?"

He didn't even bother to acknowledge me with a glance and simply put forth curtly, "Finish the set and then we will speak."

_You can't even hear the arrows with all your blabbing_, I wanted to yell but kept it to myself as my fingertips skimmed the bright pink fletching as I gripped the nock to hold my arrow tautly against the string.

The murmurs next to me only grew in volume again as I prepared to let my current arrow sail and decided to concentrate my anger into firing this one arrow. If I could get this one towards the center, even by a millimeter, I'd die happy. Taking a deep breath of calm, I closed my eyes to preserve the last shreds of my patience and self-confidence but a series of laughs snapped me out of my stupor prematurely. My fingers faltered and I accidentally let the arrow fly with closed eyes. Immediately, I pried them open to see where it headed.

Surprise, surprise, it _didn't _fall on the ground! I smiled widely when it didn't fall down to the ground right away but in a split second, it faltered completely into horror as I saw the arrow heading to the right with precision. . .directly in my teacher's direction. If only I had a remote that could slow down time.

I couldn't get a warning out to him since he kept yammering on, "So then the pa'li threw- _Ahhh!_"

Too late.

My eyes became wider than saucers when I saw my arrow piercing him right in the butt cheek and tried not to laugh aloud from amused surprise and comedic horror as he held his backside, yelling frantically towards the sky from the obvious pain it induced, "Oh my Eywa! Oh- **_JOANNA_**!"

"G-Get a healer!" I managed to tell the others from my frightened stupor as my eyes remained entranced on his derrière as the arrow remained sturdily upright in his behind. Tsu'tey went down on all fours as he cursed aloud to the high heavens and the trio of hunters nodded nervously, running off to find help (I hoped they brought a healer and not Jake) after sparing a quick glance at their fallen friend. The people around us decided to stare at the spectacle of Tsu'tey lying on the ground with an arrow impaling his butt and I tried to shield it away from sight by standing in front of it.

Just what I needed, to be a main attraction for the Na'vi. I gave all the curious spectators a peppy carefree smile to ward them away while turning around to rub my face with my hands furiously at this catastrophe. Tsu'tey would undeniably run me out of the clan as soon as he could walk well enough to chase me. This was bad. . .no, beyond bad that it didn't have a name. My hands were all over the place in the air before me as my brain tried to get them to do something meaningful in this stressful situation and I kneeled down next to the fallen warrior. His brow was furrowed in apparent pain as a translucent coat began to form on his forehead as perspiration while his back straightened in an attempt to ward off the pain shooting up his spine. My eyes trailed over his sweating face to ask the quickest and possibly most stupidest question in all of creation, "Does it hurt?"

Tsu'tey scowled at me through his pain (and yes, he had a right to) as his hands fiercely clutched the grass under his palms and I just knew he wished it was my throat. He released a sharp hiss from behind thinned lips before snapping crudely, "No, I like keeling over for _fun _every time an arrow pierces me!. . .Of course I'm in pain, you stupid skxawng!"

"I get it, excuse my lapse in judgment!" I shot back weakly to his waspish tone and tried not to touch the end of the arrow (I would only injure the guy further), placing my hands on his left arm to focus his attention on me. His golden eyes narrowed at me like a furious panther's and I couldn't help but admit sheepishly, "I hope you don't mind me saying but this takes me back to that battle."

His forehead slumped against the grass and I heard a muffled growl that I knew was telling me to hurry the hell up with the point in my story. I just wanted to redirect his attention away from the pain and brought up slowly with curiosity, "You think we're destined to repeat these loops with either you or I injured for the rest of our lives?"

"For _your _sake, I hope not" he growled bitterly with underlying threat that made me gulp and I tried to make him relax his muscles since clenching them would only heighten the pain but I doubted he'd trust me. After all, I did just shoot him in the buttocks.

Gently, I patted his bicep and coaxed him with nervous suggestion, "If you'd relax, it would help your nervous system release endorphins since clenching your muscles will only keep sending pain to your brain receptors-"

"Don't use your _physiacology _on me, dreamwalker!" he interrupted loudly and threw a clump of grass at my face in fierce unyielding rebuttal. I spit out whatever blades stuck to my lips and pricked them out of my hair as he snorted derisively at my attempts to help.

Shifting my gaze to the grass below, I drew circles over the soft blades and corrected him in a soft murmur, "It's _psychology_."

"Whatever!" he shot back indignantly to being corrected at all and I coughed into my hand as I fought a smile tugging at my lips. Only Tsu'tey could remain astutely stubborn in the worst of circumstances. I bet if I was a female Na'vi- 100% purebred, that is- he'd be listening and hanging to my every word instead of repelling it.

I didn't know what to do about the lodged arrow since I lacked decent medical skills and glanced away from the wound on his bare behind to joke lightly with nervous hitches, "Well, at least I hit a target dead on this time. You can be proud of that."

His eyes pinned me with a dead set glare that froze me on the spot as his eyes darkened and he hissed coldly, "If you hit correctly, my spine would be injured and either render my legs useless or leave me dead. Good thing I gave you blunt tipped arrowheads to use."

"Actually, the heart or the base of the skull would- never mind" I began to correct again from what I'd learned in the university and Max's lectures on medicine but shut my mouth as his eyes narrowed into tiny slits. Oh Eywa, he was pissed. I'm certain that if he had the mental power to spontaneously combust people, I would be first.

Matters didn't lighten at all for me when I heard Jake's surprised voice from behind, "Oh my Eywa, she actually shot him."

I moaned pitifully into my hands at getting Jake instead of Mo'at of all people after I specifically requested aid. Turning around, I pinpointed the trio of hunters I sent away behind Jake and scolded aloud, "I said bring _medicinal _help, not the cavalry!"

"Hey, a military man like me knows first aid" the clan leader defended quickly to my jab as my line of sight was greeted by his muscular thighs and slapped them away since I had no inkling on studying leg muscles. My shoulders slumped completely when I saw he carried no items in his hands to heal Tsu'tey. Did they not tell him he'd been _shot_?

I sighed into my hand in disappointment for not going myself to do the job right and pointed out stiffly, "Then why aren't you carrying anything? That's the point of first aid! He could be bleeding internally!"

"What she said!" Tsu'tey decided to add in for his own benefit since Jake was now in the picture and trusted him far better than me. I wouldn't be surprised if he shoved me away and crawled over to him for safety.

Our Olo'eyktan flashed us a dazzling grin that would've won over the trust of half the female population in a split second and proudly declared, "I'm here to bring him to the healers, a marine never leaves a man behind-"

"Yet you left ointments _and _bandages behind-" I murmured flatly as my eyes became fixated on the hunter's wound yet again from worry since only flecks of blood surrounded it instead of cascading down in rivulets. I didn't want the blunt arrowhead to cause infection or damage any tissues but it really was a good thing he refused to give me hunting arrows or he'd be in worse condition due to the thin tip that would pierce through more layers of muscle. My transfixed gaze was cut short when Tsu'tey hissed at me defensively and I rolled my eyes to his baby tantrum. Oh sure, _now _he noticed his loincloth showed his bare behind for the world to see.

Jake snapped his fingers at us to halt our silent heated glares while he assessed the situation and explained quickly, "I know _human _first aid, not Na'vi first aid so I'm bringing him to the next best thing. . ."

* * *

_(Third person p.o.v)_

"Lay your head down. . .lie still. . ."

Mo'at was almost finished with wrapping the warrior's injured gluteus area but his constant fidgeting was hindering the progress. The matriarch had been surprised to see a hunter of his caliber injured during the training of his student instead of during a hunt and knew the hunters would be gossiping about the incident for many moons to come. Jake had helped to bring him in to the wise healer since the pain was overwhelming and had tried to play off Tsu'tey's limping as a minor muscle strain to any passerby's. The hunter was thankful for Jake's help in the matter but word would spread like wildfire soon enough. Dislodging the arrow wasn't as painful as having to walk up the spiral staircase with it embedded in him and was glad when the bothersome object was freed from his body by Mo'at's experienced hands.

"Tsu'tey!"

The Tsahìk's reprimand rendered the hunter immobile once again and she wrapped the last cloth bandage over the healing herbs and ointment to cure the open wound. She'd already informed him that his hunts would be cancelled for a week at the least and only light walking would be allowed in upcoming days but for the next two, he was completely bedridden. Tsu'tey, being a man that hated being idle, felt entrapped like a wounded animal waiting for death that would never come and wanted to throttle Joanna's neck for being so stupidly careless with her aiming. In all of his years, he'd never had such a clumsy student and wished she'd never existed at the current moment.

_I will never live this embarrassment down with my brothers and sisters_, he thought with boiling humiliation at the day's event and closed his eyes, inhaling the spicy incense burning inside the wooden cove to soothe the raging anger inside him.

"You need to keep a better eye on your student and from what Neytiri tells me, Joanna seeks it as well" Mo'at brought up lightly as she covered his body with a warm pelt to keep him cozy, tucking in the edges around his body to prevent any air pockets. Out of all her years as a healer and Tsahìk, Tsu'tey was rarely sent to her with critical wounds (apart from the recent battle) and usually bore the pain rather than seeking aid to ward off vulnerability. Mo'at had become accustomed to seeing him grow up from an energetic child to a determined adult so she saw him as a part of her family since he had none to call his own. His unyielding loyalty and insistence to push past his limitations impressed her since his first days of training and she'd wanted to truly make him a part of her family. Unfortunately, her plan to mate him with her daughter backfired but maybe he would find another similar soul among the clan to complete his own.

He would need to sleep away the first hours of pain with Eywa's watch and the rest would heal on its own. The matriarch doubted he'd listen since the young warrior was too stubborn to stay still with his wandering personality and hoped she wouldn't have to assign a healer to keep constant watch on him. She'd already seen the heated debates he'd held with Joanna regarding his injury against the Sky People and always heard rumors that the two were ready to kill each other. Most females scuttled off at enraging the high-ranking hunter but young Joanna shot back the same spitfire attitude that he unleashed on others and Mo'at smiled slightly at that. It would do the grouchy hunter some good to have a taste of his own attitude to allow him insight to his flaws and Eywa would work better at bringing the two to coexistence.

_I'm not entirely sure what Eywa is truly seeking between Tsu'tey and Joanna but I will oblige_, she pondered in regards to her recent meditations and slapped the back of his hand when her eyes caught him trying to grab a hold of his handy satchel to no doubt occupy his time. _When will he take a rest away from his work and clan duties? I am certain Joanna can take care of that after her diligent care for him back at the Tree of Souls._

Tsu'tey recoiled his hand with a submissive lowering of his head as he rested it against his folded arms, a slight frown on his lips for being rendered useless. Mo'at scrutinized his movements until she saw that he wasn't going to repeat the action and scolded sharply, "You are here to _heal _and will remain as such until my say so. Nobody is allowed admittance here unless they have my permission."

If he didn't feel like a scolded child seconds prior, he absolutely did now. Mo'at was the most respected clan member you _never _argued against and a haughty smile graced her lips when he slumped in his spot to follow her orders. Tsu'tey knew when to give up a fight and nestled his head over his arms to settled into sleep. She left the young hunter in quiet solitude to return outside and wasn't surprised to find both her daughter and Jake waiting at the entrance with expectant faces for her update. Mo'at also caught a small glimpse of a nervous Joanna as she tried to hide behind a deep groove in the trunk but knew the young woman was eager for answers as well.

"He will be fine, rest is needed along with healing draughts" she assured their worries with a calm voice and her words would spread around Hometree within the hour. A clan remained tightly knit like a family and news, along with the latest gossip, were never absent. Her line of sight shifted between Jake and Neytiri to gently chide their worrywart nature over Tsu'tey, "I am sure our Olo'eyktan has more important duties to complete along with you, daughter, but I will tell Tsu'tey of your visit."

Jake nodded with reluctance at being denied entry but instantly added in, "If anything-"

"I will fetch you" she replied easily to their worry and he backed down to the sagely smile she gave both of them. Tsahìk knew best, after all. She ushered the two away with a shooing motion of her hands and the two relented to the matriarch with a respectful dip of their heads, heading downstairs hand-in-hand to finish their morning chores.

With dainty steps, she walked up silently to the meek Joanna, who wringed her fingers nervously from her hidden spot behind the wooden growths, and placed a hand on her shoulder before she could bolt at being discovered. Joanna was sure the clan would blame her for the accident and closed her eyes instantly since she expected a ruthless scolding from the matriarch herself for hurting the clan's best warrior. . .but it never came.

Mo'at waited for the young woman to realize she wasn't there holding a candle of impending doom and once Joanna's eyes opened, she informed her calmly, "Tsu'tey will be walking again in no time. He simply needs rest."

She nodded shyly as relief flooded her hectic worry, jittery fingers wringing the hem of her lilac blouse as she inhaled deeply. Mo'at was mildly amused at the visible worry etched over her angular face since most of the time, the two fought like two toruks with territoriality issues.

This gave her a splendid idea.

Joanna froze on the spot when the matriarch suggested in a firm voice that almost commanded it, "You may go in now."

"I. . .I, um, no, he wouldn't- I mean, I-" Joanna tried to dissuade the older woman because Tsu'tey was liable to murder her inside and stuff her corpse inside a large basket than see her at the moment. Her words faded into nothing on her lips when an authoritative stare silenced her and its piercing eyes caused her to squeak out, "Yes, ma'am."

Mo'at was satisfied with her control of the situation and watched the wary Joanna head inside the open alcove until only the dark tuft of her tail could be seen. The matriarch saw her work as done on this end and decided to continue her wise judgment on juvenile groups that never faltered to be hardheaded.

Meanwhile, Joanna carefully tiptoed with slow steps to where he rested on his stomach with his arms crossed underneath his chin in support while a warm blanket covered his lower body. The tense situation made her feel like an idiot Hexapede walking into a vicious thanator's den but she couldn't disobey a Tsahìk's order. At the same time, she couldn't help but feel bad for his physical pain despite his harsh treatment of her (pettiness wasn't a trait in her character) and desperately hoped he wouldn't punish her for the accident. The subconscious had its strange ways of bringing itself gratification through subtle means and Joanna bit the inside of her cheek nervously because she didn't want it to be that.

She froze in mid-step when his eyes opened, golden pools staring at her with focused clarity that gave her shivers down the spine as the dimness of the alcove intensified the hue. A meek incline of her head was the greeting Tsu'tey received as he scrutinized her from head to toe in case she'd come back to finish the job. Dreamwalkers were never to be underestimated in his cautious mind. His gluteus muscle stung lightly from the use of herbal painkillers on the open wound (he wished he could've seen the wound) and he'd be sleeping for hours soon enough. That would at least take his mind away from the embarrassing shot to the butt cheek. He was a warrior of high caliber and to be brought down by an injury like that completely lowered his image as a man that could take on a flying vessel full of tawtute and survive the attack.

_Perfect, my day to lead the hunt this week was coming up and I'm already incapacitated_, he thought bitterly and narrowed his eyes at his student since she was the cause of all of it. Ever since their first meeting, her life was entwined with his in a manner that he was growing extremely exhausted of and wished he could wipe his hands clean of it.

"I. . .I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you" she murmured softly with a guilty downcast glance to the floor and kneeled down next to his side to let him know she meant every word. Her fingers nervously tapped against the wooden ground and Tsu'tey could see she was a bundle of nerves ready to explode as she rambled on with a fast hitch in her voice, "You just have a way with words and it distracted me. I know I'm not supposed to let anything get in the way of training. . .please don't kick me out of the clan-"

"One problem at a time" he interjected tiredly since she seemed ready to break from exhaustion than he did and watched her fingers wring the satchel she carried as it lay in her lap. Why did she constantly carry the thing anyway? He shook the thought away since he wasn't meant to be focusing on silly trivialities and demanded firmly, "Why would you think that I'll exile you?"

She bit her bottom lip apprehensively to gather the right words before replying softly, "You'll think I did it on purpose and use it as an excuse that I'm a traitorous dreamwalker. You always think that of me anyway. I have no permanent status here so there's no reason for me to be protected as part of the clan and-"

"Joanna, please and I mean this with the most sincere criticism- stop over thinking _everything_" he stated with a tired sigh to her exaggerated rants that came whenever she was uneasy and watched her frown at the floor with a downcast gaze. He became aggravated with her stubborn attitude but the meek rambling one irked him as well. A decent medium of both would do her some good.

"Don't worry, I'm not touching a bow ever again-" she confessed quietly and wanted to wash her hands clean of it before people started rumors that she'd been trying to aim for his lower spine. She'd already gotten a share of wary glances on her way up to the healing alcoves and yearned to crawl into her shared hammock to sleep it all away. The last thing she'd wanted was to inadvertently cause the Omaticaya to think she was being deceptive and confirm lingering suspicions that she was trying to gain their trust for evil purposes.

Tsu'tey, however, was appalled at her way of thinking and instantly rebuffed such a drastic action, "No, you are to lengthen your practice by another hour to further your aim in-"

"I don't want to deal with that right now" she evaded quickly, turning away from him, and engrossed herself with the wooden bowls laying on the floor to grab one into her hands. There was a pot of water boiling over a recently put out fire and she dipped the bowl inside to fill it halfway. She purposely tinkered with raising the noise as she worked so he couldn't get in a word about training but he wasn't letting the matter drop. No student of his would ever succeed without archery being one of their many skills. The Omaticaya prided themselves in being master archers.

Joanna dipped a small cloth into the bowl and squeezed the extra water out before placing the compress over his forehead which caught him entirely by surprise. When had his student become kind? She was the first and only person to yell at him. Her hand gently patted the damp cloth over his temples and the side of his shaved head to keep away any fever that might accompany such an injury. Tsu'tey remained in frozen stupor as he stared straight ahead and wondered who switched this gentle stranger for Joanna. His student was more liable to stuff that cloth into his mouth rather than help him.

The woman, however, proved herself of sound mind as she admitted softly, "My grandmother always warmed me up with a compress or kept me under blankets to make sure my body would fight off any bad germs that tried to group together. I tended to scrape myself a lot when I was young and she was there. . .always there."

Tsu'tey let her ramble on since it would allow him to learn more of her background and deeper insight to her character. . .and he rather liked being fussed over. He was accustomed to care over others but rarely, if ever, did he allow them to return the favor. After being self-reliant for years, he didn't see the need to be cared for (partly because back then, he expected Neytiri to be his mate) but at the moment, he found himself relaxing. She dipped the cloth back in the water to keep it warm while using a dry one in her other hand to pat the moisture left behind since it could cause a cold if it reached a certain temperature (in Joanna's worrying mind). Tsu'tey simply flicked away droplets falling down his right ear but found himself at ease when she patted it dry with the cloth without the need of being asked.

"My grandmother always said 'rest is the best medicine to give a tired spirit'. Whenever I was sick with a cough, she came and put me to bed with a bowl of warm soup. When I had my tonsils removed, she popped in after surgery to give me ice cream. . .okay, that case was a little different but still," Tsu'tey had to wonder what craziness would make humans remove something from their bodies at all as she prattled on, "When I had the chickenpox, I stayed with her and she kept me cozy while patting on calamine lotion. Upset stomachs had her bringing me stews since my mom. . .well, she wasn't the best cook. That's why I like helping the cooks with mealtime, I put to practice what was taught to me."

She stroked his black hair to see if it would settle him into sleep as the aromatic incense would relax his tense nature with the passing time. Deciding to coax him into sleep, she whispered with a small smile, "Would you like to tell me about your own grandmother?"

His right ear perked up and she halted her movements in case she'd said the wrong thing again, dumping the folded cloth in the small bowl to scram if he started snapping at her. His voice alone would bring attention to her and another guilty charge would be pinned on her for seeking the hunter. He opened his right eye to catch a glimpse of her retreating form in the dimly lit alcove and cracked open the other one to pin her with a small glare as he stated aloud, "I didn't say _stop_."

She blanched in surprise that he wasn't kicking her out and nodded mutely as she grabbed the cloth again, wringing it from excess water to place it behind his right ear. Tsu'tey relaxed again since she obeyed without question and for once, trusted that she wouldn't bring him harm. She lacked anything to strike him with accidentally and put faith in her that she wouldn't trip over the container of hot water to scald him. He'd have to find a way to force a bow back into her hands but for now. . .

The end of his tail gave a happy twitch when she smoothed the warm cloth over the nape of his neck and felt his tense muscles loosen instantly. Oh, how divine it felt. Since she was being kind after the archery accident, he decided to indulge her with a piece of his family background and closed his eyes to say, "My maternal grandmother took me to pick small fruits whenever my mother joined my father in a hunt. I was in charge of holding the basket but for every three round fruits she put inside, I ate two. By the end of our fruit picking, my hands and face were smeared with guilty red evidence-"

He paused when soft laughter reached his ears but paid it no mind, knowing she was most likely laughing at his humorous tale. Even he laughed at it at his current age. Joanna merely continued patting his forehead with a finely tuned set of ears as he finished his small tale, "I was scolded for my behavior by both my grandmother and mother upon returning to Kelutral. . .but she let me help in baking bread with the fruit and always gave me the first piece she sliced. The following week, I repeated the same thing all over again but by early adolescence, it was gone since hunting became more interesting. Grandmother then brought me a leaf plate to take so I would eat after training. She was always very attentive to me but then again, I was her only grandchild."

A smile dimpled her cheeks and Joanna worked her fingers into a muscle knot gathered in the junction between his shoulder and the back of his neck. He became cautious at the pressure she applied along with the heat of the cloth but felt a warm sensation shoot down his spine at what she was doing seconds later. Hmm, maybe the dreamwalker was onto something that would benefit him. The muscles of his upper back released the tension contained back there as she kneaded each muscle and he heard her comment, "You really should relax once in a while or your muscles will cause you pain from overworking them."

He uttered a noncommittal grunt to her advice and exhaled through his nose as tranquility seeped through him, allowing him to forget the woman next to him had shot him earlier this day and replaced the irritancy he felt with serenity. Joanna shook her head to his dismissal and watched his stern features soften as sleep tried to overtake him. Her fingers combed through his dark tresses, the light clacking of his adorned beads causing him to groan sleepily, and she lulled gently, "Go to sleep."

"Hmph," was his stubborn but weakening reply as her nimble touches coaxed him into slumber. He rather liked being tended to in this manner and began to fade off into the land of dreams as her fingers threaded neatly through his hair with caring gentleness.

"Go to sleep."

A few strokes to the head certainly did the trick for the drowsy hunter and Joanna raised the blanket to his shoulders to let him sleep comfortably with a smile on her face.

* * *

_(Joanna's p.o.v)_

"And where are _you _going?"

I turned to find a curious Norm walking casually behind me with his tail swaying to the sides and smiled at his timing. The last meal of the night had finished and the clan was enjoying a singing choir, featuring Neytiri (to Jake's delight), so I decided to slink upstairs to check on Tsu'tey while everyone gathered below. Normally, I'd be the first cheering for his humiliating pain but I was the one that caused it and. . .I felt awful for it. Yes, I know he was a pain in the butt but that didn't mean it gave me pleasure to do it. The man had been in raw excruciating pain and knowing people saw him in a vulnerable aspect wasn't comforting so I decided to play the unofficial nursemaid role yet again. This time, however, I was willing because he hadn't yelled at me and it would only be for a few days.

My fingers grazed the top of my closed satchel since I was carrying a packaged bundle of food and smiled genially to reply, "I'm taking Tsu'tey something to eat for tonight. He gets grouchy around this time and today is tenfold."

"Maybe this is what you two need to get along" he suggested with a sly smile that was too familiar to Jake's and I prayed to Eywa that the ex-marine hadn't gotten the ever friendly Norm onto the 'Joanna & Tsu'tey Forever' happy wagon. Yes, I was bringing food to him but it was due to a guilty conscience, not because I wanted to suck the oxygen out of his lungs with my lips. Goodness, no. I gave my friend a flat stare that distinctly told him I wasn't buying any of it and he tapped the ground with the front of his foot as he mumbled out sheepishly, "I'm just saying, is all."

I couldn't help but chuckle delightfully at his 'boy caught with the cookie jar' disposition and admitted wholeheartedly, "Norm, he's the most stubborn man I've met and that's not a quality I look for in a significant other. We're not even _friends _yet. When I do meet someone, you'll be one of the firsts to know, okay? Although I'm very certain it won't be Tsu'tey."

He nodded sheepishly to my point on the matter because I didn't want rumors flying around by tomorrow morning and I pointed towards the fire pit burning to the left of us causing him to groan, "Okay, I'm going."

"I'm appreciative that you and Jake look out for me but maybe it's time to tone it down slightly, I don't want to have a shotgun wedding I'm not aware of" I suggested with sincerity because I'd hate to find out Jake was trying to woo Tsu'tey in my favor or convinced the clan to such a union. That would give me embarrassment to last a lifetime. I gave him a friendly wave of the hand and a bright smile to declare, "I will now bid you good night because I'm exhausted after all of today's excitement."

"Shouldn't Tsu'tey be the tired one? He _was _the one to get shot" he pointed out smartly and I stuck out my tongue at being corrected. My taskmaster now had the pity vote against me and it was all thanks to me. Way to make a lasting impression on the Omaticaya clan, Joanna. Norm waved his hands in the air for my attention and quickly added in, "I'll go before I end up hurt as well."

"It wasn't on purpose, Norm!" I exclaimed to his joke because people shouldn't assume I shot him just for my benefit (although I was sure Eywa laughed at it). Goodness, everyone was going to have a field day with this and I'd never live it down. This whole ruckus better be over with by the end of the week or I'd have to avoid walking in the open to hide from any gossip in relation to it. I shooed him away with my hand and he grinned at me before running off towards the clan's hearth where the singers were setting up for their nightly tunes. The night would be filled with wonderful music tonight, there was no doubt about it.

The walk to the first levels of Kelutral was a piece of cake after Tsu'tey kept training my stamina to lengthen more every day as I adapted to this world but I didn't dare myself to venture to the tallest canopies nor did he ask me to. Sleeping in my shared hammock was less stressful nowadays and I trusted the support ropes to hold but with a little more work effort, I would have my own hammock soon. My sewing skills had improved considerably and part of me wished I could transfer it into my archery because I was plain awful at it. I loved seeing the Na'vi who mastered archery practice in the fields because they were flawless and perfect every time while I couldn't hit a target dead in the center for the life of me. Tsu'tey's constant laughing didn't help me either.

_Maybe he does deserve that arrowhead in the rear_, I thought mischievously but found myself not as amused as I should've been with the idea. Yes, he tormented me endlessly since the first day we met and a fed up woman like me would cackle at the just desserts. . .but I didn't. It left me with an absentminded 'ha-ha' rather than an all out boisterous and exploiting 'ha!'. _I better not be getting soft on him or Jake will add another point to his crazy plan._

I reached his alcove easily since the platforms were empty and nobody was on guard since he wasn't a severe case. I counted myself extremely lucky my arrow hadn't decided to pierce his spine or I would be in scorching hot water at the moment. The room was covered in dim lighting from the shadows of the thick canopies overhead but a bladder lantern stationed outside allowed the blue ethereal glow to reach the middle of the room but left enough dimness to allow the Na'vi to sleep without disturbance. I barely cleared my left foot over a set of wooden bowls near the right side of the entrance when Tsu'tey broke the quietness in the alcove, "You are still very horrible at stealth."

I let a disappointed sigh escape from my lips since I apparently failed before I even began and mumbled insistently, "But I'm trying. Shouldn't that be worth the effort?"

"Not if you keep failing" he chided in return and turned his head to glance at me with that piercing gaze of his. The position gave me a sense of déjà vu from his time at the Tree of Souls except now, his position was reversed and I walked over quietly. The silence filling the night sky reminded me that I was on borrowed time here until my bedtime and huddled over to kneel down next to his makeshift bed. I was constantly on guard in case he decided to kick me out with verbal reprimands since his moods differed throughout the day and heard him muffle a yawn with his hand as he shifted underneath the blanket.

"Has the pain subsided?" I asked quietly and fumbled with my day pack to dig through the items I brought for him. Recently, I tended to clutter everything inside and reminded myself to sort out everything one of these days. Being a packrat meant I nabbed everything interesting in sight like Ariel from 'The Little Mermaid' to later study for my own scientific curiosity.

"For the time being but tomorrow is another day" he replied coolly and frowned to my shuffling, golden eyes narrowing to my little satchel as the troublemaker. Okay, he was a cranky person when he awoke but I kept it to myself, stopping my search to halt the fumbling noise. My bashful face met his own tired glance and he asked bluntly, "Why are you here? Again?"

_Gee, nice to see you too_, I thought sarcastically but once again, kept my mouth shut.

"I wanted to make sure you were doing all right" I admitted glumly to his direct questioning and slouched forwards since all I wanted to do was check up on him. How ungrateful. I wonder if he'd treat me the same if the shoe was on the other foot. . .I highly doubted it. I tilted my head to the side and asked softly to satisfy my mind, "So. . .are you feeling better?"

He gave a halfhearted grunt that meant maybe and slumped against the bedding, his forehead resting against his crossed arms. I chuckled to his tough guy façade and pulled out a leaf wrapped package I had saved from dinner. My nose sniffed the wonderful aroma before placing the package next to him, delight filling my face when his nose sniffed at the air curiously and he turned to glance at the bundle to confirm what he smelled. I smiled mischievously to casually state, "I know the healing droughts and light meals are probably souring your mood so I grabbed a few items from our last meal that you might like."

His brow lifted in curiosity but he asked suspiciously with a cautious glance, "And how would _you _know what I like?"

"You already changed my dietary habits to match yours, remember?" I reminded dryly to my new diet which was blander and saltier than what I normally liked but shook my head. Seriously, did he think I was stalking him? Not even in his dreams. I didn't let his doubtful gaze deter my generosity and simply pointed out, "Also, having to actually serve you a few times has given me insight to your picky habits. I pretty much packed in what everyone seemed to like so enjoy your bedridden day."

His gaze didn't leave mine and I sighed aloud to that weird unblinking stare of his. I decided to play negotiator and slowly moved my hand towards the leaf plate to suggest nonchalantly, "Okay, if you don't want it, I certainly will-"

"Did I _say _that? No, you assumed" he broke in defensively and grasped the package to keep it under his surveillance. Mission accomplished. Leave it to reverse psychology to fix him good. I decided to peek at the open entrance to give him privacy as his fingers removed each of the wrapped leaves carefully until my little variety mix of food peeked out. His lips thinned instantly as he stared at the warm food and asked sourly, "Hexapede? Bladder Polyps? I had to eat porridge while you ate this?"

His expression was a mix of childish pouting and envy causing me to stifle a giggle with my hand as he stared at the bundle with disbelief. Obviously, today was a bad day to be bedridden since the food had been delicious after a recent hunt.

"I brought you some so be thankful" I chided with a scoff to his sour mood and leaned against the wooden alcove wall to relax opposite of him. He was already going to eat good food so he didn't need to complain about it. Or maybe it was in his personality to seek such attention, I didn't know. Grabbing a nearby empty bowl, I filled it with water from the pot and handed him a cloth along with the bowl so he could wash his hands. I received a polite nod on his part in return and fiddled through the other sizes of the bowls until I found one that fit in my palm. I dipped it into the pot again to fill it and set it down next to him so he could drink it with his food.

I stood at attention in case he needed help but he managed it just fine. The man was insistent on never appearing weak and I handed him a dry cloth so he could dry his hands, musing aloud, "If we had bread, I could've cut it into strips along with the polyps and made a quick _sandwich_."

His large eyes blinked with a puzzled expression to the foreign word and he asked slowly with accented pronunciation, _"Sawn-weech?"_

"It is a human type of food, two slices of bread with meat in the center along with a few vegetables stuffed in and a liquid marinade" I explained as best as I could on the basics of it and grinned with a giddy laugh, "Want to try one next time? It won't be human food and I'll customize it myself."

"First you hate me and now you are friendly. . .you are a very confusing female" Tsu'tey stated unexpectedly with a slight shake of the head and began to eat the food I brought him.

I chuckled softly to his misconception that I hated him. Hate was a strong word to use but I didn't hold such contempt for anyone. . .well, maybe the RDA for what they'd done to the Na'vi. He was more like the drill sergeant from hell but he was there to make me succeed despite my obvious screw-up's and tried to believe it despite his curt remarks. In my view, the toughest teachers helped you succeed rather than the ones that let you breeze through the learning process. He riled me up easily with a single sentence from his lips but I found his sarcastic banter almost like an everyday thing between frenemies. Yeah, frenemies- that sounded like us.

I smiled with amusement as he ate like a hungry toddler in front of me, forgoing the mannerisms I usually saw when he ate among the clan, and admitted softly, "I don't hate you, Tsu'tey. You make me angry, I make you angry- it's all in good fun. You get on my nerves but it's not bad enough to warrant you on my evilest people in the world list. Don't be so hasty to make assumptions."

He gave me the unreadable silent stare again, pausing in his eating, and simply scoffed to himself the next second, "Keh."

I shrugged off his flippant attitude since he was hardheaded and dared a question that had been biting my mind since the day we met. He was the fiercest person I had met so far among the Na'vi and wondered if it was a dislike for me being an Avatar or me, in general. My fingers wringed together as I shifted my sight to the floor and asked meekly with hesitance, "Do you hate _me_, Tsu'tey?"

"Only when you cause harm to my person" he stated flatly and my ears lowered slightly at the comment. I guess he did have the right after getting shot in the rear but it's not like I wanted to kill him. That accident might as well have torn the friendship bridge from its support beams as our possible friendship plummeted into nothing. Maybe the Na'vi held grudges a lot longer but then again, I wasn't the sort to let one give me an ulcer-

"Joanna, I was kidding" he restated simply, breaking me away from my thoughts, and I nodded quietly as I tried to put on a brave front that it didn't affect me. I was used to being unwanted anyway; hell, my family disowned me when I entered college. God, I hated memory lane- that I _definitely _hated. I hated myself worse for actually feeling a twinge of emotion towards _them_. I was overjoyed when Mo'at allowed me to drop my last name and opted to use my first name alone; I never wanted to hear the name Reynolds ever again.

I shook my head to get rid of such weak thoughts that plagued my mind and told Tsu'tey absentmindedly to excuse myself, "I will see you tomorrow."

His hand latched onto my forearm before I took a single step away from him and my butt hit the wooden floor from the unexpected yank. The impact served to break me away from unpleasant memories and heard him ask softly, "Are you all right?"

"Fine and dandy" I replied chirpily as I plastered a fake smile on my face and saw that his eyes were practically probing my face for deception. A faint sigh passed through my lips because I didn't want to lie to him (that would only raise his alert level on me) and admitted simply, "Look, it's nothing that concerns you directly. My mind briefly wondered about my parents-"

"You miss them?"

"No, I pretty much hate them" I answered bluntly without a second thought for them and almost smiled at his bewildered face. I forgot that the Na'vi were very close to their family per their cultural teachings but my species was less uniformly. After all, that's why social services was created. Norm had a perfect American upbringing in Oregon while mine was a bit wishy washy while Jake's. . .well, I didn't really know. I crossed my arms at the idea of caring about them since they saw me as disposable and stated bitterly, "And the last thing I want to feel is longing for them. Don't ask if you're not ready to hear such answers. . .besides, it's something I don't share with anyone."

I cleared my throat uncomfortably because I wanted to steer clear of the topic and flashed him a zesty smile, motioning with my hand to the unfinished food, "Enjoy. I need to go do. . .uh, stuff."

_By Eywa, that sounds lame_, I thought miserably at my pitiful excuse and restrained from slapping my forehead. That was a catastrophe of word play that wouldn't impress him in the slightest.

However, Tsu'tey took me by surprise when he stopped chewing on a bladder polyp and requested casually, "Why don't you stay a while? It is very tedious in here with only my mind to keep me company."

"I would think your ego would be large enough to fit the entire Kelutral" I chided gently with a small chuckle as my tail twitched happily for getting the offer. Seriously, I shoot him in the ass and he asks for me to _stay_? I expected him to order his friends to chase me with torches to the borders of the clan's lands but no. I'm surprised he wasn't wary that I'd knife him accidentally since I was prone to clumsiness in stressful situations. I clasped my hands together over my lap to nod politely and quickly accepted, "Yes, I mean, I'll stay."

With eagerness that rivaled a child's, I lay down on my stomach to face him as he resumed eating the meal I brought him. Well, at least he liked it and wasn't lashing out at me; that was a plus. Silence engulfed us for over a minute after that and my zest to stay here waned as I put forth the obvious with a slow drawl, "Okay, most people have a _topic _to talk about."

Tsu'tey swallowed a bite of food as he lazily glanced at me and pointed out matter-of-factly, "I am eating, you choose."

I crossed my arms over the wooden floor to shift into a comfort zone and rested my chin on them as my tongue stuck out in thought. Tsu'tey decided to bust into my thinking bubble by uttering a dramatic sigh and mumbling distastefully, "Please don't take away my appetite with that."

"My tongue's cleaner than yours" I shot back defensively and playfully hissed as I snatched a baked banana fruit fritter from his leaf plate to pop it into my mouth. Man, I loved these little guys. They were tough to fetch up in the trees; I'd fallen down the trunk more than once and tumbled off rocky ledges but banana fruit was definitely worth the climb. Even luckier if you found an uneaten one on the ground. He gave me a deadpan stare and my brain lit up with a conversation topic at last. Flashing him a bright smile as the enthusiasm from before returned, I asked curiously, "Will you tell me more about your traditions?"

"That is a broad subject, we have many" he answered easily with a small chuckle and I groaned, scratching my head thoughtfully once more as my tail twitched with the same intensity. His eyes shifted to the wagging appendage and I stopped it instantly since the action was more befitting of a child. He gave an approving nod to my corrected behavior and carried on to explain carefully, "Since I am your teacher, I should tell you all of the passages you must undertake to succeed and what is expected of you afterwards whether you pass or fail."

I grinned giddily to the new knowledge I'd finally get (without causing both of us bodily injury) and piped up cheerfully to blurt the first thing that came to mind, "Great! Teach me everything that will make me into a man-" his eyes widened awkwardly to my choice of words and my words faltered as I backtracked to exclaim in correction, "Er, I mean, make me into a _woman_!"

"_Holy crap" _Jake's voice popped up at the mouth of the entrance and his eyes blinked towards us as he stopped dead in his tracks. Okay, my choice of words were an astronomical failure and I slumped my head in shame. My face turned two shades darker as I blushed embarrassingly to how that sounded to any sudden passerby's and he gave us a cheeky grin as he teased joyfully, "Oh, I see what's going on. This _is _a secret romance under the stars. . .although I don't see why you had to shoot him in the butt for it-" if my face could've burned off from the heat, it would have been a puddle when he added in, "Oh! I get it! You have a nurse-patient role play going on."

"Jake, you may be our friend and leader but right now, we want to kill you" I hissed lowly as I gave him the biggest pissed off glare I could achieve. I'm sure Tsu'tey matched it but I couldn't dare myself to look at him. It was playful banter when Jake brought up his matchmaking plan with me in private but having Tsu'tey in the picture turned the whole thing awkward and mortifying. My fingers dug into the grooves of the wooden floor to release some of the tension and pointed out sharply to the man, "I am helping Tsu'tey not die from boredom and for the last time, I don't have the hots for him! He's my tormentor, not Prince Charming!"

"I will not dignify your absurd assumptions with anything" Tsu'tey stated briskly and finished the bundle of food I'd brought him, purposely ignoring both of us as he cleaned his fingertips with his tongue. I simply gave Jake a flat stare but he remained with a witty grin on his face until the hunter spoke up again shrewdly, "If I wanted a mate, it would not be an inexperienced dreamwalker out of all the capable women our clan has. I have more self-respect than that."

Why did he constantly have to insult me before everyone? A simple 'no' would've sufficed. My words never drip with venom; playful bites, yes, but never anything that will strike for my benefit. I really was at a loss trying to understand him and stood up to grab my satchel, chastising myself for coming up here in the first place. I should've never felt pity for the guy if he was still going to treat me like pond scum. He probably thought pond scum had better intelligence than me. Gritting my teeth as I restrained from beating him with my satchel, I muttered under my breath to excuse myself, "I'm turning in for the night. Goodbye."

I stomped away towards the entrance to head on up to bed as Jake's lecturing voice echoed behind me, "Tsu'tey, you _really _need to learn how to not piss off their fairer sex."

* * *

**A/N**: A little late, yes, I know, but I had family staying over that I haven't seen in years and took them sightseeing over the city. Summer actually felt like summer with the outings and I rarely had time to write since my little cousins were chatty and adorable. We hunted down Mickey Mouse at Disneyland (photo wise, of course) but they had endless energy that had me dying and suffering sunburns. I hope you guys liked the chapter, I tried to keep a peppy but light tone so I hoped I didn't jump all over the place since I took a week off writing. Also, I apologize beforehand for any grammatical/spelling errors since I re-read this twice after my new classes began (I have a tough semester this year) so I might've been fatigued and let something slip.

After all that Eywa teaches the Na'vi, you'd think Tsu'tey would tread carefully to not be plagued with karma but no. We'll see an even meaner Tsu'tey next chapter as the two finally reach their breaking point. On a side note, _I __**finally **__sketched a decent picture of Joanna in her current body on DeviantArt so you can click on my author profile to find the link!_

I'm always so happy to see fav's and alerts on this story, I'm glad you all like it so much! And I love seeing your reviews concerning the story and other ideas which makes it an even better reading experience!

_Na'viWolf_: Your review made me laugh aloud. I didn't think this story could be that addicting but yay!

_Mark_: Even standing together in one spot has the two ready to strangle the other. The use of a parachute would be hilarious but he'd probably rip it off and send it plummeting like he did to the laptop in the previous chapters. Next chapter has him burning her clothes to ashes. And thanks for the fanart because you motivated me to draw Joanna at last.

_Kudokuchan69_: And long chapters are what I will provide. I'm going to have the women breastfeed since babies need nutrition from somewhere. Although I feel bad for Joanna since she'll be juggling hungry twins while Tsu'tey will be cloud watching lazily in their hammock. That scene says enough for itself.

_Lilmisspurplesunshinee_: Cute, yes, for Joanna but poor Tsu'tey got the bad end of the stick on that one. In this chapter, however, he's as weak as a kitten which makes me laugh.

_KThxBai_: I hope you liked the arrow in the butt because Tsu'tey sure didn't. It will teach him to never take his eyes off his student next time and stop blabbing.

_Na'viBambi_: I'm going to go with breastfeeding since they're there for some reason. The only thing is figuring out how the pregnancy term would be since Cameron states they're non-placental mammals and all of those usually bear children early so they develop faster outside in their natural environment. It makes me wonder if that's why the Na'vi have those baby carriers that keeps the baby tucked closely as another way to aid growth.

_Soccer11_: Yeah, babies need to suckle on something for nourishment.

_Emmalime_: Thanks for loving the story and I shall keep up the long chapters as best I can until the first saga is done.

_Pinkladykittycat_: I saw the carriers on the wiki too which pretty much says breastfeeding occurs there and the Na'vi seem to really keep their young ones close which gives me an idea for the delivery after seeing a picture in my psych book on birthing throughout many different cultures.

_TopKat90_: Wow, evacuations are pretty serious and the only ones I hear about over here is fires in the mountain and valley regions during summertime but Los Angeles is pretty much evacuation-free. The friendship bridge keeps breaking with every argument and you're right, they're both too proud (especially Tsu'tey) to admit wrongdoing. Luckily, that'll change next chapter at the end. I hope everything's all right for you and that your house wasn't ruined since water seeps into just about anything. I appreciate the kind gesture for your review despite what you went through.

_Ella-Riella_: Thanks for the sincere words and I'm glad you love the story. Don't worry, I'll always have chapters to come.

_SGT CJC_- Thanks for the sympathy and yes, I know how hectic life can be. It's only natural. I just started a huge amount of units with several of the toughest teachers on campus but good for you on writing a fic, it keeps the juices of the brain flowing to keep it young. Tsu'tey is outrageous when it comes to human stuff, he's ready to kill when he sees a dreamwalker so why not their things? If only Joanna had a can of silly string to attack him with. I'm sure the next chapter will have you miffed since it includes burning her clothes.

_TheRationalizationMonster_- My thoughts exactly, breasts are there for something and I doubt Cameron put them there just to be ogling material for the men.

_DarkInuFan_- Yeah, I always try to come up with creative ideas for the Na'vi culture in every day life and cultures from Earth pave the way for some of those. I've been getting a lot of baby ideas from ancient culture and current indigenous tribes while simultaneously studying for class. I absolutely love anthropology but unfortunately, I'm sticking with medicine. I'm glad you like my thought bubbles and I'll keep it up!

_Jack Black_- Thank you for loving the story and your reviews. I don't exactly have an official name for the second part but I've been juggling either 'Idyll's End' or 'Elysium' while also thinking of the chapter cut off. So far, the first part's around 50 chapters and the second should be around 30. This chapter kind of glimpsed into how the two would be if they cared for each other, mostly since Joanna's the nurturing type. It shouldn't be too long before I start posting their budding romance.

_Spexatar_- Yeah, I try to make Joanna as Sue-less as possible. The only thing about her is of course, her intelligence due to the Avatar program selection but other than that, she's your every day girl walking the street- er, I mean Pandora. Ha. There will be both the dream hunt and Iknimaya in the story but (here's the spoiler), it won't be done among the Omaticaya. Like I said before, Tsu'tey might be her teacher _now _but to make the story less 'Tsu'tey, the teacher loves OC and mates her', this will be way different. I know the chapters tend to be huge but since I update every three weeks, I try to stuff as much as I can since I try to have a theme in each chapter.

_Amore1993_- Joanna's first meeting with Tsu'tey was anything but 'he's hot'. Even now, she doesn't find him like that and laughs at people that do. She'll get hit with a love coconut soon enough though. You can see that Jake's trying to be the driving force in their romance but they'll keep it private since rumors can fly quicker than an ikran on caffeine. Thanks for all of your reviews, I appreciated the feedback and I'm glad you love the humor in it.

_Max Night_- I know, I was late on this one but I always try to make it worth the read with long chapters!

_Deep Blue Dragon_- Great, I'm glad you feel part of the story through Joanna's view since that's what I'm aiming for. Thanks for loving the story!

* * *

**Next time on 'Tsu'tey the Barbarian'****:**

Tsu'tey exacted his revenge, somewhat, that night.

He wasn't a man on subtlety, rather going for a direct approach, and I was definitely surprised- more like horrified- when I climbed onto the wooden platform that held my hammock nearby to see him burning my clothes.

That's right, _burning. . .my. . _._clothes_!

Was I _still _the only one who thought his neurotransmitters were a little off in his brain? This was not _normal _behavior! I ran forwards with desperation hastening my strides as he fed his little makeshift fire with a few of my khaki shorts and I felt my stomach drop at whatever else he'd already burned. What gave him the right to steal my property without warning to me? Wasn't there an Omaticayan law against such heinous actions? I struck his back with clenched fists to grab his attention and shouted frantically at him without reserve for who overheard me, "What in Eywa's name are you doing? Are you insane, you stupid Prolemuris?"

Tsu'tey spared me the tiniest side-glance which gave away no remorse as I thumped on his back (the man was like a brick wall) and simply stated, "I am destroying the last items that bind you to your tawtute world to bring you into this one. If you want to be one of _us_, you will dress the part."

"I told you I'm more comfortable in my own clothing, it has nothing to do with the tawtute" I shot back heatedly to his crackpot idea since he knew nothing about me and quickly tried to find any source of liquid to put out the fire. I briefly wondered whether or not I could escape unscathed if I used him as a fire retardant but alas, no. My feet scrambled around the platform like a chicken with its head cut off to find anything. . .but there was nothing. The idiot had apparently come prepared to make his stupid fire of destruction. Didn't Jake see or hear about his erratic behavior towards me? I'm sure if Tsu'tey stole and burned his stuff, he'd be exiled faster than an ikran could take off into the air.

With a furious growl, I settled on punching his left bicep to halt his burning because striking his back did absolutely nothing (the man of granite probably felt pinpricks) and yelled fiercely, "What gives you the right to burn _my _stuff? This is my property! What am I supposed to wear now, you idiot? I ought to-"

His fingers pinched my right ear painfully with a yank and I bared my teeth in a hiss as I thrashed around like an enraged cobra, striking him in the kneecap with my work boot. Bingo! His grasp only tightened on cutting the circulation away (and probably trying to tear a piece of it) and I refused to give him the pleasure of acknowledging my pain. So he wanted to treat me like a child, eh?

Fine, I'd act like one.

I wasn't about to fight him recklessly like an idiot but taking martial arts classes to fill up my university schedule sure helped to fill the void of my inadequacy. My foot landed a well-rounded kick to his lower abdomen (although secretly, I wanted to aim for the crotch and leave him sterile) and tried to sink my teeth into the forearm holding my ear in place. Unfortunately, he dropped me unceremoniously on my ass to dodge my biting attack and I glared up at him as I crawled on all fours to study his next move. Whatever he threw at me, I'd shoot right back. If I couldn't, there was always that hefty stick I kept in my personal alcove and could use it as an improvised club to strike him with. That is, unless he cleaned out everything in my private space.

Instead of hearing another lecture about incompetence, he threw a green satchel at my face and I caught it before it struck me. Oh, how I despised his careless treatment of me. Sure, he would carry baskets for the purebred Na'vi women of the clan but packed me like a mule whenever we hiked. I bared my teeth to their fullest in irritation at his rudeness but Tsu'tey didn't care (did he ever?), he simply stated coldly, "You will wear this from now on."

Hesitantly, I reached into the cloth bag and pulled out the same exposing clothing the Na'vi females wore around Kelutral and my face contorted into mortified horror. He wanted me to wear this?. . .okay, it was rational for him, I would give him that. This was normal wear for them but for me, it was an entirely different story. I'd grown up using professional clothing that covered me from the neck down to my feet and this would not do for me. Didn't he know that my own upbringing was different from his? Disapprovingly, I shook my head to refute sharply, "No, I'm used to keeping my body covered up and that's how it will stay, _naxa _head."

My fingers hovered over my covered chest area without modesty since I was trying to spare the show of skin and demanded harshly, "How am I supposed to keep my breasts under this necklace, huh? Dreamwalker females are more. . .endowed. Besides, the ligaments of the breast area will loosen without support and I'm not going to run with these jumping around. I will rip the loincloth off you before I subject myself to that."

Frankly, I thought my direct manner of speaking would've had the hunter returning to a polite or negotiating attitude but no. He just stood there, glaring at me with that dangerous gaze that would've melted the polar ice caps of Mars but I was immune to it at the moment.

I stood up quickly and shoved the bag against his chest to show I meant business and continued my unyielding refusal, "You don't scare me, you have it easy because you're a man. There's no worries for your bare-chested gender but I. Will. Not. Wear. _That_."

His face relaxed instantly and my spine shivered at the calm face that was void of any rage. Facial features were no longer creased and his lips snapped shut until only his bright eyes and cyan stripes were prominent on his angular face. This wasn't good, was it? He leaned down to my lower eye level and his voice came out cold like steel but as soft as a whisper, "All right. If you do not wear it, you will walk nude. If you do not wear it, I will drop you as my student. If you do not wear it, I will make sure you are wandering the forest alone and without a clan within the next moon."

His nose touched mine as his molten gold eyes bore into my own apprehensive orbs and with a harsh voice I've never heard in my life, demanded fiercely, "Now, I ask again, _child_. Are you going to _wear it_?"

. . .Okay, now I was scared of him.

Ten minutes later, I was grumbling all curse words known to man and Na'vi under my breath as I slipped into skintight purple leggings because I refused to wear a loincloth only. There was no way I would be strutting around half-naked like Tsu'tey until I grew into a comfort zone. Uttering another curse from my lips, I added on the loincloth afterwards as a safety measure in case the fabric ripped and indecently exposed me to everyone in the clan. The last thing I wanted was for my leggings to rip open and bear my naked bottom to the world. My eyes traced over the thick necklace I was supposed to wear over my exposed chest, which held no support for the area whatsoever, and began to doubt Tsu'tey knew anything about female attire. Neytiri and the other women had everything right and I told myself to ask her about it because after all, he was a man and bound to make mistakes in that field. I held the pretty necklace of feathers, interlaced fabric, and beads but refused nonetheless, "Tsu'tey, I'm _not _wearing this."

"It is either that or nothing" he repelled curtly without room for question and I peeked out from my little nook (it was a personal area for me like every Na'vi had within Hometree but I liked my name better) to see where he stood for aiming purposes. As usual, he guarded the area with that straight but domineering pose of his to ward off trouble but I brought it to him when I flung the empty satchel at the back of his head.

"Joanna!"

I took the small victory for the little attack and placed the necklace of beads and feathers over the sleeveless white shirt I wore. Tsu'tey said I had to wear the whole ensemble but not _how_. Hopefully, I'd be able to swerve around that logic of his with my own crafty one and gave myself a quick over to make sure nothing was out of place. Smugly, I sauntered back outside so he could see my nonverbal protest but sulked internally at the pile of clothes burning with loud crisps in the fire. The lower layers had already begun turning to ropy brown ash and I sighed at losing all of my clothes. Oh, how I hated his domineering attitude and hoped my shoes wouldn't be pried off tomorrow by force. I'd sleep with them if I had to.

Tsu'tey scrutinized my new appearance for approval while I frowned in deep dislike for both the man and his order. His brow furrowed into another heated scowl and I already knew he was going to complain (what else was new?) when he commanded briskly, "No, change _correctly_."

"And I told you I'm not doing it" I snapped crossly and lifted my chin defiantly to stare at him with challenge. I added the 'mad woman' pose by slanting my hips to the left and crossing my arms before shifting my face to the right, away from him. One of his pet peeves was to be ignored and I decided to use it in this case because politeness would get me nowhere. I'd been nothing but polite since we met and his rudeful disregards to my opinions weren't what I wanted. Closing my eyes, I dropped my voice to a low tone and gave him the ultimatum, "Like it or lump it."

"What? Woman, you're speaking gibberish!" Tsu'tey exclaimed furiously to the Terran saying in loud decibels that were sure to be heard overhead and below by passerby's. This was a sign that his stand was faltering since a clouded mind of anger only brought mistakes. Ironically, he was the one to teach me the saying months ago and wondered why he hadn't taken his own advice since he constantly exploded on me. Or maybe it was just me in particular that caused this reaction? Honestly, I don't think I'll ever figure this man out. I sighed with exasperation to his short fuse, hanging my head for a second before turning around to smack his left bicep for attention.

He shot me his usual 'I can kill you' glare but I had grown immune to it weeks ago so it did nothing to deter me. I was certain that speaking with a peaceful ambiance would reach a compromise because when he was enraged, nothing and I mean _nothing _got through that thick skull of his. I raised my hands in the surrendering manner and looked him in the eye to propose calmly, "Let's talk about this like civilized adults instead of squabbling children. . .which you do at least three times a day."

The whites of his canines bared at me and I rolled my eyes to the idle threat since he'd never gone as far as to strike me. No, Tsu'tey was too respectful towards women due to his upbringing and religious affiliation so I considered myself lucky that he finally saw me as someone that wasn't androgynous. A rap to the head or a push of the shoulder was all that I received when he was bordering on aggravation and I returned the same because one, I was sure he'd beat the living daylight out of me and two, he deserved the same respect.

* * *

_Again, a thank you to each reader because each hit, review, and alert keeps me writing this story which I've come to adore. With that said, I wish you a happy day or a good night's sleep to all my worldwide readers!_


	11. Falling For You, Pt1

CHAPTER 10:

**Falling For You, Pt.1  


* * *

**

"Damn it."

I sighed exasperatedly to my crappy shooting skills as my arrow pierced the edge of the target instead of hitting it dead in the center. A week had passed since shooting my teacher in the ass (people still laughed about it during gossip) and he wasn't making it easier for me in the slightest despite my careful nursing of him. If at all, he'd become _twice _of an asshole just to catch up on the several days he was out of commission (despite I still practiced) to make sure I got a good scolding. Although I claimed I'd never touch a bow again, Tsu'tey eventually forced it back into my hands the second Mo'at allowed him to stand up and was irrefutable. He'd poked me with the damn weapon until I forced out a disgruntled 'yes' and practiced on my own thereafter but without decent instruction, I was doomed to fail.

Also, I was at a loss with this man and wondered whether or not I really improved these last couple of weeks with his training. Cheryl was a natural with the bow already and she _hated _the idea of killing an animal which was humorously ironic whereas I was a natural catastrophe that was in dire need to succeed to the top. When the night was quiet and I was alone in our hammock, I often pondered if Eywa was sure that this was my path in life and not another rank like being a cook, clothes maker, maybe even my worst fear: a housewife. I admired a woman's ability to flawlessly multitask at that stage in life but I wasn't ready for such, not at this moment. The Na'vi believed Eywa intercepted or weaved the dreams of Her children and I wished she would visit one of mine to assure me I was doing fine because I was beginning to doubt myself. Tsu'tey's lack of faith in me added to that weight on my shoulders every day and I wanted to purge myself clear of it.

The next arrow didn't hit any better as it remained outside the targeted center and I clutched my bow tightly to shake it furiously, throwing my head back to curse aloud, _"Crap on a stick!"_

"Again" his cold voice ordered carelessly and I grit my teeth to the point that my gums hurt as I walked over to the target to forcefully pull out my arrows. Oh, if only I could make a wooden Tsu'tey target, I'd be on cloud nine just to pierce it anywhere. That would skyrocket my motivation but I knew a prideful man like he would never go for such an idea.

I crushed the grass underneath my feet from aggravation but he glared at my behavior since we were to never take out our rage on the natural environment around us. I hissed softly under my breath to show I didn't care at the moment and muttered bluntly, "It's either your _face _or the grass."

His hand struck out to pinch my right ear in reprimand and I yelped to the sharp pain shooting down my neck, slapping his hand away to stop his newest form of punishment. If he kept yanking on it like a toy, I was sure to sustain some kind of muscle strain but he didn't care. Did he ever? The bastard loved doing it, his smug grin told me so whenever I squealed like a caught piglet. A few more protesting slaps to his forearm warranted my release and I hit his shoulder with the end of my bow, snapping irately, "I rather prefer a slap to the shoulder, you overgrown prolemuris."

He reached for my sore throbbing ear once more but I blocked him with my bow to prevent the abuse, pushing him back to growl with reluctant submission, "All right, I'll start again."

I took position in front of him (he wasn't taking any chances in any other directions nowadays) and shot a quick glance behind me to make sure he wouldn't surprise me with another ear yank. His impassive form didn't lessen my apprehension but I readied my arrow as I imagined the target to be a nagging Tsu'tey. Who _wouldn't _want to shoot him with that attitude? I'd get him this time. My fingers released another arrow but it landed short of the center and I heard him grumble inaudibly behind me. Ignoring his incoherent mumbles was best because I didn't want my self-esteem to plummet into the negative zone. . .but it was growing increasingly close to it.

"Again, skxawng" he repeated neutrally as I heard him shift behind me and my peripheral vision caught him sitting down on a nearby boulder. Was he tired of simply _standing_ and doing absolutely _nothing_? My, mouthing off must've taken more energy out of him than I thought. I balked like a poor idiot when he opened his satchel to bring out a neatly packed leaf plate that was full with an assortment of fruit and my eyes practically ogled the delicious food. Apparently, he noticed my yearning puppy dog eyes but his icy demeanor remained astute as he ordered, "Begin."

I pouted to myself since I didn't bring anything to snack on for this session and his selfishness allowed me to refocus my attention back to the task at hand. The arrow was cocked in the direction of the target and I released it, watching every movement until the arrow pierced the same location as before. Well, it was better than the edges.

"A month of lessons and _this _is all you have to show?" I heard Tsu'tey chide mockingly from behind, crushing my previous pep at scoring slightly better, and I bit my tongue from firing back a string of insults. Oh, how he riled me into fits of rage with just one sentence. I sucked in a deep breath to relax myself before I was charged with strangling him to death and leaned down to grasp the next arrow. Of course, he just had to mouth off again with a rude comment, "Shoot faster. You're slower than a tapirus."

_Great, he's calling me 'tapirus' again_, I growled mentally and let my psyche thrash around wildly for a bit. Tsu'tey always drove me to a boiling point but every day, I managed to control my raging emotions a little more but the man was irksome- enough said.

I grit my teeth to his smartass comment (wishing a band of wild tapiri would maul him right this second for constantly insulting them) and prepared the next arrow, just as he scolded again, "_Faster_, tute."

Grudgingly, I obeyed my teacher and the arrow pierced a lower area than what the previous two had scored. Perfect. Just fine freakin'-tastic! My lips released an aggravated groan at my crappy luck and I leaned down to grab the next arrow but they were almost finished. This session had not gone well for me and I would definitely hear of it until nightfall since he had a tendency to pop in unexpectedly just to jerk me around. Karma had given me a point the night before when he suddenly materialized next to me during dinner but Cheryl, being the jumpy type, threw her fruit drink all over him for being startled. Needless to say, he ended up bathing in the cold pools outside during the night and I loved it (the cold frigid water part, not the bathing prolemuris part).

Tsu'tey decided to verbally intervene again and snorted derisively, "Is this supposed to _impress _me?"

"I'm sure the only thing that impresses your overgrown ego is your own reflection" I shot back scathingly (See? Already reached my breaking point of the day) because I was growing tired of his endless barrage of insults and yelped when something mushy struck the center of my back. The strike wasn't painful but it caught me unaware, causing me to drop my arrow to the ground with a light thud and reached backwards with my hands to feel a wet substance. What the-? I noticed the hurled projectile on the floor and leaned down to pick up a small round fruit, its violet skin broken from the top where it struck me. He threw fruit at me? What kind of jerk throws _fruit _at people?

"Tsu'tey!"

He didn't even bat an eyelash in apology and simply resumed eating without a word, purposely closing his eyes as he ate with a superior raise of his chin. Oh, so that was his game? Torture me into insanity? I squeezed the fruit in my hand because I was not going to be a form of amusement for his benefit and hurled the fruit towards him. The resounding smack was pleasure to my ears as it struck his temple which caused him to drop the bite of fruit he'd been eating as his eyes shot open widely to my attack. Did _nobody _in this clan stand up to this guy? His head cocked towards me like an enraged thanator's as purple juice trailed down the left side of his face and I grinned smugly to chide, "Don't waste food, _eveng_."

It all started with a raising of his arm and the next minutes were a blur as fruit covered me from head to toe. That's not to say I didn't launch my own assault in retaliation with the same fruits he chucked at me and our accuracy caused us to coat each other in fruit pulp or juice. Honestly, I was quite proud of my handiwork as his cyan skin tone took on blotches of darker and brighter colors.

We were both ready to hurl the next pieces of fruit at each other when Neytiri and Norm just happened to walk in on us from the thick brush. Uh-oh. They both stared at us with mild surprise to our actions and I lowered my fruit, hiding it behind my back to obscure the evidence from sight.

My, wasn't this a spectacle for them? I was covered in fruit juice and purple stained clothes while Tsu'tey looked like he'd been rolling around inside a wine barrel for hours but we both ceased our fighting to not give off the appearance that we were insane. Well, _I_ wasn't; I didn't know about Tsu'tey, the man was an ongoing mystery. Neytiri glanced between our fruit covered forms with a raised brow that begged clarification but I believe she had second thoughts on asking when she scolded disappointedly, "Acting like children. Tsu'tey, you _know _better than to behave like this."

I grinned like a Cheshire to her chastisement of the older man but she turned to me and added in firmly, "And Joanna, _you _shouldn't let him irritate you."

Before Tsu'tey could argue his point, she motioned for Norm to follow her back the way they came and the two departed from our spot with silent steps. I believed at this point that even Neytiri thought he and I made a hopeless team. I was about to tease him about being reprimanded like a baby by the princess of all people but a purple fruit struck the back of my left shoulder.

"Tsu'tey!" I yelled with annoyance as I turned to face him and threw the mushy remains from my shoulder at his face in payback. Did he really think I'd just stand here and take it? He wiped the gunk off with a growl but I smiled inwardly at getting him good and teased for good measure, "You ugly prolemuris."

"Blind tapirus" he retorted with a low growl to get in the last word and I let him have it since he'd probably nab more ammunition to hit me with. He was stronger so his throwing arm had better impact on my skin while I simply smeared him with the pulp since I was weaker. Still, I was proud that I managed to keep up with him and gave myself a brownie point for it. I glanced at the ruined fruit that littered the grassy field and felt guilty for wasting good food on the account of saving our pride but he spoke up calmly to justify, "The nearby tapiri will eat it."

He turned away from me to pick up the scattered arrows over the clearing and mischievously, I grabbed a small round fruit into my right hand that remained behind which was as soft as putty. Striking a baseball pitcher's stance, the fruit flew through the air and exploded into a mushy pulp all over his bare blue butt. Oh, if only slow motion existed in real life, I'd watch this over and over. My outrageous laughter filled the quiet clearing to his pink colored behind as he stood up to show me his deadliest glare and I declared smugly, "_Now _we're even."

* * *

Tsu'tey exacted his revenge, somewhat, that night.

He wasn't a man of subtlety, rather going for a direct approach, and I was definitely surprised- more like horrified- when I climbed onto the wooden platform that held my hammock nearby to see him burning my clothes.

That's right, _burning. . .my. . _._clothes_!

Was I _still _the only one who thought his neurotransmitters were a little off in his brain? This was not _normal _behavior! I ran forward with desperation hastening my strides as he fed his little makeshift fire with a few of my khaki shorts and I felt my stomach drop at whatever else he'd already burned. What gave him the right to steal my property without warning to me? Wasn't there an Omaticayan law against such heinous actions? I struck his back with clenched fists to grab his attention and shouted frantically at him without reserve for who overheard me, "What in Eywa's name are you doing? Are you insane, you stupid prolemuris?"

Tsu'tey spared me the tiniest side-glance which gave away no remorse as I thumped on his back (the man was like a brick wall) and simply stated, "I am destroying the last items that bind you to your tawtute world to bring you into this one. If you want to be one of _us_, you will dress the part."

"I told you I'm more comfortable in my own clothing, it has nothing to do with the tawtute" I shot back heatedly to his crackpot idea since he knew nothing about me and quickly tried to find any source of liquid to put out the fire. I briefly wondered whether or not I could escape unscathed if I used _him _as a fire retardant but alas, no. My feet scrambled around the platform like a chicken with its head cut off to find anything. . .but there was nothing. Absolutely nothing. The idiot had apparently come prepared to make his stupid fire of destruction. Didn't Jake see or hear about his erratic behavior towards me? I'm sure if Tsu'tey stole and burned his stuff, he'd be exiled faster than an ikran could take off into the air.

With a furious growl, I settled on punching his left bicep to halt his burning because striking his back did absolutely nothing (the man of granite probably felt pinpricks) and yelled fiercely, "What gives you the right to burn _my _stuff? This is my property! What am I supposed to wear now, you idiot? I ought to-"

His fingers pinched my right ear painfully with a yank (why did he always go for my _ears_?) and I bared my teeth in a hiss as I thrashed around like an enraged cobra, striking him in the kneecap with my work boot. Bingo! His grasp only tightened on cutting the circulation away (and probably trying to tear a piece of it) and I refused to give him the pleasure of acknowledging my pain. So he wanted to treat me like a child, eh?

Fine, I'd act like one.

I wasn't about to fight him recklessly like an idiot but taking martial arts classes to fill up my university schedule sure helped to fill the void of my inadequacy. My foot landed a well-rounded kick to his lower abdomen (although secretly, I wanted to aim for the crotch and leave him sterile) and tried to sink my teeth into the forearm holding my ear in place. Unfortunately, he dropped me unceremoniously on my ass to dodge my biting attack and I glared up at him as I crawled on all fours to study his next move. Whatever he threw at me, I'd shoot right back. If I couldn't, there was always that hefty stick I kept in my personal alcove and could use it as an improvised club to strike him with. That is, unless he cleaned out everything in my private space.

Instead of hearing another lecture about incompetence, he threw a green satchel at my face and I caught it before it struck me. Oh, how I despised his careless treatment of me. Sure, he would carry baskets for the purebred Na'vi women of the clan but packed me like a mule whenever we hiked. I bared my teeth to their fullest in irritation at his rudeness but Tsu'tey didn't care, he simply stated coldly, "You will wear this from now on."

Hesitantly, I reached into the cloth bag and pulled out the same exposing clothing the Na'vi females wore around Kelutral and my face contorted into mortified horror. He wanted me to wear this?. . .okay, it was rational for him, I would give him that. This was normal wear for them but for me, it was an entirely different story. I'd grown up using professional clothing that covered me from the neck down to my feet and this would not do for me. Didn't he know that my own upbringing was different from his? Disapprovingly, I shook my head to refute sharply, "No, I'm used to keeping my body covered up and that's how it will stay, _naxa _head."

My fingers hovered over my covered chest area without modesty since I was trying to spare the show of skin and demanded harshly, "How am I supposed to keep my breasts under this necklace, huh? Dreamwalker females are more. . .endowed. Besides, the ligaments of the breast area will loosen without support and I'm not going to run with these jumping around. I will rip the loincloth off you before I subject myself to that."

Frankly, I thought my direct manner of speaking would've had the hunter returning to a polite or negotiating attitude but no. He just stood there, glaring at me with that dangerous gaze that would've melted the polar ice caps of Mars but I was immune to it at the moment.

I stood up quickly and shoved the bag against his chest to show I meant business and continued my unyielding refusal, "You don't scare me, you have it easy because you're a man. There's no worries for your bare-chested sex but I. Will. Not. Wear. _That_."

His face relaxed instantly and my spine shivered at the calm face that was void of any rage. Facial features were no longer creased and his lips snapped shut until only his bright eyes and cyan stripes were prominent on his angular face. This wasn't good, was it? He leaned down to my lower eye level and his voice came out cold like steel but as soft as a whisper, "All right. If you do not wear it, you will walk nude. If you do not wear it, I will drop you as my student. If you do not wear it, I will make sure you are wandering the forest alone and without a clan within the next moon."

His nose touched mine as his molten gold eyes bore into my own apprehensive orbs and with a harsh voice I've never heard in my life, demanded fiercely, "Now, I ask again, _child_. Are you going to _wear it_?"

. . .Okay, now I was scared of him.

Ten minutes later, I was grumbling all curse words known to man and Na'vi under my breath as I slipped into skintight purple leggings because I refused to wear a loincloth only. There was no way I would be strutting around half-naked like Tsu'tey until I grew into a comfort zone. Uttering another curse from my lips, I added on the loincloth afterwards as a safety measure in case the fabric ripped and indecently exposed me to everyone in the clan. The last thing I wanted was for my leggings to rip open and bear my naked bottom to the world. My eyes traced over the thick necklace I was supposed to wear over my exposed chest, which held no support for the area whatsoever, and began to doubt Tsu'tey knew anything about female attire. Neytiri and the other women had everything right and I told myself to ask her about it because after all, he was a man and bound to make mistakes in that field. I held the pretty necklace of feathers, interlaced fabric, and beads but refused nonetheless, "Tsu'tey, I'm _not _wearing this."

"It is either that or nothing" he repelled curtly without room for question and I peeked out from my little nook (it was a personal area for me like every Na'vi had within Hometree but I liked my name better) to see where he stood for aiming purposes. As usual, he guarded the area with that straight but domineering pose of his to ward off trouble but I brought it to him when I flung the empty satchel at the back of his head.

"Joanna!"

I took the small victory for the little attack and placed the necklace of beads and feathers over the sleeveless white shirt I wore. Tsu'tey said I had to wear the whole ensemble but not _how_. Hopefully, I'd be able to swerve around that logic of his with my own crafty one and gave myself a quick over to make sure nothing was out of place. Smugly, I sauntered back outside so he could see my nonverbal protest but sulked internally at the pile of clothes burning with loud crisps in the fire. The lower layers had already begun turning to ropy brown ash and I sighed at losing all of my clothes. Oh, how I hated his domineering attitude and hoped my shoes wouldn't be pried off tomorrow by force. I'd sleep with them if I had to.

Tsu'tey scrutinized my new appearance for approval while I frowned in deep dislike for both the man and his order. His brow furrowed into another heated scowl and I already knew he was going to complain (what else was new?) when he commanded briskly, "No, change _correctly_."

"And I told you I'm not doing it" I snapped crossly and lifted my chin defiantly to stare at him with challenge. I added the 'mad woman' pose by slanting my hips to the left and crossing my arms before shifting my face to the right, away from him. One of his pet peeves was to be ignored and I decided to use it in this case because politeness would get me nowhere. I'd been nothing but polite since we met and his rude disregards to my opinions weren't what I wanted. Closing my eyes, I dropped my voice to a low tone and gave him the ultimatum, "Like it or lump it."

"What? Woman, you're speaking gibberish!" Tsu'tey exclaimed furiously to the Terran saying in loud decibels that were sure to be heard overhead and below by passerby's. This was a sign that his stand was faltering since a clouded mind of anger only brought mistakes. Ironically, he was the one to teach me the saying months ago and wondered why he hadn't taken his own advice since he constantly exploded on me. Or maybe it was just me in particular that caused this reaction? Honestly, I don't think I'll ever figure this man out. I sighed with exasperation to his short fuse, hanging my head for a second before turning around to smack his left bicep for attention.

He shot me his usual 'I can kill you' glare but I had grown immune to it weeks ago so it did nothing to deter me. I was certain that speaking with a peaceful ambiance would reach a compromise because when he was enraged, nothing and I mean _nothing _got through that thick skull of his. I raised my hands in the surrendering manner and looked him in the eye to propose calmly, "Let's talk about this like civilized adults instead of squabbling children. . .which you do at least three times a day."

The whites of his canines bared at me and I rolled my eyes to the idle threat since he'd never gone as far as to strike me. No, Tsu'tey was too respectful towards women due to his upbringing and religious affiliation so I considered myself lucky that he finally saw me as someone that wasn't androgynous. A rap to the head or a push of the shoulder was all that I received when he was bordering on aggravation and I returned the same because one, I was sure he'd beat the living daylight out of me and two, he deserved the same respect. I rubbed my bare arms to focus my hands somewhere, the gentle clicking of the beads on my necklace calming me and I took a small breath before admitting to him, "I'm not comfortable in clothing like that. I- Look, my parents raised me to believe that showing that much amount of skin was bad-"

"I thought you hated them" he cut in matter-of-factly and I glared at him for interrupting my story. Okay, so the prolemuris actually listened to the stuff I said instead of dismissing it altogether.

"Either way, that's how I am, I don't like showing skin- you saw more that day when I rescued you. . .don't glare at me, you know it's true!" I argued firmly when his face shifted defensively to the last comment but I _had _been the one to find him. It hadn't been the other way around and history was proof he couldn't deny. That known piece of information irked him to no end because he knew I'd been the one to help and he hated, just _hated _not succeeding on his own. The man needed some serious mental therapy; maybe Mo'at could literally smack sensibility into him with tough love. I frowned to his permanent scowl and grit my teeth to point out sternly, "The point is I can't just burn everything and turn my back like it means nothing. I have to desensitize myself-"

He ran a hand down his creased forehead and grumbled lowly with a hiss between his clenched teeth, "Speak words I can understand."

"It's not my fault I'm smarter. . .in the field of science" I began smugly but trailed off with a lower wayward tone because he was a genius when it came to hunting while I was a dunce. I still believed the words I told him months ago about brawn vs. brains and wasn't seeing a solution within his character that would allow both of us to connect with those traits. I tapped my fingers over the muscles that had now developed from the scrawny arms I used to have and spoke calmly to reach understanding, "I don't ask you for anything- stop glaring at me- but just let me alter cloth for, uh, covering my chest, okay?", motioning to my legs, I compromised, "I will wear leggings so don't push me on wearing loincloths alone yet but the rest is out of the question until I adjust."

"You are _too _much maintenance" he mumbled flatly with thinned lips and a derisive snort towards me but I withheld my tongue because he was just the same. Hell, he pulled my tail whenever I didn't cut his damn meat right in small even slices and always restrained from dumping the food all over him just to teach him a lesson in humility. I offered an indifferent scoff to his claim and heard him state distastefully, "Keeping to your tawtute mind rather than ours."

I shot him a skeptical glance for his personal view of me and demanded sarcastically with my own gathered concrete facts, "So you're telling me you don't ogle women because I'm pretty sure you did that last week to a group when we walked the nearby river. Or was I just mistaken with that sudden shift in your eyesight that lingered there for an entire _minute_? Which by the way, caused me to fall into the water because you were hogging the rock to yourself for the female view. If so, you might be suffering severe eye problems, friend."

"Nobody wants to look at _your _body, female" he spat back defensively for my jest because he damn well knew it was true. He even stopped by to ask about their day (the shameless flirt) while I frantically wrestled with a water crab that tried to latch onto my foot and got nothing from him. It was a good thing Norm taught me how to grab them correctly to avoid the pincers and I nabbed my revenge by dropping it on his foot. His charismatic appeal plummeted into the negative zone the second he screamed like a toddler.

"Nor do I want to look at them, unlike you and those that passed the test for adulthood, _I_ have no intention on seeking a mating partner" I stated tersely since I had grown up to look after myself without the need of another and what was best for me, not what others expected. I may be in a Na'vi body now but that didn't mean I was about to strut my stuff for the attention of the male population. My goal here, above all, was to reach a high standing among the clan and not nab myself man candy or be eye candy. I narrowed my eyes at his belief that I purposely sought attention from the men here and corrected sharply, "The tawtute species mates for different reasons whether from affection, like Jake and Neytiri, or convenience, social standing, previous arrangement, many reasons but my mindset isn't set to their rules or yours."

Curiosity flashed through his golden eyes to my claim and I explained clearly to embed it in his brain, "Mo'at wants me to take the rites of passage and it is in my best interests so I will do as she asks. After I complete Iknimaya, I will wait for Tsahìk Nitari's return so I can join her clan just like I planned from the beginning. Trust me, I have no interest in being tied down to a man when I could rise to be a strong huntress after constantly training. Drill that into your head. I'll mark it on your skin if it pleases your memory banks."

"You have to take a mate" Tsu'tey pointed out astutely to my logic which he probably thought was cuckoo but my mind was set on what I wanted.

"_You _haven't" I replied matter-of-factly to his current social standing and shrugged my shoulders because he wouldn't dissuade me. His features darkened to the known fact and I leaned closer to stare up at him, speaking freely without reserve, "You carry a higher position in this clan and you're at the top of your rank. I want to reach the same just like I did as a tawtute so I'd rather they _didn't _look at me. I grew up to be self-reliant and shuffled aside so I'm probably the last person who should breed," I dug my index finger in the center of his sternum to declare, "The only man in my life right now is you, Tsu'tey, and you're going to teach me everything I need to know to serve my clan leader, whether it's Jake or Nitari. _Got that_?"

"You can be colder than me sometimes" he remarked with a derisive snort, crossing his arms in a defiant stance against my words and I smiled at his lack of sending another joke my way. Me, cold? No, I called it being intensely determined and nothing would change my mind from achieving my goals.

"I got tired of being soft years ago, you earn my compassion just like I'm trying to earn your respect but we're not very easygoing people" I remarked offhandedly with a noncommittal shrug but he pursed his lips with a stare of denial aimed at me. There was no way he could deny his attitude towards others, especially the dreamwalkers because he bothered them most of all. They had it easy though, I got pinned with being his student and seeing the callous man _every _day. My gaze shifted down towards the fire behind him and switched the conversation as I watched the embers of my clothes feeding the fire, "Will that burn into the wood? The last thing we need is for you to burn down Hometree and make us homeless again. You won't be able to blame the tawtute for that one."

He gave another of his arrogant scoffs and turned around to walk away. I resisted the evil side of my mind that demanded comeuppance for the burned clothing and decided to leave my makeshift bat for use on another day. His tail swayed to the sides as he walked off and I was about to head to sleep when he ordered swiftly, "Come, I'm teaching you to make fire."

"Can I put _you _on fire?"

"Joanna!"

I rolled my eyes to the sharp reprimand and followed behind his longer strides, calling out exasperatedly as I caught up to him, "It was a joke! By Eywa, get a sense of humor."

* * *

_(Third person POV)_

A week later found the ever curious Joanna enjoying her leisure time in the afternoon with the company of the clan's children. Despite her wariness on ever rearing children, her friendly and curious nature was a likable trait that the children loved and they trailed her everywhere loyally. Parents even sought her to look after their little ones despite her lack of rank but Joanna was always happy to help and didn't mind caring for the young ones. Playing games, feeding them, painting ikran toys, and telling them stories were just ways she enjoyed spending her time with the children of the Omaticaya. It was where she truly felt as a part of their society.

Currently, the children were enjoying finger painting with the use of various colors. They may not use paper like humans but the Omaticaya used certain parts of Kelutral's inner walls to paint stories or make their mark. Strips of leather were usually for the form of writing while cloth could be weaved to draw pictures of the past but Joanna didn't focus on it. Jake had created a space within Hometree that would be filled with all the little hands of children so that one day, that generation could look back to it and their offspring could carry on the tradition. So there they sat on the ground, a group of fifteen children ranging from toddler hood to early adolescence, while Joanna mixed a black powder with lime green and smiled at the 'ooh's of the children as it turned into a dark forest green inside a bowl.

She chuckled to their bright enthusiasm that never faltered with their bright minds and explained cheerfully, "And that little ones, is how you can camouflage with low shrubs. The prey won't see you coming with that paint! Now, who wants to paint the wall with the color of a true forest hunter?"

They giggled to her statement and the oldest members of the children stood up to paint their hands inside the bowl before running towards the wall to make their mark. From the other side of the base of Kelutral, where the hunters gathered, Tsu'tey snorted distastefully at her coddling of children as he deboned freshwater fish he'd caught during the day's hunt. He'd ordered the woman to stay behind because she was a hazard at ruining his hunt and he wouldn't have it.

His sharp knife carefully slid between the cartilage and flesh to remove the skeletal bones, dexterous fingers cleaning the fish with perfect precision that cooks would envy before sheathing his knife. He'd already learned cooking habits from his grandmother before training as a warrior years ago and prided himself in being self-reliant in all fields. His long fingers picked at any remaining fish bones that tried to stick onto the wet pink flesh and heard several of the hunters laughing next to him. Dryly, he inquired noncommittally without glancing away from his work, "What amuses you all?"

"Your student" one of them supplied and he gave an indifferent 'humph' to comment. Of course his student was amusing, she was a catastrophe all on her own and embarrassed his name every time she did something wrong. He didn't want to hear anything about his student, this was his time, not hers, and grit his teeth when the conversation continued, "If she is as bad a huntress as you say she is, maybe Joanna should simply complete Uniltiron and take a mate. She seems very good with children, all of the parents vouch for her. Apparently, she gives them time to themselves."

The group chuckled to her natural ability as a caretaker and Tsu'tey pointed out briskly to dissuade the idea, "She cannot take a mate."

"Why? She can cook, tend to a child, and she can fight- regardless of her hunting skills" another piped up to his annoyance since the woman was a fair close combat fighter and Tsu'tey placed his fish on a leaf plate so the cooks could roast it later tonight. The same hunter continued with a knowing tone, "I'm pretty sure I'm not the _only _one that noticed she stopped wearing most of her Sky People clothing."

"She will be one of us, I will not have her wearing such ridiculous garbs" Tsu'tey stated sharply and the hunters instantly agreed wholeheartedly with him in a unison chatter of 'yes's. A little _too _much for his liking. He growled at the men for their runaround on the matter since he wanted to be done with it and eyed each of them to demand, "What is the point to all this chatter?"

One of the braver hunters stated the fact easily, "She's attractive."

"Wh-What?" the warrior stuttered as his thought processes grinded to a halt at the single statement. He _never _stammered in conversation but this was. . .he couldn't even put a word to it! It was inconceivable! How was his student in any way attractive to the male population? Were they all blind? The woman was still considered an alien and there were plenty of purebred women to choose from!

"Goodness, Tsu'tey, this is a rare occurrence for you to be speechless" Imaz joked lightheartedly since the older hunter was scarcely left without words on any subject and snickered to himself as Tsu'tey gutted another fish with a growl. The young man smiled from ear to ear to his superior's silent but fuming temper and brought up casually with downplayed intrigue, "Have you not noticed the men find her attractive?"

The older man finally found his voice at hearing that blasted word again, stabbing his knife cleanly into the center of the poor dead fish, and turned to Imaz to exclaim disbelievingly, "But she's a _dreamwalker_!"

"Our Olo'eyktan is the same and the women fawned for him before he mated Neytiri" another of his hunters pointed out simply as they placed the cleaned fish inside large leaf plates. Tsu'tey chastised himself for picking this day to bond with them and hoped they'd change the subject soon before he chopped his fish into a messy pulp. His upper lip curled in distaste when Imaz added in helpfully to persuade him, "Each has their own qualities and your student fits certain tastes."

"But. . .she. . .she's _Joanna _for Eywa's sake!" Tsu'tey blurted as his mind couldn't comprehend the idea (he shuddered just thinking about it) and cast it away to clear the apparent news he knew nothing about. Gossip wasn't his style but hearing his student in that conversation unsettled him; he'd never expected to hear such a thing. He would've been better off not knowing! If he wasn't in perfect control of his facial expression, he would've been gaping like a stunned fish throughout the conversation. He knew she was a female, it was undeniable with the attire she wore now, but he never really considered her in the same manner as the other women in the clan. Besides, he had no reason to dwell on it because he'd sooner die than mate to a dreamwalker. Who'd be crazy enough to do so?. . .Hmm, Neytiri would skin him alive if he said that aloud but Jakesully is a different case. He had rank, Joanna didn't.

Imaz laughed aloud to the hunt leader's harsh but doubtful tone and reminded casually with a sly grin, "To you, she is Joanna but to everybody else, she is an attractive and uncourted female. Well, until she completes the rite of passage."

Tsu'tey didn't get it, he just _couldn't _fathom the idea of that clumsy woman being anything but a nuisance to everyone she came in contact with. As if that wasn't any better, he almost cut off a finger in the middle of his slicing when her soft-spoken voice popped into their group with that hasty pitch he hated, "Good evening to you."

The Omaticayan hunters responded with a cheerful tone in their voices and Tsu'tey frowned deeply at the friendly smiles aimed at the woman. Traitors. Great, she'd already ensnared them. He'd rub this in her face tomorrow for trying to win over the male population after admitting she had no inkling of it. Unfortunately for his plan, Joanna was there for different reasons altogether and pointed to the small group of children that never faltered to tag along after her. Tsu'tey's ears dipped to her ongoing association to them (single females rarely formed cliques with them) and Joanna piped up helpfully, "We're here to take the fishes to the cooks-"

"They're not finished yet" Tsu'tey interjected sharply to her helpful nature as he bared his teeth at her and the group of fifteen children scuttled to hide behind her in response to his biting tone. The other hunters shot him a warning look for his manner of speaking to the female but he only scowled at them to show he wasn't backing down. What? She should mind her own business and not meddle in the business of others.

Joanna, however, remained unaffected to his scornful attitude and told the children cheerfully, "Don't listen to the old prolemuris, we'll grab what is ready so they don't have to make a longer trip," her index finger wagged towards each smiling face as she informed brightly, "Remember, these tasks will aid you when you're older and our hunters deserve the help after the effort they put into each hunt."

The young children scrambled to grab a leaf plate each in their little arms as they chatted amongst each other, feeling grown-up already just by helping out, and the hunters chuckled to their enthusiasm. Nonetheless, the tasks they learned today would indeed help them as they developed into mature individuals. Tsu'tey, however, wasn't amused because she was invading his territory without invite and wanted her gone from his sight since training wasn't taking place. Unless it meant increasing her skills, he would not cross paths with her within Kelutral. He didn't see it as callous as others might have but he didn't waste his time with people he wasn't keen on.

Joanna, as always, tried to lend a helping hand but saw that her effort was being wasted on the cold obstinate hunter and decided to take her little entourage elsewhere. She wasn't about to let him deflate their peppy nature or scare them and plastered a large grin on her face just to spite him. Clapping her hands, she called their attention and suggested giddily to the youngsters, "Let's go help the cooks so they can see what little geniuses you all are."

The children broke into a rabble of cheers and the smallest ones that weren't carrying anything pulled her away by the arms, chattering away with endless questions that pleased her to no end. Tsu'tey cringed at the high-pitched squeals (he avoided children however he could) and was completely happy when they moved farther away until the sounds faded into peaceful silence. _That _was pleasure to his ears.

Imaz broke the few seconds of silence with a sudden spurt of the moment idea and asked aloud with a hopeful grin, "Can _I_ take her as a mate? I always found her very delightful and the children obey perfectly-"

"_Nobody _is mating that dreamwalker, don't lower your principles for one of them" Tsu'tey refuted coldly with an intimidating hiss to the young hunter's foolish thought and frowned at the ground with another sneer passing through his nostrils. Mate with one of them? Ludicrous.

The next second, however, he froze on the spot like a petrified statue when a familiar voice spoke up behind him with authority to request calmly, "Tsu'tey, I think we need to have a little _talk_."

Curse that wretched woman, she ruined everything for him.

. . ."Yes, Olo'eyktan."

* * *

"I thought training was already over, you complained when I took the children to help" Joanna panted with a tired groan as she tried to keep up with her instructor's sudden orders and fast steps. She'd been cutting vegetables alongside the children for the clan's last meal while helping them fix herbs when the hunter had rudely yanked her away without an explanation whatsoever to add on another training session. She assumed he was in another of his turbulent moods and hoped that for her tired muscles, this exercise would end quickly. Unfortunately, Joanna was far from being right.

"Do _not _question me, you want to be one of us, you _**obey**_ me" he spoke frigidly as he finished climbing the last residential platform of Hometree as Joanna skittered along obediently but her heart hammered at the height they were at. It jumped tenfold when he began climbing the branches to the higher canopies. She felt tinier than a mouse as she scaled the looming heights of Hometree and made certain that her fingers were grasping anything at all times. She'd never been here before and it made her uneasy instantly. Her golden eyes were at full width as she scrutinized everything in sight with open worry and stuck close to the branches as if being in contact would help the open space underneath grow a little smaller.

Her lips released a frightened squeak when her shoe-covered foot slipped by a few centimeters on a branch and attached herself to it in a literal tree-hugging pose. She didn't care how silly she looked at the moment; safe was safe, period. Tsu'tey, of course, moved straight ahead on his targeted path as he climbed with perfect fluidity in his movements. Her large eyes shifted from him to the branch she held as she fought whether to continue on and asked shakily, "Do I have to keep going? I don't feel comfortable-"

"Training isn't supposed to be _comfortable_" he shot back mockingly to minimize her opinion on the matter since he wasn't tolerating any of her complaints anymore and gripped the branch under his feet tightly. He would make sure she _never _questioned him, even if it killed her. If he could embarrass her in the same way she'd done to him before their leader, he would gloat over it for many moons. He didn't particularly like being called at attention by the Olo'eyktan himself to be lectured about civility with the dreamwalkers and blamed the occurrence solely on Joanna. If she hadn't interfered in the affairs of his group, he wouldn't be here tormenting her.

His sharp voice echoed through the dense canopy as he demanded, "Move!"

At this point, Joanna was a bundle of nerves that was ready to break and knew her blood pressure was dropping rapidly by the second with the nausea the height gave her. She was never the type to climb such heights on Earth (not on Pandora either) and was usually squeamish when the ground wasn't nearby for a safe landing in case of a slipup and knowing herself, this was bound to happen a lot. She bit the inside of her cheek, drawing blood from the nerve-wracking force applied, to withhold a whimper trying to escape and jittery hands released the branch as she kneeled into a shaky crouch.

Another reprimand from his end froze her for a moment and she breathed deeply to regain a sense of calm before standing up. Even now, she wasn't sure of herself. Using all of the muscular force in her legs and a quick burst of energy, Joanna launched herself onto a higher parallel branch to grip it securely (although her mind didn't think so). Quickly, she pulled herself onto it by hooking her left leg over it and swinging her entire body upright. The second she sat on the branch safely, she exhaled all of the fearful tenseness contained in her body and mind with rapid short intakes of air to assure herself everything would be okay. It would all be okay. . .

The second she glanced down the branch, it was most definitely _not _okay.

_I'm not ready for this_, she thought anxiously as fear overtook her mind in a deadlock and gripped the grooves of the branch tightly until the phalanges of her hand stung. _I don't think I can even get back down! Why did I climb in the first place? I hate heights. I'm so stupid for listening to him like a damn puppy._

A flurry of curses from Tsu'tey broke Joanna from her frightened stupor and she whined softly to herself as she stood up on the branch on shaky unsure feet. Her balance wasn't perfect yet which was one of the main reasons she didn't want to do this and cursed herself for continuing to obey his demands. She thought he would've taken her to climb the safer levels of the hammock residences to accustom her to those before attempting these riskier branches that could break under your hands if one wasn't careful. If you slipped, you fell.

Her hands shook against her sides as she tried to balance herself again and glanced up at the next branch which was a little out of reach than she normally liked. She felt her stomach drop at the challenge and became lightheaded, looking to Tsu'tey to plead softly, "I can't climb that-"

"You will _do _as I order and your task is to climb until I say otherwise" he stated brusquely with a deep scowl that had Joanna biting her bottom lip with apprehension. She hated seeing him perched over a higher branch in a lazy cat-like crouch as if he was merely sunbathing in the tree instead of fearing the behemoth of a tree. Couldn't he see that she wasn't ready for this?

She swallowed nervously to dampen her dry throat as her hands sweated profusely to the task at hand. The physical effect of her fight of flight response wasn't good for gripping and she quickly wiped her damp hand over her purple leggings to rub them dry. The open space below didn't give her a sense of comfort and she began shaking lightly with fear that this instruction wouldn't be achieved. She couldn't reach so far and to risk herself with failure was a heavy consequence. Namely, being blood splatter on Hometree's ground. She could already imagine Tsu'tey yelling at her dead corpse for failing to die right too.

Tsu'tey snorted to himself with disgust at the sight of Joanna hugging herself for self-confidence but his ego was greatly satiated that he'd put her in a bind that showed her just how inferior she truly was. Maybe it would teach her to hold her immature tongue next time toward a hunter of his stature. He almost laughed aloud at her squeamish and childish behavior as she tried to find a way out of the situation but shoved it aside to call her to attention with a loud yell, "Joanna!"

Tsu'tey would come to regret that decision hours later.

His piercing cold voice startled Joanna from her worried thoughts and the sudden involuntary movement of her body unbalanced her right leg, which rested within the edges of the thin branch. The slip was as instantaneous with the blink of an eye and she fell backwards into the air with a shocked scream before Tsu'tey could reach her, his hands grasping nothing but air as he jumped down and knew this wouldn't end well for either of them.

All he could do was watch her fall down the branches as her earsplitting screams echoed into the evening's quiet air and voices from all around the area below began to raise in fretful alarm. He could hear the lighter branches breaking with a sickening crunch as leaves were torn off from the momentum of her fall and the higher pitched screams that accompanied harder blows told him she'd struck the larger sturdier branches. Those were capable of leaving injuries that varied from light to severe, depending on how the person impacted, but Tsu'tey knew his student was most likely to gain the latter.

This wasn't good.

The crashing noise above the treetops and the painful feminine scream put Jake's ears on alert instantly from his spot on the upper platforms and he dropped the arrows he'd been sorting for the last hour to run towards the source. He assumed somebody had fallen from up above and knew younger Na'vi were at risk for such due to their forgetful nature. . .but not at that height. Nobody ventured up there unless they were adults. His long lean legs allowed him to pick up speed up the spiral stairway and he rushed by a worried Neytiri, who'd been trying to find the person as well to help them. This didn't settle well in Jake's stomach because _nobody _should be at such a high height without proper experience. Neytiri had even banned him during their training until he was capable to do so.

_What were they thinking?_, he thought grimly as he jumped off the main stairway and onto the thicker branches that would lead toward the higher canopies.

His muscled arms pulled his body neatly over the branches as he glided over the rough bark effortlessly to maintain his speed. If at all, he wished to go faster than the speed of light but he couldn't risk injuring himself in the process of the rescue. The idea of looking and actually being a spectacular failure in front of the whole clan, whom he'd sworn to protect, wasn't appealing. The crushed leaves and debris of broken branches that cascaded through the air directed him towards the area the unknown clan member was falling to and he leapt onto the center of the mass of branches to begin his ascent.

He placed all of his energy into climbing like a madman since his military training was put into action and when it came to saving civilians, an Olo'eyktan's duty and a marine's were extraordinarily similar. His vision caught onto a blue blur that was homing in on his location below with fantastic speed and he studied every branch nearby to see which would aid in halting the fall without breaking from the force _and _their combined weight. Everything had to be excruciatingly precise, down to the last millisecond or he'd risk tumbling both of them down and it would be tougher to grab onto a branch with one arm seeing as the other would be incapacitated with holding the injured person.

His golden eyes calculated every twist in the fallen one's body (which was definitely female) and berated himself for not being quicker at saving them but he was a mere mortal without any superpowers. He'd give it his all and hope it turned out for the best. The second the woman's body struck the branch overhead, he bared his teeth and put his plan into action with a determined face.

"Arrgh!"

With lightning precision, he propelled himself into the air and snatched her out of the air by the torso toward his chest before she could strike the branch adjacent to her. Jake's arms tightened over her body protectively to make sure she wouldn't slip and landed on another set of branches that nestled together right across from the previous branch he'd stood on. Digging his toes into the wooden grooves to secure his stop, he reared back from the landing impact but maintained his equilibrium as he kept his hold on the injured individual. Unlike them, he'd been trained to handle all situations at this height by Neytiri and knew what to do in case of a slip while the poor soul obviously had no idea. He breathed deeply in relief that he'd caught her in time and could now let his muscles relax away the adrenaline that had been pumping through his bloodstream. The whole ordeal felt longer than it really was and he panted to calm his beating heart. They were safe now, that's what mattered.

Jake examined his rescued clan sister and brushed back the tendrils of loose hair that held tiny leaves that had become entrapped in the tresses as they obscured her face from view. His eyes closed for a moment in solemn recognition as it revealed Joanna as the unknown injured and chastised her mentally for being at such a high altitude. Why would she travel up there? He knew firsthand from her own mouth that she hated heights. . .it made no sense. He shoved his worry aside since she was unconscious to any external stimuli and quickly checked the pulse on her neck's artery, sighing aloud in relief when he found one. Good.

Nonetheless, he was sure she'd been injured from the long fall and counted her lucky that she didn't hit the floor or her situation wouldn't have been lucky. He'd done so during his fight against Quaritch but unlike Joanna, he'd used his arms to avoid striking the trees by pushing himself back and his hands on the large leaves (which Hometree lacked since they were small and clustered together) to decrease the falling speed with friction until he landed in one piece. Joanna didn't know how to protect her body during falls and while an experienced Na'vi could prevent such injuries to the skeletal system, the inexperienced were at higher risk.

"_Joanna, what the hell did you do?" _he asked breathlessly as he shook his head to the serious situation and tightened his hold to descend down the branches, using one arm to clutch her close while the other gripped the branches. She needed to see a healer quickly in case she'd suffered head trauma but Jake deeply hoped it wouldn't be too serious. The Na'vi body might contain reinforced carbon in the bones but it didn't make them unbreakable under certain circumstances. They weren't indestructible or immortal.

Leaves fell gently onto his head from up above and Jake raised his line of sight to see the holes her body had created from the fall but another blue figure that moved caught his attention. His brow furrowed instantly and his lips deepened into a frown when he saw a very familiar face at the top most branches. . .and Jake began to formulate an idea as to what happened.

Tsu'tey.

* * *

**A/N**: Okay, so I'm breaking this chapter into _2_ parts because it turned out bigger than all the others I've written, even Ch.4. I didn't want the humongous chapter to put anyone to sleep accidentally or intimidate them. Plus, this is the small catalyst in the relationship that finally binds them as an end result so I deemed it break worthy. I would've had this part up sooner but classes got in the way and the fact I was due for three vaccine boosters riddled my arms useless for a few days, which set back my study schedule and my time to write this fanfic along with others currently ongoing.

**Here's another thoughtful question for you readers**: I was watching Star Wars: The Clone Wars with my brothers and noticed that the clones growing process is sped up similar to an Avatar's (they're both made in vitro) when the driver leaves Earth so they're 'post-adolescent' when they arrive on Pandora. Since Lucas made the clones age faster which in turn, makes them die much quicker from the accelerated growth, I wondered if the _same _could happen to Cameron's Avatars. I mean, they grow up pretty fast in the tube so what says that they _won't _continue to grow when they're out in their natural environment? It takes five years Earth time (according to the wiki) for an Avatar to reach maturation so it practically ages about four years within _one_ Earth year to make them twenty or 3.6 years to make them 18, give or take on the answer of post-adolescence. Is it possible that the Avatars would eventually keep this growth acceleration until they die? For all we know, Jake could be an old man within ten years!

Okay, now that I ranted a little, on with my responses to my wonderful reviewers:

_KThxBai: _Yes, Tsu'tey is incredibly brutal towards Joanna only (the jerk) but he gets put in his place in the second part. Most people would kill Tsu'tey on sight for burning their clothes but poor Joanna's still obliged to obey him (being rank-less and his student) so she can't attack the guy.

_Mark: _If she hit him in the crotch, he'd probably be frightened of her from then on. Also, he'd pretty much say bye-bye to reproducing but Joanna needs to have her little cupcakes to nurture them with motherly affection and for them to soften their father.

_Kudokuchan69: _Tsu'tey rarely has a break in character but an arrow lodged in the butt would make anyone scream like a banshee. I'm glad the chapter amused you so much!

_Soccer11: _Joanna has to stand him since he's the teacher and she's afraid that if she retaliated (meaning punching his lights out), she'd be exiled since she has no rank. The poor girl's also trying to befriend him but he's impossible and yes, most people- including me- would be sulking in a corner by now.

_Na'viWolf: _I'd love to update faster but my fingers can only type so fast and classes take up a lot of my schedule this semester (I can't wait till December so I can take my 1 ½ month break). Don't fret since the next part should be up sooner than this one!

_1Timberwolf_: Thank you for loving the story so far and I hope the other chapters were enjoyable as well.

_Death magic doom: _Don't worry about the lateness of a review, I answer regardless of chapter number. This chapter was a little shorter since it's a two parter but I hope you liked it. I haven't seen the new release, I would've liked longer extended scenes like Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy, so I'll be saving my money for something else Avatar related. lol. I hope you liked the film though!

_Technician Fan: _Thanks for loving the chapter and yes, I'm sure I darkened a shade but I'm lucky no peeling occurred or I would've looked funny going to school that way. It already happened once in my college freshman year and never wanted it to happen again.

_TopKat90: _It's funny that the Na'vi gossip as much as Earth folk, I laughed when I read it on the wiki and decided to play the angle with his accident and this one with Joanna. Hers isn't as funny though. And you're right about Jake intervening, he and Mo'at will be lecturing him on the next part so the prolemuris can finally See how much on an a-hole he's been. Joanna's been sweet on the jerk while he can't even acknowledge it.

_Bigoldfrog: _I try to compact everything into interesting chapters without making it drone on too long. I'm glad the chapter was enjoyable to read at night, I know by that hour, some of us are drowsy.

_Annajewel: _Okay, let's try to un-confuse you, that's what I'm here for. The next chapter previews constitute the following chapter (never the next story), except for one I used that regarded an earlier poll for the future gender of Tsu'tey and Joanna's kids (we already know they're going to be together or else it wouldn't be labeled under romance) and gave it as a treat to the polltakers. As for giving too much away, the sneak preview is usually around three pages tops in my document program and seeing as each chapter is around thirty pages, it only gives away 0.9% (I think that's the right percentage, I'm not good at math) of the chapter. For the chapters so far, I've outlined the first part of the story which is 'One Of The People' but I tend to write certain parts of the chapters beforehand where character development shifts (ex. Joanna & Tsu'tey's relationship, Joanna's passage, Tsu'tey's mellowing out). None of the chapters I've written so far are complete, not even half, some scenes can also change or be deleted, and the editing process constantly shifts how a chapter comes out. Even at the last minute for this chapter, I added in Tsu'tey's chat with the hunters and took out a scene where Jake taught Neytiri to dance. I know the number of chapters seem small since I first posted it but the size of each is large compared to some I read online (I'm just not the type of writer to push out small-medium chapters; my college professors molded me in that manner). Don't worry though, when the story ends, I _will _tell you so you're not left out of the loop. I hope that cleared away the blurry portions of this story.

_Emmalime_: Thank you for loving the story and your profile avatar looks so pretty in the white wedding dress.

_AvatarTingal: _Yes, the two fight like children or an old married couple since both are too prideful to admit they're wrong. Like in one of the previous chapters, Joanna compared the possibility of them becoming the couple squabbling over the 'ketchup-catsup' debate. If only cupid's job could be easy with those two.

_BlackJack: _Yay, I'm glad this is your favorite, I'm honored by it. Honestly, I don't know where the ideas pop in either. Sometimes, I see or think something hilarious and shift it to my liking or my brother trades humor ideas whenever he thinks of any. One we recently thought of was for Tsu'tey to exclaim 'something that ugly shouldn't even have a name' in regards to either humanity or a Pandoran animal. I've always loved humor, even borderline parody, which is why it's mostly humor filled with Tsu'tey and Joanna.

_Dark Inu Fan_: Apparently, my preview's have such an effect that many put in their reviews. I'm so proud of my non-Mary Sue OC creation and my character manipulation of Cameron's characters, mostly Tsu'tey. And yes, Tsu'tey wouldn't know anything about women's attire. . .but he'd like to think so just to maintain dominance over her.

_Kaze160_: Thank you for loving the story and the other part shouldn't take too long to post, I just have to edit it really good.

_Deep Blue Dragon_: I'm sure if I tried to sell it, Cameron would sue my pants off within seconds. Lol. But thank you for loving this story so much, you don't know how much it means to me that all of you readers love it this way. And no, I don't mind if you print it out, I'm just proud that it's _printable _worthy! As for the chapters, I outlined about 50 for the first part but it could always change, knowing me, I add and delete stuff that doesn't fit in all the time. For 'One of The People', the story will have _two_ volumes (it will all be one story, though), one that finishes with Joanna becoming Tsu'tey's mate and the second volume where the Na'vi take down a covert RDA project. The second part, I still have no name for it (I'll probably make a poll since I have random names floating around) is still being outlined with no definite chapter numbers. Again, thank you for loving this story to the point that it's being printed out to be read offline.

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_A short preview of next time since it's still part of the chapter__:_

I swallowed the heavy painful lump forming in my throat as my chest throbbed with a dull ache and whimpered miserably, "I wish I'd never had you as my teacher. That I never _met _you. You. . .everything you did was on purpose, every action calculated with malice like I'd stabbed you unknowingly in my sleep and revenge was your only thought. That's. . .psychologically homicidal, really."

If I could have slapped him with the old strength I possessed, I would've done so but no, that was too good for him. I'd put my life on the line to trust him and he let me down intentionally, proving that there was no such thing as coexistence with him. He bitterly reminded me of Quaritch himself with his 'gain their trust and shoot 'em in the back' motto. I wasn't like that, I was raised to be a better person than that and give everyone a chance to prove themselves. _He _was the smaller person here, not me.

The reminders of my previous aid to him gave me a sour taste in my mouth and I simply narrowed my eyes to state coldly, "I saved you during battle, I took care of you when you were injured, and I'd _never _intentionally hurt you. That is only something a mentally unbalanced or heartless person could do. I shot you and even _after _you berated me, I stayed with you to help because I'd never wish any harm to you. You _**deserve **_to feel guilty so maybe, just _maybe, _you'll gain an ounce of insight to how you treated me. Please go-"

"Joanna-"

"_Get out _before I call for someone, I'm giving you a chance to leave without any trouble so I suggest you take it" I ordered fiercely to make him leave and wiped my cheek against the pillow to smear the tears away. His fingers tentatively reached for the damp area but I bared my teeth with a threatening hiss, flattening my ears against my skull to show him I was incredibly hostile despite my bedridden condition.

"_Out!"  


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_

_Thank you for all of your feedback and support with my story, I appreciate every word you write to me. Have a great day or night filled with happiness!  
_


	12. Falling For You, Pt2

CHAPTER 10:

**PART II  


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**

_(Tsu'tey's POV)_

Undoubtedly, Joanna's fall became the biggest news among the clan since many heard the noise and the curious witnesses were now asking hushed questions all around Hometree as to what caused it. Of course, I took back paths that were rarely traveled through to prevent them from asking _me _anything because as everyone knew, I was at the center of her daily life. I was certain the stubborn woman would be perfectly fine, minor injuries at best, and was now proceeding to make my way towards the area I had seen Jakesully carry her. She might be an aggravating burden on me but she was still my student; I was responsible for the troubles she got herself into. . .unfortunately. Sometimes I really wondered _why _I even bothered with her.

The highest platform adjacent to the alcove was void of any passerby's since it was the Tsahìk's private area to conduct healing and counseling. I found myself a little surprised that our Olo'eyktan chose to stay behind since there were more important matters to attend to around the clan but of course, this was my mindset alone. Jakesully worried over every distinct individual, never the whole whereas I focused on prospering for the entire picture and what would benefit everyone in the end. I suppose that is what separates us in terms of leadership but I respected him nonetheless. My eyes watched him pace in circular motions in front of the alcove, hands firmly tucked behind his straight back as his shoulders stiffened with tension, and I assumed he was worried over his friend. It was hard for me to comprehend how _anyone _could enjoy their time around the woman because she infuriated me within ten minutes in her presence.

I expected to be questioned about the incident but she was responsible for her own actions up there, I was simply there to oversee the progress. True, I was absolutely livid that she inadvertently caused my humiliation by blinding me to my leader's presence when I uttered those. . .unfriendly words. . .but _she _was the one to trip over her own feet. Nonetheless, the sharp glance Jakesully aimed at me the second I stepped forward didn't settle very well in my stomach.

"What happened?" he demanded sharply, his steps growing closer in length as he walked up to me with a stern stare that told me this was a serious situation. Since the day I met the man, I'd only seen his easygoing attitude when it wasn't directed towards the Sky People but having his focus set on me with the same fierce glint in his eyes that he gave those demons before killing them caused me to cringe slightly. You heard correctly: cringe.

A disgruntled groan left my throat as I tried to evade the whole thing but Jakesully gave no inkling that he would let it go. No, he was determined to get to the bottom of it. Everybody saw the commotion, did I really need to narrate every single moment again? I sighed aloud to having another meeting with same man twice in one day, silently cursing my vexing student, and explained briefly, "We were training-"

"At this hour?," came his skeptical response.

"Yes, at _this _hour" I emphasized hastily with sarcasm but he didn't find it amusing in the slightest and pinned me with another glare that could easily rival one of my own. That accursed woman would be the end of me, I just knew it. My jaw tightened for a moment as I shoved my distaste for her to the back of my mind and spoke clearly with neutrality, "We were climbing the top levels of Kelutral-"

"Isn't she squeamish about heights?," was the next interrogative question.

I rubbed a hand down my forehead, settling my fingertips over both of my brow bones, and closed my eyes for a second to point out simply, "I'm trying to tell the story, Jakesully."

He backed down to let me carry on with my personal account of the situation because knowing Joanna, she would blow everything out of proportion. I would not let her ruin my reputation in any way and firmly stated, "We were climbing the top levels, I simply ordered for her to move upwards on the branches but being a clumsy female, she faltered. Her footing slipped on the branch and her balance became unstable which led to her falling down. Simple as that."

Jakesully remained silent for a few moments as I watched his eyes narrow in concentration and was certain he was dismantling every piece of information for answers. Being the polite person that I am, I stayed silent until he asked bluntly, "Did you say or do anything to alarm her?"

"She fell on her own actions" I insisted stiffly to cement the fact because I would not be held responsible for her accident. If she'd listened to me, she wouldn't be inside needing treatment at the current moment and most of the time, she was prone to accidents. The woman was clumsier than a toddler and I wouldn't hesitate to point that out. Jakesully may have had her as a friend but his rank was to be objective and not attach himself emotionally to people experiencing problems.

Jakesully rubbed the flat bridge of his nose, a sign he always made when either thoughtful or troubled, and finally sighed to state frankly, "I might not be a teacher or know anything in regards to it but from what Neytiri tells me, you're supposed to be _behind _a student to make sure no accidents of any kind happen."

"She falls on her face half the time she walks!" I pointed out with a defensive hiss and clenched my fists at being criticized as a teacher. Especially by an Olo'eyktan! I have taught dozens of young uprising hunters since attaining a rank of master and none have caused me trouble like this cursed dreamwalker. For a brief moment, I wouldn't have minded being rid of her altogether. How _dare _she make my leader question my integrity? The shameful possibility of having my image marred tightened every muscle in my body and blooded rushed to my head as I wished to have Joanna here so I could yell out every frustration at her.

"I don't mean this in a negative way, I only speak in simple honestly but. . ." my clan leader hesitated as his tone took on an uncertain calm before continuing, "I believe you're projecting _all _of your anger and resentment that you still hold for the tawtute species towards Joanna unknowingly-"

I scoffed to such a claim of her being a conflict of interest but the woman naturally annoyed me with her self-righteous attitude. She deserved every critique I gave because she wouldn't be getting her way or any preferential treatment just for being a dreamwalker. I shook my head vehemently and denied it instantly, "I treat her the same as any of my students-"

"Just because I don't see your interactions, doesn't mean I don't _hear _about them" Jakesully pointed out knowingly and shook his head in a manner that told me I should be reconsidering my words. I tilted my head with borderline curiosity to what his opinion would be of the spreading gossip since everyone knew I was a respected member of this clan. Unfortunately, the words that came out of my leader's mouth were anything but that, "Children have told their parents of the rude way you speak to her in public and these are children, Tsu'tey. Hunters have spoken about how you behave in the training fields and ridicule her more than you give advice. That's a lot of the behavior you used against _me _when I first arrived here and I remember a lot of evil cackling- no offense."

My face relaxed slightly because I don't remember being the cackling type unless something amused me greatly to such an extent. Had I laughed _that _much towards Jakesully back then? I knew he had been dumber than a rock when he first arrived but the man had surpassed my expectations in the end. Otherwise, we wouldn't be holding this conversation.

"Norm tells me Joanna doesn't want to be your student anymore because you frighten her."

Of course I frighten her, that's what a hunter should do with a weakling that tries to undermine their authority. Was I supposed to coddle and whisper sweet nothings in her ear to ward away fear? Absolutely not!. . .Even the thought brought a sour taste to my tongue.

The last remark floored me a little (I must admit) because I didn't expect it, "Mostly, Neytiri told me your teaching style is the most _atrocious _treatment she's seen and she has known you since childhood."

At this point, I realized that the Omaticayan leader was not pleased with me in the slightest and to hear myself being described that way by members of the clan didn't really give me a sense of respect. In fact, it sounded as if they feared me. True, I didn't mind that but fear was usually accompanied by distrust and where there was distrust, there was loathing. Had I lost my connection to the clan? I may not be the most sentimental man but being detested by everyone in the clan, despite my high rank, wasn't very appealing. Still, I remained adamant that Joanna was the sole cause of all this. Everything was perfect until she and her species forced themselves into our society.

Jakesully noticed the irritation on my face and matched it with a firm stare that briefly reminded me that he was both a leader and a previous warrior to tawtute civilians. Somehow, I knew he was going to side with Joanna. Not because they held a longer friendship (I doubted she had many friends too) but because she was still an innocent resident and was the party with injury. Hmph, maybe _I_ should've fallen off the tree and gotten her kicked out for good as retribution.

Even though I was planning on how to reprimand the injured woman, Jakesully was apparently one step ahead of me and suggested- no, ordered, "I think it would be best to give her another teacher she would be comfortable with. You're not very keen on her, I can see that just by looking at you, and keeping you two separate might do you some good. You might not see things as Joanna does, I might not either, but she _is _a part of this clan-"

"She has no rank, children are higher than her" I scoffed scathingly since the woman was failure waiting to happen and doubted she'd achieve a rank within the clan. At most, she'd make a forager. Yes, I was supposed to be teaching her but part of me had already given up. She wasn't the kind of student I liked to work with and she broke to pieces over one little comment. I wasn't a babysitter, my time was worth something to the clan while she simply created trinkets and played with children. Now I ask you, who benefits the clan better?

"_That's _the kind of attitude I'm talking about here" he snapped with an exasperated sigh. Why is it that _now _everyone finds me hostile? Nobody else complained before. Honestly, the dreamwalkers were more trouble than they were worth. I crossed my arms huffily because I wasn't about to stand here and be criticized on my personality and almost balked when Jakesully informed simply, "Everybody else around here has kind things to say about Joanna except you. She helps with foraging and preparing food with the cooks, who love her companionship. She cares for the children, whose parents vouch for her since she sews clothes for them and teaches them skills for each of their age ranges. I haven't seen many other unmated women do that since social groups here are more age oriented. The bottom line, Tsu'tey, is that she _is _a part of this clan. If something were to happen to her, I would have to hold _you _responsible."

I snarled with irritation at being forced with the blame (this was _her_ fault!) and narrowed my eyes when Maxpatel appeared from within the hut. I swore the dreamwalkers kept multiplying- no, that was too discriminative of me because the man was actually very good at healing. He was a benefit to our clan while Joanna. . .well, I'm sure there were more faults with her than what the clan said about her. I was certain that she would probably exaggerate the injury to gain their pity, she always sought to strike my image among the clan. More than a week had passed and I was still trying to live down the incident of being shot in the rear!

I watched Maxpatel approach the Olo'eyktan and heard him inform calmly, "The bad news: Her ribs are very bruised, I'm surprised the impact against the branches didn't break them. Then again, Na'vi bones are strong. Her attempts to grab the branches, however, caused second-degree tears in her muscles from the sheer force and sprains are located from her knees down to her ankles from impact. I need to keep watch on her to make sure blood doesn't pool around the muscle tears and pain killers are a must in this one."

The healer brightened up somewhat as his voice became less grim, "Okay, the good news: No spinal injury or head trauma. She used her arms as shields which is recommended for the impact but not for the fractures it can create. She'll recover fine. . .but she's not going to be able to train in any way for many, many weeks."

I found myself surprised when Jakesully cursed aloud, _"Shit, she has her heart set on Iknimaya with the rest of you."_

"She fell from a high altitude and her physical capabilities are, well, they're not much" the dreamwalker healer stated carefully, sparing me a short glance (was everybody judging my teaching methods now?) but his gaze shifted away when I scowled at him. He turned back to Jakesully and finished calmly, "Mo'at will make the decision but I'm pretty confident she won't be able to train for more than a month. Walking will be easier when the sprains heal but arm movement. . .well, she's going to have to train the muscle system all over again. "

I wanted to know whether what Maxpatel said was true because their medicinal jargon wasn't understandable to me; healing of any kind was not my forte. All I knew was how to patch up superficial cuts and popping a dislocated bone back into place during hunting. The two were engaged in private conversation that I couldn't hear and decided to head inside the alcove to see for myself how Joanna really was.

However, the second I came close to the entrance, the Tsahìk appeared before me and blocked my path entirely. Normally, the esteemed matriarch carried herself formally and stoically as she remained a neutral party but at the moment, she was irritated to the point it actually showed quite clearly on her face. This, I didn't like one bit. . .especially because she directed her cold stare right at me. The only time I've seen her this way was ages ago when I lost a band of pa'li in the forest during my first week in training and certain hunters had lost their steeds. Nobody wants to invoke a Tsahìk's wrath, it was extremely dishonorable if one did and reparations for losing such respect with her were usually made.

She raised her hand to deny my entrance and spoke up sternly, "You are not to enter, Tsu'tey. I will not have her startled with your presence after hearing of the way you behaved. Do you think Eywa appreciates such disrespectful behavior from one of Her children?"

I glanced at the floor because I wasn't fond of being scolded like a child by my clan matriarch but her hand lifted my chin so I would maintain eye contact. Another rule was to never look away or Mo'at would take it as an insult. Other Tsahìk's would allow it once in a while but not _our _matriarch. Ugh, my day was just getting worse. Her foreboding stare was unsettling as she stated firmly, "She is not a tawtute and you are projecting so much rage that is within you, Tsu'tey. You must purge yourself of such self-destructing emotions before you hurt somebody else or I may be forced to send you on a quest to do so. These dreamwalkers are not evil, Eywa Sees all and they are meant to have lives here. They are peaceful beings. Do you _really _want to spend your life brooding over something that is so trivial instead of forging bonds with them?"

"I know you hate what the offworlders have done to us, they are not forgettable events" she pointed out calmly but her body language depicted severity which caused me to flinch because she knew everything that occurred in our lives. Especially mine because I had grown alongside her family as I was prepared over time to lead the clan. I was certain that she knew me down to my last. . .what did the tawtute call them? Oh yes, cells. Her fingers tightened on my chin slightly as she spoke slowly with wise certainty, "We have all lost but we can either persevere to make our future brighter or succumb to despair. I ask that you take a very close look at yourself just as Jakesully has asked because what you perceive, others may see it in a different light entirely. You are an honorable person, Tsu'tey, always have been since becoming a warrior so I ask that you don't ruin what you have achieved and have yet to accomplish just for poisonous emotions that will cloud your mind. Prove that you are better than that."

With that said, she turned away from me with quick precision to walk forward and beckoned politely as the stoic tone in her voice returned, "Jakesully?"

Our Olo'eyktan stood at attention to her summons and silently nodded for her to continue. As the other governing body in our society, he was expected to listen to her advice (sometimes obliged to obey in certain circumstances) and she executed an order, "Only you, Neytiri, and Maxpatel are allowed inside until I say so. Nobody else, _especially _Tsu'tey, will venture inside unless they come to me for authorization."

"Yes, Tsahìk," was Jakesully's respectful agreement on the matter and he turned to me with a knowing glance on what was supposed to happen next. I would not fight the mandate and nodded stiffly to being banned from the alcove as I took my leave. I would not stay where I wasn't wanted and there were tasks to be completed for the night. Giving a polite farewell to my leaders as always, I left the place with stiff hurried steps to leave it all behind.

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_(Joanna's POV)_

I awoke with pain coursing through my body, even worse than my first day when I trained with Tsu'tey and harder than any fall I'd endured so far. Fall. . .oh crap, now I remembered everything. . .I think. My clumsy (was I anything but that?) self had fallen clear off the tree during training and plummeted down faster than the cartoon of Wile E. Coyote until someone had caught me. . .I think. Either that or I actually crashed onto the dirt, ugh, I didn't want to think about it. My memories were still blotchy since I never blacked out before but I'm certain that the pain shut down part of my mind to protect it from such trauma, whether physical or mental. After all, I was squeamish with heights and would most likely force myself to forget such events rather than endure them.

My eyes opened to one of the numerous alcoves of Hometree as I noticed the bioluminescence of the bladder lanterns peeking out from the only opening here and noticed that Mo'at sat next to me. My hand reached out to touch her kneeling thigh to catch her attention but the movement was cut short as blinding pain flooded the muscles of my left shoulder socket. Involuntarily, my throat released a whimper of pain as I tried to muffle it between clenched teeth but the shaman noticed. Jeez, how long had I been knocked out? I sure hoped this wasn't a year later and my life had suddenly take an odd turn into one of those melodramatic soap operas.

Her left hand raised a cup to my mouth as the right tilted my head upwards from behind my neck securely and I hesitated for a second as a sour smell hit my nose. I wanted to ask what it was but she simply pressed it against my lips and I drank the liquid content obediently, trying not to cringe on the mild yet lightly sour concoction. My eyes caught a peek of lime green before I drank it all down and she laid my head back down with a satisfied nod. Her right hand rested on my head for a moment and I could only stare at the wooden ceiling overhead as questions filled my mind.

"Tsu'tey was careless in your training session, he should have followed your movements, not led them" she remarked softly, almost as if she was saying it to herself but her eyes met mine. Her usually neutral eyes softened towards me as she explained carefully to make sure I hung on to every word, "You took damage to your upper body but Jakesully managed to grab you before you injured yourself further. You owe him your gratitude. If you had fallen to the ground, you most likely would have damaged your spine without nothing to support the fall. A Kelutral, after all, is the tallest tree on this world. Maxpatel also informs me that the muscles in your arms and back have torn and will take time to heal which will be an unfortunate drawback to your training."

My stomach sank to the prognosis because it was critical to my acceptance here and I tried to compromise, "No, I need to learn everything as quickly as I can-"

"Young one, you are lucky enough not to have shattered a bone" she lectured firmly with that maternal air she carried as matriarch and I closed my eyes with regretful acceptance to the resulting consequences of my fall. Hell, I could barely move my arms right now without feeling tearing of some sort and healing would be twice as annoying for an explorative type of person like me. What was I supposed to do now? Sit in a hammock for bed rest and watch the ikran fly by in mockery to what I can't achieve anymore? Mo'at placed a warm compress on my head, the heat radiating a calmingly sweet scent of herbs across my face, and spoke softly, "You are a strong one in spirit, Joanna, tenacious enough that Tsu'tey feels threatened but your body simply cannot keep up with it. Rest for now while the elixir drowns the pain."

"Thank you, Tsahìk" I smiled politely with honest gratitude for her help and she patted my hand gently as she would to any ill patient before exiting the alcove quietly. My ears picked up her dainty footsteps until they faded away, rather quickly with her strides, and I was left alone with my own thoughts. C'mon, entertain me thoughts. . .anytime now. . .any minute. . .nothing?. . .holy Eywa, it was excruciatingly boring.

Minutes passed as I laid on the soft bedding and decided to entertain myself with the only thing I had available for use: my mouth. I found it miraculous that I didn't lose a tooth from falling and could keep my nice set of shiny feline teeth. And so, I proceeded to sing to myself with a voice I knew would have viper wolves laughing at me with their hyena-like cackles, _"I told the witch doctor, I was in love with you. And then the witch doctor, he told me what to do. He said that. . .Ooo eee, ooo ah ah, ting tang, walla walla, bing bang, ooo ee, ooo ah ah, ting tang-"_

"_Walla walla, bing bang" _Jake's voice finished with me and I laughed weakly as he entered the alcove, kneeling down beside me with a sympathetic smile. Leave it to the ex-marine to get soft on me but I appreciated his unfaltering friendship towards me. I was finding out that Pandora was an untapped treasure in the friendship department unlike Earth's which was void of it. He grinned one of his usual perky ones at me but I could see the real worry in his eyes as he spoke, "I see you're on your way to recuperating."

"You know me, I can't stay still for five minutes" I chuckled softly to my own flaws when it came to succeeding and frowned when the soft sound hurt my chest with a pulsing throb. Jeez, just how many tree branches did I fall through? I didn't want to stay cooped up without being able to move around but unfortunately, the lightest of movements were accompanied by excruciating pain. It was better to lie still than have a taste of that again, I don't think my poor brain could handle the overwhelming input to its nervous system. I sighed under my breath with disdain over the only option available and muttered sullenly, "Mo'at tells me I can't train for a while. I won't be able to finish by the deadline I had set. . .if only I hadn't slipped on-"

He waved his hand into the air to cut off my words (my aching ribs were thankful for the break) and dismissed casually, "Hey, you can't blame yourself for what happened, accidents happen all the time. It _was _an accident. . .right? Honestly, you fell down pretty hard from that altitude-"

"I slipped, Jake, but thank you for catching me" I mumbled miserably since it was my mistake alone that cost me any further training and if I wasn't so beat up, I'd beat up myself. I'd no idea on how it could be done but I'd try; that's how disappointed I was in myself. I should have trusted my instincts and said no the second we left the residential platforms but no, I obeyed like a drone instead of keeping to my independent state of mind. I exhaled a small puff of irritated air out of my nose and explained, "Tsu'tey kept complaining for me to move faster than I could keep up and I got nervous for being at that height. I don't do well with high altitudes, you know that, and I told him but he's so touchy-"

"Joanna, I've been thinking about switching your teacher for another" the clan leader interrupted with a swift tone and if I had the ability to gawk, I would have but settled on a puzzled blink. He wanted to switch my teacher? But _he _was the one that was all for us being a team. I didn't know whether to beat him on the head within my imagination or begin to worry as to why he changed his mind. He relaxed in his cross-legged position by leaning back slightly and admitted openly, "At first, I thought both of you would've benefited from each other's company because let's face it, Tsu'tey's stubborn as _hell_ while you're accommodating to new things but now I'm seeing that you're more liable to _actually _kill each other-"

I shook my head to the notion, a pang of pain shooting through my skull and down my spine for it, and cut in quickly to justify our interactions, "No, we wouldn't. We annoy each other to the point that we actually revert to the minds of children but I wouldn't hurt him on purpose, I _couldn't_- you saw my girly worrying when I shot him."

Doubt seeped into my mind at remembering Jake's stories when he first trained with Neytiri and Tsu'tey's cruelty towards him (even to the point where the man cheered that he die during his fight with the ikran) which unsettled my sense of security with Tsu'tey. Was he trying to do the same to me but not at an open public scale? I know I could be hard to get along with since he insulted me constantly but I wanted to be his friend somehow. That's what a clan was, you took care of one another. My stomach felt like it sunk to the bottom of the ocean and I hesitated weakly, "Does he? I mean, I know he doesn't like me at times because I suck at shooting but. . .I try to be friendly so he can see I'm not mean. . .then again, I'm just a student and he can replace me if I go splat."

"It's your choice, pal" he stated softly with a warm smile in silent support to my decision and patted my left hand. I winced to the touch since every damn skin receptor on my body was on hypersensitivity mode. Jake quickly mumbled out an apology that brought a smile to my face before patting the top of my head, the only spot that _wasn't _sore. "Peyral won't mind a third student, she's pretty good and Max is almost ready for Iknimaya. I'm sure Tsu'tey would understand, this is in your best interests, not his."

"I. . .I don't know" I mumbled pathetically, hating my insecurities right now for their emotionally crippling abilities. He'd told me he didn't hate me but his demeanor spoke differently whenever we interacted. He was more inclined to shuffle me aside when we were in public, acting as if we never crossed paths in our life, or berating me during training. Although it hurt me on a minor level, part of me expected his attitude to change when he saw how hard I was trying to achieve his tasks but no. Never have I heard a word of praise or encouragement from him since the start of my instruction and at this point, I wasn't holding my breath on it.

Jake nodded quietly and told me soothingly to stop stressing my poor brain, "You don't have to decide anything yet. Just sleep, Mo'at will check up on you and the best you can do is simply heal. On the bright side, you already took a tumble before becoming a huntress so wear the badge with pride. I know I did."

"You mean the purple bruising I'll have on my ass for weeks?" I remarked dryly to the inevitable bruising that would cover my body and managed a weak laugh.

"That's the spirit" he piped up with cheerful tone that did nothing to lift my mood and left the room humming that contagious song that had popped into my head. I sighed aloud with disappointment at being left alone again and tried to count number of grooves in the alcove ceiling to pass the time but became dizzy after forty.

I hated being incapacitated and weak at the moment because I was helpless without the chance to do anything about it. Also, I didn't know for _how _long I'd be in this condition. What rotten luck had been bestowed upon me. Was this part of Eywa's doing as well? If so, she was going the wrong way about it to gain incentive from me. Grumbling under my breath, I tried to shuffle onto my right side like a stranded fish on land so I could nap for a moment since there was no way I could fall sleep in any position that wasn't a fetal one. Pain shot down my spine for my movements and burned the middle of my back like a sizzling knife on skin where Mo'at told me I'd apparently hit with one of the branches. Damn, how many did I slam into? I really wanted to know at this point.

A cocktail of anger, pain, and helplessness was never a good one for me and I found my usual sarcastic façade breaking apart. Humor had no role in my pain this time because if I tried to laugh at something, my ribs would ache terribly. I didn't mind using defense mechanisms for my emotions and I usually did most of the time to ward off looking vulnerable. This time, however, I _was _vulnerable. The realization that I could've been killed from the fall also entered my mind and it pretty much sunk my cheerfulness into a negative zone that sailed away with no return course. What kind of legacy would I even leave in this universe? Human anthropologist turned Na'vi hunting student clumsily impaled on a tree branch? Yeah, it wasn't pretty at all. I'd probably be labeled the village idiot in the history songs and Tsu'tey's future children (I mentally shuddered at that) would further extend my legacy with humiliating add-ons.

My mind wandered over to my own family whom I hadn't seen in years, we were practically estranged except when they managed to track me down at RDA headquarters on Earth but even then, I would only see my two siblings. They knew about my work but unlike me, chose professions based on my parents liking only to keep them appeased. I broke away from conformity and was shunned by them to the extent they refused to acknowledge me as their own. My parents. . .did they even _care _that I remained on Pandora? Of what I was enduring? Did they even think of me anymore? Or was I just a tiny speck in their minds that they brushed off like dirt?

I was sure they knew by now that I remained here via digital communication that would end up on the news but then again, they didn't really cry a river when they cut themselves away the second I told them what I wanted to be. They practically cut their losses like a CEO would to stock shares but they were still my parents, I was their child, not some stupid purchase you threw into the trash. I _dug _through a trashcan once with my bare hands when I couldn't afford a meal for the day while they ate happily at home! I slept in parks and underground subway stations when I couldn't stay in homeless shelters and used bathrooms to clean up before heading to school to support myself. I stitched up my own clothing with whatever I could afford (sometimes I covered holes with decorative pins or another layer of clothing) and kept it in a damn trash bag as I traveled the city while hiding it behind the campus bushes so nobody would know the lifestyle I had been forced into. It was incredibly hard _not _to feel rejected by what they did and lose all of my self-confidence because of it during a time when I needed them by my side but it toughened that outer shell that refused to be toyed with. It was why I never trusted people until I knew their true intentions but on Pandora, the Na'vi were different. . .well, most of them anyway.

Was that what Tsu'tey was doing? Stringing me along until he realized I wasn't getting better at archery and cut his losses too? Was he subconsciously or subtly letting out hints that he wanted to be rid of me so he could be free to hunt to his heart's content?. . .I knew he was a jerk sometimes but I gave him the benefit of the doubt because of his life's rough edges, I thought I could understand him. We both got screwed over by people we thought we could trust and got slapped in the face for it. I wanted to trust him because that is how the Na'vi were, they depended on one another through good and bad times, and I wanted to be a part of that. Yet, he was there constantly to berate me about it to tell me I would never be one of The People. Did he want me to fight back on it to prove myself or submissively accept it as fact? I didn't know.

I hated doing nothing because it gave me time to ruminate on things I kept at bay. Things I didn't want to surface in my mind and break whatever peaceful sanity I'd gained from it. There were emotional and mental scars that could easily mend but mine took time and had yet to fully heal. My sternum stung as I managed a half-decent fetal position but it wasn't as comfortable as I thought it would be. The cloth compress on my head fell down with a squishy thud onto the bedding but I couldn't pick it up as I tried to use my right hand to balance myself but the pain was excruciating from my bicep to the shoulder socket. I moved my legs to bend them at the knee but once again, my spine ruled otherwise by shooting me a dose of pain down to the tailbone and I let out a weak cry for the horrible sensation. It was unbearably immobilizing and I remained unmoving until it dissipated into sweet numbness, pressing my cheek into the bedding to take my mind away from it. I hated the pain intensely, wishing it could go away, but I hated myself more when tears fell from my eyes, staining the bedding like taunting physical evidence for my breaking point. I didn't care anymore, I was tired from the day's event and wanted it to go away.

So there on the makeshift bed, I allowed myself ten minutes of catharsis relief instead of wallowing in self-pity that would last hours. I cried in response to the pain, for being clumsy, for failing my archery lessons, practically _everything _I kept failing at, the sudden shock to surviving the fall, all the crap Tsu'tey spouted, that stallion that crapped every time I neared it, the loss that I would not attempt Iknimaya soon. . .so much other crap I couldn't even name. For a moment, I even wished to be back at Hell's Gate where I could study in peace in my lab and not have to deal with problems that rarely included me. I wanted to fade into the shadows and stay there until everything passed me by. Part of me really began to wonder if I should be a huntress at all.

_I can't even shoot a decent arrow_, I thought forlornly to my crappy skills and sighed despondently to my unknown future. _Maybe he should cut his losses._

"That's what a smart person would do" I wheezed quietly and coughed when saying the words hurt the left side of my torso again. What did I do to myself? I should've trusted my basic instinct, it was never wrong, instead of listening to him. I didn't want to be alone anymore in this empty alcove and sought a motherly presence to put me at ease. Unfortunately, my mother cast me aside and I wasn't close to Mo'at. I wished for Nitari to console me but that wasn't happening either, she was far away in a place I didn't know. I didn't have anyone but it came as no surprise. In the end, Avatars were truly alone because we had no more families to depend on for emotional comfort.

"Joanna?" Tsu'tey's voice cautiously called out from behind which caught me off guard completely and I groaned in pain instantly when he sat down on the ground. I grit my teeth in blinding fury as he asked quickly, "What is it?"

I wanted to curse to high heaven at him for his lack of attention to where I laid but managed to snap raggedly, "You're sitting on my _tail_!"

"Oh!"

My body relaxed instantly when my poor tail got the weight off and I tucked it between my legs to make sure it wasn't abused again. I think he finally managed to make _every _inch of my body hurt with that visual slip and I wanted to yell at him for being blind but the feeling dissipated.

My fingers curled slightly in effect to the pain that lingered on my lower spine and stated bluntly, "If scaring me off a tree was your way to tell me to find another teacher, a simple statement would have sufficed."

"I didn't expect you to fall or for you to _horribly _fail at grabbing a decent ledge to hang on-"

"Get out" I hissed sharply for the last comment and was glad that I wasn't facing him right now. A low growl was the only sound I could make to put my aggravation forward since any louder decibels would've killed my poor ribs and I wasn't going to injure myself further for this asshole. That's right, I called him an asshole. I think this was the point in my life since meeting Tsu'tey that I reached my breaking point and decided to let him have it. Maybe he'd learn something because his people skills were awfully atrocious. I tried my best to coexist with this man but he was impossible so I gave up on trying. Despite I couldn't glare at him with the evilest scowl I could make, I snapped harshly, "I'm sick of your attitude. Normally, I wouldn't be because you were trying to teach me something worthwhile but away from the training field, you're still the most aggravating hateful person I've met-"

"You're no prize pick either, woman" he shot back rudely with those damn defense mechanisms of his and I grit my teeth at this infuriating conundrum of a man. Was there anyone in Kelutral who actually _liked _this guy? I mean, I knew the women fawned over him like insects on nectar but _come on_, what in the world did they find interesting about him? He was ruder than a child with no manners and more stubborn than a Titanothere! Who would find that _attracting_? Was it simply me that didn't like him or maybe he didn't like me and that affected our possibility to get along- I didn't know! I'm already running circles of questions as to 'why?' and getting nowhere!

"Go away!" I exclaimed coldly and the force hurt my sternum once again for the sharp sound but I wanted him gone from my sight (well, vicinity). My right hand pressed against the center of my chest to massage it before another bolt of pain shot forth throughout my body. I grit my teeth to muffle back a groan of pain since he was the cause to all of this and still had the _gall _to argue with me. I pretty much thought there was something incredibly evil about this guy at this point! I was incredibly nice- hell, I was practically Santa Claus nice with this guy- when he'd been shot and what did I get in my time of need? Another damn scolding while I was pretty much battered like a mushy fruit. That's the thanks I get; from now on, he could screw himself. My teeth hurt from the force I applied to them and bit out heatedly, "I don't want to see you again, not even from a distance. Not even in a painting. Not even in someone's conversation. Jake's offered me another teacher and the idea is tempting me by the second so please, just go away."

_If I have to be weak in front of anyone, it won't be you_, I thought firmly and pressed my cheek further into the blanket.

"Time to eat, Joanna" Neytiri's friendly voice popped in and I sighed in relief for her presence because she could keep this jerk at bay. She never judged me, only kind friendliness was my reward from her and she never hesitated to give advice. I could see why Jake loved her- heck, if I was a man, I probably would too. Instead, I'm stuck with a damn psychopath with a superiority complex. My face relaxed instantly when her voice questioned stiffly, "Oh, Tsu'tey, does my mother know you are here? She distinctly disallowed your entrance until further notice."

_He was banned and he still broke a rule? Am I that much of a problem on him that he broke his precious law-abiding personality?_, I thought curiously since the news floored me and wondered if he hadn't been here for something more sinister than to just scold me. I was starting to agree with Jake's crazy notion that Tsu'tey could actually kill me somehow.

The other Na'vi didn't answer to Neytiri's inquiry and I used that time to raise myself up with my right hand (although it hurt like hundreds of hot needles were shot into my bones) but I felt a slender hand touch my face to halt my movements. Neytiri quickly put an end to my shuffling with a soft-spoken order, "No, you are to rest here until you heal correctly. No moving, just relaxing. I will help you eat just like all clan members do for the injured since you cannot move your arms."

I hated being a burden on somebody else because they had things to do in their own life and didn't like hampering their day. Quickly, I refuted kindly, "Thanks but you don't have to worry about me, I'm sure someone else needs help-"

"I don't think anybody else has fallen out of Hometree today" she joked lightly as she gave me a genial smile and I returned it with one of my own since chuckling was out of order for me. See? _This _is the kind of joking I liked; easygoing without hurting anyone's feelings. Not Mr. Cranky's 'you suck at falling'. She showed me a wooden bowl filled with a creamy beige broth that just screamed yummy goodness and the cut vegetables inside sweetened the deal. My nose inhaled the scent addictively like a curious bunny rabbit as she explained, "The cooks made you a healthy broth to help heal your body. Mother will come by soon to give you more medicine because the pain will be returning until the muscles mend."

"I'm not very hungry despite how good the soup looks. . .I'm just tired-" I whispered sullenly and touched my stomach which stung my fingertips to the lightest touch. My arms were incredibly sensitive that anything brought pain and rested on my back to stare at the ceiling as my nose whiffed the herby smell of the soup. The day I gave up soup was the same day when I really did give up.

She saved me the last words from hurting my chest further and finished gently, "Because the pain is still there?"

I managed a small nod but I broke down emotionally from the mental fatigue and unbearable pain coursing through my body. Her hands stroked my hair gently and I appreciated the physical comfort because I simply didn't want to be left alone to focus on it. My fingertips weakly sought for the closest thing, her kneecap, and I requested hopefully, "I don't really ask for much but could you please stay with me?"

I flinched when _his _voice spoke up, "I will stay with-"

He's _still _here?

"No, make him go away" I refuted instantly because I no longer held any trust for him after seeing what he was truly like. For all I knew, he was probably waiting in the shadows to finish the job so I wouldn't mar his saintly and uppity reputation. He was the kind of person I would _never_ associate with; he was like my parents, staying at my side to mold me into something I didn't want and discarding me when they finished or if the end result wasn't to their liking. No, I was done with him. Finished! _Hasey_! _Acabado_! _Fertig_! _Terminado_! _De finition_! Whatever language it translated into universally; it was that. I took a few gulps of air to plead for her understand my demand, "Tell him to leave, Neytiri. I don't. . .I hate him. Him and his stupid prideful attitude. I don't want him near me. _Never _again."

Thankfully, I was put at ease when Neytiri's pair of footsteps shuffled out the hunter's heavier gait with a small dominant hiss and hoped I'd never see him again. Tsu'tey would no longer be a concern of mine.

* * *

Days passed and I lost count while being bedridden in this alcove where I could only see the changes in light. I called it home. I was safe in here and didn't have to worry about the outside world. It was simply me but boredom didn't strike me anymore, I was asleep half the time anyway. I had no inkling of wandering outside, I already knew I couldn't train for my right of passage and. . .it hurt. I was disappointed in myself for not trusting my instinct when it told me to disobey the order or else I wouldn't be here. Part of me had already given up on fulfilling what Nitari wanted of me, it was unachievable as time fought against me. How could I learn so much when I couldn't move? Why should I even bother when everything kept slipping away? The other part just wanted to be left alone, I didn't want to see anyone because it would only remind me that they were all passing me by and I was stuck without a chance of escape.

Sure, I cried about it at first- still did- but it wouldn't change anything in the end. I would remain an outsider with no rank due to this injury while everybody else gained their entrance. I was the injured athlete that would watch its team win a trophy without lending a hand or the class senior that wouldn't graduate. It was both humiliating and disappointing. My dream was to complete everything and join the Atykwe but now, I wished everything was just a mere memory to escape the mocking torment it caused. I imagined myself being on Earth, living in my small apartment in a polluted city, but there were no expectations for me there.

I acknowledged that the helplessness of my injuries brought despair and from that, depression set forth. Frankly, I didn't care. I just wanted to sleep everything away, to let it all wash away and surrender the idea of belonging. It was all in futility and I was better off not knowing what could've been.

Even at the current moment, I didn't reply to any of Cheryl's conversation as she chatted gently about the current news to keep me up to date. She was a sweet soul and deep inside, I appreciated her kindness to stick with me but I simply wanted to be left alone. Their news would only remind me that I wasn't a part of what they were experiencing anymore and that once again, I was an outsider.

"Are you tired?" she asked softly and I nodded silently, curling into the weaved blankets I always found warmth and security within. They were an emotional shelter I came to rely on as the days passed and I never hesitated to cuddle inside like a cub to hide. Her fingers stroked my hair and I held back both the emotion of helplessness in my body and the longing to be a part of them once more. All I could do was shift my eyesight to the floor as she murmured quietly, "I will visit you another day, okay?"

I closed my eyes and welcomed the darkness, mumbling softly to my dear friend, "Thank you. . .Cheryl."

* * *

_(Tsu'tey's POV)_

More than two weeks had passed since I'd last seen my student- well _ex-student_- and began to take notice of the effects she really had on the clan and what the clan truly thought of me. Normspellman and Cherylsmith were quieter without their third comrade and would scatter the instant they took sight of me, Neytiri refused to speak with me and would walk away cursing at me, Mo'at was disappointed with me in a manner I'd _never _seen before which put me in uncertain waters because I'd never been treated like that. Especially by Mo'at and Neytiri. The children stopped massing in large groups and stayed with their parents, women gossiped about the rumors that I'd thrown her down in which uncertain stares followed me wherever I ventured to. Even the _tapiri _seemed depressed since the dreamwalker constantly fed them so they didn't die elsewhere by predators. Jakesully had forced me to analyze myself since the accident but I couldn't see faults in my training, all the mistakes were on her part. That is, until I asked my hunting comrades and they opened my eyes.

I began to see that my demeanor wasn't the nicest within the clan, especially when children ran away from me on more than one occasion when my temper broke. I had then questioned my hunters on the matter since I trusted them to be frank with me after constantly risking our lives together against dangerous game. In turn, they confided in me by explaining honest but detailed examples of my behavior they'd seen firsthand in public and to see them re-enact my own actions. . .I found myself disliking _myself_.

Is that what Jakesully was seeking to show me? That I was being chauvinistic towards Joanna alone. I wasn't entirely sure but I knew that she was somehow at the root of it all. Either that or she was a catalyst for my recent behavior. There is a lot of resentment and anger within me towards her kind and maybe, I'd unknowingly pinned her with their identity without giving her a chance. The other dreamwalkers rarely interacted with me, with the exception of Normspellman and Maxpatel, so I couldn't compare my behavior with them and mine with Joanna. On the other hand, I _did _treat the other two aforementioned men like I would anybody else and from the crude language I'd used on Joanna, I had to admit that I went a bit overboard.

At the moment, I was currently helping a young boy fix the twines of his rope because apparently, I was feared by them and decided to alter my image among them to regain what I'd lost. None of them wanted to come with me at first but one boy finally mustered up his courage and admitted he needed help wrapping twine fibers into sturdy rope. I hoped Neytiri and Jakesully would not hear that I had to demand that a child come with me but I really was trying to better myself. I didn't mind being feared by those among my rank or my enemies but children were innocent, they should have no fear of their elders, only open trust and respect. That's how I felt growing up and that's how they should feel as well.

My sight caught notice of Cherylsmith descending the stairway and saw a small bundle of food in her hands. I assumed she'd been visiting Joanna again. Mo'at allowed the dreamwalkers and the children to visit her but I remained strictly restricted from the alcove. Word of that spread within the end of the second day and I had been labeled as an antagonist of the woman and my image had been plummeting since then. I didn't expect to care in the slightest for the lack of her presence here but as the days passed. . .it became unsettling.

From what I'd heard (yes, I had resorted to eavesdropping during gossip. . .don't judge me), she no longer ate as much to recuperate the injuries of her body and became secluded from anyone she'd usually spoken to. Maxpatel was, in turn, worried at the turn of events and used tawtute words with our clan leader to describe what he believed to be happening but I was confused. Like I said, medical jargon from Earth and in English was like trying to decipher an equation you had no information to. I was better off not knowing because all it did was give me a headache and left to ponder on my own because Neytiri wouldn't share a word with me about it. . .I hated being shunned in that manner.

The young boy next to me shifted his face into a solemn glance when the female dreamwalker passed by and I asked aloud with an easygoing tone, "What upsets you?"

Karuk hesitated, biting on his bottom lip to gnaw on it (a trait Joanna had unknowingly passed to the youngsters) before answering worriedly with saddened eyes, "Mother says her heart is weakening. Is. . .is that bad?"

The words sounded too eerily familiar to me after asking the same during my youth in regards to my own mother. She had passed into Eywa's arms from an illness brought on by her sorrow to my father's death. I never wanted to return to such memories the Sky People plagued me with and always focused on the life I used to have when both of them were with me during childhood. I had been a happy youngster and they had taken my family away from me without a simple care to what traumatic effects it had on me growing up alone without them. That was something I would _never _forgive them for.

Was that what Maxpatel had been telling Jake in their own language? I didn't wish such a passing like that on anyone (except maybe a heartless tawtute) but I didn't understand the mind of Joanna. She was notoriously determined but she could also be lost like a child; a conundrum that irked my mind for a solution. There was no denying her animosity towards me after her fall off the tree and my own behavior did indeed play a part in the accident.

"I. . .yes, but I'm sure everything will be fine" I assured halfheartedly to the child in the same manner that I was told so many years ago to ward off any worry. Karuk didn't appear convinced by my answer and he should be, _I_ wasn't sure of my own opinions nowadays. Whistling towards Atuk, who was nearby creating arrows for the next hunt with his twin, I called out, "Do you mind finishing this little one's rope?"

Imaz was the first to spring up with an enthusiastic smile that never seemed to fade from his face at all and walked over to the child to ensure, "I'll make sure you know everything by the time we're done, little one."

"Thank you, warrior Tsu'tey" the boy spoke gratefully with a small nod in my direction and tagged along the other man to pipe up questions cheerfully, his worry forgotten. Hmm, if only I could wash away mine that seemed to pick at my morale. My gaze shifted towards the spiral case that led to the healing nooks on the lowest platform and I narrowed my eyes. Banned or not, I was going to gain entrance to see Joanna.

It takes courage to own up to a mistake that was at the expense of others and there was only one thing I could do for her:

Atone.

* * *

_(Joanna's POV)_

I fiddled lethargically with the blankets, sometimes I was warm, sometimes I was freezing and at other times, I wanted to shred it. Yes, I was incredibly lonely by choice but I could no longer see the point of getting up or attempting it. Max and Mo'at came every day to see how my mobility had improved and the old eager me would've jumped to show off the extent of my limitations but now. . .I barely reacted to the physical therapy.

I didn't mind sleeping half the day away, it allowed me to occupy my brain in dreamland where anything was possible but Eywa never visited. Can't say I wasn't discouraged by it but what could I do? Throw a tantrum spat in my subconscious? Absolutely not. Nowadays, I went back to my old default personality where everything I analyzed with my sight and smell was for scientific knowledge, nothing else. I won't lie, it became tedious after a week and when optimism fades, you're just a physical shell with no energy.

The day was almost over, I caught the filtering sunlight headings upwards in the alcove so sunset wasn't far behind to shroud the world in its twilight bioluminescence and insect chirps. I didn't mind the buzzing or twittering chirps, they kept me company and asked for nothing in return. It brought me tranquility and I smiled softly for their presence around me.

My fingers curled weakly against the blanket as I tucked it close to my throat and the jolt of pain it sent down the nerve endings of my arms stung. The pain wasn't as excruciating as the first week where I wished I could just knock myself out with a hammer but now, it was stimulated by movement alone. The whole ordeal left my arms practically useless but I refrained from crying since this was what life dealt me. I accepted it.

What I _couldn't _accept was the pain I endured every time I moved (even my little pinky) and a whimper escaped my lips in an attempt to focus the pain elsewhere. Immobility, I could handle but the accompanying pain was an option I didn't want added on. My fingers slumped against my chest since it would be a waste of energy and a prolonging of pain if I moved them back to their original position. The chirping outside lulled me into a drowsy state and I gladly welcomed it as I drifted off into painless dreamland. I loved it there because I was safe with the ability to walk and hoped that I wouldn't leave it too soon.

An incoherent mumble left my lips as I was brought out from the comfort of my subconscious and felt comforted when a hand stroked my hair gently. I welcomed the gentle weaving of their fingers and allowed it to wake me thoroughly as I believed Cheryl or Neytiri had dropped by to check on me again. My eyes opened with a blurry flick that soon focused in on who really sat by my side but instead of being delighted by the company with a sappy smile, I recoiled from them instantly with a grimace.

"I don't want to see you, go away" I whispered hoarsely since I had no inclination of ever speaking to him after the way he behaved or had been behaving since we met. My mind had often dwelled on the way he'd treated me for analysis and I held no sympathy for him after all of it. Why should I? He surely didn't give me a chance in anything so no, I wouldn't be tricked into feeling guilty for him. He had his chance and he blew it sky high when he came inside to scold me for falling. I mean, who does that?

I flicked my head away from his hand in case he decided to yank on my hair to add further humiliation and closed my eyes to shield myself from his gaze. I didn't want him near me for a mile and quickly stated stiffly to make him leave, "You already got what you wanted. Just leave me be."

"What I wanted?" he stammered with disbelief and I clenched my teeth at the stupid blank face he feigned. Did he think I was an idiot?

"You've made it clear you never wanted me here and your egotistical nature just can't bear the idea" I pointed out bitterly as my cheek dug into the pillow in an attempt to hide myself from him like a turtle. His presence both annoyed and worried me because he was an alpha male here and if he wanted to kill me, I'm sure he'd find a reasonable excuse. Jake had told me he wasn't happy with the man for what happened but knowing Tsu'tey, he'd find a loophole. My face shifted into a glare despite having my eyes closed and I spat, "It's all about what _you _want, not what other people might want but what you enforce. If anybody stands up to you, you take them down, isn't that right?"

"If you were half the decent Na'vi that you are with everyone else, I'd be shutting up. . .but you're not" I stated spitefully because I wanted him to feel something akin to rage or shame after everything I endured in his presence. He berated, humiliated, yelled, ostracized, and openly despised me in public without a care for my sentiments. I wanted to shoot that same pain into his heart to knock him off his high pedestal and snapped tightly, "You're cruel, narcissistic, ignorant, antagonistic, and a hell of a lot of other words I'd rather not tarnish my mouth with. I tried my hardest to give you the benefit of the doubt but n-o-o-o, you remained arrogant and stubborn! I don't care what you think of me anymore, I bit my tongue because I aimed to be respectful, not that you returned any of it, but I'm free to say what I want. And you, you're an _asshole_. You don't even know what that is and that's even better."

"You judge what you don't know-" he argued tightly in defense to his pride as always and I clenched my teeth at his stubbornness.

"How can I? All you've done is degrade me so all I see is a man that's unfair and spiteful towards any dreamwalker, regardless of their good intentions" I pointed out harshly and snuffed him by hiding my face on the pillow. I frowned against the soft rolled-up fabric I called a pillow and snorted derisively, "You're no better than the tawtute. I'd rather be in their company than yours, they wouldn't hide behind false pretenses. They'd shoot me and get it over with unlike you, who toys with people's emotions. _That _is who I've seen ever since I arrived here. If there's a nice Tsu'tey, he must be microscopic because I sure haven't seen him."

I could practically see the scowl on his face as a faint growl threatened to leave his throat and heard him retort, "You're not perfect either. All you do is lash out at me-"

"Because you do the same but at least I try to be polite but you don't deserve any of it" I muttered simply to shut him up before he went on a rant over his perfection and winced as my fingers pulled the blanket over my head. Anger wasn't an emotion I liked and preferred melancholy to it as I mumbled out, "I don't want to associate myself with a person like you-"

I had always believed Tsu'tey to be a tenacious man that _never _conceded to another but the next words that pushed into mine disturbed me, "I wouldn't either."

He must have noticed the sudden flinch in my position as the admission floored me because his fingers peeled away the blanket that had been providing me sanctuary from his face. I didn't have the strength to pull it back and huddled closer to myself in a feeble attempt that he'd disappear. I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel like a sick baby Hexapede in front of a hungry healthy viperwolf. Part of me expected him to add in something snarky to his last statement that would bite at me but I waited in vain.

Instead, he spoke slowly in a hesitant tone that distinctly told me he was finding it hard to express verbal communication. I believed it since the man hissed more than he uttered a complete sentence and was certain he was a man of a few words. This caused me to open my eyes to see his face contorting into uncertainty as he said, "I agree that my demeanor has shifted into hostility in recent times and have been forced to analyze my behavior with outside aid. I hate the tawtute species despite we are taught to be neutral. . .but you're not one of them."

_Damn right I'm not, I'm blue and nine feet tall now_, I thought briefly with dripping sarcasm but said nothing of it.

"You are a very challenging woman but I admit that my pride to make your species inferior took a wrong turn, namely by treating you like scum under my feet" he stated more assertively as his thought bubble locked into his verbal process and words began to flow at normal speed, "I See now that the clan accepts you and the children miss you which is something I denied profusely because I wanted you out. I wanted to break you in the most painful way possible since we met. . .but that was my belief towards the Sky People that controlled my actions. Not what I should see you as. You are a dreamwalker. . .actually, to be honest, I'm not sure what to call you since you no longer inhabit a tawtute body-"

"You're babbling" I spoke up softly as the last sentence gave way to a hint of sheepishness I'd never heard from his voice. His admissions unsettled me because I didn't think he despised me so badly since meeting but it cemented my beliefs that he was purposely humiliating me for his benefit. Did it really have to take my falling from the treetops to make him question himself? I wasn't ready to forgive such things if he asked.

"Oh" he mumbled faintly and I immediately flinched when his fingers grasped mine to pull them down. I expected him to yank them quickly without an ounce of sympathy to my damaged muscles but that wasn't the case. He simply lowered them to my stomach with gentleness I'd never been granted by him and I eyed him warily for any funny business. His whole demeanor had changed at the moment and with my last two defenses down for the count, I'd yell my lungs out until I was heard if he tried anything funny.

"I'm not going to hurt you."

That didn't relieve me in the slightest.

I wasn't in the mood to play any of his mind games and sighed to get straight to the point, "What do you want from me?"

"To restart a new relationship?" he asked softly as his features lightened while my eyes narrowed. Did he really think I was about to jump in his arms with happy agreement just because he was acting nice for once in his life? Did he find me that gullible? For all I knew, he was probably planning revenge on me and trying to gain my trust.

"You expect me to just forgive and forget your attitude towards me?" I asked incredulously because yes, I was nice, but not _that _nice when someone treated me like trash every day. When you've lived a rough life, you're conditioned to learn to never trust anyone who has hurt you before. Yes, I was on a different world now but it didn't excuse Tsu'tey from the way he acted.

His ears lowered as his face took on a deflated expression and I mumbled out, "You're just trying to appease your conscience, Tsu'tey. It's not about me, it's your own ego."

"I agreed that I was wrong so yes, I _am _trying to amend that stain on my character but I. . .I mean, what I'm trying to say. . .I don't want to strike fear into you in any way and have you hate me for the rest of your life" he pointed out hesitantly and glanced down at the floor to scratch at the wood with his fingers absentmindedly. Crap, he was almost believable. _Almost_. Past experiences with him told me to be on guard constantly and I wouldn't throw that caution to the wind simply because he was 'sorry'. The bright beads at the end of his braids clacked as he leaned his head back to inhale deeply before stating, "You are a peaceful person, stubborn like a pa'li, but passive. I rarely apologize because I strive to maintain my honor in this clan so believe me. I am trying to change my previous behavior with you, truly, I am."

"You also told me to believe I'd never achieve Iknimaya and managed to succeed" I stated flatly to the other promises he'd given and we fell into a silent stalemate where his eyes stayed on me while mine stared at the floor. It wasn't comfortable to say the least but I didn't trust myself to stare at him and get guilt tripped into submitting to his request.

A small sigh left his lips and I expected him to leave the alcove in another tantrum mode for failing to achieve his goal but my eyes caught onto something different. Guilt. His eyes, for once, betrayed his usual stoic demeanor or stern glint and he shifted his line of sight away from me when he caught my gaze. That strange uncharacteristic moment shifted my stance minutely but my stomach sunk when he proposed, "Then let me train you so you _will _succeed at Iknimaya. You won't have to be around others and I will make sure you know every task that- what's wrong?"

My eyes stung to the fact that I was as helpless as a newborn and why he _now _decided to change his behavior with me. What had been wrong with the previous weeks? He listened obediently to Jake and not to me when I nagged him about it. It just showed me how little of a rank or swaying I held in situations that concerned even me. I hid my face against the pillow as I informed, "I can barely lift a bowl. How do you expect me to pick up my training? I'm useless to this clan. . .I should just live on my own at Hell's Gate and be done with it."

I swallowed the heavy painful lump forming in my throat as my chest throbbed with a dull ache and whimpered miserably, "I wish I'd never had you as my teacher. That I never _met _you. You. . .everything you did was on purpose, every action calculated with malice like I'd stabbed you unknowingly in my sleep and revenge was your only thought. That's. . .psychologically homicidal, really."

If I could have slapped him with the old strength I possessed, I would've done so but no, that was too good for him. I'd put my life on the line to trust him and he let me down intentionally, proving that there was no such thing as coexistence with him. He bitterly reminded me of Quaritch himself with his 'gain their trust and shoot 'em in the back' motto. I wasn't like that, I was raised to be a better person than that and give everyone a chance to prove themselves. _He _was the smaller person here, not me.

The reminders of my previous aid to him gave me a sour taste in my mouth and I simply narrowed my eyes to state coldly, "I saved you during battle, I took care of you when you were injured, and I'd _never _intentionally hurt you. That is only something a mentally unbalanced or heartless person could do. I shot you and even _after _you berated me, I stayed with you to help because I'd never wish any harm to you. You _**deserve **_to feel guilty so maybe, just _maybe, _you'll gain an ounce of insight to how you treated me. Please go-"

"Joanna-"

"_Get out _before I call for someone, I'm giving you a chance to leave without any trouble so I suggest you take it" I ordered fiercely to make him leave and wiped my cheek against the pillow to smear the tears away. His fingers tentatively reached for the damp area but I bared my teeth with a threatening hiss, flattening my ears against my skull to show him I was incredibly hostile despite my bedridden condition.

"_Out!"_

Through blurry lashes, I watched him stand up but he paused in mid-step to say, "I will come back until you give me a chance."

And with that, he left my alcove quietly while I wasn't about to hold my breath on his claim.

* * *

Tsu'tey returned the next day as promised.

And the next.

And so on.

A week later, I managed to cool my tense anger towards him and we simply stayed in each other's silent company without sharing a word. A day after, he tried teaching me intermediate math but I rejected it, faking sleep by tucking myself into the blankets. By the end of that week, I allowed him to finally open his mouth and he surprised me by not saying anything stupid or insulting.

Another week had him trying to feed me like a nursemaid while I fought to bite his fingers off. I'm sure he got a taste of his own medicine from the way he'd been with me when I first helped him. I promised myself that I'd never show weakness to him despite my helplessness as he visited and I stuck by it. A day later, he brought several of the children that missed me (I loved the little tykes) as they curled around me like bear cubs for a story. Their presence brought back a little piece of happiness I missed and finally relented to being fed water by his hand. His demeanor had changed gradually since his first visit and although he was still grumpy at times and stubborn, he didn't snap at me in the slightest. Actually, I don't even remember a glare at all!

By the following week, he spent his evenings with me to share clan tales and I found myself admiring his persistence to get through. He managed it two days later when he enraged me by calling me weak for accepting my injury and I flung a small bowl at him with my right hand. The man was undoubtedly crafty with psychological manipulation and here is where we found ourselves now as I stared at my hand in disbelief while he simply wiped away the water dripping down his face. I actually threw a bowl!

At that moment, I didn't know what to say or what to believe. My arm had healed well enough to throw, although weakly, and he wasn't yelling at me for doing so. Strength still existed in these gangly arms of mine and the idea overwhelmed me entirely as I tried to say something. Instead, my emotions took over and I bawled right there on the spot without a care if he saw me.

Tsu'tey took my emotional outpour in the wrong sense and immediately, his fingers were on said arm to lightly press on random areas of my skin as he demanded quickly, "Oh, Eywa, I shouldn't have done that- where does it hurt? I didn't mean to-"

"It's. . .okay" I managed to hiccup and wiggled my fingers to let him know the motion caused no immediate pain. His face relaxed with relief when he saw I wasn't halting the action and I allowed him to dab at my eyes with the blanket to clear away the crystalline tears that kept falling. For the first time since the accident, I felt happy and it had come from the unlikeliest source.

"Don't cry" he shushed softly and I could see his discomfort with seeing a woman cry clear across his face. Most men would fall into a stammer of words but he remained silent until I stopped crying and I was sure I looked a mess by then. Part of me was shocked that he was actually being gentle instead of indifferent since he usually chastised such outward displays of emotion.

I inhaled deeply to clear my congested nostrils and the air rejuvenated my demeanor as I accepted what had transpired. He _helped_ me. A shaky smile crossed my lips and I glanced at him to state softly, "You just got a second chance. Don't waste it."

"I don't plan to" he replied with the smallest triumphant grin trying to break onto his lips but a small glare from me ceased it. I was still in denial that he truly wanted to start anew but he showed no hints of deception, what was I supposed to do? All I could do for the moment was accept and keep on guard if he betrayed me in the end. His fingers grasped mine and he stated softly, "I won't hurt you again."

Was I that painfully obvious?

I averted my gaze back to the wooden flooring, pulling my fingers away from his, and asked quietly, "Can you make sure I reach Iknimaya?"

"I will try my hardest but taming an ikran is based on your skill alone, I cannot help you catch it" he answered truthfully and I nodded slowly, frowning at the pillow because I was certain it would take me forever. Was it worthy to pursue? Should I just train for Uniltiron and hope to pass? Or do I continue with my previous goal? Apparently, he disagreed with my current condition and explained, "At this moment, however, you cannot walk very far without exhausting your muscles and despite your lungs can handle it, every part of your body must be in synchrony."

"No more crazy, hostile Tsu'tey?" I piped up nervously and wondered what his reaction would be as I tested these new uncertain waters. Usually, he exploded faster than ignited dynamite but two seconds passed before he answered calmly without going for my throat.

"If you mean frightening you into a corner, no, but I am demanding that you practice what you learn" he pointed out simply and I nodded with agreement to that since he was known to work his ass off to succeed. It didn't sound too bad, considering I was giving him a chance instead of hitching a ride with Peyral as my teacher and leaving him in the dust. That would've been a nice hit to his pride as a warrior but I would keep it in my back pocket if a sticky situation presented itself again.

It reminded me of the undecided choice and I brought it up with a serious tone, "If you go back on your word, I will be choosing Peyral as my teacher faster than you can blink. By the way, you'll be telling her for me too."

Tsu'tey grimaced slightly at the threat of being named second best before reluctantly agreeing, "Fine."

His grumpy face brought a triumphant smile to my own as he picked at the floor with his fingers in sudden fascination and I whispered, "You're not like them. You came back."

He tilted his head to the side since the comment slipped out faster and louder than I intended it to. He stopped poking at the floor as it nabbed his attention and inquired curiously, "Like who?"

"My parents."

I hated the small pang of pain to the chest that usually accompanied the word or thought of them since my mind often dwelled on them as of late. Had they ever thought of me since I left Earth? Did they even care? I always promised myself that if I ever had a child (although I was very afraid of it due to my upbringing), I would treasure them until I died no matter what they did. They could sing, train a pa'li, be a cook- heck, blow up a forest or go live with a band of tapiri and I'd still love my baby. How could I abandon a little piece of me that breathed? I simply couldn't have the heart to do such a horrendous thing. Humans weren't instinctively programmed to stick with their newborn children, a trait chimps and baboons actually had (they _never _abandoned their babies), and hoped that the Na'vi had a similar trait of genetic caretaking that would enable me to do so. . .if I had a child, that is. I wasn't putting all of my eggs in one basket yet but I kept the idea of actually procreating in a back file of my mind. Pandora made anything possible.

"Would you remember me if I died?" I asked out of the blue to gage his reaction, meeting his gaze to see what his response would be. I didn't care about the answer but I wanted to be remembered for something in this life. If I could reach one person in this world by teaching them something or making a mark, I would be happy. I didn't want to leave this existence without knowing I did something good in my life.

He gave me a disturbed stare for the grim question before stating matter-of-factly, "You're not dying-"

I smiled to his cynicism while wondering if death was taboo here like on Earth which I honestly saw no reason for because we would all end up dust eventually. Grace had said that there truly was an existence after this life and after seeing Eywa, I believed it so I was certain Tsu'tey and I would be pestering each other in the afterlife one day. Shaking my head, I clarified my question, "I know but I mean, later on. If something unexpected happened? Like the tree incident and I really went splat? I keep thinking about my parents and if they wonder about me and where I am. They weren't perfect people, not by a long shot, but unfortunately, they were my only family. I have no real bonds here so who would really know who I was?"

"The Omaticaya is your family" he stated firmly but I said nothing because there was no rank attached to my name. Nothing was holding me to this clan's ongoing history and I'm sure he knew it as well.

"Not until I pass the test and when I do, I want to return to Hell's Gate and burn everything I brought with me so I can erase that life for good" I pointed out simply because I wanted to be rid of it all and happily join the Omaticaya. Easier said than done at my current health. I stared down at my blue hand, wiggling the five fingers that shouldn't be on a true Na'vi's hand, and murmured softly, "I'm dangling between both worlds. I want to stay in this one and forget everything from Earth because otherwise, I'll keep mulling over it and I don't want to give them the satisfaction."

"Will you tell me about your family?" he asked carefully and I managed a snort because there was only one answer for that already.

"No, you gain my trust first."

He nodded silently with a disappointed lowering of the ears but it wouldn't dissuade me, I didn't tell anyone about my past unless they were truly trustworthy and he was still on the pending list. The only people on Pandora who did were Cheryl and Grace but it was down to Cheryl now since Grace had passed on. I yawned softly as the day's tiresome events drained my energy or maybe it was the soup I'd eaten with my own spoon today (although his cautious staring got to me halfway through it). Rubbing my eyes with a weakly closed fist, I mumbled sleepily, "I'm tired now, Tsu'tey."

"Yes."

I raised my brow in confusion to his sudden response since I hadn't asked anything of him and asked uncertainly, "What-"

He flashed me a cocky grin before explaining with amusement, "I would remember you. You're the most stubborn woman I met in my life so far and it's worth a memory."

My chest hurt to the admission since I apparently riled him but I didn't mind it. Sometimes, the greatest of friends could annoy the hell out of each other but love each other like blood relatives would. I tried to keep a serene face as the remark flooded me with those happy emotions I sought from my own kin but never received and managed a sniffled whisper, "Thank you."

"Go to sleep, don't cry anymore" he spoke softly with the tiniest disgruntled groan forming in his throat as he helped me lie on my back but it only served to bring forth the waterworks again. I heard him curse under his breath and definitely knew he was the kind of man that didn't like seeing emotional outpour in the sad sense but smiled graciously when he wiped the tears away with a cloth. I'm sure I had the helpless appearance of a newborn but it soothed me to know he helped on his own accord. I'm pretty sure I would remember this day for years and heard him order gently, "Sleep, Joanna. I will be nearby if you need me."

I glanced at him skeptically since this side of him was new and frankly, it made me uneasy because I didn't want to be vulnerable only to be embarrassed further. Like I said before, this was a new path in our fork of a road and I didn't want to take the one riddled with field mines just to reach him. His fingers tucked the blanket around me to seal any air pockets since I couldn't (well, I could but it would look a horrible mess) and Tsu'tey stated firmly, "I promise."

"Y-You. . .You do?," was all I could murmur weakly with disbelief as I watched him with big glittering eyes that were sure to look childish but all he did was nod. This only worsened my tear production towards the chivalrous remark and I bit the inside of my cheek to prevent choking down a sob as tears cascaded down my cheeks. Why couldn't I be in control of my emotions like him? I wanted to act cool and suave in tense situations. . .well, he looked more uncomfortable to my girlish crying but it was still better than my reaction. I blamed it on the estrogen flowing through me.

Tsu'tey nodded quietly and let out a small sigh as he grabbed the corner of the blanket to dab at my eyes again. I smiled softly for the polite motion but raised my hand slowly to wipe one of my eyes as I told him it was all right and it truly was. He gave me an unsure glance but I dismissed it purposely to curl into bed to let him know that I was indeed all right. Sometimes, Tsu'tey needed a push in the right direction and I would oblige to do so. It satisfied him and he gave the bedding one small pat before turning away, assuring my sniffling worries, "I will return after last meal but I will station a healer outside your door-"

"But you don't order the healers. . .and you're not really supposed to be here" I called back with a hoarse voice in effect to my tightened throat as the corner of my eyes watched him walk away. I took notice that for a tall man, he barely created any noise on the wood. Maybe someday, I could learn how to sound like I was walking on air.

"True, but you're my responsibility and I will take that seriously from now on, Joanna" he replied simply before stepping outside the entrance as I returned my gaze to the ceiling with a small smile full of hope. This seemed too good to be true and I knew the saying 'if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is'. . .but he sounded normal, not like the hostile man I'd known since arriving. I hoped Jake got it through Tsu'tey's skull that I wasn't out to hurt him but somehow, I think my friend did and I owed him one.

"Leave it to an ex-marine to play the clan therapist" I murmured softly with humor as I closed my eyes to snuggle into my sheets. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to Tsu'tey's return later on tonight. . .but I wouldn't admit it aloud. My stance was tipping the scale erratically with every conversation we had together and I remained indecisive on where it should stay.

However, neither of us knew this breakthrough incident would change our demeanors completely with the days to come.

* * *

_(Tsu'tey POV)_

My fingers looped fabric through a small carved hole within a turquoise gemstone and I wrapped it around the square-shaped stone but a small sigh across from me halted my movement, "No, Tsu'tey, you're supposed to knot each side and slide in the next stone."

I frowned at making this mistake (I aimed to attain perfection with every task I partook in) but it wasn't every day that I created _jewelry_. Being a hunter, I was skilled in that profession to track, hunt, and kill while this. . .well, let's say I chose he right profession in the end. Either way, I was determined to make this work and furrowed my brow in concentration as I knotted the navy fabric against the bright stone. I'm certain that my grandmother was proud of what I was doing at the moment from her place alongside Eywa since she taught me certain skills that were usually gender affiliated with females but I didn't care. If I could sew my own clothing, I could seal any open injuries in the wild; if I cooked a meal for myself, I could catch and roast my prey in a makeshift fire out in the wild; if I could forage for the best ripe fruits, I could gather them for a trap to lure a grazer into it.

Joanna had explained to me how her world had strict gender roles for males and females and if you didn't fit their certain 'criteria', you could be ridiculed for it. I found it harsh for a race to hurt someone's self-esteem in such a manner that it could cripple their mental state but she stated that she was proud that my people held no such rules. Yes, we had basics in regards of attire but we could acquire any skill we wished regardless of how feminine or masculine it looked. I'm sure the tawtute would cringe with fear at seeing a huntress on the prowl with the same prowess as any male hunter or how beautiful cloths could be created by skilled male weavers that would decorate the personal spaces of the clan.

I didn't hesitate to opinion that her species sounded completely arrogant in their ways because they ruined their planet just to live luxuriously in homes that I would probably faint within. She had begun to inform me on the different lifestyles the tawtute lived which were divided by social class (she'd yet to tell me which she used to belong in) and yet again, they discriminated while my people never did as such. True, some of us held higher ranks but skills would be passed on to the inexperienced. I learned from experienced elders and now that I am at my peak, I guide the younger members of our clan so they can one day repeat the same. Don't get me started on my reaction when I heard her say that certain parts of her world discriminated against the elderly; that almost threw me into a raging fit but she simply sat there with a sympathetic smile, allowing me to vent until I calmed down. It was during that time that I began to see that her way of thinking was not like the tawtute species but like mine, so very similar.

"Much better" Joanna approved with a small smile as her fingers lifted varying pieces of cloth that had different weights. A week had passed since we reached co-existence- actually, in all honesty, since _she _decided to give me a chance while _I_ hoped I wouldn't stuff my own foot in my mouth again. She could now sit up perfectly without pain in any area of her spine and was doing so at the current moment but I ordered for her to rest back against the alcove wall to prevent stressing her back muscles. The muscles of her upper body needed to recover their old strength and I decided to let her fold different cloths between lightweight and heavyweight fibers to see how she would do.

I was teaching her at a tediously slow pace and knew she wasn't keen on it with the frowns she gave me when I explained it to her. Back then, I wanted to see her fail and pushed her to the limit without a care for her health. But now, I would make sure she could exceed her body's expectation within a safe buffer for mistakes. All in all, I was treating her like a baby because I didn't want anything to happen to her.

Don't ask me why or how I shifted to this new mindset but. . .I liked her company. I could see why she found me irritating and my old biases made her the perfect target for my subconsciously repressed anger. We weren't perfect people, far from it- if at all, we were incredibly stubborn and independent which allowed us to clash so easily. It was strange to see similarities in her way of thinking that were akin to my own and more surprising was witnessing her true personality which was nothing like the snappish woman I trained weeks ago. I'm certain that the accident caused her to withdraw a little with timidity but she was polite yet direct, highly intelligent but curious as a toddler, shy but easily enraged when provoked. . .traits I had thrown into the wind because I wanted so deeply to _hate _her. That's not to say that certain quirks don't irritate me _now _like her slow nibbling of food, her constant multitasking, the way she scolds inanimate things (don't get me started) but there were also traits that she found irritating within me and I was perfectly all right with it. Hate is indeed a strong word and the only people I want to be hated by are my enemies; Joanna is not one of them and truly, never was.

I was hopeful that she'd see me in a different light because my own asinine behavior allowed me to assess what I needed to change and surprisingly, children turned to me for help with questions regarding hunting. I couldn't remember the last time they'd come willingly (I tended to call their attention by chastising the poor souls) and found myself enjoying guided participation with curious children. However, it didn't stop me from avoiding them because I simply wasn't a 'child' type of person unlike Joanna, who stopped whatever she was doing to instantly tend to one. I was more of the teaching type that let them explore the many possibilities before helping them reach the right answer which basically meant 'if you're fishing, you will set up the netting on your own but I will help you catch them'.

"Those children better like this" I muttered under my breath as my fingers added another stone to the necklace and hoped nobody would know this came from my own hands. I'd already lived down being shot and knocking a fellow member off a branch, I didn't want to hunters haggling me for creating jewelry because I couldn't find a way to apply it to hunting. No, this would just stay between Joanna and I since she loved giving trinkets to the children.

"They get to choose what they like so don't worry, children are easily placated" she replied casually as she finished folding a white cloth that was opaque due to its thin fibers. Her fingers lifted a heavier brown cloth made from animal fur and I watched every movement in her arms to make sure she could fold it correctly. She paused for a second and instead of lifting it as she originally planned, she tugged the blanket across the floor to fold it slowly. Her eyes met mine and she murmured quietly, "It felt a bit heavy."

I nodded silently to let her complete the task in whatever way felt comfortable and stated simply, "Then you will fold others of lesser size until you're able to. Building resistance is what you're going to do but not to the extreme."

Joanna agreed with a nod of her own but a disappointed gaze was aimed at the cloths. Tendrils of loose dark hair framed her face as she glanced down at them and her lips breathed out puffs of air to move them aside. She frowned at the strands that hung limply in the same spots and caught my stare as she glanced up, prompting her to ask, "I. . .um. . .I'd hate to ask and normally I wouldn't but. . .I can't brush my hair and it's all over the place-"

"_You _want _me _to brush your _hair_?" I asked awkwardly since I'd never done such a thing in my life. Yes, I brushed my own hair and cleaned the pelt of my pa'li but brushing a woman's hair was. . .different. Was this common in her old culture? Joanna replied with another sheepish nod to my baffled question and I scratched the side of my head at the strange circumstance but she was a part of our clan, I would take care of her.

"All right."

She began to scoot over to my side with a relieved smile but I halted her with a raise of my hand. In the corner nearest to us, where she usually slept, was a small collection of personal belongings (those that I hadn't burned) that Cherylsmith had brought to her for easier access. Grabbing a nearby brush of short compacted bristles, she rejected my choice and pointed to another with longer bristles and I took hold of that one. I wasn't picky over what to use in brushing my hair as long as it untangled it but I would learn days later of her nervousness over brushing her hair because of the sensitive queue.

Sitting next to her, I sectioned off pieces from the right side of her hair and began brushing them gently because the poor girl definitely had knots in there. I saved her the embarrassment of asking when someone had last brushed her hair but dropped it, focusing my concentration on a stubborn knot at the end of the piece of hair. She was a novice in this world and I had exposed that publicly which was something an honorable person would never do. With time, I hoped I could mend the gap that I had ripped apart at the seams myself and reinforce it with new trust.

"Tsu'tey?"

"Yes?"

"Irayo."

* * *

**A/N**: And there's your part 2, my loyal readers! Wow, I never expected such _large _feedback for this chapter and appreciate _every _comment about what you like and your questions. Maybe I should make more cliffhangers. . .just kidding. And thank you for the comments on my head scratching question because I wondered the same when looking at Grace's Avatar so maybe Cameron was a little iffy on that. Imagining Jake as an old man when his kid's a teenager is both funny and sad. Oh, and I found a decent alternative to relate to the Na'vi's neurotoxin for their arrows and it's all due to poison studies in physiology class with the plant curare.

_Finally_, the whole 'Tsu'tey vs. Joanna' status has been lifted away and we will venture into their friendship/eventual courting stage until she's nabbed away by the Atykwe. If those two truly existed and a Na'vi could be a psychologist, those two would put them into early retirement with the money they'd earn. Character development is usually either slow with someone like Tsu'tey which is why it took him _weeks _to see the error of his actions whereas a traumatic effect like Joanna's fall can shift her demeanor overnight, hence the timidity and borderline depression. Tsu'tey's attitude at the end of the chapter reminded me of the novel 'Atonement' for some reason- I don't know why- which is why I pretty much gave him that emotion throughout so you can see the different change from his first entry to the last. If anybody has access to that book or the film, read or see it; it is such a sad love story, it puts anything like Romeo and Juliet to shame.

My _many _thanks and gratitude to all of my reviewers whose feedback made this chapter the most popular:

_Soccer11_: Everyone seemed to expect Tsu'tey getting a tongue lashing but Mo'at's calm but stern demeanor seemed to sink it in for him. I'd be more scared of her than Jake.

_Djinn17_: Yes, 'bad' Tsu'tey but in the next chapter, you'll see a calmer man than the spiteful one you've been exposed to.

_Dark Inu Fan_: Tsu'tey is a prideful man when it comes to his status and when he saw that everyone had their own different opinions, the man has to redeem himself to please them and fix his conscience. Joanna will take a little while to heal but that accident is what will work against Tsu'tey because the longer he takes training her, the sooner Nitari's date to fetch Joanna will arrive.

_Sparky Bluefang_: I know, it's my first cliffhanger in the whole story! Yeah, the thing that made me scratch my head was seeing Grace's Avatar at a young age (honestly, even the older Na'vi put us humans to shame in the skin department) while reading about growth hormones but I'm keeping them normal. I'd like to think that the DNA's triggered to stop the growth once they reach maturity to be 'born'.

_AvatarTingal_: Tsu'tey getting a bull's eye in the butt with fruit originated from a clip I saw where a man was covered in neon pink paintball coloring. Yeah, the tree climbing was meant to be the cruelest of the cruel since Tsu'tey didn't like being called out on his own insults and of course, just had to make her pay. Don't worry, Jake will get to see all of his kids grow up and experience the parental headaches everyone feels.

_Taurean102_: Yes, Tsu'tey will be a lot nicer after being shown what kind of a scrooge he was. I should've added in the 'acting' part of the hunters but I wanted the chapter to be a little more serious than the story usually is. Trust me, writing like this took years of work and English college classes (I was horrible when I first started out) and I'm still trying to improve but thank you for the kind words.

_Mark_: Yeah, I wanted to send her to Hell's Gate at first but then I realized that moving her when she's in that bad a condition with her skeletal muscles wouldn't really help her since ikran tend to fly all over the place so I stuck her in a small alcove.

_TopKat90_: Squee, I just love your long reviews. And you're on the money with Tsu'tey repressing his emotions by using defense mechanisms (mostly projection) because I'd like to think humans left a psychological impact on him when they arrived since I created the idea that his parents were killed by them (well, his father while his ma was more indirectly). I'll delve deeper into his protected emotions in later chapters when he and Joanna open up about their pasts. The hunters finding her attractive bit was included so he could see that she is indeed a woman and not some creature with no gender that he tries to monster-ize (yeah, I just invented that word). Since she's giving him another chance, he's on thin ice so one slip will have her switching to Peyral. And yes, I'll just leave the Avatar biology to the creators because I'm no geneticist. Yeah, I live in California but no broken pipes yet although a whole bunch popped up last year throughout outer parts of the city. All I deal with is people yelling in the neighborhood, barking dogs (although I love my neighbors dogs), and hovering planes that roar by.

_KThxBai_: I'm glad you liked it, loyal reviewer!

_Kudokuchan69_: Tsu'tey's just thrown off anyone could find her cute and tries to stop the thoughts since she's enemy number one. The denial part will come in later chapters when he ignores his feelings and gets competition for Joanna's attention. Tsu'tey sounds very old-fashioned for some reason since he's stubborn as a mule but he'll soften up when situations call for it.

_Emmalime_: Thanks for loving the story that much and yes, I tend to let my characters develop slowly because a fast paced story wouldn't do for a character like Tsu'tey. There are authors that probably can but it takes a good plot to make it flow realistically. There's no way I'd let him 'fall' in love within mere weeks without thinking someone lobotomized him and took out his core personality. He's aggressive, stubborn, prideful- traits that won't make a man soften like jelly so easily. Joanna and Tsu'tey actually take much longer than Jake's and Neytiri's 3 month love declaration since they protect their emotions in a way that it's hard for them to be vulnerable with one another. There's a quote I actually use in later chapters where Tsu'tey (insert dramatic gasp) states: "You must allow yourself to be emotionally vulnerable with me so we can See each other as only two people can."

_Moonbeam87_: Thank you for loving the story!

_Na'viWolf_: Your reviews always make me laugh with that line. I hope this chapter feeds your reading hunger!

_Spexatar_: It's okay to lag behind, life springs up on you without warning and school is school- you can't get out of that one. I tend to write humorous titles that connect to the story plot but some will get a little more emotional at the height of Joanna's and Tsu'tey's romantic escapades. And for cutting off the story, I'm not keen on cliffhangers (and I'm shocked how much the readers loved _and _hated the previous one for the wait) but I try to keep to one plot per chapter. This one focuses on forgiveness and the next will focus on understanding. Honestly, I've never heard of until you wrote about it since I'm used to reading on this web site or maybe DeviantArt only but I will check it out. I love stories with dramatic names, I couldn't figure one out for this one but I'm going to try for the sequel. My first choice is Elysium because of it's meaning. Thank you again for the reviews!

_NewFan_: Your last review had me laughing like crazy and it came just as I was finishing up the last part before doing a last edit. Thank you for finding the story so addicting and interesting but take the chapters easy since I know they're monstrous in size (lol) and I'm glad I was able to pull off a good cliffhanger since I rarely write those. I hope the reading didn't keep you up late because I'm like that when it comes to reading good fanfics and I wake up looking like a zombie.

_Bluenight23: _Thanks for loving the story!

_Ravenlunatic96: _Thanks for being a loyal reader and yes, I had to make Joanna into a character that would attract the aloof Tsu'tey. And I completely agree with you because I practically yelled 'NOOOO' when he died in the film since he was totally heroic on the Valkyrie and yet Jake lived from falling sky high (okay, he wasn't riddled with bullets but still). I wish I could protest and tell Cameron to replace Tsu'tey with Norm (no offense to fans but I love Norm too) because that's how awesome I found him. Plus, that puppy eye look he got when Neytiri said she mated to Jake made me go 'aww' and the love was born.

_Som Skxawng: _Yeah, from now on, there's no more animosity between the two as the two restart everything. Don't worry, Joanna will be giving friendly hugs but with Tsu'tey being the type that's not used to physical contact, he'll have to grow into it.

_JackBlack_: Jake got to be an action hero again while Tsu'tey played the bully. . .hmm, that sounds just like how they started out in the film. Joanna's good at throwing but just awful at archery, poor thing.

_Deep Blue Dragon: _Sorry about that cliffhanger but it did seem to make the story more exciting as the chapter concludes here. That and combining these two pieces would've sucked your eyeballs of their moisture because it's a big chapter (50 something pages, I think). Hope you liked the second part since it had no evil cliffhanger!

_1Timberwolf_: Tsu'tey can be downright evil when his brain really works on it. I'm glad the hunters chat was liked by the reviewers, I thought it might be a little off but thankfully, no. I hope your questions were answered with this chapter but Jake's and Mo'at's lecture sure put him in his place.

_CaptainJR_: Yeah, I got the same error message when I tried to read other avatar fics but I'm glad you loaded the chapter. I got squat for mine but always has those irritating messages. Tsu'tey's one stubborn man but he'll learn from his mistakes, his pride won't let him get away from it.

_DarkHiems-hime_: Yeah, that whole DNA altering and replication can be iffy but I'll just let Cameron deal with his creations since he's raking in the money. Tsu'tey and Joanna are like children when they're fighting but with the next chapters, they'll be mellowing out but she'll still make him cranky with her child-like optimism. I'm glad you like Joanna and I'm proud of constructing her in such a believable manner.

_Ree08794_: Thanks for thinking the story's brilliant, I try to make it into what my brain can give. And yes, I'm the type of reader that likes long chapters too and an author that writes them. Taking English college classes, especially 103, pushed me to write long essays with whatever topic my professor picked within fifteen minutes. By the end of my second year, research papers and essays were a piece of cake and still are nowadays. So writing out my heart's content with Joanna and Tsu'tey is easy but creating the ideas is what gets you. Luckily, I'm always getting them in the unlikeliest of places (last week it was star wars and this week, my physiology and sociology class).

_Kaze160_: You're right, life is never dull at Hometree. Luckily, it's a good bump in their relationship but I'm sure Joanna would've rather gone without it. If the Na'vi had body casts, she'd look absolutely hilarious.

_Deathmagicdoom_: I saw pictures of it on the wiki and it'd be great reference for my story if I was focusing on the Omaticaya but I'll be working on the Atykwe lifestyle and they're all ikran to dominate the ocean. Funny quote you used, I should've had Jake say something like that to scold Tsu'tey.

And thank you to the two anonymous reviewers I wish I could name. Thanks for liking the story!

* * *

**Next time on 'Pandora's Crazy Adventures'****:**

"Tsu'tey, this is boring" I complained aloud with an evident frown on my face as he led me by the arm around the base of the Hometree, keeping close to my side as he guided me.

It had been about two weeks since we reached our co-existence retry and it was going splendidly. True, he still got on my nerves once in a while but that was normal because we no longer fought like we used to. Our little jabs consisted of playful jokes about our flaws, nothing hurtful, and we never took it too far.

"Mo'at said you need to walk and you yourself ordered that you be able to walk long distances by the end of this week" he pointed out matter-of-factly with a knowing stare and I pouted to his perfect memory. I swore he had a memory chip for a brain in that skull of his but I appreciated that he was taking my thoughts into mind. I kicked a small rock with my right foot as he lectured, "Be happy you will be able to. I'd rather you didn't but if you're going to, I might as well be by your side."

Hunting, I could attempt without a doubt when I was able to but tree climbing. . .would have to wait a bit. I was still nervous to get into my own hammock since I left the healing alcove a few days ago and found myself surprised when he had offered to help me into it and stayed until I fell asleep or when Cheryl came to sleep. I was even more surprised when he checked up on me every morning, this morning included. I was beginning to see that there was a nice man inside that gruff warrior and everything I had assumed about him was fading as I wiped the slate clean. He was still gruff around the edges but the scathing man from before belonged to a part of his psyche that he directed at the human species alone. There were many things I had yet to learn of him and he of me but with time, I believed it could be achieved.

"I will not let you fall again" he reminded firmly, although mostly to himself in vow, and I smiled at him at his determination to follow his promises through. Only Tsu'tey could turn his attitude 360 and still be persistent to succeed at whatever bit into his mind. His brow raised quizzically in question to my amused stare and he asked apprehensively, "What?"

"Nothing, can't I smile at you without gaining suspicion? Lighten up" I replied with a low chuckle to his paranoia of being stared at intently, another of his strange quirks. I hastened my steps mischievously but sighed in resignation when he pulled me away from walking up an incline of dirt. Did I mention he'd gotten a bit protective with every step I took nowadays? I was tempted to call him 'father' once but it would be as an insult to Tsu'tey because he treated me far better and never complained to my requests. As a child, I'd been taught to obey without questions and the second I broke free to speak my mind, I'd been cast aside. Tsu'tey encouraged my individualism, something I was proud of, and even if I irked him somehow, he didn't explode like he used to. I also took his view on humankind into consideration and never approached the touchy topic with him.

I shook my head to his stubbornness on letting me walk alone and assured, "I'll be fine. I almost prefer your taskmaster attitude than the overprotection mode you're in. . .but thank you for trying."

I was finding out that he could be a decent person as he tried to lull me back to health and found the irony of months ago amusing to me. Our time together made it seem surreal and straight out of a book from long ago. However, I did want to explore past the limitations I had so I could resume my training and wanted him onboard with this. . .even if I had to drag him. His face relaxed to my admission since polite words usually placated him and he smiled to return the same courtesy, "You are welcome. . .but you are _not _climbing that."

"D'oh, can't blame me for trying" I groaned in defeat as he turned me away towards a flat patch of grassy land but listened to him nonetheless. As I spent time with him, my melancholic outlook had faded as my sense of adventure began to return and I welcomed it gladly. It was what gave me zest and endless curiosity in life and to be without it, well, it just wouldn't be who I am. My eyes shifted upward to the beautiful blue sky with its feathery white cloud and I sighed aloud to request hopefully, "Isn't there a nearby field I can relax in? Preferably something with a view?"

"Only the clearings until you can handle the walk" he ordered simply without space for negotiation and I pouted for being babied without allowance for a decent walk. I wanted to explore the land outside Kelutral and I knew my condition wouldn't let me run at a sign of danger but I needed something new to behold to satiate my curiosity. Tsu'tey noticed my crestfallen face at being stuck in Hometree again and stated firmly, "I mean it, Joanna. We're lucky that your spine wasn't heavily injured from the fall."

I blinked to the new word in his vocabulary and asked uncertainly, "_We_?"

He flashed me a flabbergasted look for the question while I remained puzzled as hell and handed me the freebie with, "Yes, _I_ caused your fall-"

"I slipped, we already established that" I corrected snippily because when he said it like that, it sounded like premeditated murder. He truly regretted his actions, he told me so on more than one occasion and although it would've pleased my ego to see him in this mental torture, I told him that training me would be enough. That and for him to bring me supplies to create a journal.

Last week, my mind began getting its mental itch for exercise and I loved to write. It started during my undergraduate work for anthropology and after conducting so many observational reports, it just became natural for me. I wanted to detail my adventures in this life, no matter how small, and since Tsu'tey killed my laptop when it went airborne, he owed me. So it came to be that I wanted to write down everything since day one and told him to fetch all the remaining paper from Hell's Gate, no matter of its condition. Written notes, card stock, magazines, computer paper, napkins- even toilet paper! All could be recycled to create paper and he listened. . .he really did. I couldn't help but hug him when he brought everything I would need from improvised molds to texture makers, down to the last detail without a problem. We then proceeded to make it by hand as he learned the process and by the end, we had recycled sheets that I could journal in. I didn't know how to bind it but Tsu'tey made use of his knife to tear pieces of leather into a cover and glued it on to secure the paper inside. At that point, I knew he was my friend. . .I couldn't explain it. . .but he was.

I used my journal every night while he chewed on a blade of grass and afterwards, I would teach him about my solar system as we regained our old astronomy routine.

I'm not sure where I'd find more ingredients for paper whenever I ran out of my first pile but I was sure it would last a while. Paper could be made from plants but he'd already seen what the process did to Earth's forest and Tsu'tey agreed wholeheartedly that it would disrupt the balance.

"We're not going to argue and play 'the blame game'" I stated sharply on the matter because it wasn't worth it. The accident was a thing of the past and we were moving towards the future, not letting it dangle over our heads. I wanted him to clear his head of it and purposely aimed my free hand towards an area to the right to say loudly for his attention, "Let's go sit over there."

"You're tired already?" he asked skeptically to my request and I decided to lie, nodding my head hastily so we could figuratively and literally move along.

* * *

_Thank you for such positive feedback on the last chapter, I appreciated every word and may you all have wonderful days and peaceful nights as you go about in your daily lives!_


	13. Unbreakable Friendship

CHAPTER 11:

**Unbreakable Friendship  


* * *

**

"Tsu'tey, this is boring" I complained aloud with an evident frown on my face as he led me by the arm around the base of the Hometree, keeping close to my side as he guided me. Did I mention he was an overprotective nursemaid, even worse than me?

Two weeks had gone by since we reached our co-existence retry and it was going splendidly with every day that passed. True, he still got on my nerves once in a while with his little quirks but that was normal because we no longer fought like we used to. Our little jabs consisted of playful jokes about our flaws, nothing hurtful for personal benefit, and we never took it too far.

"Mo'at said you need to walk and you yourself ordered that you be able to walk long distances by the end of this week" he pointed out matter-of-factly with a knowing stare and I pouted to his perfect memory. I swore he had a memory chip for a brain in that skull of his but I appreciated that he was taking my thoughts into mind. I kicked a small rock with my right foot for stress relief as he lectured, "Be happy you will be able to. I'd rather you didn't but if you're going to, I might as well be by your side."

Hunting, I could attempt without a doubt when I was able to but tree climbing. . .would definitely have to wait a bit. I was still edgy to get into my own hammock since I left the healing alcove a few days ago and found myself surprised when he had offered to help me into it and stayed until I fell asleep or when Cheryl came to sleep next to me. Don't even get me started on the lengthy 'father worthy' lecture he gave Cheryl on _how _to watch over me; I had to tell the woman to forget everything when he left so she could avoid a nervous breakdown. I was even _more _surprised when he checked up on me every morning after that, this morning included. I was beginning to see that there was a nice man inside that gruff warrior and everything I had assumed about him was fading as I wiped the slate clean. He was still gruff around the edges but the scathing man from before belonged to a part of his psyche that he directed at the human species alone. There were many things I had yet to learn of him and he of me but with time, I believed it could be achieved.

"I will not let you fall again" he reminded firmly, although mostly to himself in vow, and I smiled gently at him for his determination to follow his promises through. Only Tsu'tey could turn his attitude 360 and still be persistent to succeed at whatever bit into his mind. He reminded me of myself when I first started my undergraduate studies and aimed to pass every class with flying colors to nab a decent internship. His brow raised quizzically in question to my amused stare and he asked apprehensively, "What?"

"Nothing, can't I smile at you without gaining suspicion? Lighten up" I replied with a low chuckle to his paranoia of being stared at intently, another of his strange quirks. I hastened my steps mischievously to pass him but sighed in resignation when he pulled me away from walking up an incline of dirt I'd been aiming for. Did I mention he'd gotten a bit protective with _every _step I took nowadays? I was tempted to call him 'father' once but it would be as an insult to Tsu'tey because he treated me far better and never complained to my requests. As a child, I'd been taught to obey without question in an authoritarian household because I knew no better and the second I broke free to speak my mind, I'd been cast aside. Tsu'tey encouraged (almost nurtured) my individualism, something I was proud of, and even if I irked him somehow, he didn't explode like he used to. Also, I took his viewpoint on humankind into heavy consideration and never approached the touchy topic with him.

I shook my head to his stubbornness on letting me walk alone since my legs were better off than my arms and assured, "I'll be fine. I almost prefer your taskmaster attitude than the overprotection mode you're in. . .but thank you for trying."

I was finding out that he could be a decent person as he tried to lull me back to health and found the irony of months prior amusing to me. Our time together made it seem strangely surreal and straight out of a fictional book from long ago. However, I did want to explore past the limitations my body had so I could resume my training and wanted him onboard with this. . .even if I had to drag him unwillingly. His wrinkled face relaxed to my admission since polite words usually placated him and he smiled to return the same courtesy, "You are welcome. . .but you are _not _climbing that."

"D'oh, can't blame me for trying" I groaned in defeat as he turned me away towards a flat patch of grassy land but listened to him nonetheless. As I spent time with him, my melancholic outlook had faded away as my sense of adventure began to return and I welcomed it gladly. It was what gave me zest and endless curiosity in life and to be without it, well, it just wouldn't be who I am. My eyes shifted upward to the beautiful blue sky with its feathery white clouds and I sighed aloud to request hopefully, "Isn't there a nearby field I can relax in? Preferably something with a view?"

"Only the clearings until you can handle the walk" he ordered simply without room for negotiation and I pouted for being babied without allowance for a decent walk. I wanted to explore the land outside Kelutral and I knew my condition wouldn't let me run at a sign of danger but I needed _something _new to behold to satiate my curiosity. Tsu'tey noticed my crestfallen face at being stuck in Hometree again and stated firmly, "I mean it, Joanna. We're lucky that your spine wasn't heavily injured from the fall."

I blinked to the new word in his vocabulary and asked uncertainly, "_We_?"

He flashed me a flabbergasted look for the question while I remained puzzled as hell and handed me the freebie with, "Yes, _I_ caused your fall-"

"I slipped, we already established that" I corrected snippily because when he said it like that, it sounded like premeditated murder. He truly regretted his actions, he told me so on more than one occasion and although it would've pleased my ego to see him in this mental torture, I told him that training me would suffice. That and for him to bring me supplies to create a journal.

Last week, my mind began getting its mental itch for exercise and I loved to write. It started during my undergraduate work for anthropology and after conducting so many observational reports, it just became natural for me. I wanted to detail my adventures in this life, no matter how small, and since Tsu'tey killed my laptop when it went airborne for an unscheduled skydive. . .he owed me big time. So it came to be that I wanted to write down everything since day one and told him to fetch all the remaining paper from Hell's Gate, no matter of its condition. Written notes, card stock, magazines, computer paper, napkins- even toilet paper! All could be recycled to create paper and he listened. . .he really did. I couldn't help but hug him like a kid on Christmas morning when he brought everything I would need from improvised molds to texture makers, down to the last detail on my list without a problem. We then proceeded to make it by hand as he learned the process and by the end of the day, we had recycled sheets that I could journal in. I didn't know how to bind it but Tsu'tey made use of his knife to tear pieces of leather into a cover and glued it on to secure the paper inside. At that point, I knew he was my friend. . .I couldn't explain it. . .but he was.

I used my journal every night while he chewed on a blade of grass to watch the sky and afterwards, I would teach him about my solar system as we regained our old astronomy routine. I'm not sure where I'd find more ingredients for paper whenever I ran out of my first pile but I was sure it would last a while. Paper could be made from plants but he'd already learned what the process did to Earth's forests and Tsu'tey agreed wholeheartedly that it would disrupt the balance here. History was mental, learned through conditioning, and I would train my mind to learn and my mouth to dictate every piece of my clan's history and my own life to pass down to future generations.

"We're not going to argue and play 'the blame game'" I stated sharply on the matter because it wasn't worth it. The accident was a thing of the past and we were moving towards the future, not letting it dangle over our heads. A thing like that would only damper our new relationship and I wanted it to be pure, untainted as it grew. I wanted him to clear his head of it and purposely aimed my free hand towards an area to the right to say loudly for his attention, "Let's go sit over there."

"You're tired already?" he asked skeptically to my request with a small frown and I decided to lie, nodding my head hastily so we could figuratively and literally move along. He believed me as always and I hated to trick him into this but it was for the best in this case. His hand left my forearm as he walked forward but turned halfway to order with a sidelong glance, "You stay here while I go find a suitable root to sit on."

"I'm not going to die during a search" I sighed exasperatedly but nodded for him to go so he could be assured I wouldn't leave anywhere. He directed one last skeptical glance at me as I shooed him away with my hands since this wasn't some secret mission in the woods and he left the area to scope out a good seat. Honestly, what could happen to me in the middle of a field?

I got an answer a minute later while I innocently twiddled my thumbs for personal amusement since I had nothing else for use. At first, I suspected Tsu'tey had returned with a perfect spot in mind but when I glanced up, an unfamiliar man stopped before me who bore a glance of distaste. I'd heard of this hunter before but never met him. Apparently, he was one of Tsu'tey's first pupils and a member of his old 'let's kick out the dreamwalkers' bandwagon. His hair was cut in a similar fashion to Tsu'tey which is what gave me the impression he'd returned but smaller wisps of hair stuck upwards to accentuate the mohawk style while he wore the usual hunter's garb.

I felt like a tiny tapirus under his intense gaze and meekly piped up, "Hello-"

"You should go away with your kind, you don't belong here" he spat harshly without reserve and I sighed mentally for getting Tsu'tey Jr. here. Man, I thought we were socially accepted by now but I assumed wrong. And why was _I _the only one getting picked on? Nobody else put in a complaint so far about getting the third degree. There would always be those small percentages in population that refused to give in to the new way of life and I served as the target sign.

"I'm sure the second I shot at them to protect the clan, they decided to name me 'traitor' and shoot me dead on sight" I stated sardonically in an attempt to get him to back off since I was looking for peace here. Plus, I didn't want to get beat up when I couldn't fight back for the life of me. The last thing I needed was another setback in my cart of problems and tried to reach a peaceful agreement, "I'm not looking for any trouble-"

He chuckled a deep laugh full of condescendence and stated, "You are nothing _but _trouble, causing an uproar for falling down on your clumsy feet-"

"I didn't ask to fall and I certainly wouldn't want an uproar caused for me" I pointed out sharply because he was irking that same nerve that Tsu'tey had worked on insistently weeks ago. Unlike Tsu'tey, however, this guy didn't know a thing about me and didn't have the right to judge me.

"You're an abomination, trying to appear like us but we can smell the rancid scent of dreamwalkers from miles away" he spat heatedly with disgust that actually struck my little fortress of feelings as he raised his nose in arrogance to signify his self-appointed stature over me. I was always going to be insecure about my appearance and the fact that an Avatar could never truly consist of Na'vi DNA alone. I made the mistake of letting it show on my face as I stared at the fifth fingers on my hands and heard him remark arrogantly, "You can _never _be one of us-"

"_Ftang!"_

I stopped to see Tsu'tey entering our vicinity with a gait that was full of hostility and saw that he took notice of what was happening. Part of me worried that he'd scold me for behaving this way with a person with rank or side with the hunter to show he still thought in that same mindset about the dreamwalkers. I didn't find the idea of being ridiculed amusing and felt like someone had already started hammering at my chest because I wanted to believe he'd side with me after the time we spent together. I needed him to side with me to know for certain that I indeed had a spot here and wasn't being lulled into a false sense of security. My feet started moving backwards toward an area where people walked by as involuntary survival instinct kicked in but Tsu'tey halted me with a hand to the shoulder.

He was siding against me, wasn't he? My ears flattened against my head immediately to being cast aside once again but instead, he stated firmly, "Stay behind me."

Tsu'tey was agreeing with _me_?

I didn't get to say a word as he hissed at the other male, "Are you antagonizing my student?"

The other man raised his brow in similar surprise to my own but a smirk hitched at his lips a second later as he drawled smugly, "My, I thought you would be the first in line to put a dreamwalker in their place. You've been going on about it since they arrived-"

"Time changes and if you have nothing good to say, I highly suggest that you take your leave" Tsu'tey interjected sharply with that fearsome authoritative tone of his while I blinked at his back like a child that was watching an intriguing fight between two cats. The hissing between the two kind of added in to that effect but I was in shock that he wasn't scolding me. He was defending me against a man who carried such similar traits I'd seen in him weeks ago and my respect grew for him. No, I wasn't about to pull out a bright yellow halo and the glowing lights with a hallelujah track but here was a man that hated me intensely months ago and now. . .he was protecting my right to stay here.

"These offworlders are changing you, Tsu'tey, and not for the better" the hunter sneered derisively and I managed to shoot a glare at him by poking my head out to the side. How dare he insult Tsu'tey? He was the best in the clan and well respected. . .oh, I'm cheerleading for him, aren't I? The man eyed me with contempt in his narrowed eyes and snorted, "Is it because she's female? I didn't think your tastes would lower to such inferior _creatures_."

I welcomed that spark of rage I hadn't felt since I told off Tsu'tey weeks ago but this time, it wasn't aimed at him but to _defend _him. My mouth was ready to spill out a few vulgar words for this jerk but Tsu'tey beat me to the punch by stating coldly, "If you think I am swayed by the opposite gender, then you are sadly mistaken. Joanna is my student and I will not have her harassed by anybody. As a hunter, you should be ashamed for treating a female, regardless of origin, like this."

Instinctively, I sought for his right forearm when the other man leaned forward with an aggressive stance but I had no reason to worry. My lips held back a yelp when Tsu'tey snarled at the man in a way that made his teeth look more lethal than a thanator's and found myself scared of _him _rather than the hunter. However, it only served to assure me that he'd win this round. His voice deepened as he leaned forward with a stiff hostile posture to threaten, "One step further and I will show you why _I_ am the best warrior in this clan. Do _not _tempt me, brother."

My heart pounded in my chest as my eyes darted back between the two shoulder tense males and for a moment, thought the man would agree to a fight. Imagine my relief when his posture relaxed in defeat but his scowl was anything but friendly as he lost the argument. The Omaticaya had their spars but in controlled settings to be monitored by the Olo'eyktan, they weren't a war-like people like humans led others to believe. I wanted to exclaim in triumphant exploitation when the man turned heel to leave us be but knew that would appear more immature on my part and Tsu'tey would be disappointed in me. I was a reflection of his teachings after all (just like that other hunter) and despite he was arrogant in his own right, it wasn't to minimize others.

I stood dumbfounded to Tsu'tey's vigilant behavior as he stalked the other man with the eyes of an enraged mama toruk as he walked away from us. At this point, I could understand why Jake had been skittish around Tsu'tey when he first gained entrance among the Omaticaya. I mean, he scared the daylights out of me during our old training but to literally fight him, I think I'd be running for my life rather than risk touching him- he'd probably rip off my arm and beat _me _over the head with it. My eyes could trace every muscle of his back that clenched in protectiveness and a small smile formed on my face for his stand next to me as he shielded me from anyone's sight. I'd _never _felt such protection in my life.

"You defended me" I murmured faintly in disbelief as my eyes watched the rude hunter fade into the concealing bushes of the forest. I couldn't believe Tsu'tey of all people vouched for me when months ago, he would've been the first to rally a riot against me with torches. It was time to assume that times were changing since he wasn't throwing me to the viperwolves alone and appreciated having his support. It was a little overwhelming but if he was being truthful, I would need some time to absorb everything.

"Yes, I was there" he pointed out dryly and I gave him a wry glance for the smartass comment. Sharp as ever, wasn't he? Of course, he meant it as an innocent jest which I allowed to slide by and Tsu'tey stated firmly, "You are my student, your actions reflect my reputation as a teacher. Also, females are to be respected no matter what ranking they hold."

I nodded quietly to his firm stare since he seemed to be lecturing rather giving an opinion and bit my bottom lip before admitting hesitantly, "I thought that you'd side with him since. . .well, I'm not really one of you-"

"You are" he sighed to my doubtful nature and patted the top of my head to assure me of it. He knew humans were sensitive creatures that expressed physical emotions more than the Na'vi did and resorted to awkwardly patting my head to ward off worries. To most, it made me appear like a child but Tsu'tey was trying to understand aspects of my old life and I appreciated his thought, even if patting was the most he could come up with (I cherished his output though). His people didn't touch unless they were good friends or family and most of the time, it was done in private within their residential platforms so I counted myself lucky. His gaze softened despite his stoic facial features remained and he assured me, "You're trying your hardest to gain entrance and that's something the tawtute species failed to do. You are _not _one of them."

A disgruntled groan left his lips at the sight of my cheesy and appreciative smile as I preened playfully, "Aw, you're just a big softie deep inside-"

"Joanna."

"Okay, but thank you either way" I piped up happily with a small polite dip of my head and began to walk towards the base of Hometree. Before I took two steps, his hands were on my right forearm in support and I laughed softly to his attentiveness, "I was hoping you'd forget for a second there."

He snorted at my wrong assumption because nothing betrayed his senses and I aimed a friendly smile at him to offer, "Anyway, join me for a snack? That whole confrontation turned me away from sitting anywhere nearby and Cheryl left a few fruits in our alcoves since we were working on personal belongings racks for each other- don't even ask how mine is coming along- so I'm sure I can make a nice colorful salad."

"I accept" he replied politely and I smiled cheerfully as the sourness of the prior incident left our memories. We began our return back to the base of Hometree and my eyes began to take sudden fascination with buzzing insects of metallic teal that flew over my head when he asked out of the blue, "Was I really like that?"

I turned to him with a puzzled blink but burst into laughter at the sourpuss expression on his face. He shifted his lips into a serious frown since he was being directly open with me and I halted my laughter immediately to cause no offense (although he looked as if he'd swallowed a lemon). My eyes stayed on him as he pondered aloud with an analyzing tone, "I know I'm not the most easygoing or friendliest, nor do I want to be, but. . .was I?"

"You're not supposed to be friendly, you're Tsu'tey. . .but back then, yes" I admitted easily to that period in time and patted the top of his hand with my free one to reassure him. Tsu'tey may have that arrogant streak after honing his skills to perfection but inside, he was like any normal person with flaws in self-esteem and that was something I didn't want anybody to have. With a supportive smile, I pointed out gently, "Tsu'tey, you're not going to be mega friendly like Norm or crazy like Quaritch," he gave me a confused blink and I sighed to inform, "You know, buff military man that looked like a thanator ran him through. . ."

He gave an acknowledging 'oh' and I nodded in success to continue, "There are things in your past that you need to resolve and sometimes without knowing, you may act irrationally. You realized what you were doing and stopped it before things went too far because you knew better. Case closed. Now, if you're going to start picking at your _personality_, I'll be left with a shell of a man that has no diversity whatsoever. You're Tsu'tey, a ruthless warrior, a stubborn man, an on-the-side jewelry mak-"

"You promised not to say a word!" he nagged instantly as his free hand clamped over my mouth to silence me and I laughed aloud to his protectiveness on letting it slip out. He let go when I quieted my muffled laughter but instead of continuing his scolding, his face softened and he glanced at the ground to mumble out faintly, "Thank you."

"I really like this side of you, not the mother viperwolf part but your friendliness" I admitted modestly since it was rare to hear a thanks or note of apology from a man like he and would file away each one I received into memory. Tugging him onwards, I stared at the sky with a Cheshire grin and piped up giddily, "Can you be my friend?"

"I am your _teacher_" he reminded matter-of-factly and I nodded quietly with a small dip in my ears at having my fun ruined. True, just because he was playing nursemaid to me didn't automatically make him my friend for life since he was supposed to remain objective in my teachings. I could hear the feigned irritation in his voice as he sighed dramatically, "Yes, I will be your friend. . .now stop putting your ears down."

I let a girlish squeal escape my throat and squeezed his arm with both of my hands. He gave me an awkward stare for the emotional and physical display which prompted me to excuse it with a sheepish smile, "Old Earth habit."

* * *

Three days later, I smiled mischievously as I wandered outside the entrance of Kelutral after giving the children snacks while their parents went about their daily routines. I didn't spend much time with them as I would've liked to since I couldn't carry the babies or the toddlers, and I loved holding their little bodies close. I'm sure it was the estrogen in me that melted my heart into a liquid puddle whenever I glanced at the little souls with their large golden eyes and it hurt to see their little fingers stretched out only for me to tell them I could no longer carry them. The cooks helped me by fixing the leaf plates so I could just hand them over to each child and supervise them until they were finished. Of course, they were happy to eat besides me and chattered about anything but when they finished, I had to reluctantly tell them that it was time to return to their families. I can't even begin to describe their sullen little round faces and I won't.

I didn't like being sad over what I lost and to make it up to myself, I was going on a walk. Not a little walk around the clearing but a breezy, _long _walk through the forest. Of course, I had to get Tsu'tey on board because I didn't want to give the man a heart attack for losing track of me and that's where I was headed. Usually, he could be found at the base around this hour since snack time during the highest point of the sun meant he'd be working on a chore. There was nothing the man wouldn't do for his clan and I understood why everyone held him in such high regard, almost like their current icon for the clan (I'm sure Jake would start melting into their minds soon). At the same time, he also needed to enjoy his leisure time and learning at night for extra knowledge wasn't going to cut it with me.

Bounding up with perky steps in my gait, I approached him as he dipped arrowheads in neurotoxin to help the hunters that would go out to hunt today. Max and Norm sat next to Tsu'tey and I gave them a smile in greeting as I sat next to my concentrating teacher. My eyes brightened up as I watched him dip the thin arrowhead (for precise puncturing of prey's muscle tissues- particularly the heart) in a bowl filled with the dark paste and almost forgot why I came here in the first place. I really should get my mind to focus on one specific task more often. Tsu'tey halted his work and before I could ask, his fingers snapped my mouth shut. . .which I didn't realize had been open the whole time. Without glancing at me, he stated matter-of-factly, "How many times must I tell you to keep your mouth closed when I am working with poison-"

"But it's harmless to us and you said 'don't inhale when it's boiling or you risk getting burned, lightheaded, and nauseous'" I pointed out with a deeper mimic of his voice and heard light snickering from the other men. I shot them a small glare as I pouted indignantly, "I'm not _trying _to be funny. It's what you told me."

Norm coughed in his laughter and remarked amusingly with a witty grin, "See, talking like that actually makes it _sound _funnier."

"Don't make me poison dart you" I muttered since I'd been wondering if they could be made since Earth used them long ago. I'd heard other clans used them here on Pandora but the Omaticaya were solely reliant on their arrows and they should be with the way they flawlessly fired them.

I'd seen ikran with different colors that resembled desert landscapes fly in once in a while and curiosity poked my mind about them. Ikran colors varied greatly within each landscape and there were certain color schemes that each environment filtered into the evolutionary genetics of each ikran type. Forest clans varied from light greens and earthy browns to bright aqua and teals to relate to the rich environment. The clans to the north where deserts were common, ikran held the lightest of neutrals within cream and ecru to deep mahogany of canyon resemblance to the dark grays of rock caverns. Sea clans, like the Atykwe, held the lightest of sea foam greens and whites (where cliffs of pure chalk deposits existed) to deep marine to mimic the water and seashell pinks to match the hue of sunset for evening hunters. Eywa was practically a decorator herself with all the hues she created.

Cheryl, being the type that never gossiped but inadvertently heard it all, had told me in confidence that Jake recently opened trade routes with nearby clans for supplies. Unfortunately, I never saw or heard anything from the Atykwe which got me in a slump whenever I heard a clan had dropped by. I wanted to see or hear from them but at the same time, I became worried that I might be attaching myself to the Omaticaya or what if they didn't come for me? I was walking a two-way street but eventually, a car would have to knock me into the right lane with my ultimate decision.

Max, being the chatter type, chopped up pieces of light brown bark and dark green leaves that would go into the next boiled batch of poison since it took days of boiling and straining to create the special concoction. His dexterous fingers didn't miss a beat of their perfect slicing as he spoke up enthusiastically, "I've been wondering how to make one of those. This plant renders the entire nervous system useless by blocking neurotransmitter reuptake and constricts the victim to death with its own organ malfunctions. I've heard of cardiac relaxants that-"

"Don't get too ahead of yourself" Norm pointed out with a wagging finger as he handed Tsu'tey another arrow and the man took it without a word, focusing his whole attention to his own task. Honestly, he looked like a diligent schoolboy at this point. Norm held up his index finger in emphasis and reminded slowly, "Remember step number one: make a question and _then _build your hypothesis. Don't just skip to testing instantly, it'll backfire horribly. You're a Doctor, Max, this is like rookie mistake number one. Besides, we already got enough when that smelly mold grew over the lab table and sickened the assistants. . .although it was funny."

"Yeah, I'm sure Peyral doesn't want me dead by a poison prick than between an ikran's jaws" he chuckled nervously and I gave him a supportive smile since he would be the first to attempt Iknimaya. I was proud of Max and he should be too because he was working extremely hard out of all of us (especially me because I was doing squat, I was the lowest of the low). From what Cheryl told me (see?), Peyral had opted to use her own ikran to test him physically in the clearings with what he may face and I had to hand it to her for ingenuity. Personally, I hoped Tsu'tey _wouldn't _aim his at me when the time came. I've only seen Swizav once, that day during the forest battle, and he scared me shitless on the spot.

"You'll do fine, so perfectly fine that you'll nab an extra one with all the training you've gotten" I assured adamantly but scratched the top of my head a second later since it made absolutely _no _sense whatsoever. Hmm, I needed to think deeper on my words before I spoke aloud and embarrassed myself like this. My shoulders slumped to my verbal faux pas and I mumbled pathetically, "Okay, that didn't come out right."

The men burst into laughter and I feigned an offended look but it brightened them up so I put up the charade to keep their spirits merry. The bitter smell of the poison paste got into my sensitive nose and I wrinkled it slightly as I patted Tsu'tey's shoulder for attention, "I'm taking a walk."

He shot me a quick puzzled glimpse and drawled listlessly, "And you're telling me because. . .?"

"I'm heading into the forest" I spoke with a blur of hasty words and a nonchalant air before standing up with the same speed to get me moving. I waved to the others innocently as I tried to speed away (but of course, failed horribly) with a farewell, _"Bye, fellas!"_

I could already hear the hasty kick in his footsteps as Tsu'tey caught up to me and he was at my side within seconds to demand shrilly, "Are you insane, woman? You can't run or hold a weapon-"

"Are you offering?" I asked with a sickly sweet tone to see if he'd agree to chaperone my escapade for today. His face contorted into one of rage, irritation, and disbelief, in which I almost rethought my idea completely just to avoid a verbal explosion but his shoulders slumped in defeat and he nodded quietly. I clapped my hands giddily, unsettling him with a rapid blink in his eyes to the unknown Earth gesture, and cheered, _"Oh, goodie!"_

"Please, no more tawtute language" he groaned miserably with a small exhale of air and I nodded amusingly to give him a light push to the back to get him moving towards the south. I was glad to have him onboard and wouldn't waste time as we began our adventuring. Of course, Tsu'tey had to burst my optimistic bubble with a dreary joke, "Where are we going so I can know whether we will return at all."

"Tsu'tey, I'm not leading you into a thanator's nest" I nagged to his irrational logic that I was that crazy because finding a huge sense of adventure wasn't top priority for me. Right now, it was a little itty bitty teaspoon of it. I adjusted my handy satchel since I'd packed it with food (none that was too aromatic because dying by an animal mauling wasn't on my to do list) and brought up guiltily, "Actually, there _is _something I need you for."

If he had eyebrows, the left one would've risen right now as he gave me a sidelong glance of intrigue and I felt tinier under his gaze, explaining sheepishly, "There's a place I always wanted to go to since I arrived here but being an anthropologist, I was denied from exploring too far from Hell's Gate. Neytiri told me where it is and if you could guide me there, I'd be most appreciative."

His eyes scrutinized me from head to toe to see whether I was toying with him but I was pretty serious since I had no sense of direction. Like I said, humankind was heavily dependant on technology for everyday life. My feet shuffled the dirt underneath them (did I mention I finally stopped wearing my boots?) while my tail shyly curled around my left ankle and I patted my satchel to pipe up with my bartering skills, "I'd be happy to compensate your time. I have food for a snack, pieces of candy, pieces of colorful string- oh, and this spinning top that the kids gave me-"

"I'll go. . .just _never _mention children" he agreed instantly with a light tensing of his shoulders and I rolled my eyes at his strange quirk of hiding from them while the tykes loved him. He was weird; I was weird; we were all kinds of kooky ingredients in a mixture. While I conjured up the image of Tsu'tey being dragged off by the tail by a bunch of sticky handed children, he broke in to inquire, "Tell me where it is."

I proceeded to do so with every detail that Neytiri had given but by the end, the look on Tsu'tey's face didn't seem too excited. If at all, it seemed the opposite of that. My ears flattened at having my destination pulled away with every furrow in his brow as he gave me an uneasy stare and I asked meekly, "What's wrong?"

"Nobody's really been there since. . ." he began uneasily with an uncomfortable shake of his shoulders and his words faded into an awkward clearing of the throat.

I knew why the marked location made him iffy and nodded quietly to propose an alternative, "I understand, I do. But this is something I've wanted to see for ages and if you could just point in which direction it is, I'll go on my own."

"I thought you _needed _me?" he pointed out haughtily with a small smirk replacing his uncertain frown and I narrowed my eyes instantly to his perfect nitpicking at my words. The man may not speak as much as I do but he knew exactly what to say when he _did _open his mouth.

"Yes, but I'm not going to be an inconvenience-" I started defensively to protect my pride from depending solely on him since I strived to be completely independent. I may be weak as a kid right now but that didn't make my behavior worthy of a newborn.

"You need to be more assertive" he suggested with a small snort and I clenched my fists at the smart-alecky remark.

"Coming from my number one complainer when I was?" I joked matter-of-factly to his old mindset since he nagged nonstop about it back then and smacked his thigh with the tuft of my tail. It was best to nip that cockiness in the bud before it sprouted and grinned at him with the same liveliness to get my answer, "Just point the place out and I'll take it from here. Sure, I'll more than likely get mauled by a viperwolf on my way there but the trip will be worthwhile anyway-"

"You're not making this easy for me, are you?" he sighed under his breath and before I could react, his right hand grabbed my satchel to pull it clear off my shoulder and placed it over his own. I gave an indignant 'hey' for being robbed of my own property so easily but he squashed my protest by pointing out simply, "It's best that I carry this because if a situation arises, I'd rather use this as decoy bait than you."

Hmm, didn't I tell you he was showing that softie side that wanted to stay locked inside? I twiddled my fingers innocently but my voice was anything but that as I preened, "So you're. . .?"

"Keep walking."

* * *

I breathed in disbelief as I murmured, "It's actually here. . ."

"More or less" Tsu'tey stated simply and walked ahead to where the remains of Grace's school, the first school on Pandora, stood on half rotting beams as parts of the ceiling caved in on the eastern section from years of lack in maintenance. It was a stark reminder to what human diplomacy had turned into. If there wasn't money involved, you were taken under Earth's wing as an ally; if you had something they could gain financially, they would wrench it from your dead hands while playing the injured party (case in point, being 'savagely attacked' by the Na'vi when humankind was destroying their world in the first place). This was the kind of stuff they showed on news reels on Earth, except they left out the parts in which the RDA originally started the hostile actions.

I followed after him to not be left behind and almost winced at the creaking whine the wood gave when my feet went over each stair. Pieces of broken wood that lay scattered on the walking platform threatened to give my bare feet splinters but I hastened my steps toward the front double-door entrance. The first thing I noticed were bullet holes riddling the rotting wood as pieces lay broken inside the school floor that should've originally been a part of the center of the door and turned to Tsu'tey to ask softly, "Is this where they. . .?"

He hesitated slightly, eyes wandering over the cracked doors once more before answering, "Yes, my day for class was the morning before so I was not here when it happened. I feel ashamed that I wasn't here to protect the children and youngsters that studied, anger that the tawtute fired on innocents, on our clan heiress-"

"She was supposed to be your mate, am I correct?" I asked quietly but I already knew the answer from Nitari herself during one of our talks at the Tree of Souls. She'd told me all about the arranged pair of Sylwanin and Tsu'tey but her untimely demise wrecked havoc on the clan's hope for the future which caused an unprepared Neytiri to step into her sister's role to take over. The RDA created so much damage within short distances and I found it atrocious that they would justify all of their actions with stupid excuses relating to sudden attacks and the need for money. True, Earth was in shambles but the multinational companies that influenced the government wouldn't hear of alternatives that didn't gain them money. I mean, was it that hard to go back to the days when you traded goods for goods? Honestly, humans were so wrapped up in their personal luxuries and plastic cards that they didn't care about anything else. They'd rather keep their last dime than donate it to a worthy cause when ages ago, people rallied to help others; nowadays, people _beat _people to get that dime! It was a shame what economics had turned people into when compared to previous centuries.

My viewpoint no longer belonged to a human's outlook as clan life accommodated their mindset into mine and stated sharply, "You have a right to be angry, nobody should harm civilians who can't defend themselves. Grace protected them by hiding them under the floorboard traps that led to a river bank, ingenious of her, but the ones who antagonized the RDA weren't so lucky to escape."

I opened the doors as they creaked loudly under my fingers as if forcing the grim reminder onto me but he opened them fully since my strength was lax. A solemn sigh left my lips as I saw pieces of tattered children's drawings hanging limply from the wall as years of rainwater stained them and contemplated softly, "They should have taken their ikran, Tsu'tey. You never attack humans without easy access to quick escape. They fight dirty and unlike you, won't waste their breath on eliminating one of their own kind, like Grace, to finish their goal. The RDA trains them to think like predators, cold-blooded sharks that only see how to reach their objective without a care for the rest. They're no longer the kind of military that stood for honor and justice for a right cause. Most of them are back on Earth. They don't care if a teacher is there, protecting children, or trying to shield a band of warriors that made that life costing mistake. Both sides provoked and the end result severed the possibility of peace. Any peace."

My feet could feel the tiniest specks of moisture on the ground from mist that fell during the early dawn and briefly wondered if there were any animals living in here. Despite the dilapidation, it made good shelter for small creatures. I studied the broken walls as I passed them by and asked, "Nobody's been here then? Since it closed?"

"Neytiri came to find peace for her sister's death but it is not an easy experience to overcome" he replied softly as his eyes studied the walls carefully for anything out of the ordinary and I nodded silently. The entire aura of the building told us to use indoor voices as the shadows reminded us that this was not a place that held happiness anymore. I'm pretty sure that if a sharp sound or someone's voice popped in, I would've run screaming for the forest with all the strength my legs had. A dim building with stale air and no sounds simply didn't make one very comfortable. He led me away from the hallway towards another area that was in better condition and continued, "Death is a part of life, we go with Eywa when we depart this realm. All of us know this. However, most of us have rarely, if ever, died while young under such circumstances. We grow old and live enriched lives to leave a legacy with our children, our thoughts flow in the Tree of Voices. . .well, they _did_. . ."

I placed my fingers on his upper arm to give him a sympathetic squeeze because to lose such a deep connection to your past, to ancestors so long gone that you never met but could hear within that tree and to have them wiped away in an instant. . .it must've been agonizing for them. It was a part of their history, their culture, their family, a special connection that only the Na'vi possessed. Humans would never understand and at the moment, neither did I because my queue had never been exposed to it. I could hear the sigh that left his lips in the silent hallway and heard him explain faintly, "The People rarely die young and when it happens, especially like it did that day, it leaves an impact on our clan. Children, adolescents, young adults. . .none should die early before their time and especially not under weapons."

His fingers ripped away a piece of a child's drawing that consisted of blurry purple blotches (a victim of prolonged rain) and he closed his fingers around it into a fist. His eyes narrowed as the golden hue darkened to the action and he snapped with a grim and bitter voice, "Do you've any idea what trauma the children who saw all of this endure now? That, mixed in with what happened to our old Kelutral and our Tree of Voices, our places of sanctuary? What does that tell them? They have endured scars that could amount to mine and trust me, you do not want that weighing on your shoulders."

I grabbed his fist into my hands and gently pried his stiff fingers open. I covered his fingertips with my own to let him know it was all right and took away the crumpled paper before it received his anger. He didn't need to be angry at himself, nor blame himself for the past, and advised gently with a neutral face, "Then learn to let go and overcome it. All of us endure pain in our lives, some more than others, but you _cannot _let it absorb your life. It hurts, I _know_, it feels like you've been cut open with a rusty knife and scorching fire is being poured into every fiber of your being," his eyes met mine and I assumed I was getting through as I continued with a firmer tone, "You can't let them win at what they wanted, you become better and let it hearten your spirit into that strong person that they sought to destroy."

Squeezing his hand between both of mine in support, I encouraged softly, "I don't know what they did to you, your past is your own, but don't let it overcome you. They are gone, you are free from them and so should your mind. If they ever return, then you will show _them _who they have created. Someone who's crazy enough to climb into their strongest flying ship and take down their warriors with a fury to match a toruk's. You show them your rage but keep your innocence with us, within yourself."

He chuckled softly to my pep speech and patted the top of my head as I let go of his hand. I think I did a good job when his ears perked up to their highest angle and heard him speak up, "Now if you could only fight like that then you'd be set to tackle Iknimaya."

I batted the bottom of his leg with my tail for his ability to lighten a situation (although that was usually _my_ bit) as I wandered into one of the only rooms that had filtering sunlight since half of the ceiling was no longer attached. Chirps of alert could be heard from the dark corners of the room as the floorboards creaked under my weight and I noticed student desks littered the room, although some were upright and others fallen, but I was surprised they were intact. There was a large teacher's desk at the center of the room in the typical classroom setting and my fingertips immediately cleaned away a thick coat of dust that lingered on the edge.

"Eww" I gagged when I saw how thick it really was and wiped it on my teal leggings as my eyes tried to find any trinkets left in the class that were a worthwhile sight. There were posters littering the walls and I ignored the bullet holes and crinkled tears that disfigured them as letters of the English alphabet peeked through the dust along with other major languages from Earth.

Charts that depicted the Na'vi and Human body in their different internal anatomies yet similar humanoid physical appearance because Avatars wouldn't exist if Na'vi and humans weren't compatible. True, DNA tweaking was used to produce a hybrid that didn't carry abnormalities but in the end, humans and Na'vi. . .er- okay, now I dwelled _too _deeply into the procreation idea and felt blood rush to my cheeks. Yes, Avatars were indeed test tube babies but so were humans at times when natural conception wasn't possible and oh Eywa, I should stop talking- thinking! I should stop thinking _right now_!

Thankfully, Tsu'tey took my mind out of the gutter before I could travel further into that topic by asking aloud, "What is this, Joanna?"

I almost tripped over my own feet as I scampered over to him and poked my head out from the side of his shoulder since he was enthralled with whatever he found. I expected him to be holding a scientific beaker of some sort since glass wasn't found there (although Norm was studying minerals for the possibility) but chuckled at the irony of his find when his fingers hovered over a makeshift solar system. There were actually two but his hands had gone directly to the first which was the Alpha Centauri system. Either he was lucky at guessing or subconsciously brilliant.

"Your planetary system" I spoke softly as if it were a baby's mobile with its dangling painted rocks as brown twine held them in the air while crafted wood allowed them to hang from the ceiling. Did Grace make these or did she have her students craft them? I'd never know. I pointed to the green and blue rock that hung next to a large aqua colored planet to inform proudly, "This is Pandora, your home. Well, its place in the solar system, which is also a part of the vast universe. Remember how I told you about orbiting bodies around certain life-sustaining stars like Alpha Centauri?"

He nodded quietly and his voice carried disbelief when he asked, "It's this _small_?"

"Pandora is a moon, remember? Polyphemus is the large planet it orbits, we can see it now above us and its gigantic size compared to Pandora makes it appear incredibly small" I explained cheerfully at having visual props and lightly prodded 'Pandora', watching it tap against the plastic ball painted blue that was supposed to be the gas giant. Of course Pandora looked tiny, Polyphemus was huge! Nonetheless, Pandora was a hefty size in its own right when compared to Earth's tinier moon and assured his skepticism, "This is your home. The huge giant planet is the one you orbit so of course it appears huge and Alpha Centauri is your sun."

"But. . .I mean, how. . .we. . .how can we live in such a tiny thing. . ." his voice stuttered as the model stunned him but then again, anything relating to the field of science tended to do that to him. Thousands of years of alien information couldn't fill his brain so quickly and I knew I'd have to go about it in a different way.

"Space is infinite and what we perceive from our eye level isn't what's really there, remember?" I tried to put across from our first lectures when he nagged all the way (he still did on certain nights) and untied Pandora from the wooden model. The ensemble shook slightly after its stationary years of not being handled and I held the brown twine of Pandora between my forefingers to smile, "We can't see this. If we boarded a ship like the one you attacked, we could fly outside Pandora itself and truly see how big it is. All you need to know is that this is your home world and the rest of this display here is your solar system. Being the only species that inhabits this system, Alpha Centauri is rightfully yours by birthright and Earth _cannot _have a claim on it."

The corners of his lips raised slightly when I placed the small rock in his hands and he held it to his chest as if he were truly its protector. I found it very sweet but kept it to myself since he didn't like being called 'nice'. His eyes focused behind me and he asked curiously, "What about that one?"

My lips widened into a cattish grin because despite Earth had been robbed of its natural beauty, the rest of the planets were beautifully pure. I grazed the bottom of Saturn (a white painted rock with putty attached to the sides as rings) and explained, "This is where I came from. The Solar system. We have eight planets in total, unlike your three, and we orbit this bright yellow dwarf, dubbed the Sun. I don't know who came up with the name but I think we could've done better. I mean, 'Alpha Centauri' sounds pretty sophisticated to 'Solar'."

I laughed at my own joke since Tsu'tey was transfixed with the models and followed his steps from behind as he poked Neptune, "This one is yours?"

"N-o-o-o-t exactly" I drawled carefully since we weren't working with the finger paints I made to draw on leather so everything would be a little off kilter with this display. My fingers pointed to a small rock of blue-green that was wedged between a red rock and bright yellow one to explain confidently, "This one right here is Earth. We're third in line to the sun and you can see it's similar in size to Pandora except we're a planet instead of a moon. It used to be more greener in past centuries but the accumulating pollution and deforestation ruined the tree life so now, artificial ones exist to 'pretty' it up and greenhouses are set to grow what we shouldn't have wiped out in the first place. Hence, why we have so many of those handy masks around to breathe. Now, this little cardboard here is our moon. . .uh, we never gave it a name either but it regulates our seasons and ocean currents."

I crossed my arms in thought as Tsu'tey visually compared the two lumpy rocks for accuracy (that wasn't going to happen) and pondered aloud, "You know, I keep saying Pandora this, Polyphemus that, but what do _you _call it?"

His large eyes blinked at me with riddled confusion and I smiled at his lost boyish look to restate, "I want to know what _you _call your world and everything else that you see in the sky."

A sheepish glint passed through his eyes as he admitted softly, "Well, um, we used to believe in older times that the large giant overhead was a watcher of our realm, sent by Eywa but not anymore. I see now that Eywa exists between realms, She needs nobody to do Her tasks. And our sun, we call it the Heart of Eywa. Without it, life would cease to exist here and we would return to Her. Our world is simply Home, nothing more."

"And the stars?"

"We like to think they are the greatest children of the All-Mother that have graced our world and pass on to watch over us before returning to Her once more" he answered softly and darted his eyes away from me towards the opposite wall. My ears couldn't believe that a tone of embarrassment could possibly lace into his voice when he spoke faintly, "You must understand, Joanna, that our life is heavily influenced by Eywa and Her teachings. Our humble ways might seem archaic and silly compared to the tawtute, who focus on advanced technology based on facts and numbers-"

"I don't find any of it silly" I interjected softly because I didn't want him to think the dreamwalkers belittled or thought their ways were inferior. No, that was the first rule in anthropology and sociology along with all the other behavioral sciences. _Never_, and I mean _ever_, be ethnocentric in your view towards other cultures. The Na'vi had their pros and cons just like Earth did with their lifestyles but his people didn't hurt the environment. Sure, it was a lot more dangerous to survive in but they lived by the rules of natural selection and communed with nature itself. I wanted to grab a hold of his face to comfort like a mother would to her son when they were laughed at for wearing outdated clothes rather than what was in but Tsu'tey had his social construct on physical contact.

Instead, I touched the sides of his arms tentatively to ward off from appearing too intimate with his person and pointed out, "If the tawtute were all that better, they wouldn't have gotten the tsaheylu kicked out of them by Eywa during the battle and wouldn't have ruined their world in the first place. I am teaching you what I know so you can compare knowledge and make your own conclusions but not because I think I know better than you. I'd _never _think such a thing because your ways are what I want to live my life by. I want us to trade our knowledge, not because one way is better, but for personal enlightenment," I flashed him a small mischievous grin as I finished, "If the tawtute ever come back, I want you to know how to shoot them in the heart to wreak havoc on their circulation from what I taught you and while they're trying to understand how you learned to shoot a gun, I'm going to lodge a poison arrow in their upper spine to sever their motor function like you're going to teach me."

"When you say it like that, we know who's the better speaker" Tsu'tey stated with a soft chuckle that was barely audible since the man wasn't the laughing type. He handed the small rock known as Pandora back to me as he admitted quietly with a downcast gaze, "I used to think that you believed yourself superior to me when you first arrived and the reason why you wanted to hover over me during my healing. A lot of my anger came from that notion because you refused to stand down to my demands but now I see that you're simply headstrong, not arrogant," his voice lowered into a shameful tone as he reminisced, "That game you played, 'an answer for an answer'? I thought you asked questions to prove yourself superior or deceive me by gathering information to use against the clan. . .I was very wrong on all of that, wasn't I?"

He really thought I did all that? I mean, I was _five _feet tall while he was _ten_! What could my little pinky do against his? He could crush me with his! I was a scientist, not a fighter, and the thought of actually being menacing tickled my funny bone. I patted his shoulder with friendly forgiveness and chuckled amusingly, "You're very funny, Tsu'tey. Me, be a _threat_? Oh dear, I could barely defend myself back then and now. The most I could do was hurl a book. How could a little being like me hurt an entire clan? Okay, maybe if I forgot to put out a makeshift fire, maybe. . .oh, don't make me laugh in a place like this."

I batted his side with my tail to be nonverbal about the hilarity of it but let a chuckle slip out when his own returned a whack to my kneecap that tickled from the tuft of hair. With an amused shake of the head, I replaced Pandora back on its planetary system and lightly rotated Polyphemus around the sun as the moon tagged along on the makeshift stick.

"And that's how planets orbit the sun, we can't feel it but we see it as the sun slowly shifts away from day into night" I said carefully as my fingers tried to keep 'Pandora' from rotating too fast but any speed was fast for the moon to be accurate. My finger hovered over each planet in the Alpha Centauri system and piped up pleasantly, "All planets move like this in circles around the sun and the moons, like Pandora, are brought along from the gravitational pull of their corresponding planet. Like you bringing Swizav home after a hunt, more or less."

I watched the elliptical rotation until Pandora settled back in its dusty spot on the makeshift solar system and shake lightly as it regained its balance on there for a complete stop. His fingers reached out to touch it again but I stopped them with my own, reminding softly, "Careful, the older things get, the more brittle they become. Plus, with the way the building looks, I don't want the rest of the ceiling falling on us since it's hanging from it."

He listened without a word and I watched his line of sight shift towards the wooden walls that were riddled with holes and rotting wood, the filtering light cascading a somber contrast against his cerulean skin. My gaze lowered to my arms where the light drew crooked line patterns from the openings in the wall and heard him speak up, "Tawtutes enclose themselves too much, it deprives them of what lies beyond their material possessions. I've never liked being in confined areas, no Na'vi does. I found it strange when Grace told us she would teach us inside but on certain days, she would hold classes outside so we would feel happier. Other teachers would not. . .but _she _did."

Tsu'tey turned away from the window and pointed to a battered desk next to an open gap of what used to be a window, glass strewn over the dirty desk as it leaned against the broken wall for support. The left corner of his lips turned down with a small frown as he admitted, "I used to sit there, it was the only spot where I could feel remotely comfortable as I looked out into the forest. I didn't like it but I tolerated the bothersome hours to learn more about the tawtute and their strange ways. I wanted to learn about them in order to drive them away but more always came, they were like swarms."

"But they're gone now" I piped up brightly but it didn't seem to cheer him up any. Dang. This whole building was dreary and the galleria of memory lane didn't make it any better for him. I reached out to touch his upper arm tentatively with my fingertips and spoke softly, "The People are safe and if they ever come back, Eywa will help us. She knows the destruction they cause and such dips in the balance bring Her fury. Also, I know you'll fight against them without constraint and I'll be there to watch your back like when we met, remember? Although this time, don't try any crazy suicide missions in high altitude. Okay?"

I received a gentle pat to the head as assurance and shrugged since it was better than nothing. He wasn't very vocal on his emotions and the fact that he was ruminating about the past- _his_ past- to me, I felt privileged. My tail flicked sideways like a happy puppy's and I cursed mentally for not having better control of it, shooting it a small glare as a self-appointed choice of chastisement.

His voice snapped my eyes away from my troublesome appendage as he spoke softly, "Thank you for telling me your knowledge and listening to my ramblings. . .I know I haven't been the most friendly to you since your arrival and I was petty for verbally attacking you despite your obvious pleas for peace. . ."

He had a way with words that rendered me meek in disposition since all of it was true but things were getting better. I believed it to be so with every day that passed and was about to open my mouth to tell him when he cut off my words by staring directly at me and uttering those two rare words, "I'm sorry."

I gaped like a fish out of water and gazed at the floor to ward off looking like a fool since I'd never expected to hear anything like that. Tsu'tey never struck me as the type to apologize verbally since it was all public display with him and he admitted that he was an on-hands guy. Most of the time, I was the one that jabbered on while he silently worked on crafts for himself or other clan members. It wasn't easy to explain this current situation but I could feel the honesty in his words rather than just hearing it and wondered whether I was Seeing like a true Na'vi. Either that or I was digging in too deeply into something unknown or what wasn't there. All I could offer was a weak and modest slip of the tongue, "It's okay."

_That's it? Oh, Joanna, we need speaking lessons because that's just not us_, my mind berated to my sheepish and basic statement. My cheeks flushed at that since it was true and wished I could reverse time and offer something more emotional than that which could be said to any stranger walking down the road.

"No, I treated you very horrible. . .I hate what Sky People represent and what they bring because they lie through their teeth and will shoot you dead in the back once it's turned" he stated grimly and felt his fingers lightly tug at the violet beads that hung at the ends of my braids. I always left one or two behind my ears for variation since my hair was always combed back in a neat dutch braid since I was a lazy stylist. A bashful smile poked at my lips as I watched his fingertips graze the edges of the violet beads and heard him remark with a softer tone, "You and the others aren't like that, I have been seeing it quite clearly now and after realizing that laughing at someone when they're close to dying isn't very funny but heartless. . .I get the idea that I'm not a very nice person."

"You mean the whole 'ha-ha, Jake goes over bottomless cliff' or did you laugh at 'ha-ha, Joanna flies down the tree' too?" I asked carefully with a quirked brow since he came into the open with it. Even back then, I had to say that was pretty dark humor for somebody and hoped he hadn't cackled at both occasions.

"The first" he replied quickly with embarrassment lining his face and stared at the floor in a similar gaze to mine of minutes prior. A bashful hunter, who knew? I'd never seen him behave so out of character and didn't want him to feel obligated to delve further into the topic; I wasn't that cruel.

I gave him a small supportive smile since I knew he wasn't a very open person with his feelings (everyone was different) and assured wholeheartedly, "The fact that you're admitting it speaks volume to your character. You saw us as the aggressors but I can see why after what's happened in your life but at the same time, you must see between the honest and deceptive individuals. You might be stubborn as a pa'li but you're getting it so don't worry over what's already been forgiven. I'll be your friend if you'll be mine."

"I thought we already were?" he asked with confusion relaxing his tense expression and I smiled widely to his precise memory.

"Exactly!" I answered giddily and snapped my fingers for emphasis on the fact. I think I frightened him a little when his eyes widened to the action and I waved it off since Earth gestures were unknown to him. I opened my arms as I stood before him and piped up with another quirky but innocent request, "Hug?"

A perplexed blink was my response (I didn't expect any less) but I hopped over to embrace him with a peppy smile filling my face from ear to ear. I was gaining him over as a friend in a way I never imagined after all our squabbles. . .it was really happening. True, he'd done things that some wouldn't forgive easily (part of me had debated on that as well) but I'd like to think I was a better person and so far, I wasn't regretting my decision. Tsu'tey was nothing like he'd been towards me weeks ago and I was seeing aspects of him I never could have believed he possessed. I didn't expect a return hug since it wasn't a Na'vi thing but smiled when I felt an awkward pat on the back. His norms on touching were different than mine and I couldn't press my own that I learned on Earth onto him. I didn't let it linger for more than a few seconds to ward off making him uncomfortable but on my part, I was happy as a bee deep inside.

"Time to head back, teacher" I spoke aloud with a beaming smile after having put the past behind us in a similar manner as this old school had brought out its own in Tsu'tey. Two steps later, my right foot crashed through the rotten wood of the foundation and I fell down on my stomach onto the floorboards as the impact hurt my right leg immediately.

"Joanna!"

All of the time that it's been healing dwindled in half as pain shot up my hip and I felt two arms pulling me back up onto the intact floorboards for safety. I managed to stand up but held onto the back of Tsu'tey's shoulder for support as I groaned out irritably, "Take me out of here. I don't want to wreck my other leg or for you to fall through and break something too."

He politely obliged to my request and I let him lead me away as I tried to keep weight off my leg while hoping no more mishaps would be encountered along the way. I guess my idea for fun exploration was literally costing me a leg and chastised myself for being stupid enough to take my condition lightly. His voice spoke up with light amusement as we walked through the silent hallway that led to the main entrance, "I assume you never want to return here?"

"No, despite it's goal to do good, the majority of humankind showed it would rather destroy Grace's work than help it" I replied softly because it had been Grace's dream to maintain diplomacy with the natives and establish coexistence. To learn about an alien world that maintained perfect balance among its own people and the world itself but Earth's governments were too far gone for redemption. They were run by money hungry multinational corporations and nobody could stop them.

The fresh afternoon air greeted my nose instead of the stuffy stale air from inside as we walked outside into the warming sunlight and I sat on a nearby boulder, offering my thanks to him for his aid. I reached down to grab my foot for inspection and found myself taken aback when his pair of hands beat me to it. I'm sure my cheeks darkened to the fact he wasn't recoiling from me and watched his fingers graze the muscles of my ankle, fingertips pressing on certain points as they moved upwards towards my knee. I winced when he reached the center of my tibia as a sharp sting shot upwards and he stopped, contemplating whatever the health issue was and his eyes met mine to deliberate, "Just straining of the muscle from the sudden weight bearing and impact. Tread lightly and keep off it for a few days-"

"But I wanted to jog a little in two days. . .okay" I protested softly because setbacks would only worsen my delayed training but his stern stare settled the matter. All righty then, I'd be listening to amateur healer Tsu'tey today instead of nursemaid Tsu'tey. I nodded silently for his token of selfless help and offered a friendly smile to whisper, "Thank you."

"This past week has shown me that you're incredibly polite, I like that" Tsu'tey chuckled amicably to my behavior and I returned it with an endearing smile since no scathing words escaped his mouth anymore.

I hoped it would stay that way and bit my bottom lip with worried contemplation. Our time together had allowed him to pick up on my tells and he gave me a questioning look as he stood back up again with that imposing figure of his. I regained the previous smile on my face since I gained his attention and asked directly with pure honesty, "Will you still be as friendly when I'm perfectly able to train again? I mean, I understand the need to yell out orders or criticize my techniques but. . .," I paused before admitting sheepishly, "You were brutal. . .and I like who you are now."

"I will be strict but not in the rude manner I was before" he promised sincerely and I breathed out in relief to his answer. I would seriously hold him to that because I didn't want the madman in him chasing me down anytime soon or scaring me off _another_ tree. He offered his hand so I could stand up and I took it graciously as he suggested, "I'm sure Peke is waiting for a trot around the clearing."

"Lead on, teacher."

* * *

_(Third person POV)  
_

Tsu'tey could only stifle a laugh behind forcefully thinned lips as he watched Joanna's legs kick outwards while she grinned gleefully to declare, "Wheee!"

Sometimes, his student could be overly childish but it wasn't as irritating as he once found it. Quite the contrary, it was simply amusing nowadays. He tried to keep a straight face as Peke blinked at him with those innocently endearing blue orbs and the hunter patted the top of his head sympathetically to end his torture as he ordered aloud, "I think Peke's had all the 'whee' you can give, Joanna."

He had allowed her to ride Peke around one of the empty clearings behind Hometree so she wouldn't feel self-conscious about her lack of actually being able to hold onto the colt. Tsaheylu was one thing but if you couldn't keep a grip on your steed, you'd be flat on your back on the dirt and he wasn't about to let Joanna have another slip. Luckily, Peke was extremely gentle with his rider and had gone at a tediously slow pace which Joanna took ample opportunity of to kick her legs happily while patting his back with her palms since she couldn't hold onto him.

"But you promised I could ride him until sunset star- oh. . ." she remarked in protest but caught a glimpse of the sky as the faintest of pinks were coating it. Was it that late already? Her shoulders slumped in disappointment and she frowned to sigh aloud, "Time goes by faster than I thought."

She disconnected her queue from Peke's, watching the pink tendrils hide back within her dark tendrils of hair and placed it behind her back for good safekeeping. Tsu'tey's left arm snaked around her waist to pull her down to the ground but she aimed him a small glare and complained to save her dignity, "I'm not a baby."

"True, but you _did _fall today" he reminded matter-of-factly with that casual tone of his and she stuck out her tongue in retaliation as he placed her on the ground lightly. An awaiting glance was shot in her direction and she mumbled out a sheepish 'thank you' that he was gratified in receiving. He nodded to her words as he watched her tail sway from side to side, giving away all of her inner emotions, and knew he had to work on that as well. Glancing away from her towards the awaiting pa'li, he commented on her mumbles, "Much better."

Joanna smiled cheerfully at Peke and broke into baby babble as she stroked his head, receiving happy barks from the pa'li to create a strange harmony of sounds that Tsu'tey never heard before in his life. He could only stare with shocked stupor and a little unease when the colt began licking her face as if it were nectar. Did she care that her face was being covered in translucent goo? Those two were certainly made for each other, that much he could agree on.

_Although I'm sure she'll need to practice on a mare or stallion, Peke needs a few more months before he behaves like a stallion_, he thought curiously and was glad his own pa'li would never behave so outrageously. True, she bit him on more than one occasion but she fit his personality of stubbornness while Peke seemed to be blissfully happy like Joanna.

She led the joyful Peke to a nearby spot of large colorful flowers of azure and pastel yellow and the pa'li's eyes brightened (even more so) at the sight of sweet nectar. The entrapped insects only caused him to bark happily and he began to feed without another glance at Joanna, completely forgetting her existence there altogether. She chuckled to his lively enthusiasm and grabbed her brown satchel to open it (she'd taken it away from her teacher when they returned to check on the food), walking over to Tsu'tey as she did so to inform brightly, "Snack break."

"Last meal is just-"

"_Snack break!" _she enforced firmly as she seated herself down on the grass to take out her packed leaf plates with nimble movements. Tsu'tey knew that with the steed feasting to his heart's content and Joanna ready to devour her own snack, the odds of returning home were stacked against him. With a melodramatic sigh, he sat down next to Joanna with that upright posture of his and was about to pluck a blade of grass to chew on when she smacked the back of his hand in reprimand. He directed a small hiss towards her but she heckled him further by ordering, "You eat the food I brought first. _Then_, you may chew on grass."

"I don't eat grass" he pointed out defensively to the mental image of eating like a tapirus and snatched his leaf plate with an indignant 'humph' that had Joanna withholding a laugh. Honestly, the man would defend his honor to the death in regards to anything. She rolled her eyes when he grabbed a piece of niag between a small piece of bread and stuffed it into his mouth for clear emphasis to his previous statement. He always had to get the last word in and she directed a flat stare to his cocky expression.

"Don't choke on your pride" she stated nonchalantly as she nibbled on small strips of hexapede meat that had been marinated and roasted over a fire. Tsu'tey's cheeks puffed out from the food he held in his mouth and found himself blocked in the speech department which led to his defeat in the matter. Within minutes, she'd devoured her meat portion until nothing but flecks were left on her fingertips and frowned to her hastiness. Tsu'tey snorted to himself at her frumpy expression and tore off a piece of his leaf plate covering when she began licking her fingers for any lingering microscopic bits. Joanna found herself pleasantly surprised when he offered his own on the plate piece he tore off and a silly grin spread over her face for his generosity. Tsu'tey could only hope she'd catch as much game as she ate and almost winced to the volume of her cheerful praises, "Oh, thank you! Here, you can take whatever you want from mine-"

"Will do" he cut in quickly since she tended to pick the best fruit portions and yanked them out of her plate without further word. She refrained from smacking the top of his head for his own impulsiveness but decided to stay perky over what he'd given her. With a careless shrug, she nibbled on her pieces of meat while he stared and wondered how she managed to devour such an amount with such tiny little bites. It was like watching a small bird eat whenever he looked at her! He almost preferred that she swallow everything like Jakesully used to without chewing because then, she might be satiated.

Joanna caught onto his erratic staring and playfully reminded, "You're staring again."

"I do not stare, I _glimpse_" he justified firmly and raised his chin defiantly to being caught in the first place. Was his stealth dwindling down since he decided to nurse her back to health? No, impossible, he always caught his prey. . .then again, a novice like Joanna noticed. . .what if he was slowly declining in-

"Are you analyzing yourself again?" she broke into his thoughts and he shot her a small glare for being able to perceive his thoughtful gaze so easily. He wasn't keen on being deciphered by others within minutes but she squashed his insecurities by stating proudly with a silly grin, "The only reason I can identify your tells is because of the time we spend together. I have now mastered interpreting your cranky 'I'm not doing that' face to your 'I dare you to make me' glare and my personal favorite, the 'I hate that you're making me do this' face."

Tsu'tey remained silent to the childish grin plastered on her angular face and bluntly ordered to give her the brush off, "Go back to eating."

She burst into laughter to his obvious dodging but listened as she created a sandwich out of the bread, meat, and niag to bite into happily. The saltiness and blandness of the bread made a good combination as the sweet marinade masked the salt and she chewed happily with bulging cheeks. Her companion, however, thought she was spending too much time with the children and was starting to take on their immature qualities. Tsu'tey hoped she'd avoid those manners if she wanted to attract a mate one day but managed to find amusement in her playful banter. Obviously, he was the neater of the two and tended to slowly eat his food until no trace was left while Joanna was usually left with crumbs all over her hands.

_Eywa help her_, he thought with dismay when she licked the ends of her fingertips for leftover crumbs and resisted from scolding her like a father would. Instead, he stayed put while humorously agreeing with himself, _Only Joanna could be this peculiar but endearingly entertaining._

Joanna decided to watch the fluffy white clouds of the afternoon pass by slowly while the buzzing of irritated insects from where Peke wreaked havoc filled her ears. The day couldn't have gone any better if Eywa planned it herself and she was pleased that she managed to finally get a look at what and where Grace's school had been. She wished she could've seen it during its active years before it was destroyed to shambles but better late than never.

Finishing the rest of her snack plate, she wiped her hands clean with a merry smile now that her stomach was filled with yummy nutrients and noticed that Peke had plopped himself down in a shady spot underneath a small tree. She couldn't help but find the growing colt endearing and hoped she could one day have him as her hunting partner on the land. He really was a sweet little creature but hoped the influx of hormones wouldn't get him too rebellious against her.

_He won't be that bad, I mean, look at Tsu'tey's pa'li, that mare scares the crap out of me and she's female_, she thought absentmindedly to safeguard Peke's friendly image and refused to believe he'd change with time. _My Peke will be nothing like that._

She pulled out two pieces of naxa fruit from her satchel and threw one to Tsu'tey, snickering when it bounced off his left shoulder since he was drinking from his canteen. Water spilled onto his face and he shot her a heated glare as her fingers picked it off the floor with an innocent smile aimed at him which he didn't buy for a second. She let it linger on for two more seconds but by that time, he was wiping his chin clean to save face.

"Let me ask you a question" she piped up as she bit into the fruit hungrily as if the last snack hadn't filled her stomach and licked the liquid before it fell from her lips. Tsu'tey could only raise his brow in amusement to her eating habits as he grabbed his own from her hands and bit into it, except without a sloppier bite. She chewed on the piece before asking curiously, "Did you always expect to be a hunter?"

"The Path was already decided for me" he explained slowly as he tried to remember his younger days in regard to the question. Her brow raised in curiosity but he could see that her expression plainly read that she wanted to know what he could spare. Well, he might as well start somewhere so they could open up further about their pasts and keep building that imaginary bridge she talked about. He glanced down at his fruit as if it held all his answers as he reminisced softly, "To be honest, during my childhood, I just wanted to have an ikran and fly through the sky. I'm surprised I didn't tell my parents I wanted to _be _one when I grew up. As I developed into maturity, I trained with my elders and Mo'at saw the potential in me to grow into a strong warrior. As a young boy, I remained in training with my father and Eytukan alone until I achieved Iknimaya. From there, I was officially chosen to lead the clan and to protect our people from the growing number of Sky People but. . .life turns out differently."

She smiled sympathetically to his small narration, already picturing the heavy responsibilities on his shoulders that began early on and it somewhat answered his constant outward stoicism among others. Life was full of forked roads that had to be picked either voluntarily or involuntarily and that brought on another question, "So tell me, if you had a choice in being anything _but _a warrior, what would you be? What role would Tsu'tey play in this alternate realm?"

"Is being an ikran still an option?" he joked pleasantly and she batted his lower spine with her tail for the jest. He really did know what to say in certain conversations and she refrained from bursting into boisterous laughter since Peke was sensitive to loud noises.

"You might be too grouchy for an ikran, you might need to be a toruk" she returned the joke with a laugh and he joined her since she was the better humorist out of both. He could see that her eyes were shining for the truth of it all and doubted she'd guess his real answer due to his gruff exterior. Her expression would be priceless and he inwardly smirked at the expectation.

"Cooking and healing is not a bad option" he chuckled at the idea of being bent over a warm fire and cooking various meals for his clan. . .except rambunctious youngsters, they'd probably pull off his tail in their haste. When his mother was alive, he helped her forage after his classes with the elders and together, they would both help the cooks with making a fruit salad. By the time his father arrived, they were ready to roast the meat he prepared from his catch and Tsu'tey would then hop along behind him to learn about arrow making. Spending time with his parents were his favorite memories and maybe one day, he could repeat the same path with one of his own. Most hunters didn't learn the skills he possessed and he was proud of each one since it kept him at the top of his game.

Her face was etched in complete bewilderment to his answer since she expected something like a pa'li breeder or bow maker but a _cook_? She finally managed to make her eyes blink before they watered from their lack of lubrication and sputtered aloud as she realized this man was like an onion. You peeled one layer away and another one was there with completely different information that knocked all of your preconceived assumptions away. Tsu'tey snapped her out of the dazed stupor when he added in enthusiastically, "Although I do prefer cooking."

"You are good with food" she agreed to his private endeavor and pointed to the fruit she held, shaking it for humorous emphasis. Today had been his day to supply it for their daily wanderings and tomorrow, she'd do the same after dawn since animals were scarce which provided better pickings. Last week, she'd arrived late for picking and almost got into a brawl with a weird gopher/cat grayish creature but left when a pack of its buddies showed up. Her face broke into a wide smile as she complimented, "And you catch good ones too. . .when they _don't _fall on my head."

He laughed to her joke because her eagerness to catch them usually caused the occurrence and she resisted from spitting out what she was eating when he remarked nonchalantly, "You make a good basket for me."

She swallowed her lump of fruit mush and objected playfully, "_Hey! _You're supposed to be nicer and if it wasn't for me, your fruits would be nothing but pulp."

"I said I would watch over you but being nice has nothing to do with it" he restated cleverly with a mischievous laugh and she stuffed the uneaten side of her fruit into his mouth to silence him. She didn't expect it to actually stick but found herself pleasantly surprised when it did. His brow furrowed into a heated glare as he tried to wrench his mouth free of it but to no avail and Joanna laughed merrily as a growl settled deep in his throat.

His hands fought a futile fight with the purple fruit and she mused playfully to herself, "My, the silence is invigorating."

He was just about ready to string curses at her for the lack of respect but she took the hint because the last thing she needed was to have him asphyxiated by fruit. Also, the emotion of pity struck her since he was her friend and she didn't want the poor guy to suffer lockjaw. She leaned forward to grasp the fruit by its sides to pull it as she ordered firmly, "Open your mouth as widely as you can."

He gave a wry look that was full of mockery at the order and she took it as a sign that he already tried it himself, prompting her to sigh with another alternative, "Okay, take a huge bite to see if you can downsize it."

A fierce growl and a good chunk of bitten off fruit later had Joanna holding the brutalized offender that obtained deep fang marks while Tsu'tey massaged the sore sides of his face where the bones hinged. She bit the inside of her cheeks to muffle back a laugh that threatened to spill out as she watched him glare scornfully at the fruit, red-violet juice running down the sides of his mouth as a parting present. Joanna shook her head with a 'tsk' for his short temper and lent him a small cloth so he could wipe his face. The notion of buzzing insects flying around for the sweet juice was not something she looked forward to and wanted to avoid bites to her flesh.

Throwing the remainders of the fruit into her empty leaf plate (tapiri could eat it back home since they usually huddled near her leisure spots with expectant eyes), Joanna reached for the sides of his face to trace the tips of her fingers at that contoured connection of the lower mandible and maxillae to make sure nothing had unhinged. She knew she was breaching that boundary of personal space again but she didn't want him to end up with something wrong and not know about it. He was meticulously vigilant of her since the fall and she'd return the favor without question. His eyes scrutinized every inch of her face with silent demand as to what she was doing, studying each bioluminescent dot as if it held mischief in its own right. Joanna resisted from rolling her eyes to his suspicious nature since it was only skin contact, not as if she were performing a physical exam on him, and informed with a listless tone, "I just want to make sure nothing is wrong with your jawbone."

Nope, perfectly smooth.

She patted his right cheek like a doctor would to a baby who just got an inoculation and assured cheekily, "You'll be _fine_, you big baby-"

"I'm no child. . .my rank says so" he snapped astutely to being deemed as such and she simply gave him that same flat stare again.

_Why does she keep staring at me like that? I'm obviously giving the only logical argument_, he thought assuredly about his mindset and raised his cat-like nose into the air to regain that superior aura about him.

"Rank has nothing to do with behavioral traits or mental maturity" she pointed out smartly about the unique traits of every individual and he growled at that aspect of her personality. Her ability to rationalize everything might just tempt him to be a better speaker just so he could win the majority of their discussions.

He ignored her comment and to keep his intellect from being dwindled any lower, whistled to Peke to summon him. Joanna simply let it slide, allowing him to keep that dominance that men needed about being right but it was okay. She was happy letting him be the strong one of the two (because he truly was without question) while she could be. . .um, no, they were both smart in their own ways. . .hmm. The nagging one? The clown? The peppy one?

_I'll go back to that later_, her ego evaded in self-preservation and she fixed all of the stuff they'd brought back into her satchel since littering was also frowned upon in the clan. Unless it could decompose, you were to return your 'trash' back to Hometree for proper destruction (usually by burning it). Her fingers found a bundle of leaf covered candies at the bottom and she could see the pink confection peek through as her eyes rummaged through the small area of the satchel. Pulling them out and licking her lips at another savory tasty treat, she piped up to him, "Candy?"

"Is there something you don't have in there?" he asked dryly to her endless supply of items but took one from her hand with a polite nod, uncovering the small leaf to reveal a pink wad that held a piece of dried red fruit inside. Hmm, he rather liked these and with his impassive mask in place, chewed on his piece to please his sweet tooth without anyone being none the wiser. Joanna and the children liked those along with others that had fruit preserves in the center to give it a gooey texture. She never tired of finding new crafts to take part in and the result of strengthening her bond with the children and other clan members was rewarding enough.

Joanna almost snickered aloud at the trap he just set with his snarky question and teased smugly, "Well, I don't have _you_."

Tsu'tey managed to avoid choking on the candy because to him, the words sounded anything but humorous. Joanna could only blink in surprise before slapping his back worriedly to straighten his spine and he swallowed the candy whole in effect to it. She mumbled a meek 'whoops' for almost making him choke because that's not what she wanted at all and he managed to wheeze raggedly, "_Never _say things like that."

"What? It was a _joke_! I'm not really going to stuff you in the satchel! If you think-" she retorted instantly since all she wanted to do was make an innocent funny, not cause him to accidentally choke to death in the middle of an empty clearing. Oh, she might as well shut her mouth completely since her banter usually tended to step on topics that weren't funny to him. Darn cultural boundaries.

"It sounded like wooing material, Joanna!" he exclaimed gruffly as he tried to maintain a steady voice on the subject but was failing horribly as the last word cracked in his voice. He was already a man of few words and most conversations he partook in didn't relate to courting the opposite gender. Sylwanin was gone many years prior so he was rusty on such conversation and Neytiri never really seemed to take a particular liking to him (respect, yes, but not affection). He hoped that for Joanna's sake, she wouldn't open her mouth and spout off such words in the company of men or else she would really find herself in a bind.

Realization dawned on her face and she blanched at the idea that he thought that she- oh, good heavenly creators, _no_! Tsu'tey expected her to be bashful on the touchy subject like most women but Joanna was the opposite by balking and exclaiming embarrassedly, "Eywa, _**no**_! I've barely been here for half a year and you think my first mental itch is to get a man? And you, most of all? Oh goodness, all I meant was a joke. A normal, _platonic _joke! I sometimes forget that Earth jokes are different here due to culture."

She broke into embarrassed but amused giggles at the impossible idea and Tsu'tey's ego took a severe hit since he expected her to blush and hide her coy face behind a dainty feminine hand to deny it. Then again, his companion wasn't born a Na'vi and she wasn't as delicate as others. Still, his pride itched to regain the upper hand (and save face on his manhood) and he demanded defensively, "What? Am I not good enough?"

Her face softened because she didn't mean to sound cruel in any way and carefully explained, "I don't mean to sound rude, you just caught me off guard, plain and simple. I told you a month or so back that I wasn't looking to court or 'woo' anyone. My first priority is to join a clan and be accepted, Tsu'tey. Besides, I'd think your hordes of admirers in the clan would be enough to satiate that ego of yours. Do you _really _need one more in the crowd just to stroke your ego?"

Peke, being innocently naïve, decided to intervene by licking his rider's left cheek for attention and Joanna gladly gave it to him with an onslaught of her baby babble. Her golden eyes glittered as she cooed perkily, "Do we head home now, Peke? Hmm? Do we?"

He gave a happy bark with a lively sway of his tail and while she stood up to wipe off any grass blades that stuck to her leggings, Peke trotted over to lick Tsu'tey's face which caused the man to frown instantly at the saliva left on his skin. Obviously, he didn't hold the same enthusiasm as Joanna and halted the colt with a simple command. Joanna laughed with amusement to his disgusted face and pointed out sweetly to rub it in, "Peke just loves you, that's all. He does that to everyone."

The hunter simply wiped his face with the back of his right hand and grimaced to complain curtly, "Well, can he love me a little _less_?"

Again, she ignored the wisecrack and patted Peke's backside to let him know tsaheylu would take place but before she could form the bond, Tsu'tey yanked his antennae out of her hand to refute, "_I_ will be leading Peke back-"

"But _I_ know the way" she interrupted sharply since horse riding was all she could do from her old training and it made her feel less adequate than she really was. Did she really need to see his flawless riding skills in action to make her feel more like a baby?

"You have a good chance of tearing the healing muscles if Peke is startled and trust me, just about _anything _scares him" he pointed out sharply and connected his own queue with the colt's without further notice. Joanna objected loudly to her colt behind manhandled in that manner (he was _her_ baby Peke, after all!) and a second later, Peke demonstrated his agreement when he flung Tsu'tey clear off his back and onto the grass.

_That's what happens when you try to be macho_, she thought dryly to his persistence on being right but wasn't mad about what he'd done. He just tended to be a little overprotective over her health and despite she appreciated it, he _could _tone it down a little. Peke merely snorted through his nostrils in triumph before trotting over to Joanna to nudge her neck with his snout, making his preference very clear to the fallen hunter. Joanna patted his neck to let him know everything was fine and now had to clean up the mess Tsu'tey created.

She kneeled down next to him and ran her palm over his braided hair, asking softly as she tried to keep her delight to a minimum, "Are you all right? For a colt, he's really a good thrower. I think my stubborn side's getting through to him, don't you think?"

As if agreeing, Peke barked aloud and Tsu'tey grumbled under his breath with a frown, "I should've brought Aci to put him in his place."

Joanna shot him a scowl for the jab at her pa'li as she helped him sit up and he conceded to her glare with a reluctant sigh, "Fine, but any more slips and people will think I'm giving you preference."

"You already are" she stated matter-of-factly to his recent behavior and smoothed down his hair from any frizzy flyaway's while he allowed her to do so. His hair was always collected in intricate braids of the same width and she wondered how he managed to make them every day without growing tired. She was satisfied with one around the crown of her head and the queue braid, any more would have her fingers numb. Her fingers tucked back a few strands of braids behind his right ear to tidy up his look and she proposed calmly, "How about I make tsaheylu and you grip Peke?"

He stared at her with bewilderment and she suggested gently with a meek voice, "_I_ sit in the front, _you_ go in the back-"

"No!"

She sighed to his unwillingness to cooperate and eased soothingly, "If you're worried about riding the female seat-"

"I am _not _riding the female seat!"

* * *

It didn't help matters when Peke arrived at the open clearing where the pa'li spent the night in the enclosed but open pen (Peke would hate rain season when he had to stay in a closed stable- he didn't like being wet or cooped up) and met up with the older stallions. The little colt trotted to the furthest area away from the testosterone packed stallions since they barked at him instantly when he neared them but his rider returned the same bark that had him beaming with pride that she tried to be one of _them _but her partner sulked in embarrassment. He didn't understand the grumpy one.

Peke liked having a permanent rider and his was the nicest female that kept him fed and clean every day. It was almost like being a foal all over again! What else could a colt ask for? The grumpy one, however, was an enigma but he brightened up whenever his rider came along. The grumpy master's pa'li was also a fearsome creature but surprisingly, she didn't become hostile around him. He blamed it on his age but soon, he'd start growing and show the mares just how handsome he could be. The other colts were already very small compared to him and now, he was living among the stallions but he was the smallest one there. Peke hated that. Most usually frightened him away the second he glanced at them but his brightest part of the day was seeing his rider.

Her voice came clear to him through their bond, _'Don't let them intimidate you. If they bark, you bark back. If they bite, you bite them as hard as you can. You're my Peke and nobody's better than you.'_

And that's why Peke loved her.

Tsu'tey, on the other hand, immediately jumped off the pa'li as if he'd been scorched on his butt that exact second and denied Peke's existence. A band of warriors stifled laughter as they herded their own steeds into the secure pen so they could relax and sleep. It didn't make things better when he saw his clan leader among the group with a huge grin on his face. Did he ever _not _grin? And why did he have to come back from a hunt at the same exact moment when he arrived on _Peke _of all pa'li?

Joanna didn't really care what anyone thought about her colt or her being the rider but to save the man's pride, lied aloud, "Thank you for teaching me sharp turns, teacher. I'm sure my arms can handle them a little better now."

She let the men be afterwards since men talk had nothing to do with her and was heading towards the pen with Peke when a pull to her satchel nabbed her attention. Tsu'tey's hand entered her line of vision and she groaned in complaint, disconnecting her queue from Peke's as her ride ended. Jake could only grin at his crafty handiwork as he watched Tsu'tey pull Joanna down with gentleness fit for delicate glass and knew his subtle hints about Grace's school would pin the two together. Of course, he had to tell Neytiri to appear too busy to take Joanna and now, he owed her a backrub but all was well. Joanna was the type that enjoyed discoveries and with Tsu'tey being the explorer type, they fit perfectly well. . .unless they decided to kill each other, then hell would break loose all over again.

Joanna caught the pleased look on her friend's face as she peeked over Tsu'tey's shoulder and argued sharply to justify, "This is only because I'm injured."

Giving her teacher a polite 'thank you' as always, she led Peke without a lead (another thing she loved about him) towards the pen gate and kissed his snout in farewell. Sending him to bed always worried her, she felt like a mom who was sending her kid to a slumber party with bullies. She didn't want anything to happen to Peke because of the aggressive stallions and hoped there were some nice ones inside.

"Remember, you don't back down but if you have to, hide somewhere good where they can't fit" she advised with a warm smile and opened the gate to usher him inside with a gentle pat to his backside. Her ears dipped when his own antennae drooped as he stepped inside and watched him scamper off to the nearest empty space. How was she _not _supposed to feel bad? At this point, she'd rather take him back to the colts just to see him perky and not afraid.

_I'd keep him in my hammock if we could avoid plummeting to our deaths_, she thought sadly and locked the pen gate as she watched him watch her. It took all her willpower not to rip open the gate and run to him as she groaned mentally, _Ah jeez, he's giving me that puppy eye look._

Tsu'tey couldn't handle the sad scene between the two and broke her away from the area by prying her hands off the gate. The last thing he needed was having her break it open just to retrieve her crestfallen steed. He felt pity for the colt too but Peke had to learn to stand up for himself or he would never be able to stare predators in the eye and stronger prey when Joanna would have dire need of him in the hunting field. His Aci had been the same, timid and shy, but after years of experience and exposure to such scenarios, she could face a titanothere without falter.

She'd told him how humans needed physical touch to ease emotional turmoil and set aside his own cultural rules to lead her away by the shoulder, firmly cupping her right shoulder into his hand to make sure she wouldn't run back to Peke. He'd trusted her to do it right the first time, only to come downstairs to the base of Kelutral during the night and found her sleeping with a blanket next to the pa'li in a corner near the hearth. Of course, he wanted to put an end to it right away. . .but instead, he let them be and told her what had to be done the upcoming morning. The dreamwalker was growing on him as an everyday companion and he found himself liking the company since he lacked it on most days. He was used to being an independent man but he also liked the idea of being needed and Joanna fit the role.

Her fingers jabbed at the air in the opposite direction as she objected worriedly, "But Peke-"

"Will be fine just like he always has" he finished confidently on the state of the colt and led her past everyone gathered at the pens. He could already feel the clan leader's eyes trailing behind them and stated aloud to dissuade any improper thoughts, "She's injured. I'm _only _helping."

Jake stared elsewhere to take a sudden interest in a nearby water hole and thought to himself mischievously, _And how long will that excuse play out?_

* * *

**A/N**: Okay, to point out first, I've no idea what Grace's school looked like (I'd like to if anybody knows) but for now, this is all of my imagination cells at work here. As for the gutter mind moment with Na'vi+Human=hybrid, it came to me after seeing this Futurama episode where tall alien women (who looked exactly like Amazonian women while being Na'vi size) had relations with human men who were obliviously happy but ended up with casts over their crotches. It made me laugh when I compared it to Avatar. And the conflict with the male hunter was suggested way back in chapter 5 from _TopKat90_ and _mklnay_, thanks you two because I didn't forget! Oh, and I _finally _put in the next chapter titles on my profile as I straightened each event out in my outlines till the end of the first volume (I decided to break it into _three _parts instead of the two I originally planned) and found the perfect musical pieces for the moods. You know me, I love my music.

I've started to do my scratch work for the Atykwe's location by the sea and their right of passage. I've taken the idea of a beautiful chalk formation in England called The Needles and White Cliffs of Dover to give a basis of what the start of Joanna's climb will be like. Cliffs will litter the coastline of the Ikran People with resemblance to Cameron's film and other locations I've searched from Norway (_Svalbard and Preikestolen_) to Denmark (_M__Ø__ns Klint_) down to Spain (_El Hierro_) to the west towards Ireland (_Cliffs of Moher_) and over to New Zealand (_Milford Sound_) and Australia (_The Twelve Apostles _in Victoria; this one's _perfection _for the Atykwe!) back to the United States (_Kalaupapa Nat'l Park_). So now, I hear Cameron's working with the _ocean _for his next film. All I can say is, need any writing interns? Lol.

* * *

Thanks to all of your fav/story alerts, I appreciate them because it gets me going after a rough day at school. My semester's brutal but weirdly enough, I'm loving each class from studying each aspect of society (sociology) to observing children (child development) down to learning about life processes (psychology- my number one love!) and inner body workings (physiology- that one is brutal). A gracious thanks for your reviews:

_KThxBai_: And I thank you for being a loyal reviewer, it tells me that you appreciate my story and I love every reader for it.

_Crye 4 Me: _Yep, Tsu'tey is definitely getting softer. He's still grumpy but soft around the edges and yes, he is definitely an onion! The a-hole layer part had me laughing for a while. Tsu'tey's character change will be subtle as he lets go of his hate and short fuse like Nitari and Mo'at agreed but the deeper change will come when Joanna leaves.

_Taurean102: _He's like a new father right now with Joanna but the following chapters will have him easing up as she regains her strength. I'm sure Joanna's insistent mind will want him to go head on at her with training but he won't. lol.

_AvatarTingal: _Yes, they are definitely starting to trust each other slowly since they are very closed up individuals. I'm going to have the most fun with Tsu'tey's character development because I want him to become like those heroes in Na'vi history but without the arrogance he has now. And yes, Joanna will be leaving for the Atykwe which is unfortunate for Tsu'tey but it must be done for the story's sake.

_Beforethedawnbreaks: _The clashing just adds to their spice and I'm sure Tsu'tey enjoys the chase, being a hunter and all. Thanks for the kind feedback!

_CaptainJR: _Exactly, in his mind, a real man wouldn't run away from his mistakes and he owns up to them (after he's verbally thrashed about it, of course). I hope you found some worthwhile fanfics to read and ouch, I'd hate to stub my toe and drop meatloaf. Hope your aunt wasn't angry or frightened by it. Thanks for your enthusiasm on the review!

_Xio Yven: _I'm glad you enjoy this story so much, I know the feeling when I read good fics after an exhausting lecture night at school. And thank you for noticing the effort. lol. If there's any grammar issues, I blame it on my tired eyes since I usually edit after my night classes.

_Soccer11_: Yes, we finally _are _getting somewhere with the two.

_Caleb's babe_: Yeah, I like switching in between view points so everyone gets a feel of what each of them are feeling since the story's about Joanna's life events but it doesn't mean the spotlight has to be through her eyes for the whole chapter. Their attraction will bud in about two chapters when Joanna realizes hers first while Tsu'tey tries to analyze every weird mushy feeling in the denial phase.

_Kudokuchan69_: Yeah, it takes something drastic like falling off a tree to make Tsu'tey see the light. I'd hate to see what other stuff Joanna would have to do in order to prove him wrong during arguments.

_C2ruis_: Thanks for the kind review, I hope the following chapters will be enjoyable to read too. J

_Na'viWolf_: I'd love to update faster but my schoolwork is impossible this semester but I'm glad this is your favorite story!

_Worstnightmare:_ Don't worry, your review didn't sound like a flame. And yes, relationships should take slowly (especially with a type like Tsu'tey) so those two will have their shares of rollercoaster rides until official marriage. . .which isn't anytime soon.

_Jack Black:_ Yeah, when the whole clan scatters from you, that should tip you off big time. Lol. Of course, being the type that needs respect, Tsu'tey has to rectify everything but the two are on a friendly path now.

_Jellydonut14:_ I do have to agree with the maternal bonding when a woman loses her baby (that's just painfully tragic) and animals do behave that way as well when they don't allow that period to pass (cradling their dead newborn for weeks or stealing another's), especially primates. I probably should've deliberated more on the topic since it relates to the old nature-nurture controversy in my behavioral studies when it concerned primates vs. homo sapiens. With newborns, most humans will instinctively nurture since the rising hormones (mostly oxytocin, vasopressin, and estrogen, and a bunch of others during childbirth) aid the bonding process (unless the newborn is premature, there is a percentage where mothers don't bond because they believe they'll harm the neonate although research proves that it's best that they do interact). From lectures and research I've received, I've seen that when it comes to primates, they don't abandon their young when born (also PPD occurrence which isn't seen in primates) or as they grow whereas a percentage of humans do as time passes whether by adoption at birth or simply bad parenting through the years. It is human nature to nurture but there is always those small percentages in population that simply don't; there's also studies that _fight _the idea that bonding isn't crucial when the baby is born but personally, I think bonding starts the minute that baby's handed to you. I'm not really sure how to explain the large context since it deals with genetics in both humans and primates but I'm glad to learn about that concept on handling grief in the maternal ward because those are delicate situations. I'd love to work in that area, like your mom, when I finish my studies which is why I always pack on extra classes dealing with child development and psychology. I'm still learning so I don't mind getting tidbits from within the field! Thanks for sharing!

_1Timberwolf:_ Yeah, the two are definitely building their bridges now and it's hilarious to see they still overreact with one another but without the fighting like before. Thanks for loving the chapter!

_Bigoldfrog:_ I'm glad you enjoyed it, I try to make the long chapters interesting without droning on with useless conversation. I hope I can do the same with the next chapter!

_Spexatar (aka TheStabilityProject):_ You caught up pretty fast, I hope the story didn't take too much time out from your daily tasks since I know the chapters are pretty hefty. When it comes to writing action, I'm not the best but I will certainly try which I'll have to by the end of this story. I've honestly no idea what kind of writer I am but if it's dialogue, hooray! This story will definitely be more emotional, especially when it comes to poor Joanna's topsy-turvy life but for now, she'll be peppy but competitive while Tsu'tey tries to keep his pride intact before she drives him crazy. But I'm sure he'll like the type of crazy she creates since he'll be purring like a happy lion when the two are romantically linked in the future.

_OMGSMURFS: _Ha, smurfs. I could only imagine what havoc Tsu'tey would create in that realm since he'll be gigantic. For some reason, I find Tsu'tey holding an M60 hilarious since he's so old-fashioned but he'll cause hell to the RDA with it.

_DarkInuFan: _Yes, he's actually trying now without any hint of deception. And yes, Joanna has to put up with the babying which is why she called out him being a softie but of course, a proud man like him won't admit it.

_KiwiLover89: _I'm glad you liked the ending, I find Tsu'tey brushing hair pretty funny since we usually saw him beating up people in the film or chastising Jake.

_DeepBlueDragon: _I'm honored by your dedication to read the story at the risk of losing eye lubrication, I've never had such feedback for my other stories like I do with this one. I just hope the fandom doesn't die like a fad. Originally, I had two volumes for this story but I split it into three where 1) Joanna becomes one of The People- mainly the Atykwe, 2) she mates Tsu'tey (not _literally_, I'm not going rated R on the two, but in official union) and 3) where Jake and Tsu'tey resolve an RDA conflict. As for the 50+ chapters, those are for One of The People only. I'm not sure on the total number of the chapters actually since I tend to write long ones and may cut them in half to save readers eyesight so it may exceed that number. So far, I have every chapter for the first volume where Joanna leaves outlined and it's posted on my profile by chapter title so you can check it out. It also has tidbits of info on the sequel since I'm doing scratch work on the characters and plot but have no definite outline.

_TopKat90: _I try to make Tsu'tey as much in character as I can because he amused me in the film so of course, I have to make that man amusing in his own right. I'm glad I managed to pull off his self-analysis as he asked everyone around him. I just had to add in the depressed tapiri, they look so innocent on screen and with Joanna being the coddling type, they'd feel abandoned with her no longer at her usual spots. That and the yummy free food is gone for them to forage through. I used to feed birds in my backyard when I was young and my mom scolded me for it but in the end, she followed my example so when we have suitable food, we now give it to them. And yes, Tsu'tey needed to be knocked down his pedestal to see how people truly saw him since he believed himself to be the perfect man to the whole world. I appreciate your review, regardless of the length, and I hope everything went fine at the doctor's!

_Anonymous_: Thank you for the feedback, I'm glad you love this story! I wish I had a better name to use than anonymous but oh well.__

Quesadilla: Thanks for loving the chapter!

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**Next time on 'Tsu'tey, the friendly Na'vi':**

He chuckled softly, the sound fading easily under the ikran's rougher purring, and he spoke knowingly, "Ikran must first _smell _newcomers. They approach you, never the other way around. You must give them that respect because they are our counterparts in the sky, we do not command them and we are privileged to ride with them. Jakesully probably approached it before Neytiri allowed Seze to smell him since he is a curious man."

His eyes locked onto mine while he kept stroking Swizav's head and explained calmly, "I know you are curious by nature as well, even more so than Jakesully. My Swizav will immediately let you know if he likes you and it seems you passed. Otherwise, you would be cowering in fear at the moment. I'm certain the challenge of showing you why the sky is his domain has caught his own curiosity."

"So if I get near him, will he. . .you know, eat me?" I asked softly as if saying it aloud would get the animal mad at me. I soon remembered that their hearing was acute and mentally slapped myself for the slip but the ikran did nothing. It seemed blissfully unaware of me as Tsu'tey kept stroking his head with undivided attention.

He beckoned me forward again and I obeyed with a mental groan of 'why me?' until I stood beside him with itchy feet that were ready to leave. I hoped to Eywa his arms would stay around the ikran's head in case it decided to nibble on my leg at any given second. Its golden eyes scrutinized me again with uncanny intelligence and I piped up meekly, "Hello there. I think you're the handsomest ikran around and if there's another one like you out there, I sure would like to challenge it at Iknimaya."

My nervous rambles caused him to tilt his head to the side and I took it as a sign of interest. Tsu'tey began to stroke the back of its neck, moving downwards with an amused smile while I winced mentally because every step he took was leaving me with the ikran instead of him. This is _not _what I had in mind when he said conquering fear. I cleared my throat uncomfortably and blabbed anxiously, "I fell from Kelutral recently and I'm scared to be high in the sky. I've always been nervous about it and Tsu'tey thought that you could help me get my own little wings back. Being the ikran of the Omaticaya's best hunter must mean you're the best ikran around-"

At this, Swizav gave a small trill and flapped his wings a bit, puffing his own chest out, which caused Tsu'tey to laugh and inform me, "Did I forget to mention that he likes compliments?"

I grinned to the idea of an ikran having such a quality in personality and hesitantly reached out to touch its snout. An ikran was both fearsome and gorgeous, and to have one inches away from me had my heart pumping like crazy but my eyes stayed glued to it. Swizav gave my hand a cautious sniff before lowering his head for a stroke. I breathed in disbelief as my hand touched his head in gentle circles that had him rumbling his throat in content and I murmured slowly, _"Wow."_

A moment later, Tsu'tey stepped in to separate us and patted his ikran's head to order, "That's enough attention for you today."

Swizav gave a small hiss of defiance but obeyed his rider and I leaned forward to stroke the same spot again, joking aloud to ease my nerves, "He's just jealous you're prettier."

I witnessed the equivalent for ikran laughter was a small flap of the wings when Swizav did it and Tsu'tey pulled me away to lead me towards the back. I froze when I saw the ripples in the beast's back muscles and jumped back with a hesitant, "Oh no, I can't get on him. A pa'li is one thing but an _ikran_-"

"Will help you get over the fear" he insisted confidently and effortlessly attached his queue with the ikran while I twiddled my thumbs nervously. Did he really expect me to ride this creature? I watched Swizav shake his head lazily as the connection initiated and Tsu'tey glanced at me to smugly inform, "He's telling me for you to get on before you wet yourself."

"Tsu'tey" I reprimanded for the ikran's insult (seriously? They could insult you?) and rubbed my hands together in a feeble attempt to calm my nerves. I had never been this close to an ikran, nor did I expect to so soon, so I guess I should count myself lucky that I wasn't about to tame it. My feet moved slowly towards the ikran, who was now staring intently at both of us with an expression I could only describe as 'hurry the hell up'. This also brought on the question whether ikran sought riders with similar mindsets. I crossed my arms shyly as I cleared my throat to admit sheepishly, "Um, I can't climb very well."

The hunter simply feigned a look of exasperation and flawlessly climbed onto the back of his ikran in one movement as the creature merely let out a small grunt before flicking his wings upwards. How was I supposed to learn to do that? Tsu'tey glanced at me with an awaiting expression and patted the empty spot in front of him to call out, "Your turn. Jump and I will help you on."

"Jumping I can definitely do" I stated confidently since my leg muscles were in perfect working condition and jumped upwards to where he pointed while hoping my arm muscles wouldn't have to grip anything too hard. My aim was better than I thought and I landed square in the middle of the spot on my stomach but my legs, as always, dangled in the air. My tail struck something I'm sure was Tsu'tey's face and while I flopped around like a fish on land, he picked me up by the arms to settle me on an upright sitting position.

My legs were on either side of the ikran as the banshee harness pressed against my stomach and the queue antennae was off to my left where Tsu'tey connected his own to maintain the bond. I didn't have time to admire their special connection because I was wondering what the hell was supposed to keep _me _securely attached on this lizard bird! Even roller coasters had safety rails or harnesses and I had squat.

I fidgeted uneasily in my seat instantly because I didn't want to become road kill this early in the afternoon but my attempt to make a daring last minute escape was thwarted by Tsu'tey. His arm wrapped around my shoulders to keep me pinned in place, my clothed shoulder blades digging into his bare chest in protest, and heard him order firmly, "Breathe deeply. Relax. We are on the ground and I will _not _let you fall when we go in the air. Now, I want you to place your hands on Swizav."

My shaking fingers found a patch of skin between the harness and my body to rest them on. I could feel Swizav's intake of air as every muscle expanded under my fingertips until he exhaled everything to let his diaphragm relax and could hear the faintest of rumbles from within his body. This creature was truly amazing with every movement and my fingertips pressed firmly against its flesh to maintain that feeling of awe and find a sense of personal safety. As if reading my mind, Tsu'tey spoke up confidently from behind me, "He will not let you fall. Ikran are strong and call the sky their home. We are privileged to share their domain so don't underestimate him."


	14. Command The Sky

CHAPTER 12:

**Command The Sky  


* * *

**

"Rawr."

I chuckled to myself in self-entertainment as I played with my personally whittled ikran toy which I had decided to paint a royal purple since I liked the color. Yes, I was too old to be playing with toys but I could see why the kids liked it and I enjoyed occupying my time with anything. Why _not _create one? It was fun to imagine yourself flying with the creature in the endless freedom of the sky and it would be your lifelong aerial partner. I mimicked flight patterns with my creation since I had absolutely nothing to do for the afternoon and it was better than being bored to death. Parents had decided to let me have some 'me' time to heal so the little posse of children were absent today but I missed them already.

I'd grown used to their company since arriving here and missed the lack of hyper chatter that accompanied their small forms. The past months had shown me that I found children endearing, regardless if they were my own, and often wondered if I could ever be a decent parent. That whole nature-nurture controversy always picked at my mind since the nurture didn't end well for me and who knew about my genetics since I was a mix of both human and alien DNA.

"Something troubles you?"

My eyes shifted away from the ground to meet Tsu'tey's amber hue as he stood in front of me with crossed arms (impassive as always) and I offered a halfhearted smile in greeting. As the days passed, I often looked forward to his company since I was the talker of the two and could let everything roll off my shoulders while he was the quiet one that spoke up whenever he felt the need to. I liked that about him because guys that jabbered on about themselves just annoyed the crap out of me and it was a good thing he stopped it before I had to stuff a bread roll in his mouth. I showed him my ikran toy with slight shake of my fingers, sighing morosely in admission, "I miss the children's company."

"Single females don't spend time with children, they seek similar age groups" he pointed out gently and I scooted over on the boulder I sat on so he could take a seat. He obliged to my gesture with a nod (I wasn't about to let the poor guy stand) while I blew a raspberry between my lips to his statement. So what if I played with children? They were carefree and exuberant; a total opposite in comparison to adults.

I brought the toy before his face and mimicked with a grin, "Rawr."

He chuckled to the motion and placed my hand back down on my lap in which I tried to gently peck the top of his hand with the snout of the ikran toy in friendly payback. The social order didn't deter my involvement with the youngsters and I stated fondly, "I don't care about what's normal and what isn't. Look at me, I have five fingers and was born a tawtute, I shouldn't be one to talk. I enjoy their company, I don't care if it makes me look childish- I've never been one to care about what others think."

"It gives you a caretaker quality, you protect them and they trust you like a second parent" he justified in agreement which practically knocked my socks off since he usually chided me about it and I smiled at not being labeled immature by him. True, I wasn't an official 'woman' but my body wasn't a child's in any manner. For some reason, I minded more and would've taken it to heart if Tsu'tey was the one to think of me that way instead of another Na'vi.

"Thank you for encouraging me" I said softly with sincere gratitude after what he'd been helping me achieve because on my own, I'd probably be bed-ridden and riddled with chronic depression at this point. He changed our dynamics and kept the cycle ongoing as we spent our time together in this forested land that I dearly called home.

A polite smile was my reply since his quiet nature usually took over in leisure conversations, especially when in public, but I laughed when he teased smugly, "No more 'rawr'?"

"I'm pretty sure an ikran doesn't rawr but bear with me" I answered sheepishly with a small smile but nudged his right shoulder with my left, stuffing the toy into my satchel for safekeeping. I didn't want him to think I'd rather play with a little toy than seek normal adult conversation because then, he'd _really _think I regressed to my childhood.

His line of sight stared straight ahead at nothing so I knew he was in concentration mode when he didn't speak and kept my mouth shut to respect his thought process. He tended to become grumpy if disrupted so I twiddled my thumbs and glanced at a nearby duo of tapiri that nibbled on a few blades of yummy grass. I found them cute but Tsu'tey had a tendency to shoo them away into the bushes. I blamed his usual crankiness for that. After a moment, my head was turned back to its old position by his hand as he stared at me and spoke up, "Maxpatel is attempting Iknimaya very soon."

I blinked with confusion since it had nothing to do with me although everyone in the Avatar group was cheering for him since he would be the first to go at it. All of us had been giving him any extra tips he may have missed to make sure he wouldn't fail but Peyral usually scattered us away with a frightening glare and a sharp '_hum!_'. Tsu'tey extended his right hand out to me and smiled mischievously with that perfect pair of white teeth to beckon, "Come with me."

"I'm not good with unknown explorations" I hesitated meekly since his adventurous level was tracking down dangerous prey while I was content with seeing a mountain. Before I could ask about his intended destination, he firmly grabbed my hand into his to pull me onto my feet. Worriedly, I began to decline, "Tsu'tey-"

An enthusiastic grin brightened his face and he assured wholeheartedly, "Trust me, you will like this."

I allowed him to lead me away and part of me expected a long forest walk but I blinked confusingly when we headed inside Hometree. My first thought was maybe he forgot something to take on our trip but when he led me up the spiral stairway and past all of the residential areas, I froze like ice in his hand. There was no way I was climbing those branches ever again and practically pulled him backward towards the trunk of the tree. My mind was telling- yelling- at me to escape the danger that loomed there and I refused to move in his direction when he tugged my hand, objecting firmly, "I'm not going. No, no, those branches and-"

"There is another safer way" he mumbled sheepishly and I narrowed my eyes suspiciously to this new revelation. Say what now? His golden eyes gazed at the floor with shameful embarrassment that was written all over his face as he admitted slowly, "There is a small incline towards the top where the ikran sleep. How do you think we get there so quickly? We only use the branches for fun or emergencies. I. . .when I forced you to climb, I purposely led you to the branches _away _from the walkway instead of. . ."

I knew we put the past behind us but it still stung to know he'd done such things to me just to appear superior. My fingers wringed each other as I tried to focus away from feeling inferior and stupid to everything I failed to see back then. Instincts were number one and I didn't listen, opting to place my trust in a man that intentionally set out to see me fail.

"Joanna. . ."

My eyes blurred involuntarily in reminder to those awful days I spent riddled with self-guilt and felt the need to escape the situation instead of letting him see me going to shambles or even talking about it. I hadn't faced this level of Kelutral since the accident and didn't want to stay here any longer. The second his fingers touched the right side of my neck, I froze in place as the gesture knocked me off-guard completely for the breach in personal space. Part of me expected to be afraid or defensive for the sudden physical contact but it was the complete opposite as his fingertips warmed my skin. The physical touch relaxed my bundled nerves as I traced my eyes down his arm and up towards his face, wondering _why _he reacted with such a gesture.

"I simply wanted to take you somewhere with Swizav" he explained softly and I released a breath of air I'd been holding. I didn't mind his bossiness when it was at minimum and would've asked for it in this case because he could've just told me straight-out about. . .oh right, the surprise. His eyes bore into mine as I tried to bat away the blurriness in my eyes with my lashes and he spoke carefully, "I'd never do anything to hurt you. I would never make you climb any high altitudes unless you were ready and you're not. . .which is why I brought up the walkway."

His voice raised into a hopeful pitch as he suggested, "If you'd like to meet Swizav and I, you can head to the second clearing that borders the southern forest and I will meet you there."

A rational person would've agreed on the clearing for its safety but I wasn't that everyday person anymore. The fall left a psychological impact that froze me on the spot whenever I couldn't see the ground directly and hoped I could overcome it eventually. Flying would only increase that fear and there was no way I was putting myself through that again. I broke away from him, guilt ridden when I pulled his hand away from my neck, and began heading down the stairs toward safety as I stammered regretfully, "I can't. Heights are. . .they're torture for me right now, I'm sorry. I just. . .please understand, I can't."

I was so ashamed of myself for having this irrational fear and letting him down at his pure hearted attempt to fix it made it worse for me but I simply couldn't. Yes, there were statistics that would say '80% without fall' on a supervised ikran but I didn't care. Airborne was airborne. This feeling that gnawed at the pit of my stomach was a paralyzing emotion that threw logic into the wind as that terror took control of every system to render it useless.

There was only one thing I could do though and that was to use my trained leg muscles to get me the heck out of here. I'm not sure what Tsu'tey would think of me now for leaving him alone back there but all _I_ could think of was touching dirt under my feet as a security blanket.

During last meal, he sat next to me and the heavy silence between us was excruciating despite the growing chatter between clan members around us. Every day, Tsu'tey and I would sit together as we are now and talk for a brief period before he departed to be at Jake's side as his advisor. At first, I worriedly assumed that our close company would in turn cause both of us to become dreadfully bored with the other but that wasn't the case. We always had something to talk about, no matter how stupid or controversial, and I considered myself lucky for the friendship (although I did get my share of questioning looks from his admirers but I told them directly that it was nothing). Today, however, Norm was chatting away with Jake and Max about who knows what while Cheryl. . .well, it's safe for me to state now that the woman's head over heels for her trainer and its plainly obvious to everyone that the feeling is mutual. Of course, neither admits it. Norm says it has something to do with Cheryl not being an official 'woman', therefore, disqualifies as a female to be courted until her rank is made definite. I'm sure Noren won't have to wait long since Cheryl decided to complete Uniltaron only and had gotten Mo'at's approval after seeking several sessions of counsel with her.

"You helped with the teylu preparation" I remarked softly as I bit into one of the large shrimp-like grubs, my taste buds becoming excited with saliva at the spicy condiments he liked to use. I had an affinity for spiciness so I enjoyed eating those that he prepared; he used an orange colored condiment to make them stand out so it was easy to choose. He offered his help to the cooks one day out of the week to relieve some of the older individuals and never hesitated to impress with his skills. I admitted the man was good with everything his fingertips touched but I'd like to see him go head-to-head with my stews.

I nibbled on the fat end of one, letting the rich spiciness of the herbs burn my lips, and heard him speak softly, "I never meant to frighten you up there. I wanted to show you that there is nothing to fear about heights. I've fallen plenty of times, which I _don't _like to admit," I managed a small smile at this as he went on, "But practice is what you need. Now, before I anger you, I only wanted to take you flying. Nothing more, nothing less."

"It sounds easy when you say it but taking the initiative to do so is another thing" I mumbled under my breath and listlessly grabbed at my food as I felt the conversation numb my taste buds. I didn't like being afraid but overcoming it put me on edge because I would confront it head on. My palms instantly became sweaty at the mere image of being in high altitude and I lowered my hand to admit weakly, "I'm afraid, Tsu'tey, there's no way around that. My hands twitch involuntarily and I shiver whenever I'm in contact to those heights. I _can't _control it-"

"Yes, you can" he insisted firmly with assurance that would've won over a crowd but I shot him a skeptical glimpse. Did he really think I wouldn't scream my head off at tall heights? The hearth's orange glow flickered over his face as he leaned forward to advise gently, "Fear is just another obstacle that you must overcome. Trust me when I say that if you allow me to take you on one flight, you won't fear the endless freedom of the sky. It is liberating, Joanna, I assure you."

"That endless freedom can also be one's downfall, namely in blood splatter" I pointed out wryly because he had the agility of a cheetah on both land and air while I was a gopher, not built for fast speed.

He angled his head to stare directly at me and I tried to ignore the peering glance by chewing on my teylu since I tended to burst like a dam with direct eye-to-eye contact. Ignoring him worked flawlessly when we were at each other's throats but now, it was more like avoidance and I was the guilty party. There was something about him that caused me to be truthfully honest with an open mind and often found refuge with his advise. He was right this time also, I knew it, but I had such a hard time admitting it because of the fear behind it. His soft voice was barely audible over the growing chatter around us as he leaned in to inquire faintly, "Do you trust me, Joanna?"

This time, I returned the questioning glance because he should know that I did. This warrior had earned a spot in my heart already for the way he treated me with supportive kindness (grumpiness aside) so of course, I trusted him. He wasn't the problem and I pointed it out clearly with a friendly smile, "Of course I trust you. It's _me _I don't trust. You might be able to hold me down in the sky but who's going to control my body when it wants to protect itself sky high by screaming at an innocent ikran?"

"_I_ will watch after you, I'm not going to fly with you as a risk" he pointed out matter-of-factly and my eyes glanced down at the teylu piece I kept nibbling on. My stress was subtly hacking it to bits and I noticed his amber hue didn't stray from my face for a second. If I wasn't his friend, I'd be backing away slowly with 'crazy' floating in my head. My gaze lingered on his, allowing him to perceive the doubt and hesitance that dwelled there, and his fingertips touched my shoulder briefly while he suggested, "We could start on the ground and work our way up-"

"Tsu'tey, I admire your persistence to try but it's not something that can easily be overcome" I stated shamefully as my shoulders slumped forward, wishing every bothersome emotion could just roll off of them like water on rocks. It was ironic that I wanted banish my fears but at the same time, remained afraid to take those first steps. My ears flattened as my gaze flickered back between my leaf plate and his face, nervously admitting, "It paralyzes me and it's not a logical fright. I wish I could explain it better but. . ."

"Then let me help you, not all burdens need to be carried when there is ample support" he tried again with a firm expression and I sighed softly as he picked at my tightly clenched defenses to pry them open. For a man that didn't like conversation much, he sure picked the perfect words to say within each sentence.

I gnawed on my bottom lip as I was torn between decisions. One wanted to break free of the fear and conquer it like no tomorrow while the other wanted to stay with it because it meant safety. His hand patted the top of my head once before grasping it gently, turning it so I could stare at him directly. His eyes bore into mine and I witnessed that sparkle of tenacity in them as he requested simply, "One day. Give me that and if you feel comfortable, we will continue. If not, we will not."

"You never take no for an answer, do you?" I whispered softly, a small smile hitching at my lips to his determination to obtain what he wanted. In this case, however, it wasn't for his benefit but for mine.

"I've never learned otherwise" he returned cockily with his trademark smirk and I passed him a piece of freshly baked bread from my plate to agree to his proposal. I just hoped I wouldn't regret it and end up with an impaired nervous system or worse, a splattered gory mess on the ground. As always, he offered me a polite nod before taking the offering and a smile lit my face when a banana fritter was exchanged. Hmm, it seemed he was learning more of my eating habits as the days passed while I already knew most of his since our training began. Of course, the free banana fritter didn't come without a price (he was a mastermind, I tell you) as I tugged to release it from his iron grip and he proposed, "All I need is for you to say when and I will be there. . .but within three days."

I shot him a flabbergasted stare, my fiddling with the fritter coming to a stop, and he supplied quickly, "There is something I want to show you and it is time dependent."

"Argh, only because you make me feel bad when you do that face" I groaned miserably to his never failing puppy eye look when he flattened his ears. Darn those elf-like ears. Of course, his face relaxed into a boyish glance the next second after nabbing my agreement. Damn him, I told you he was a man of a thousand faces! I finally snatched my 'free' banana fritter from his fingers and muttered in defeat, "You look almost as bad as Peke."

He frowned distastefully to the comparison since Peke was as peppy as a toddler sometimes and I chuckled to myself. Like I said, he could change moods within a blink and I decided to return to my meal before it turned cold. The last thing I wanted to do was reheat it by the fire and picked up another piece of teylu to let the spiciness sink into my taste buds. Mmm, spicy goodness with a party in my mouth. My mood lifted to the good taste of the food since sulking over my weaknesses wouldn't help and complimented cheerfully, "You really are good at preparing food, you know."

That cocky smirk of his appeared on his face almost instantaneously and he suggested proudly, "I could teach you."

"Are you saying my skills aren't up to par with his highness?" I joked slyly with a sidelong glance aimed at him as we settled into the regular musings of our conversations and chuckled softly. I was certain that I'd never grow tired of his company and hoped times like this wouldn't change.

"You dare tease an unofficial but highly talented cook?" he tried to sound threatening but failed horribly when the corners of his mouth twisted upwards in a smile. Oh yeah, with a cocky humorist like him, days would not be dull in the slightest. He may scare away half of the population and animals with a single cold stare but to me, he was an onion. Hard on the outside but soft on the inside. . .of course, I'd never say it aloud or he'd chase me down like a thanator. I'd learned to keep my mouth shut after the jewelry making session that he tried to keep secret.

Our laughter joined the rabble of soft chuckles around us and I glanced at him to speak what was on my mind, "Tsu'tey?"

"Yes?"

"Don't change," was my simple but meek request.

. . ."I won't."

* * *

The next day, I reluctantly wandered into an open field that took about a ten minute walk from Kelutral and wringed my hands together since I no longer wore loose clothing to do it on. Close-fitting violet leggings and a loincloth covered my lower body while a tight halter-type shirt I created out of maroon cloth covered my torso since there was no way I was showing my midriff or chest just yet. Bras were practically useless for me since the elastic wore out too darn fast on all of them so I now opted on tying everything down with a cloth like people did in the old days. True, it made me appear more flat chested than I was but it was very secure. My handy satchel never left my side (I had to wash the poor thing soon) and the colorful bangles the children helped me decorate clicked against my wrists as I walked up to the coordinates Tsu'tey had given me.

I spent the night in mental conflict on whether or not to meet him within those three days and despite my fear of heights, my logical side knew it had to be overcome. If I remained afraid, I could not attempt climbing the Thundering Rocks and thus, never claim an ikran. There was only one true choice. In the morning, the first thing I had done was tell Tsu'tey that I would meet him in the afternoon and after he managed to swallow the bite of food I disrupted him from eating, he gladly agreed.

As the grass tickled the soles of my feet on my path up the clearing, I expected to be the first one there but found myself surprised when I wasn't alone. Tsu'tey stroked the snout of the large ikran that was his and I gazed at the gorgeous colors of azure and brown lines on its back while its wings and upper body held azure, purple, and subtle pastel yellows in a beautiful arrangement that easily made this ikran my favorite. Jake's was an ikran of blue hues, mossy green, and lilac while Neytiri had yet to claim an ikran (she finally would on the upcoming Iknimaya test for the first class) so Tsu'tey's had no competition. Part of me did wonder if he fed the creature a special diet to make its coat so healthy and sheen. Knowing the clever man, he probably did.

His ikran took notice of me first with its acute senses and I darted my eyesight to the ground like I'd been told many times. There was no way I was about to let myself get mauled by a grounded ikran and spoke aloud to catch my friend's attention, "Hello, Tsu'tey."

His footsteps didn't make a sound over the grass but I knew he was standing before me when his outline shadowed the crispy green grass. That still didn't prompt me to stare at him and he reprimanded playfully, "It is 'I See you', Joanna."

"But I'm not, your ikran will probably eat me as soon as I look at you" I pointed out nervously and cleared my throat at the discomfort of being so close to a dangerous creature that could kill me with a single bat of its wing. For all I knew, I was invading its territory and was monitoring me for the final break in respect.

Tsu'tey patted the top of my head while I tried not to feel to much like a child at it (he _was _trying his best, after all) and persuaded me gently, "No, _look _at me and say it. I promise Swizav will not touch you."

_And what's to stop a something hundred pound animal from flinging you aside and eating me?_, I thought sarcastically but held my tongue since my knowledge of ikran-rider bonds and behaviors wasn't too good.

I struggled for a few seconds with darting my line of sight upward and mustered up the courage when he released a small sigh of irritancy. My eyes got a full view of his angular face as he stood a few feet away and of his ikran from behind as it preened something interesting in its wing. I took this lapse of vigilance to greet him correctly with a nervous little smile, "I See you, my friend."

"Much better" he complimented with a pleased smile and motioned me forward as he declared proudly, "Now you will meet my Swizav correctly."

Wait, what?

I froze on the spot immediately because I did not want to be ikran chow since my nerves always got the best of me (pretty much rendering me clumsy) and my feet were way ahead of my brain by backing away slowly. Tsu'tey turned around instantly before I could run away in a crazy panic, already accustomed to my skittish behavior. His eyes pinned me down on the spot without the need of physical grabbing as he ordered firmly, "Come here, Joanna."

Damn, he was serious.

His tone eerily reminded me of his crueler nature and I flinched in my spot, remaining there without movement. Part of me instantly thought he was about to return to that harsh attitude as I eyed him with timidity that kept growing within me as the weeks passed but he grasped my left shoulder to halt it. My gaze lowered to the floor in submission because this was his domain and his ikran would swallow me in one bite if I questioned its master. His eyes softened as he requested faintly, "Please."

"_No, I don't wanna" _I mumbled sheepishly in English to slide out of it but he wasn't having it. He tried both the nice and mean guy bit against me so he wasn't having any more of my 'no' as his verbal ammunition hit zero.

"I assure you nothing will happen" he stated with self-assured certainty but I highly doubted it since he was the expert, not me. Swizav wouldn't dare to eat his own master but I was free picking on the menu. My fingers reached up to lightly squeeze the hand on my shoulder for support as I reluctantly agreed to his orders once again and he ushered me forward.

"You better keep the 'Joanna's not food' promise because I like living" I stated grimly to somehow sound threatening but horribly failed with my cracking voice. My feet proceeded to take small baby steps until I was behind Tsu'tey, my fingertips gingerly touching his upper back as I shamelessly used him as my shield. There was no way I was going to stand in front of the ikran because if it wanted to eat me, it would have to go through its rider first. My fingertips lightly pressed against his bare back to let him know I was there in a huddled bundled of nerves.

His low tone calmed me somewhat when he explained, "Ikran can be intimidating and Swizav doesn't like many people but he can spot a pure heart. Give me your hand and you will see."

"I want to keep my hand, thank you" I murmured back uneasily but Tsu'tey gave me a flat stare that practically demanded my compliance and offered his hand to me. My teeth nibbled on my bottom lip and he took initiative by grabbing the ends of my fingers to get things started. Since entering my Na'vi body, I had never touched another's hand (the quick pat of a minute ago didn't count for me) because of the social construct of personal space and plainly because the Na'vi weren't a touchy type species like humankind. The moment his fingers grasped mine securely, I felt. . .I'm not sure, really, but safety and trust electrified my skin as his firm grip enveloped my smaller digits. Most women would've been blushing or demanding as to why he took such a daring action but my mind was focused on the fearsome creature that could easily bite my head off.

I saw him place his other hand on Swizav's head and spoke to him firmly as a parent would, "This is Joanna, I'm sure you remember seeing her. She is a good friend of mine- don't stare at me like that, I've told you many times we resolved our differences. I want you to show her why being an ikran and soaring the sky is wonderful. Show her what the land cannot offer."

He pulled me forward with a gentle tug and I shut my eyes as the animal stood no more than a foot away. Tsu'tey lifted my hand unwillingly and my palm felt warm leathery skin under the shaky digits as Tsu'tey's hand wedged mine between his and the ikran's. . .well, whatever spot I was touching. I could feel the muscles shift underneath the pebbly flesh and felt a forceful exhale of air strike my chest as the closeness gave me more anxiety. Seconds later, I heard it sniffing and almost yelped when I felt a rigid and hard snout poking my left shoulder and the side of my neck. It was _sniffing _me? Ikran sniffed people? Well, this was new. Actually, I didn't know a thing about Pandora's animals; I was an anthropologist, not a zoologist.

Hesitantly, I beckoned with a shaky voice, "Tsu'tey?"

"He is doing that to recognize you and assess your threat level" he explained carefully in a dreadfully calm tone and I opened my eyes to glance at him worriedly as the animal continued sniffing me like breakfast but he only gave my hand a light squeeze. I breathed deeply and held it a second later when the animal reared back on its legs to relax. However, in my watching its actions, my frightened golden orbs met his and I felt time shift into a slow standstill as I counted my demise by those sharp serrated teeth.

It never came.

Instead, I remained staring at it with raw terror while its piercing gaze returned a lazy stare. What the-? Wasn't he going to rip my arm off? Hmm, maybe he didn't find me worth the time and effort. Nervously, I whispered to my friend without moving an inch, "Tsu'tey, why is he staring at me?"

"He doesn't think you're a threat. . .relax, Joanna" he answered smoothly with a small serene smile and leaned forward to stroke his ikran's head. Swizav returned the sentiment by nuzzling his neck as if it were as innocent as a baby tapirus. Had I missed a lesson where ikran were _nice_? Most footage I saw showed them tearing things and smaller creatures to bits like a shredder.

"But. . .but Jake told me ikran become hostile-" I stammered nervously as I remembered what the ex-marine had told me about his first encounter. Jake was the only one I trusted on the matter since he was human like me to begin with and remained the only Avatar with real-life experience. I began to count off every fact he'd told me about ikran to show Tsu'tey I'd been learning on my own and took advantage of every handy resource. Unfortunately, Jake's information was outdated and I was left with nothing useful.

Tsu'tey chuckled softly, the sound fading easily under the ikran's rougher purring, and he spoke knowingly, "Ikran must first _smell _newcomers. _They _approach _you_, never the other way around. You must give them that respect because they are our counterparts in the sky, our equals. We do not command them and we are privileged to ride with them. Jakesully probably approached it before Neytiri allowed Seze to smell him since he was a hopelessly curious man on arrival."

His eyes locked onto mine as he kept stroking Swizav's head, the ikran fully content with the lavishing attention, and explained calmly, "I know you are curious by nature as well, even more so than Jakesully. My Swizav will immediately let you know whether he likes you and it seems you passed. Otherwise, you would be cowering in fear at the moment," I managed to shoot him a small glare because I was already in shambles but he merely finished confidently, "I'm certain the challenge of showing you why the sky is his domain has caught his own curiosity."

"So if I get near him, will he. . .you know, eat me?" I asked discreetly as if saying it aloud would get the animal infuriated at me. I soon remembered that their hearing was acute and mentally slapped myself for the verbal slip but the ikran did nothing. It seemed blissfully unaware of me as Tsu'tey kept stroking his head with undivided attention. If it wasn't so fearsome, I would've found it adorable but no.

He beckoned me forward again with his free hand and I reluctantly obeyed with a mental groan of 'why me?' until I stood beside him with itchy feet that were ready to leave. I hoped to Eywa his arms would stay around the ikran's head in case it decided to nibble on my leg at any given second. Its golden eyes scrutinized me again with uncanny intelligence that straightened my posture instantly and I piped up meekly, "Hello there. I think you're the handsomest ikran around and if there's another one like you out there, I sure would like to challenge it at Iknimaya."

My nervous rambles caused him to tilt his head to the side and I took it as a sign of interest. Of course, I was judging him in comparison to what Peke's physical responses were so I may have been wrong too. Tsu'tey began to stroke the back of its neck, moving downwards with an amused smile and I winced mentally because every step he took was leaving me with the ikran instead of him. This is _not _what I had in mind when he said conquering fear. I cleared my throat uncomfortably and blabbed anxiously, "You see, I fell from Kelutral recently and am extremely scared to be high in the sky. I've always been nervous about it and Tsu'tey thought that you could help me get my own little wings back. Being the ikran of the Omaticaya's top hunter must mean you're the best ikran around-"

At this, Swizav gave a small trill and flapped his long wings, puffing his own chest out, which caused Tsu'tey to laugh aloud. I was surprised since he rarely laughed at that level and assumed he felt comfortable enough with me and the ikran to do so. He turned to me as he tried to calm down the proudly pleased ikran with a hearty pat to its neck and informed me delightfully, "Did I forget to mention that he likes compliments?"

I grinned to the idea of an ikran having such a quality in personality and hesitantly reached out to touch its snout. An ikran was both fearsome and gorgeous, and to have one inches away from me had my heart pumping like crazy but my eyes stayed glued to it. Swizav gave my hand a cautious sniff before lowering his head for a stroke. He accepted! I breathed in disbelief at being permitted and my hand touched his rough textured skin in gentle circles that had him rumbling his throat in content. My fingers remained in that center spot on his head and I murmured slowly to Swizav's docile manner, _"Wow."_

A moment later, Tsu'tey stepped in to separate our little bonding moment and patted his ikran's head to order good-naturedly, "That's enough attention for you today."

Swizav gave a small hiss of defiance but obeyed his rider with a gentle nudge to Tsu'tey's left shoulder. Their interaction wasn't the kind I expected since the warrior was all order and stability with other adults but he kept surprising me. I leaned forward to stroke the same spot on the ikran's head, watching its wings flap weakly in enjoyment, and joked aloud to ease my nerves, "He's just jealous you're handsomer."

I witnessed the equivalent for ikran laughter was a small flap of the wings as Swizav showed off and Tsu'tey pulled me away to lead me towards the back, muttering inaudibly to himself. I'd almost forgotten how humorously cranky he became when his pride was insulted. My body tensed instantly when I saw the moving ripples in the beast's back muscles and jumped back with a hesitant ramble, "Oh no, I can't get on him. A pa'li is one thing but an _ikran_-"

"Will help you overcome the fear" he insisted confidently and effortlessly attached his queue with the ikran's while I twiddled my thumbs nervously, forcing back any whimpers that tried to surface. Did he really expect me to ride this creature? Without any worries for both our safeties? I watched Swizav shake his head lazily as the connection initiated and Tsu'tey glanced at me to smugly inform, "He's telling me for you to get on before you wet yourself."

"Tsu'tey" I reprimanded for the ikran's insult (Seriously? They could insult you?) and rubbed my hands together in a feeble attempt to calm my nerves. I had never been this close to an ikran, nor did I expect to so soon, but I suppose I should count myself lucky that I wasn't about to tame it. My feet moved slowly towards the ikran, who was now staring intently at both of us with an expression I could only describe as 'hurry the hell up'. This brought on the question whether ikran sought riders with similar mindsets because I'd often seen the similar gaze in Tsu'tey. I crossed my arms shyly as I cleared my throat to admit sheepishly, "Um, I can't climb very well."

The hunter simply feigned a look of exasperation that matched Swizav's and gracefully climbed onto the back of his ikran in one movement as the creature merely let out a small grunt before flicking his wings upwards. How was I supposed to learn to do _that_? The man owned flawlessness I couldn't compete or even achieve at this point. Tsu'tey glanced at me with an awaiting expression on his firm features and patted the empty spot in front of him to call out, "Your turn. Jump and I will help you on."

"Jumping I can definitely do" I stated confidently since my leg muscles were in perfect working condition and jumped upwards to where he pointed while hoping my arm muscles wouldn't have to grip anything that required force. My aim was better than I thought and I landed square in the middle of the spot on my stomach but my legs, as always, dangled helplessly in the air. Why did this remind me of the old tree incident where I yanked his tail as a support beam? My tail struck something I'm sure was Tsu'tey's face and while I flopped around like a fish on land, he picked me up by the arms to settle me in an upright sitting position. Despite I just felt like a child being buckled into a car seat, I kept my remaining dignity by stating politely, "Thank you."

My legs were on either side of the ikran as the banshee harness pressed against my stomach and the queue antennae was off to my left where Tsu'tey connected his own to maintain the bond. I didn't have time to admire their special connection because I was wondering what the hell was supposed to keep _me _securely attached on this lizard bird! Even roller coasters had safety rails or harnesses and I had squat to hold on to.

I fidgeted uneasily in my seat instantly because I didn't want to become road kill this early in the afternoon but my attempt to make a daring last minute escape was thwarted by Tsu'tey. His right arm wrapped around my shoulders securely to keep me pinned in place, my clothed shoulder blades digging into his bare chest in protest, and heard him order firmly against my ear, "Breathe deeply. Relax. We are on the ground and I will _not _let you fall when we go in the air. Now, I want you to place your hands on Swizav."

My shaking fingers found a patch of skin between the harness and my body to rest them on. I could feel Swizav's intake of air as every muscle expanded under my fingertips until he exhaled everything to let his diaphragm relax and could hear the faintest of rumbles from within his body. This creature was truly amazing with every movement and my fingertips pressed firmly against its flesh to maintain that feeling of awe and establish a sense of personal safety. As if reading my mind, Tsu'tey spoke up confidently, "He will not let you fall. Ikran are strong and call the sky their home. We are privileged to share their domain so don't underestimate him."

"I doubt he can catch me if I fall, he doesn't exactly have talons to grab me" I pointed out sarcastically since ikran were entirely different to birds of Earth and muffled a whimper because I didn't want to go splat today. If I didn't conquer _something _today, I would surely be tying Tsu'tey's tail into a pretzel.

"All you need to do is hang onto the harness while I will support you along with Swizav which means there is absolutely _no_ way you can fall" he assured with an amused snicker that caused me to nudge him in the ribs for his arrogance. Maybe he believed wholeheartedly that I wouldn't fall but I didn't. Of course, he had to call me out on it as he mocked sarcastically, "If you can nudge me from being irritated and not fall like this, you'll be fine."

Before I could complain, he whistled off something I'd no idea on since the Na'vi were all sounds with their animals and Swizav began flapping his wings to take to the sky. I let out a small frightened shriek as he began to lurch forward for takeoff but Tsu'tey kept me in place with one arm while the other took hold of the antennae for his own security. My first survival instinct was to throw myself off onto land but at the same time, that would probably bring Tsu'tey down with me and his ikran would crash somewhere else in the forest. Not a very nice thought or ending for all three of us as we kept gaining altitude.

I'm sure I broke the skin on my bottom lip as Swizav took flight into the sky without a single problem despite the flat land underneath us. He made it seem so easy and flawless but then again, ikran were genetically equipped for this. The cool air stroked my face as we flew higher and higher into the powder blue sky that was scarce of puffy clouds today. His wings flapped for about a minute longer as he accustomed himself to a low flight trip, I'm guessing because Tsu'tey told him to, and the fluttering sound faded when he grabbed onto a nice wind current to help him move freely. My feet dangled over nothing but tree lines below us that obscured the ground and my eyes widened at the height we were truly at because the trees themselves were always incredibly tall on this moon.

"You're only going to make yourself dizzy, now look at the sky" Tsu'tey ordered with a sharp reprimand to burst my fear bubble and I found myself obeying his firm tone since being gentle was going to go nowhere with me. He really was taking all of the necessary precautions and making sure he stayed one step ahead of me. My line of sight shifted to the feathery clouds above in the clear blue sky as Polyphemus shared it with the glowing brightness of Alpha Centauri. Honestly, every inch of this moon was spectacular whether at dawn or night. I couldn't get enough of it and was glad to have someone by my side that sought similar exploration as well. Otherwise, I'd be kicking a rock back and forth with my toes back home for adventure if Tsu'tey had been the slothful kind.

"Better?"

"Yes" I reluctantly admitted with a nervous breath as the wind whipped back strands of stray hair I hadn't braided down today and hoped no random bugs would end up in my teeth. I'd have to ask how the Na'vi dealt with that particular problem later. Swizav gave a small dip in altitude and my fingers laced through the harness openings that were there in the leather ties and hung on tightly in case the ride got bumpy. Tsu'tey simply laughed at my nervousness and I aimed a flat stare at the sky since I couldn't glance back but used my tail to bat him on his lower back for the jab. I let out a small hiss because I envied every skill he'd mastered, wishing I could do the same instead of huddle with fear, and curtly grumbled, "Don't get cocky just because you can somersault through the sky without a problem."

"Are you afraid?" he asked carefully as the ikran swerved toward the left where tree cover became more sparse and faded into open clearings. Now, I could truly perceive our altitude and turned my gaze back up to the feathery clouds. My fingers tightened over the leather strapping that tied Swizav's antennae into its strangely fashionable ponytail but felt secure when my back pressed against Tsu'tey's chest. His grip on my shoulders tightened slightly and I relaxed to calm my breathing because he would keep me safe. I trusted him to do so and I'd yet to be wrong. . .in case I was, may Eywa turn him into ash with a lightning strike.

I didn't dare myself to peek at the ground below us and directed my attention to the viewpoint of what Swizav saw. The cool wind dried whatever thin layer of perspiration that threatened to appear on my skin in response to my anxiety and let the soothing strokes take away my nervousness as I managed to answer, "Climbing is _very _different than flying, Tsu'tey."

"Then you shouldn't fear the altitudes of flight" he rationalized easily with a cocky tone and felt him press against my back as he leaned forward to say, "I am letting you get accustomed to this height but what I must show you is at least three times this altitude. Do you think you can handle that?"

"What? _No! _I'm about ready to die from fear already" I shot back instantly to argue his crazy idea and pushed my hands down on the harness in a desperate hope that it would descend. Of course, I knew that Tsu'tey controlled Swizav's movements entirely but my brain was on crazy haywire mode at the moment.

"You're not climbing, you are merely. . .soaring into the heavens!" he justified with a hearty laugh and I gave a surprised shriek when the ikran inclined sharply into the sky without warning. Tsu'tey, the jerk, simply kept laughing jovially into the sky as Swizav let out a small screech of his own that matched his rider's content. My heart, on the other hand, was a turbulent jackhammer in my chest and wished I had one so I could hit the hunter with it for his boldness. That particular trait was one I both enjoyed and feared at the same time because I never knew what he was going to do.

"Tsu'tey, this isn't funny!" I yelled frantically as the overconfident man allowed the creature to twirl vertically in the air and I screamed involuntarily at the sudden shift of equilibrium in my body. I'd never been upside down in my life and I was going to beat Tsu'tey with whatever I had on hand when we landed. I could only latch onto the harness and squeeze my legs against Swizav's sides in order to save myself. Yes, Tsu'tey kept a grip on me but he could always decide to let me experience everything firsthand and that would be the end of poor me. Oh no, I was going for self-preservation on this ride.

Swizav screeched loudly one last time before straightening out into the original horizontal route while Tsu'tey kept laughing throughout the whole thing. If I wasn't so afraid to move, I would've pulled out several of his braids when he remarked wittily, "On the contrary, I find this to be worthwhile."

I'm sure my expression at the moment looked like a wet cat's ready to claw out somebody's eyes and glanced down miserably to grab a peek in between Swizav's wing beats to notice that we were definitely higher than before. True, Pandora's gravity was lighter than Earth's but the idea of being this high caused tingly prickles to break over my skin at the horrible thought of falling down. I let my head fall back before I became dizzy from my prolonged staring and accidentally caused my untimely death by slipping off. This was _not _what I had in mind when the man said to conquer my fear. This wasn't a small toe dip in the fear pool, this was a huge headfirst splash into it.

"Why won't you trust me, Joanna?" his voice asked from behind which startled me since I'd been completely wrapped up in my own thoughts. The back of my head bobbed against his shoulder as I knocked myself back into reality, raising my head back up to its original position before I became drowsy.

I glanced back with the safest angle I could manage as my fingers gripped the harness every time Swizav received turbulence in the air current and answered honestly, "Of course I trust you, it's just. . ._I was a scientist on Earth and Pandora, not an aircraft pilot nor a mountain climber_," my gaze returned back to the front as I sighed despondently, "This is out of my comfort zone and it's natural for me to be afraid, regardless of who's with me."

"I will be training you all the way to Iknimaya, I will know your fears and you must allow me to breach them so you can move forward" he pointed out knowingly against my ear, his warm breath sending a shiver down my spine which I purposely blamed on the growing wind around us. I was reluctant to admit it was anything more than that (preposterous, really) and shoved the matter aside as he persuaded firmly, "I will be behind you, figuratively and literally, but you have to keep going, Joanna."

I knew he was serious and wasn't being funny about it because one, he rarely attempted to joke with serious topics and second, he was the direct 'in your face' kind of guy. Turning away to glance at the horizon below me, I realized how a tiny speck like me was lucky to see a sight this beautiful and it wasn't by my own making. Not even the body I inhabited was mine from birth, apart from my half of the DNA, so everything I received on Pandora was truly a gift. The Na'vi were firm believers in achieving goals with your bare hands to reap the benefits and traveling the sky with another being that trusted you enough with its own life. . .it was an overwhelming honor.

My own insecurities held me back from pursuing my goal that would allow me to have my own ikran, to call it my aerial partner in life and my closest friend. I felt tears sting my eyes but the fast air speed vacuumed them out of my tear ducts as I murmured weakly, "I don't want to be afraid."

"Say it in a possessive tense, demand it" he ordered sharply and my spine straightened as he startled me with his voice but regained my composure. His fingers tightened securely around the curve of my shoulder as he leaned forward, his chest pressing against my back as he commanded, "Say it."

I took a deep breath to gather a small coherent ball of thoughts and stated aloud with uncertainty, "I am not afraid-"

"Louder" he cut in with an unimpressed tone.

"I am not-"

"Louder!"

"I AM NOT AFRAID!"

"Again."

My lungs gathered all of their air and this time, there was no hesitance in my loud exclamation, "I AM NOT AFRAID!"

"Now, tell me what you want Swizav to do" he demanded as his voice flooded me with that adrenaline rush I needed to make me feel invincible and it took hold of that little flame of courage that sought to grow.

I wasted no time in answering this time and grinned wildly to pour out every thought verbally, "To soar higher, to fly until every tree is nothing but a speck, to. . .to. . ."

"Let me dictate what you should do?"

"Yeah- wait, _no!_" I exclaimed to his crafty add-on and used my right shoulder to nudge his in complaint since I couldn't rap him on the head. Honestly, the things he slipped into conversation to keep people on their toes and in his grasp. His soft laughter echoed through the air and reverberated against my back gently, gaining a smile from me. I let my fear fade away as the ikran soared higher into the clouds and decided to finally enjoy the beautiful trip Swizav was taking us (primarily _me _since Tsu'tey was in the driver's seat) on.

I relaxed in my seat, leaning against Tsu'tey as he guided his ikran flawlessly with one hand while keeping the other around my shoulders. It was here that I began to realize that I had absolutely nothing to worry about on this trip (unless a toruk decided to invade our party) and all of my jittery behavior only placed me in more danger. Ugh, for a woman of science and logic, I could be really stupid sometimes. We flew in comfortable silence as I innocently used him as my pillow, remarking aloud with a soft chuckle, "You _really _don't give up. This might not be climbing but flying can be marked off my fear list for now. It's the hanging on part that gets to me."

"I told you I was simply taking you on a flight, the teachings on guiding an ikran haven't even started since your muscles aren't thoroughly healed yet" he chuckled smugly with a carefree tone and I gaped like a fish since I'd interpreted this as 'learn to conquer heights' day. Instead of retorting like I usually did, I resorted to sulking in my seat as he advised wisely, "Listen to what I say, young Joanna. I am showing you how flight will feel but the basics of flying haven't even been attempted."

"Tsu'tey?"

"Yes?"

The mischief was plainly visible on my face as I muttered flatly, "You're a skxawng."

"It's not _my _fault your hearing's faulty" he shot back playfully with a triumphant laugh and held me to his chest when a strong current caused his ikran to swerve sideways. Instead of screaming, I laughed aloud as my peripheral vision caught a peek of the green grass below before my eyesight shifted back to its full view of the blue sky. His hold on me loosened slightly but the warmth of his skin didn't leave mine as he suggested carefully, "Would you like to return to Hometree now?"

I tensed instinctively as my first thought regarded those high branches and my voice cracked with the meek question, "You mean the high canopies?"

"We will walk down the back stairway until we reach the main spiral walkway of Kelutral, no climbing will be necessary" he explained slowly but I shivered anytime I saw those high thick branches, no matter the distance. My logic was strange, it didn't frighten me when I climbed into my hammock which literally dangled in midair but one look at those branches and I broke down like a cat near water. There was no use in asking my brain, it wasn't going to answer back. Besides, I knew zip about psychology and most of this stuff was taken care of by medication and therapy back on Earth. Either way, I was thankful Tsu'tey was dealing his own therapy by exposing me to it. The physical contact between us also comforted me in a nonsexual manner due to the many years I was void of it and felt incredibly fortunate for such camaraderie. His serene tone eased my nervousness as he assured, "I will guide you and if you are frightened, I will return you to the field immediately."

I was beginning to think he knew what was better for me than I did and reluctantly sighed, "Fine. Why couldn't you be one of the lazy type of teachers that's satisfied with a simple 'no'?"

I could already imagine the smirk on his face when he spoke proudly with a haughty tone, "Well, I wouldn't be the Omaticaya's best, now would I?"

* * *

I had finished scribbling down the day's events with a whittled sharpened stick dipped in black paint (proudly handmade by yours truly) when my ears picked up a familiar pair of careful but hasty pair of feet. My acute hearing had allowed me to learn his steps first out of everyone's and a small smile hitched at my lips for his visit. Tsu'tey always knew where to find me since I stuck to my favorite spots that were either at the base, at the roots, or the empty alcoves. I expected him to sit next to me like he usually did when we partook in afternoon personal chores since we required solitude to concentrate better. However, that wasn't the case today.

Instead, he forgoes his polite greeting to simply order, "Come with me."

My left brow raised to his hasty tone and I closed my journal to place it into my satchel, purposely slowing my movements to let him know I didn't find his mannerism polite. I didn't meet his gaze as I fixed my things but reprimanded gently, "Add in a please and we'll see."

"Joanna, time is of the essence here" he stated swiftly and motioned with his hand for me to go to him. I groaned aloud as I stood up lazily and hoped this would be worth it; I really liked that sitting spot and so did my butt. He walked forward in the direction he came in without waiting for me and I followed along as always, practically sprinting after his longer strides, as he reminded simply, "It is the third day."

Is _that _why I was running like hell's flames were licking my feet?

"What's so important about today? Did I miss a Na'vi holiday or something? It's not your birthday, is it?" I asked with confusion as I tried to irk him with my words for a hint but he said nothing. Great, I was talking to a brick wall again.

And that's as far as conversation went as we walked the spiral stairway toward the rookery of the ikran in the high canopies. It turned out that he hadn't been lying about an easier back path and 'monster' Tsu'tey (yeah, my brain was sluggish today) had been hiding it from me completely back then in his attempts to thwart me. If I wasn't so unsure of my current strength, I would've chucked him into one of the pools we walked by when we returned home last time as payback. I wasn't afraid of walking the upward path since it was centered within Kelutral's trunk where the thick branches spread out to twist around the sides so no climbing was involved. With his help, I managed to descend to the base without a problem and free of panic attacks. Back then, Tsu'tey-stein had actually taken me to where the branches diverted from the residential areas so I never got to see any hints of the rookery or the stairway. Yeah, the man was absolutely crazy when it came down to retribution and I felt pity for any future kids of his if they decided to lie to him (and trust me, they would; they're kids). Those poor souls would get the longest lecture in history with having such a rule abiding father.

So while I prayed for his nonexistent children, he called out to Swizav as we approached the thickest branch of the canopies and I held back a snicker when the ikran merely snorted from somewhere up above. Did I mention his ikran had the same stubborn spirit? Another sharp call finally summoned the gorgeous azure ikran to the branch and he landed in front of Tsu'tey with a defiant hiss but the hunter simply smiled. The interaction between Tsu'tey and Swizav was completely different as to how I saw him around other Na'vi. To them, he would remain stoic and serious as a top warrior was expected to be but with his ikran, the mask broke away and he appeared like a young boy meeting his best friend for the first time. Raw joy and mutual respect. I saw that every time he interacted with Aci and Swizav and could only find the answer lying within his past. He was an only child with no living family and here were two beings, one who was given to him by his parents and another who his father trained him to catch, who were the last reminders of them. In the end, those two _were _his family.

He caught my curious staring as his hands stroked the thick neck of the ikran as Swizav purred contently (he was such an attention hog) and attentively asked with his own curiosity, "What is it?"

"Nothing, there's just many layers to you that I've yet to figure out" I replied honestly with a small blush tinting my cheeks because I didn't want to appear nosy. He was a private person that allowed me to see what he wanted so I wouldn't press for anything more. My gaze met the rumbling ikran's and I gave it a polite nod, keeping my eyes downcast in respect, to greet, "I See you, Swizav."

His throat gave a small rumble of contentment as he sniffed the air around me and Tsu'tey connected his queue to the ikran, hopping on to seal the bond. My left hand stroked the center of Swizav's head since he was calmest during this moment of synchronization and heard Tsu'tey click his tongue in beckoning. At this point, I just wanted to know what he had planned since he was so touchy about it.

"Can't you tell me _anything_?" I asked exasperatedly, tapping my left foot irritably as I shot him a small glare. It's not that I didn't trust him but I wanted to know if I was heading into possible danger. Maybe if he had the interests of a singer I'd be in the safe zone but my friend here sought excitement in the wilderness.

"No, it's forbidden" he replied coolly as if that settled matters completely and my brow furrowed to the reply. That was it? Seriously?

I gave Swizav one last stroke to the forehead before planting my palms on my hips, tilting my head to the left as I questioned wryly with disbelief, "And you expect me to just come along? Aren't forbidden things usually _bad_? That's the whole point of them being forbidden."

He released a small hiss from between his lips when he saw I wasn't hopping on with the same enthusiasm as last time and rephrased his previous statement, "It's not forbidden. I am simply not telling you of the location because I chose to."

"And that's how planned events go horribly wrong" I muttered sarcastically under my breath at the common statistics and with Tsu'tey added into the equation, it was an avalanche waiting to happen. Weighing my options, I called out warily, "Is it far?"

"I'm forbidden to tell you," was his neutral response.

I balked to the answer and blurted out matter-of-factly, "You can't forbid _yourself_! You're the one taking _me _somewhere! If at all, _I _should be doing the forbidding!"

Swizav seemed to agree with his own little growl but Tsu'tey stroked his back gently to reprimand playfully, "Nobody asked you. I don't join your rookery issues. . .No, it's not my fault that Jakesully's ikran took your post. Well, he's the Olo'eyktan's- yes, I _know _you had the spot first. . ."

And I thought Peke and I had the strangest conversations. Apparently, these two were more alike than I thought and territoriality was a trait they both shared. I had to stop myself from laughing aloud when Swizav tried to swat his rider with his long tail as the hunter continued arguing about assigned sleeping spots. Okay, now I knew that even ikran had their own hierarchy. . .the cognition Pandora's creatures was purely astounding when compared to Earth's. Maybe if humans would've had queues, they wouldn't have annihilated most wild animals into extinction.

"Could we please get back on topic?" I interrupted aloud to break their little spat session and flinched visibly when their golden eyes stared me down. All righty then, never come between an arguing rider and his ikran. Gulping nervously, I mumbled sheepishly as I backed away, "Never mind. You two keep talking while I-"

"Get on, _eve_" Tsu'tey commanded instantly as he saw through my scapegoat attempt and I stomped my foot in defeat. The man was too sharp to fall into any of my verbal tricks anymore which told me I was either unknowingly giving him tips or I was lowering the mental challenges between us.

A second later, my mind interpreted his last word and I halted to protest defiantly, "_Hey! _I'm not a girl!"

His smartass response practically knocked me on my rear end when he questioned arrogantly, "Really? So I'm wrong in assuming you gained breasts by mistake and you're actually male?"

My fingers jabbed in multiple directions as I tried to think of a decent comeback but my mind had reached critical in its nuclear reactor. Instead, all I could manage to retort with was a steadfast but bold remark, "No, but who gave you permission to look at them?"

. . .

I'm not even going to say how awkward that made our trip but it got me on the ikran in the end and he shut up instantly.

* * *

An hour and a numb butt later, I was in awe at the scenery but with the unfortunate add-on of pain in my rear. Seriously, I needed to find a way to let the blood flow down there when I rode an ikran and would have to practice longer on Peke to get used to it. I wasn't used to long trips so this was something my lower half had to get accustomed to. But let's not stay on the topic of my butt because what I was staring at was ten times better.

"You brought me to the Thundering Rocks" I breathed in complete disbelief as the ethereal sight shocked me to the core and felt the mist of the nearby waterfall bathe my right side as Swizav swerved to the left. I was no longer afraid of flying on the ikran because I trusted Tsu'tey to keep me steady, plus my own balance was more confident than skirmish and this was without having to practice on the ground with a fake replica.

I could hear the groaning of the humongous rocks as the gravitational pull moved them along at a tediously slow but safe pace. I had seen the Hallelujah mountains from the RDA's Samson's' whenever I'd gone on an expedition with Grace to the sites on top of these majestic wandering islands but that view was nothing compared to this. I could taste the fresher but more humid air as we flew and everything else appeared so much sharper. I wanted to reach out and touch the moving rocks but Tsu'tey's chuckling snapped me from my reverie as he stated aloud, "Not exactly. Our destination is. . .here!"

With that, Swizav dove underneath one of the boulders and I cried out because my brain was still under the belief that the large thing could fall and crush us at any moment. My stomach dropped instantly as we were shrouded in shadow but Tsu'tey merely laughed alongside the happily screeching ikran. The two were definitely infectious and soon, I found myself laughing with them from astonishment at the neck breaking speed and the sudden rush of adrenaline. Swizav zoomed past it all without a break in velocity and we surfaced from underneath the shadows and into the light to greet another gorgeous sight.

The ikran nest.

Iknimaya.

My mouth couldn't form any words as flocks of ikran flew around the area protectively and waterfalls enclosed the nest on adjacent rocks as a safe haven for the ikran of the Omaticaya. An array of colors greeted my eyes from the ikran and Swizav screeched happily to any passerby's, their yellow eyes acknowledging him before a cry in greeting echoed. These creatures were honestly amazing but dangerous as I watched them interact with a peppy grin.

"I can't believe you brought me here. . ." I whispered breathlessly because this had been the last thing on my mind today. I'd expected to simply journal, take a ride with him over the forest, and head back home. . .but definitely not this. This man was finding ways to catch me unaware and I wasn't about to complain.

"I thought it would be a nice reward for your first flight" he admitted with that proud tone in his voice and I chuckled softly to his ingenious ways. My fingers reached up to squeeze his wrist as his right forearm was wrapped around my waist like a secure seat belt. There was nothing I could say that would do my emotions justice at this moment and heard him ask optimistically, "I hope you like it?"

I swallowed to keep my mouth from growing dry as the entire scene spell bounded me and smiled widely to answer, "_Do I like it?_ Of course! More than you can possibly imagine."

I couldn't hold back the laughter erupting from my throat as the sight I thought I'd never see covered every inch of my vision and my eyes zeroed in on a certain rock that held multiple blotches of color. Of course, the blotches were really ikran that huddled in close masses since the main nest was the site of Iknimaya and I caught sight of blue figures at the left corner.

"It's Max and the others!" I called out to alert Tsu'tey happily but a second later, he let me know that everything was planned. Planned to such a perfection that I wondered if he would've brought me kicking and screaming if I'd refused.

"Of course, Maxpatel told you he was coming today and I decided for this to be a little incentive in your training" he chuckled innocently from behind and I leaned back when an ikran of yellow and purple whizzed by in front of us like a bullet. It didn't deter Tsu'tey in the slightest in his flying and he guided Swizav closer to the event taking place. His tone changed into his lecturing mode when he instructed carefully, "I want you to take notice of the region. See how much area you will have to fight your ikran and how you should go about it. What methods will work best? Remember to give yourself room for mistake or failure will be imminent."

"Only you could make a worthwhile trip into work" I mused with a soft chuckle as I took his words into consideration, scanning the area to see the distance between the entrance of the waterfall and the rocky alcove where the ikran gathered. I didn't get to finish the inspection, my fingers tightening on the harness when Swizav flew in a crescent direction. . .right into a nearby waterfall that drenched us! It wasn't one of those light mists that sprayed you but fat droplets that saturated my hair completely and rolled down my back and chest. I could hear the muffled laughter from Tsu'tey as I felt droplets falling on my back from his wet face and accused shrilly, "You did that on purpose!"

"Joanna, you must stop accusing me of so" he said, feigning a voice of hurt disappointment as Swizav shook his head to clear away beads of water rolling into his eyes. The waterfall was left behind us and with a quick swoop, I saw the entire field close up as ikran hung onto the rock walls, the nearby rocks, and pretty much any area that offered gripping. Some even stared back at us curiously as we flew by and I took notice of the hunters-to-be approaching from behind the waterfall, smiling as I caught a glimpse of Max with Peyral as they entered the field. He looked nervous beyond anything (I didn't blame him one bit) in comparison to the proud Peyral but I knew if anyone could do it out of all of the dream walkers, it _had _to be Max. If he didn't, then there was something seriously wrong with my perception of reality.

"He better have an ikran by the end of tonight or. . .well, I don't know yet but it won't be pretty" I threatened nobody in particular and felt his arm tighten around my waist as Swizav let out a screech that made my ears ring as always.

"It is time to head back now" he informed me and swerved his ikran to the right to fly away from the nesting grounds. I groaned aloud in disappointment because I wanted to see what would happen but I guess that was to remain a mystery for me because seeing the entire process would be like a cheat sheet. I shouted in alarm when a swarm of ikran passed before us but Tsu'tey only laughed amusingly to my unease. Did _anything _frighten this man at all? My sudden rise in anxiety didn't stop me from squeezing his forearm tighter to me for a sense of security and heard him explain easily, "Ikran do not attack others of the same nest. They are merely flying away as the test begins."

"Good to know" I answered back halfheartedly and enclosed my left fingers tighter on the harness, trying to hold back my apprehension. He might feel safe but I still expected an ikran to crash into us and send us plummeting down to earth. Who's to say they weren't like distracted highway drivers? Tsu'tey broke away from the flocks flying about but didn't head in the direction we'd come in from. This caught my attention instantly.

We weren't returning to Kelutral, were we? My fingers tightened yet again, enough to cut off circulation, and I asked worriedly, "W-where are we going now?"

He gave a light chuckle that didn't sit well with me and spoke slyly, "Oh, you will see. This is merely the first stop of our trip."

If that wasn't bad enough, he had to cackle loudly like those old cartoon villains to unsettle my stomach. What did I tell you, this man could be a suave pain in the ass.

* * *

_(Third Person POV)_

Of course, what Tsu'tey had in mind was anything but fearsome.

It was quite the contrary as Swizav landed neatly on a rocky ledge that acted as a natural circular barrier to conceal and protect their destination:

The Tree of Souls.

Joanna's fingers squeezed the edges of the harness as Swizav leaned forward with the momentum of gravity in his stop. Only when the ikran's wings folded back to announce their safe arrival, did she release the harness. Tsu'tey disconnected the bond in order to get off but Joanna's left hand clung onto his wrist with a vice-grip. He'd been having that particular issue since they departed from Hometree and reminded idly, "May I have my hand back?"

She flashed him a sheepish grin, which he'd grown used to after the last two midway stops, and let go of his wrist to quickly jump off the ikran. Her feet stumbled on the rocky ground and Joanna stopped herself before her toes touched the edge of the ridge or else she'd be rolling down the rocky stairway towards the bottom. She was never particularly fond of climbing the rocky walls that encased the area and opted to talk to the Na'vi at the ground floor rather than heading upwards. High altitude always got her queasy and she began the careful descent by leaning the left side of her body against the wall while her feet found little nooks to grab hold of. She balked in self-pity and slight jealousy when Tsu'tey practically sauntered down with perfect steps and latched onto his back like a frightened toddler.

He exclaimed at the sudden weight gain on his back, arms lashing out to stabilize his sudden balance shift, and heard her blurt out frantically, "Carry me with you!"

"Joanna, it's a simple hike down" he tried to compromise to the effortless hike down but she only tightened her arms around his neck, clinging closer to him. He managed to safeguard his windpipe from being crushed as he wedged his fingers between her arms and his skin. Otherwise, he'd be turning purple from asphyxiation.

"Of doom!" she added in helplessly and jumped up to clamp her legs around his waist to make herself into a Na'vi backpack, practically irremovable at this point. Tsu'tey could only sigh in dismay since such behaviors were for toddlers scared of cold water and thanked the All-Mother that his clansmen weren't watching this or he'd be a laughing stock all over again. Her left cheek pressed against the tip of his ear as she negotiated with a hopeful tone, "I'll be ever so grateful."

"Don't sound so childish" he scolded with an exasperated voice and proceeded to hike down the rocky slope with the added weight of his uneasy friend. He almost laughed every time he felt the flinching of her muscles when he purposely slid down to make the trek faster. Tsu'tey couldn't find better entertainment than this. If she were any other person, he'd have kicked them away the second they asked. . .so why didn't he?

_I blame it on her character_, he thought flatly as he found himself in another situation that turned in her favor rather than his. Not that he'd want to be carried around like a child or anything but having the offer open was nice. He would never do the things he did with Joanna for others so why did she have such a sway with his decisions? Was it because of their friendship? Yes. Then again, if it were Jakesully asking the same question, he'd most likely punch the man and lecture him about maintaining dignity. Was it respect? Well, she didn't have a rank but yes, there were admirable qualities about her. He admired Neytiri as well but she'd sooner slap him than let herself be carried around. So, _what _was it? That was the answer he wanted to get to the bottom of. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be today. In the end, Tsu'tey carried along with a grumpy expression on his sharp features while a peppy Joanna rode piggyback and enjoyed the view of the Tree of Souls.

"You're almost as good as Peke" she chirped in compliment with a Cheshire grin as she gave him a friendly squeeze in thanks and hopped off. She wasn't about to push her luck since her first time nabbing one had almost ended with him dropping her on the floor of the new Kelutral but his nature wasn't so hostile now. That wasn't to say he wouldn't get cranky. A cranky Tsu'tey was a natural occurrence.

He was about to pull the end of her tail but she unknowingly dodged his aim as she walked off and his fingers grasped air only. A frustrated growl formed in his throat as he grudgingly followed along, simmering in his defeat of not nabbing her swaying tail, and watched her line of sight turn toward the pathway that led to the old Hometree miles away. Softly, she reminded him with a small smile, "It's funny that I met you only a short distance from here. Time truly changes how people can shift from enemies to friends and vice versa in the blink of an eye."

"I'm certain that a blink was not in our timeframe" he stated simply to their turbulent beginning and remembered how they constantly fought at the bed of the tree to reign dominant in their debates. However, he wanted to undermine her place in his society while she'd only been trying to help. In hindsight, it really was ridiculous of them to have such a lack of communication that could've wiped away all those misconceptions within days. He had to blame his stubbornness on that one and looked to her to point out, "Jakesully and I became friends much faster than we did."

"Threatened by a girl, eh?" she egged on impishly but laughed as her fingertips touched the hanging vines. The warm energy tickled her skin as she walked through the beautiful curtain, turning around to ask curiously about the surprise, "So what did you bring me here for?"

At this, he smiled sneakily and dashed towards the trunk of the tree where the bed fused with the base. Thick roots littered the area as the smaller ones created safe stairs to climb and he sat on a thick one for added height. He always liked the high perches, they allowed him the perfect vantage point to survey areas. During his youth, he received many bumps and bruises when trying to climb the high roots but as an adult, it was as simple as breathing. His fingers grazed the vines gently in welcome as Joanna followed suit, mimicking every one of his movements until she sat next to him with an accomplished smile. At least now, she didn't fall over and topple him down by yanking on his leg or tail. Her actions amused him to no end and he found himself enjoying her company all over again.

He grabbed a vine into his right hand gently, moving it slowly between them as her eyes trailed the bioluminescent tendril. She'd forgotten how delicate and pretty the vines of these trees were, feeling as if her first time here was ages ago rather than months. The silence felt eerie after all of the chatter produced during her first weeks there and for a moment, missed Nitari's company. While she was occupied with watching the pinkish vine, he reached back to pull his queue braid over his shoulder. Gently grabbing the end of it, her gaze shifted to his braid and he explained to her, "I want you to experience tsaheylu with our past, with our Mother, with our world."

Joanna's stomach became unsettled and didn't want the tree rejecting her if she did something wrong. The pa'li already frightened her when their dominant spirit overcame hers in tsaheylu and she nervously reached for her queue. His fingertips touched the inside of her wrist to calm her soft shaking, knowing her uncertainty with the bond, and Tsu'tey assured firmly, "Nothing will happen. All you feel is everlasting tranquility, no malice taints the thoughts, memories, or prayers there."

The sensitive pinkish tendrils of his queue became invisible as they threaded around the vine and Joanna saw a brighter pulsing glow that remained steady for a few seconds until it faded away. Tsu'tey's eyes opened slowly and he insisted with a small encouraging smile, "Try it, Joanna."

"Only because you say so" she mumbled worriedly since her trust in him would have her doing crazy things just on his say so. Joanna was sure he'd have her jumping off a mountain one day. However, he never steered her wrong and she connected her queue a few spaces down to be on the safe side. The last thing she'd want is for the tendrils to have a mind of their own and literally link her to Tsu'tey, instantly creating a union for life. Boy, the drama and taboo _that _would cause in the clan. They would probably last in the gossip section of the clan for years to come.

'_I can hear you'_, a familiar voice spoke up and Joanna yelped aloud since she didn't hear any vocal words from his end.

"Oh my Eywa, don't tell me it actually happened?" she exclaimed fearfully at the possibility of being saddled as Mrs. Tsu'tey unwillingly all because of her unexplored nervous system but was calmed down with a firm shake of the shoulders.

She stared at Tsu'tey with wide eyes, expecting him to berate her about unknowingly making him a part of her somehow. It's not like she wanted to! He could file for Na'vi divorce if he wanted- she'd agree wholeheartedly- but he brushed away her fearful thoughts by explaining calmly, "Using a vine together can sometimes allow you to intercept thoughts, especially for those who've known tsaheylu from a young age. I will be able to read your thoughts since you've been taught to express them without restraint after exposure to animal partners but your inexperience will not allow you to breach mine. This tsaheylu connection is similar to one with an ikran but it dwells deeper into a world we cannot experience _here _with our senses. This is why humans cannot understand how we See and call the destruction of our Mother as simple as '_moving a stick_'. You will experience this and understand, Joanna."

He nodded for her to take a meditative position and she sighed deeply, asking unsurely with a frown, "And you _won't _laugh or grimace at the crazy things I might think?"

"If it's the same as what comes out of your mouth on a daily basis, I won't be caught unaware" he answered slyly with his trademark smirk and she grumbled under her breath at the jab. Well, that was one way to put her at ease.

Nudging his toes with her own, she closed her eyes and concentrated on tsaheylu for the deep connection. She expected to dwell within a foggy kind of area since this was the vast 'network' Grace often spoke about back at Hell's Gate but her mind remained perfectly clear as if the connection was with Peke. Instead of hearing one lone voice, however, she heard a chorus of many that grew nearer. Women. Men. Children. Young and old. No longer was she bound to the physical realm and could see the faintest of outlines wandering the vast limitless realm that was shrouded in white light as their movements shifted between erratic to slow coordinated gaits.

She could See passing scenes of history of years, decades, _centuries _prior as each setting changed with varying speeds. There was no sense of self for Joanna as her mind delved deeper into this real of memories and wished she had the ability to run or see her hands in the similar fashion as she'd done before Eywa in their meeting. Here, only the mind existed. She was beginning to feel lost as time shifted around her and wondered if the memories locked within the Tree of Souls noticed her existence.

"_Tsu'tey'evi!," _a female voice beckoned cheerfully and Joanna noticed the fluctuating shifts of scenes slowing down as the voice became much clearer through the realm over the echoes in the sea of memories. The scene became incredibly defined as all the others faded away and with quick strokes similar to a painter's easel, the piece of history was crystal clear.

"_Sa'nu!,"_ a chirpy voice called back and she watched a small figure, no taller than her waist (if she could see it), dash by as he ran happily with a small basket clutched in his right hand. Joanna couldn't help but chuckle fondly at the little kick in his steps as the basket dangled from his hands

There was no denying that the smaller form was Tsu'tey as she watched the youngster swing his little basket and smiled at the similar haircut he sported back then. His angular face wasn't as defined as it currently was (his round face making him plain adorable) but his expression was definitely more jubilant. It was rare to find grumpy children among the Omaticaya (excluding tantrum sessions) and Joanna wished she could smother the little boy in her arms since his smile was practically beaming with endless affection for his mother.

The first thing that caught Joanna's eye about her were the tiny round pastel beads that were intertwined in her long hair. Their sheen gave them the appearance of crystalline beads cascading down her long tresses in ripples and knew the woman must have had an elegance about her during her time among the living. Her features were soft and delicate along with her movements as she squeezed her son's cheek with a similar smile that Tsu'tey rarely showed nowadays. Joanna felt like smacking the older version because it really did brighten his face instead of his regular cranky 'touch me and I'll rip off your arm' stare he gave people.

"_I picked iri! A tapirus tried to eat some but I scared it off!" _he boasted proudly with a confident nod and brought the basket to his chest to display it.

His mother merely chuckled softly to his enthusiasm and praised, _"Very good, my child. We can make juice and it'll be ready when sempu returns."_

Tsu'tey grabbed his mother's hand, laughing jovially at his new task, and let her lead him away into the distance where they faded away into white light. Joanna was about to try following them (however that was achieved in there) to see if that allowed her to see more but felt an invisible grip holding her back. Seconds later, she found herself back in the physical realm as light from overhead filtered into her eyes as they opened. She gazed at Tsu'tey, who's eyes were already open, and he merely explained, "That is how you See. You've yet to learn how to delve into memories of old so I want you to follow whichever you choose. The one I picked for you to see was a memory of my mother's. Being an only child, many of her memories relate to my father and I. Have no worries, _numeyu_, I will be monitoring you and won't hold you back from exploring."

_Oh, so he's the one that stopped me from tagging along_, she realized sheepishly and hoped she hadn't come off as nosy for wanting to know more. Their pasts were still their own and neither was breaching that touchy boundary for the sake of their trust. _I need to maintain my distance._

Her cheeks darkened slightly as she glanced away from him, inquiring politely, "So, do I get a different vine. . .follow after any random person?"

Disconnecting her queue from the vine, she rambled on hesitantly, "Will they notice me? Run away?. . .Can I talk to them? They don't know me but. . ."

He could see the nervousness creasing her flawless face and reached out to gently grip the tied end of her braid with his fingertips. Joanna thought he was about to give her a soft yank (which was a lightly stinging but gentle reprimand) but he simply led it back to the bioluminescent vine, his golden eyes watching the pink tendrils as they latched on again. His empty hand fell lightly on her shoulder as he became open with her and admitted, "I will not abandon you in any way, I promised you that many times already. The memories stored here are very special to me and I've _never _shared them with another person with this type of tsaheylu."

"Are you afraid I'll judge your past? I'm not going to turn into a thanator and thrash them to bits, Tsu'tey" she pointed out gently and reached upwards to place her palm over his hand. He was the most secretive about his past and emotions, she respected that immensely but he also needed to open up just a tad to let the healing process begin. Tsu'tey often avoided children. . .correction, _always _avoided happy children and Joanna wondered if it was due to his past. He told her his father trained him for his hunter status but as she listened to multiple Iknimaya stories around the hearth after last meal, parents of the students were always the first to see their new ikran but Tsu'tey never mentioned his. This gave her the assumption that he'd lost them before that stage in his life and maybe seeing the peppy youngsters brought back memories he didn't want to unlock publicly.

'_I can hear you' _he replied dryly through the mental link on the vine and she yelped aloud at being caught off guard. Oh dear, this was definitely embarrassing for both parties. She could only stare at the root underneath them to hide her darkening face as he added in, _'Stop using physiocology on me.'_

"Don't do that! You're going to give me a heart attack. . .and it's _psychology _for the thirteenth time!" she exclaimed to save her dignity as her face darkened into a lilac shade for being caught. He found the shade intriguing since he'd witnessed about three shades for far and watched her fingers draw circles on the root, amber eyes shifting back up between him and the bark as she spoke faintly, "I just. . .I want to know more about you."

His face relaxed at her honesty and felt a warmness in his chest for receiving her endless sincerity, even when they drove each other insane. She never treated him wrongly or rudely but there was something he needed to fix with her personality. Ever since the fall, her attitude had dwindled into a meekness that sometimes rivaled Cheryl's and blamed himself for it since the accident was initially instigated by him. True, the old Joanna tended to grind his nerves with her smart-alecky responses but he saw that her real self dwelled under those bright curious eyes that stared at him and had to break that ice to make her resurface. Fear was crippling and he understood the logic in her psyche safeguarding her behavior but a nervous and shy Joanna just _wasn't _the Joanna he knew.

"I need you to break free of this fear, Joanna" he negotiated gently and she darted her line of sight to the space between them on the tree root yet again. She was evading the topic as always but it had to be done. His free hand tilted her chin upward to have her face him directly to address the problem and he advised kindly, "Allow me to help you. I managed to win in helping you overcome your fear of flight on an ikran and we were much higher than on branches. You are _not _meant to be wary or ashamed of failure. If you fall, I will fall with you. You are not alone in this world."

Lowering his hand to squeeze her shoulders in assurance that flooded her with that emotional safety netting he provided, Tsu'tey proposed, "I will open up if you do the same. Don't you want to be the old Joanna that pulled my tail and threw me in water pools?"

"Somehow, I doubt you'll like me afterwards" she replied flatly since he usually thrashed all over the place in a crazy rampage. True, she sorely missed her own spitfire in arguments and her independence, knowing that she wasn't as fearful then as she was now. However, she didn't want her headstrong personality to clash with his after all the progress they've made. For all she knew, their personalities could repel each other and ruin everything in their friendship.

A soft chuckle escaped his lips as he assured amicably, "I've grown to trust you, Joanna, and that is very hard for me. I can handle anything you throw in my direction and you've literally shot me already. The question is, do you trust me?"

"Of course, I don't soar through the sky at neck breaking with just _anyone_" she blurted out sarcastically but knew trust was something he held very sacred. Otherwise, he wouldn't keep asking her but she would remain the same with her answer. He might be daring, arrogant, and downright crazy sometimes in his methods but he was her protector. She shook a warning finger to give him a last minute out and reminded, "All right, but remember, you _agreed _to any embarrassing torture I hand out. . .that includes faulty arrows that might pierce your rear end again."

Satisfied with Joanna's answer, he let go of her shoulders with that little smirk of his, "Good. Now, I will let you see the memories of mother starting with my first year. After a specific altitude is achieved back at Kelutral, we will return and you will glimpse further into my history. Understood?"

With that said, he returned to the bond and she followed after him to enter the realm of joyful voices. He really wasn't kidding when he said nothing negative entered this spirit world. This time, it was different and she found herself being guided along as each flowing scene sped past her and knew Tsu'tey was guiding the connection. It was a shame he wasn't human or he'd be a computer systems expert by now. She didn't feel left out or lost as happy voices surrounded her and wondered if she could talk to them.

'_You cannot, these are memories, fragments of our loved ones as their souls reside with Eywa in a deeper realm than this one' _Tsu'tey's impartial voice flowed into her mind but what bothered her was that she couldn't 'feel' him as she usually did with Peke. She always knew Peke was with her within the bond, feeling his thoughts and emotions, but she had no sense of her friend at the moment. Of course, the hunter easily answered this conundrum as well, _'That's because your connection to Peke is a bidirectional and private, our connection here is unidirectional and it is not to each other. We are part of a larger picture where we send our prayers and seek enlightenment by learning past events. If this were tsaheylu with another Na'vi, you would feel and hear their every thought as if it were your own as the union binds two souls to one another. One day, you will understand it with your mate.'_

A blurry scene stopped before Joanna and it began to clear up instantaneously as the event took place in a corner at the base of the old Hometree. Joanna could see several women weaving on the large loom of the clan where Tsu'tey's mother sat on a mat made of dry river reeds as she folded several large cloths of rich colors of burgundy, sapphire, emerald, and many other hues. A small boy sat next to her who couldn't be older than four and was wrapping dyed twine of red around a piece of wood to organize the recently dried thread before weaving it on the loom. He hummed to himself cheerfully, truly enthralled by his small helpful task, before singing aloud, _"Tompay__ä__ kato, tsawkey__ä__ kato, trr__ä__ s__ì__ txon__ä__, S__ì__ trr kato-"_

His mother chuckled softly before correcting him gently, _"S__ì__ ayz__ì__s__ì__t__ä__ kato, Tsu'tey'evi."_

His large golden eyes blinked with naïve doubt but mother knew best as she insisted, _"I've sung the Weaving Song for many years before your birth, young one."_

"_Yes, sa'nok" _he replied obediently, glad for the correction, and continued singing his song with the correct lyrics this time. His mother and the women around her chuckled fondly to the small boy as he kept fixing the twine.

'_Hmm, I think I picked a bad memory, you might use this against me-' _Tsu'tey spoke up thoughtfully and Joanna felt the lightest tug on her mind. Instantly, she objected to being carried away, trying to push him in whatever way she could mentally.

'_No, I find it cute' _Joanna protested, trying not to laugh, but he took away the scene and she could do nothing about it.

For the next half hour, Joanna would watch memories from his first three years of life and felt as if she was watching those old family vids people made for others to watch but she actually found this interesting. She'd expected to find a temperamental Tsu'tey with a similar frown from birth to age. . .well, _whatever _age he was, but found the complete opposite. The stoic warrior had once been a cheerful little boy that even back then, enjoyed helping people out and always found an activity to join. His mother had been a great friend of Mo'at's and Joanna could see why the matriarch took him under her wing to mold him into a warrior that would inherit her clan but destiny is a fickle mistress.

Tsu'tey might not have shown great emotion nowadays but as a child, he went into distress whenever his mother wasn't nearby and was usually calmed down with a piece of sliced fruit or a story by the hearth as he clung to her. She couldn't feel the emotions that cursed through Tsu'tey's mind as they watched this since his mental abilities at tsaheylu greatly exceeded hers. The pools of memories filled her with sufficient sentiments that made her long for such parent-child interaction that failed in her own childhood as she was saddled with endless babysitters and after-school activities that failed to provide a decent secure bond. It was eerily familiar how being ripped away from home changed both of them but the big difference was that he loved his parents endlessly and they returned that love. They were his shield and sword from outside dangers while hers kicked her out of the fortress to fend for herself and he was left alone with broken remnants of a once happy family because of her kind.

She was reluctant to leave the realm of souls when he said it was time to return home but obeyed since he was giving her a better deal than she was. She counted herself lucky at delving deeper as to who Tsu'tey really was and knew she'd have to open up about her own past to return what he was giving. Joanna expected that ending the connection would drain her mental energy due to the neurological connection to the brain but found herself more rejuvenated than before. Almost like a healthy caffeine shot. There was no hard evidence to support the claim but she qualified her experience as enough and delicately, let the tendril fall from her fingers back into his.

"I felt so many emotions" she whispered with astonishment to the array of voices that had just filled her head on the chronological trip. His face showed understanding to her observation and tears of relief filled her eyes as she stated with awe, "Eywa didn't reject me from Her realm-"

"You are one of us" he justified gently and disconnected his queue from the shared tendril, letting it rejoin the other strands. Connecting with the past always brought a combination of emotions but he didn't expect her to cry in the least. She didn't seem the type, despite being female, and thought she would only do so under painful circumstances. Crying was a subject Tsu'tey didn't like to deal with and usually tried to get rid of it in the most efficient way. His ways weren't typically the best but he'd try his hardest. His hand smoothed the back of her head as he'd seen mothers do to sniffling children and soothed softly, "Don't cry."

She sniffled softly into her hands, not ashamed as she normally would be at such an emotional act. Everything she'd experienced put into perspective what Grace wanted to learn and understand about the Na'vi and tsaheylu. If this was a mental connection to the past, how would a present connection to another living Na'vi be like? Imagining the depth Tsu'tey told her was no easy feat and doubted she could answer such a question. Trying to keep her voice steady, she stammered hopefully, "W-Where they t-there? All the others that you lost with the Tree of Voices?"

"Yes, a Tree of Souls harbors every heart that once beat to keep it as one with Eywa's" he assured softly and the answer seemed to calm her somewhat. Her questions humbled him since her concerns were never selfish and always for the good of the clan. With time, he would turn her into a good huntress.

"If the tawtute knew what they were doing. . .I know revenge isn't nice but I bet they wouldn't like it if we blew up their cemeteries and houses of worship" she hissed scornfully in remembrance to the RDA's atrocity and wiped away the last tears. She couldn't let him think she had no regulation of her emotions and patted her cheeks dry as she stared at him straight in the eye to whisper, "Thank you for sharing your past with me."

"We should go home now, Joanna" he suggested gently, not wanting the past to upset her and she nodded silently in agreement. Hopping off the root effortlessly, he gripped her smaller hands into his to help her down and she allowed him to with a modest smile in gratitude. His ears perked at this response, he didn't know why, but pushed it aside as he led her down the rocky walkway by the shoulders.

She huddled close to him as their strides matched and her meek voice spoke up against the silence, "Tsu'tey, will you and I have our memories here one day?"

"Yes, why do you ask?" he replied with a small smile to the path all people would walk in life and he and Joanna were no different. Her body leaned closer to his at the thought that they would one day cease to exist and wished to preserve this quirky friendship of theirs for generations to come. After all, who had an alien friend? Their antagonistic history and renewal into camaraderie could very well entertain masses of children and adults alike. Throwing a hunter into pools, getting your clothes burned, shooting that same hunter in the ass, playing the conga on his shaved head, being fed mountains of bland porridge until you vomited, all of that could amuse Na'vi of all ages.

She smiled bashfully at the sky as they approached Swizav and admitted longingly, "I want people to remember you and I. That we existed in this world. Joanna, the perky dreamwalker, and Tsu'tey, the stubborn hunter-"

"Why am _I_ the stubborn one?" Tsu'tey scoffed dismissively because he knew for a fact that she was the same when she wasn't overly polite. Her brow furrowed at being interrupted in the middle of her profound moment and nudged him in the ribs.

He grunted with light annoyance to her action and she rephrased her words with a witty grin, "Fine, Joanna, the clumsy Hexapede and Tsu'tey, the crazy Prolemuris-"

"How about Joanna and Tsu'tey from the Omaticaya? Plain and simple?" he sighed aloud to her crazy nicknames, mostly because she'd stopped calling him Prolemuris and didn't want the fad to return. Still, her eccentric ramblings really brightened up his day whenever they were together. If she was blander, he might have had to hide from her but she kept life interesting.

Her tail swayed to the sides, batting the back of his right leg, and she muttered defiantly, "Fine, but _I_ would've come up with the names sooner or later."

Tsu'tey simply muffled a snicker and led her along for the return ride home, not minding in the slightest when her arm draped around his waist. All in all, it had been an enjoyable day.

* * *

_(Joanna's POV)_

"You did it, I knew you would!" I cheered happily as I finished hugging my friend as our group rambled a load of congratulations onto Max for accomplishing Iknimaya. He'd come back a while ago with his ikran, a handsome ikran of camouflaging taupe and emerald green to contrast against the forest perfectly. It was gone now after Max had told him to head up to the canopies where the clan's ikran slept to find his new spot to live in (the ikran looked happy to do so) and tried to relax now that everything was over. He'd suffered a few bruises on his arms and cuts on his lower legs during the scuffle but he was safe and sound.

I patted his right shoulder with both of my hands with a giddy smile to cheer, "I'm so proud of you, Max."

"Yeah, _I'm_ proud of me too" he perked up with complete honesty that gave our group instant laughter. Giving him my congratulations once more, I moved aside to allow Cheryl to get her share in as she rambled on in an excited pitch that had me stifling my laughter. Only Cheryl could be both happy and worried for you.

Spotting Norm next to me, I gave him a silly grin and suggested slyly, "You heading up there next, Norm?"

His body instantly stiffened to my idea and he laughed nervously in avoidance, piping up with a cracked voice, "Me? No, I need more practice, _definitely _more-"

"You're just nervous, Neytiri says you're doing fine" I pointed out assuredly to boost his confidence since Norm was doing far better than I was. And I mean _far_. The man was one step away from knocking on the ikran door while I was still on the freeway trying to find the street exit. I noticed his eyes shift to the left and I stole a quick peek to see another female in training named Tarazi passing by behind us. I found it hilarious that her features were similar to Neytiri (who knows, they might've been family) but her attitude was similar to Peyral, firm and proud.

A small smirk played on my lips and thought mischievously, _Oh, that's the one I hear Norm's making puppy eyes over._

Unfortunately, it was a shame that Tarazi wasn't the least bit interested in poor Norm despite his friendly attempts to interact with her. Usually, she either called him a skxawng because of his modest disposition around her in public and because he lost whatever he wanted to say in private by the time she actually listened. Poor Norm needed help with the ladies which is why I felt like bashing Jake over the head at times since he continuously tried to push me into Tsu'tey's vicinity and should be playing matchmaker with them instead. Well, either them or tidying up the Cheryl-Noren affair all the way to the altar. . .or whatever the Na'vi did for their union ceremonies. I found it strange that I wasn't seeking such romantic companionship like Cheryl or Norm (of course, their modest souls would deny it) but then again, I was used to the 'all work and no play' rule. Was it normal for them that they should? After all, humans were emotional beings that sought such bonds. Or was I the abnormal exception? Who knows.

"Have you tried speaking to her today?" I drawled slowly with a sly expression and he directed his gaze to a nearby rock to pay it attention, looking more flushed than a boy who stole candy.

"I, um. . .no!" he declared awkwardly with a visible slump of his shoulders and hung his head in disappointment. Hopefully, I'd never encounter such woe of the heart. . .that and maybe my catch would give me the light of day instead of the brush off. Poor Norm, he really was an endearing sweetheart but the Na'vi ways were much different than humankind's. If you did not show skill in your profession, no matter what it was, then how could you provide that same dedication to your mate?

"Well, if that doesn't work out, there's always the singers and they like hunters so that's a win" I added in helpfully before his self-esteem plummeted into nothing. The dating scene had been nonexistent back in Hell's Gate for us 'eggheads' since we were nose deep in our scientific research. However, now that we were normal civilians with a new life, I suppose the other Avatars wanted the extra perks in the package. Me, I was okay being single and independent.

"Is it too much to ask Eywa for an ikran _and _a girlfriend- _hey_!" Norm pleaded with dramatic despair to the sky overhead but didn't get to finish as he was shoved aside by Tsu'tey. The other hunter took his regular spot next to me without a word, forcing Norm out of his place and wedging himself between us to supervise. What, did he have a designated spot next to _me _now? I shook my head at the warrior for his territorial action (not to mention his butting in) and my friend wagged a playful warning finger to tease, "If you wanted time alone, you could've just asked."

"Norm!" we both hissed in unison and he gave us an innocent sheepish smile before jogging off from harm's way. It was a good thing too because the hunter carried his handy knife at all times and he never hesitated to use it. Honestly, Norm and Jake were two peas in a pod; it was a shame they couldn't work on Norm's love problem only. I gave Tsu'tey a sheepish smile since today's outing had actually brought us closer in the mental sense and trust is what the Na'vi valued most.

"I assume you are happy about Maxpatel's success?" he inquired casually and I nodded with a happy smile because I truly was. Another one of the dreamwalkers was officially in (well, until the arachnoid part) and it meant another cemented brick on the bridge to acceptance here. I was certain everybody else would surpass me and despite it hurt to be left behind-

"You will pass one day" he assured me gently and my ears dipped sullenly as he read my mind as easily as an index card. On the other hand, he was one of the people I trusted most here in the clan and I didn't feel so nervous about opening up to him like I'd been months ago when we first started on a shaky friendship path. In fact, I trusted him wholeheartedly as I did Cheryl and that wasn't an easy feat for anyone due to my suspicious nature. On certain nights, he and I would talk about any problems that were solvable to let our stresses fade away and it worked most of the time. Whenever we couldn't solve something, we simply flicked tiny sticks at each other's hair to see who scored the most. Needless to say, he won all of them.

I wringed my hands together, shifting my eyes to the floor, and murmured faintly, "I'm happy about the new hunters and I should be because this is what we want. Acceptance. Then why. . .why do I still feel left out?"

I gave a short glimpse to the huddled jovial group at the center of the entrance and sighed despondently, "They're all stronger and faster than me, I'm like one of those little foals that lags behind. What ikran will want to be _my _partner? I'm weaker-"

He pulled me behind a curtain of green vines by the strap of my satchel and grasped my shoulders with both hands to stare at me intensely, "You are _not _weak. Every person is different and you had a setback because of me. You blame my arrogance on this, not yourself-"

"But I was awful _before _you scared me off the tree" I sighed weakly and gazed at the floor in self-pity because I wanted to be with the group to join in their chatter about who was going next. I wanted to go with them on that journey but my body wasn't ready in the slightest. I could see why Mo'at told me that my spirit couldn't compete with my physical form and hated such an imbalance. I didn't want to feel weak anymore, I wanted to conquer something and prove my worth to both the clan and myself.

I expected him to give me another pep talk but was taken aback when his arms enveloped me in a weak hug as he tried to figure its mechanics. Only Tsu'tey could go out of his comfort zone to please others, especially for a little dreamwalker like me. I wrapped my arms around his sides, pressing my cheek against his sternum to be comforted by the physical warmth. True, I wasn't human but certain traits didn't fade and there was something about skin contact that just put you at ease. For the moment, I would milk the friendly hug for as long as I could. I actually don't remember how long we stood there but I figured long enough when his body slumped against mine and hoped I hadn't put him to sleep. Tsu'tey was a man permanently on the move and even when he was sitting, his hands were occupied. Heck, probably when he slept, his mind was doing its own workout!

"Better?" he inquired faintly as he brushed back my hair in gentle strokes that gained him an instant smile from me. For a man that wasn't emotionally expressive, he definitely knew how to behave to achieve a desired result from others. The close distance between caused me to become self-conscious with my appearance and tucked any loose strands behind my ears before anyone saw what he was doing. I'd never felt bashful in his presence before and was thankful when he suggested casually, "Let us walk elsewhere and you will tell me about your day. . .apart from the afternoon. I was there, after all."

I also appreciated his habit of seeking the least populated places in Hometree because I liked my solitude at certain times, mostly the evenings. We walked alongside each other towards the east of the base's entrance where the clearings were empty by this time since the main focus was putting away the pa'li in the western clearings and fixing the training fields.

"I prepared some arrows, how about you?" he began the conversation with that politeness of his that tickled me funny and my lips broke into a smile. He made conversation very easy for me like Cheryl did and I wasted no time feeling comfortable again. There was an air about him that told you when he was being strictly business and when he was openly carefree (but with his impartial mask in place, of course).

"I was helping paint ikran toys with the boys and all that talk about ikran gave me an idea" I told him excitedly and grabbed my handy satchel to dig through it, his eyes lazily lowering down to watch my search. I let my fingers scan the contents as I thought aloud, "Hmm, necklace, twine, herb, stones- ew, something squishy."

He snorted at that, lightly amused at my peppy demeanor as he stood perfectly still with straight posture that shamed mine. Normally, I'd care but my attention was distracted when I nabbed the coveted prize and exclaimed successfully, "Oh, here we go!"

"This should be enlightening" he murmured sarcastically with a low pitch and I smacked his stomach with the back of my hand to show him I meant business. Of course, he shot me that annoyed frown of his but it did nothing to deter me.

Proudly, I pulled out a painted wooden miniature that bore every similarity to his ikran and grinned from ear-to-ear to declare, "It's Swizav. Kids paint their toy whatever color but since you never knew what you were going to get, I decided to make this little guy for you. I have an unpainted one at home so when I complete my test, I can paint the respective colors on it," cradling the little toy in my hands, I admitted sheepishly, "After everything you've done for me, I wanted to show a little bit of my gratitude. It's not much but. . .I hope you like it."

I gave him the toy with a giddy smile since this was my first gift to him (apart from all those lectures and free snacks he stole from my plate) and awaited his response, unconsciously swaying my tail for positive feedback. My demeanor changed from hopeful to slightly irritated when he didn't offer anything in reply, standing there like an expressionless statue, and pried, "Well?"

His brow went up as he studied the toy between his hands (it's not like I poisoned it!) and I crossed my arms, fighting back a dismayed sigh when he turned it at every angle for observation. Forget systems analyst, this guy could have been a criminal investigator on Earth! Finally, his suspicious eyes met my frustrated orbs and with a slow tone, asked warily, "Aren't you a little _old _to be playing with toys?"

"Tsu'tey!"

He chuckled to his own joke and I began to wonder whether my mad face tickled his funny bone since all he did was laugh when I was annoyed at him. I actually liked his little wisecracks since he no longer insulted me for his benefit and brushed it off my shoulders. He placed the toy inside his own satchel (conveniently made out of leather compared to my own of flimsy cloth) and I watched his movements curiously until he stared at me to state politely, "Even though I have no need for toys at this stage in my life, I thank you. To be honest, my childhood ikran toy resembled nothing of what Swizav actually looks like."

"I'm glad you like it" I replied cheerfully and grabbed his left forearm to tug him forward to a spot on the far left that led toward the back of Hometree. Spending large amounts of time with the children of the Omaticaya had gained me all knowledge of their hangout spots and secret hideouts despite my being much older. Eagerly, I pulled him by the wrist and piped up to propose eagerly, "Let's go show the children. I'm sure they'd love to hear Iknimaya tales since you take a lot of the young warriors for the test."

He frowned deeply at the idea since children were like the plague for him and didn't hesitate to voice his complaint, "I don't do well with children, Joanna. If at all, they tend to pester and annoy me within seconds with their high pitched chatter. It's like ikran talk, better to look at from far away and avoid at all times."

"What? I find them curiously endearing" I remarked justly for his view on them, raising my chin defiantly with a stubborn 'hmph' but he simply shook his head. There was no argument I could voice that would change his view on interacting with them and pitied his future children. I had half a mind to kick him in the rear but that would just raise his argument against the topic for acting in such an immature way. Still. . .a girl could dream.

"In other words, aggravating" he laughed aloud haughtily to my choice of words as he twisted them around with his own logic and I crossed my arms, trying not to fall for that infectious sound. Why was he always beating me in recent arguments? Months ago, I'd rile him into a standstill but nowadays, I just gave up and let him be. Hmm, maybe I _had _changed more than I thought.

"You're just too grouchy to understand the zest of youth" I teased lightly to get in one last word and pulled him along with me despite he dug his heels into the soft dirt to stop me. Great, now he was a life-size boulder I had to tug uphill. I grit my teeth to the immature but damn cunning action, using all the strength I had in my arms to pull him forward as I growled out to persuade him once more, "Unlike you, I'm tons of fun. . .and. . .children. . ._love. . ._me."

He cleared his throat as he muffled a laugh behind those pearly white teeth and I shot him a glare for it through my tugging, prompting him snicker out, "Maybe you should stop _becoming _one."

I was about to object to his rude claim but he pointed out nonchalantly with that arrogant air of his, "You _do _spend most of your time with them when you're not training with me. You must admit that, Joanna."

"I have Cheryl and Norm" I pointed out shrewdly to defend my pride and raised my chin defiantly. Okay, so he had a decent argument there but this was my way of finding entertainment and I wouldn't let him poison it. His eyes roamed over my body and I was about to scold him for such lecherous actions but quickly noticed his glances weren't toward my physique but to the jewelry I wore from head-to-toe. Jewelry I had created with the children.

Damn.

My shoulders slumped to the fact I played with children I could practically mother myself and felt two hands on my shoulders leading me away from Kelutral. Even if I tried his statue attempt, he'd simply pick me up with his strength so I reluctantly followed along. Knowing my teacher, he probably had something crazy in store for me after today's excitement and I asked warily, "Where are we going? You're not going to frighten children for amusement, are you? You scared them last time with that fake campfire story about shape shifting tapiri that sucked blood."

"Fan lizards. . .and I only enjoy frightening _you_" he replied firmly and I angled my head upwards to catch the briefest glimpse of a smile. He was taking me somewhere _and _smiling? What was the catch? I simply allowed myself to be pushed along since he was adamant on this new trip of ours as he explained enticingly, "Both entertaining and relaxing. . .without the pestering of children. You need time away for yourself, to reflect on daily life and future prospects."

I chuckled to his interesting plan because I loved the little creatures and my heart warmed to his proposition because he was thinking of me. He was a man of many hobbies so I would have to find a way to repay him with what I had but I'm certain that my little ikran toy was one step in that direction. Our previous conversation also made me ponder aloud as he led me away from the bioluminescent lanterns that beckoned visitors to our home, "Not that I'm complaining to your idea but at this rate, your views about children being annoying will not nab you the mate everyone expects you to take. If at all, that will repel them _away _from you for leagues. I should know, I'm a woman-"

"Do you want to see the lizards-"

"Yes!"

"Then be quiet" he lightly shushed me as we entered the bioluminescent foliage of the forest and he released my shoulders from his soft grip. His footsteps quickened as he sped past me into the glowing forest and his skin tone merged with the foliage as I tried to find him. Ugh, I _hated _when he did this to me (in the dark, no less!) and he tended to scare me witless by dropping down from an overhead branch most of the time to see my frightened reaction.

I ran down the narrow path, his footprints still indented on the patches of grass, and found myself alone in the crowded area. Great, just perfectly peachy! It was annoying when he did this to me in the daylight but I wasn't comfortable in the shadow of night just yet. I rubbed my creased forehead with the back of my hand and cursed aloud, "I _really _should stop agreeing to his ideas."

My fingers tapped the protruding flowers along the path to pass the time (and hopefully lure him out from hiding) as I walked further into the brush. My peripheral vision instantly caught a hint of cyan off to my left and instinct told me to run after it, yelling his name like an idiot to only be left behind again. Oh, he was so frustrating! I growled irritably under my breath since I hated diverting off a path (I sucked at navigation) and called out, "If I don't see you by the count of five, I'm leaving. One, two. . ."

I walked deeper into the thick brush of the forest as plants became denser here, their leaves brushing against my skin with ticklish prickles as I pushed them back, and I continued to call aloud, "Three prolemuris, four atokirina, five-"

Footsteps bounded up to me from behind and I turned around swiftly to find myself facing the man that kept leaving me in his dust. My breath caught for being given this awful runaround and wanted nothing more than roll him through a mud pit. I slapped his arm for the prank, mostly because I realized how vulnerable I was without him, and snapped sternly, "Where were you? I had to run off after you like an idiot."

He gave me puzzled expression as I failed to mask my worry and shook his head to point out sharply, "No, _I_ kept going down the path and you veered away to the left. I had to chase _you _down. Why do you think I'm behind you? What was so interesting that was worth chasing?"

"No, but you were-" I insisted and pointed to where I'd seen the hint of blue fade off into the forest and suddenly, I didn't really want to see the fan lizards. Frankly, I wanted to go back home and curl up next to the warm hearth as a shiver ran down my spine. Nervously, my voice left my lips with a meek tone, "You _never _ran in this direction?"

His eyes scanned the foliage behind me suspiciously as my hands wringed together and Tsu'tey answered simply, "No, I was in front of you. . .over there."

I wanted to find mischief in that face of his but he was pretty much staring at me like I'd gone crazy. So he was right. If he hadn't been the one running, who was it? Shaking my head, I grabbed his forearm to dismiss the unsettling matter and suggested hastily, "Can we just go back and throw pebbles at the pools? Please?"

The tables turned and this time, I tugged him back to Hometree and we walked the marked path together as I held onto him but he said nothing of the physical contact. I wanted to get far away from this area to shake away that eeriness because all clan members were gathered inside the base as night approached. Last meal would be soon so nobody should be out this far with the exception of Tsu'tey and I since we dashed off for personal excitement. My friend graciously let me be and I huddled next to him like a nervous child, clutching his arm close to me for soothing comfort. Gently, he brought up the whole incident, "Did you see something?"

"I don't know, I thought I was following you. . ." I murmured confusingly and glanced up at him. I didn't find the idea of chasing down a complete stranger I thought was Tsu'tey comforting and wanted the thought banished. My protective friend, on the other hand, wouldn't be satisfied without a decent answer and I let a small sigh escape my lips. Hesitantly, I tried to assess any other possibilities for the occurrence, "Do hallucinations happen on Pandora?"

"Not unless they're induced" he answered slowly as he surveyed the area carefully for anything suspicious but everything was peaceful. I doubted anything would happen due to our closing proximity to Hometree but remained close to the hunter nonetheless. Just because there weren't unknown Na'vi about didn't mean predators weren't. His fingers grasped my wrist (it's not like I was going to run off anyway)and he ordered firmly, "Stay next to me from now on when we travel the forest."

"The only reason I got lost is because _you _left" I retorted with a frown but didn't feel like fighting with him on this. It really was hard not to feel like a helpless baby in this world, especially with my 'no training' ban, and reason told me to find safety. So much for having a wonderful evening. Sullenly, I inquired my suggestion, "Can we find fan lizards during the day?"

"Yes. . .but they're a better sight at night" he explained with a small smile relaxing his features and I took his word on it since I'd spotted none during my daily excursions. His tone lowered as his voice took on a casual but enticing quality, "I know of another area on the opposite side of Hometree if you'd like to see it. I won't leave you behind this time."

"As long as you don't leave me" I agreed softly to the suggestion and peered up at him as all of his long past lectures came to mind. Without weapons, my feet were my only weapons in the face of danger and I could only run for a limited amount of time. There was no offense with my body and the lack of weapons bitterly reminded me of how helpless I'd be in a serious situation. My voice wavered as I admitted softly, "You're right, you know. About me being a lost child in this world. I can't tell my north to my south-"

"You will learn" he promised warmly and my spirit lifted at that. Just hearing it gave me hope that I'd be a good huntress and tried not to let my scientific brain stack the statistics against me. The pulse on my wrist rose as his fingers squeezed lightly and he assured quietly with determination, "I will make sure of it."

His words brightened up my day- er, _evening_- and I kept close to him as I preened playfully, "I like 'friendly' Tsu'tey, can I keep him?"

A low chuckle of amusement was my reward as he tilted his head to the left to glance at me. A small smile reached his lips to compromise with his own humor, "Only for tonight. Tomorrow, I will force-feed you if you don't eat the breakfast I bring."

"But I'm not training and it's bland, it tastes like something a titanothere threw up and a tapirus stepped on" I pouted in protest to his 'trainer' food which was absolutely ghastly with no taste. My idle condition pretty much took away my sweets in fruits and fats in tasty dips which left me with no option but to hoard leftovers in my private nook to munch on. Luckily, he hadn't caught me yet or I'd be shaken by my feet upside down to let all of my hidden snacks fall onto the floor.

"Can I trade 'grumpy' Joanna for the 'friendly' one tomorrow morning?" he asked nonchalantly with that sly tone and I batted his backside with my tail. Cocky man.

"No trade-ins, you live with what you get" I rebuffed with a pleasant chuckle to our innocent banter as we treaded the new path to fan lizard haven. Our jokes easily settled the worry that had filled my stomach minutes ago and could happily say that my stomach acid drowned any bothersome butterfly quivers into mush. Squeezing his arm as I struck up our next conversation, I grinned at him to ask brightly with enthusiasm, "Say, did I ever tell you my pet _hamster_, Herbert?"

"Why no, I don't believe you have" he replied with an amused smirk and I decided to take it as a sign to indulge him with the information. He'd already shown me a bit of his past so maybe it was time for me to finally open up to him with pieces of my own. The bridge of coexistence that I'd sought since we met finally had us nearing its end as the weeks passed and hoped our friendship would last into old age. I could already imagine a cranky Tsu'tey complaining about the days of old and knowing me, I'd nag him about such complaining and to get with the times.

"Well, he was small, brown, furry-"

He gave me an awkward stare that floored me at the perplexity and blurted doubtfully, "Your animals have _fur_?"

This gave me a laugh for a full ten minutes because Pandora's fruits were the only things that had any since I'd yet to see anything with fur around here. In time, I would come to find this snarky, grumpy, stubborn, yet honorable, intelligent, and courageous man as the most important in my life.

It's funny how the hands of time turn your life around.

* * *

**A/N**: And so, we glimpse into Tsu'tey's airtight past and poor Joanna seems more timid by the passing days. It's kind of weird to see her insecure nature compared to her usual headstrong self but accidents can do that to you. Luckily, hers wasn't the type that could dramatically alter her cognition or personality permanently or Tsu'tey would be in deep trouble. The funny part is seeing Tsu'tey overprotective when they're at the friend stage and I'm already laughing at his future behavior when she's pregnant with his child. If I put this chapter out a little late- I already forgot the last update- it's because of my brutal semester. I might write like a demon online but talking aloud is nerve wrecking for me and I have four group presentations due and I just hate, absolutely _hate_, when team members scatter and leave you to do the work until the last minute to nab credit. Okay, now that I ranted out my long held emotions, I can't wait till the middle of December because then I can write to my heart's content until February.

Thank you for all of your alerts/fav's and for your loyal reviews, I appreciate them when they pop up in my inbox.

_Na'viBambi_: I haven't seen the special edition, I had to dish out $300+ for my semester in textbooks alone. I'll probably buy it later on when prices go down but I just imagined the whole school thing on my own. I might not update quickly like others, whom miraculously pop out a chapter a week (I give kudos to that, that was me before my joints acted up), but I do promise the chapter will be large in quantity. I'm glad you're still digging the story!

_Crye 4 Me_: Tsu'tey is the onion of all onions. . .hmm, that sounded better in my head. I see him as a private person since he's usually grouchy and proud around others so Joanna has to innocently prod him to open up. Onions make you cry at the start but once cooked, they're sweet as can be.

_Soccer11_: Yes, Joanna will be leaving for the Atykwe in later chapters. We'll just have to see how our Tsu'tey takes the departure of his buddy.

_Death magic doom_: I'm sure this chapter beats out the other one in length. I've always loved the environment and 'live green' motto (my parents are adamant on the healthy organic diet of it) so I use a lot of stuff in the story about it. My semester is tough in the aspect that we have group presentations due and mine are just awful, only one person is helping me out in two of my classes so we created the entire presentation ourselves and the rest simply want credit for doing nothing. As for your English, it's not bad and perfectly understandable. I like using Babel Fish and Google for language translations. Danke für den Bericht!. . .Hope I spelled it right.

_Kudokuchan69_: Yes, the anger that reigned in the first chapters is completely gone but that's not to say Joanna and Tsu'tey will be all happy giggles from now on. Even a giggling Tsu'tey is hilarious. The two are seriously growing on one another and of course, Jake will be playing chess to move them into the relationship zone._AvatarTingal_: Thank you for the comments. Usually, you think the woman is the matchmaker but in this case, Jake will be playing cupid while Neytiri tries to keep a leash on him. Since Tsu'tey is the main character, I have to make him realistic since unfortunately, my writing can't be turned into a movie everyone could watch. If so, we'd be laughing at Tsu'tey being shot and Joanna throwing a fit.

_Caleb's babe_: Thanks for the 'I love it', I appreciate every word! I hope this chapter was long enough to show a bit of the innocent JoannaxTsu'tey fluff.

_JackBlack_: Ha, you got me with the first words but thank you. I'm glad that it made you smile at least once, that's what I strive for.

_Taurean102_: I'm glad you like the long chapters, this one is an entire meal's worth of brain food. Joanna loves to eat just about anything, I'm guessing since Earth food is all processed and she loves the raw food on Pandora. And no, Tsu'tey will not be joining our dear Joanna on her journey; I already feel sad for him.

_1Timberwolf_: Glad you're loving the interaction, I try not to make it too boring or tediously slow. Friends or lovers, these two fit together like a puzzle piece.

_DarkInuFan_: True, pa'li aren't specific on riders but Peke loves Joanna so she's claiming his as her steed. She'll keep him in the long run so we'll be seeing Peke grow from a timid colt into a strong stallion, which is ironically similar to Joanna's current development. And there will be more Jo-tey to come!

_GhibliGirl91_: Thank you for the kind words on Joanna. She's had a bad past ages ago but it doesn't hinder her entire life as some OC's might use that history for. I used a fusion of biographies I read and my father's childhood to create the background of Joanna to make her independent but kind. I always have issues with tenses and finding decent adjectives to make the story realistic has me scratching my head at times. I'm glad you noticed a bit of the sexual tension but there will be plenty of that in the next chapter as Joanna realizes her relationship with Tsu'tey isn't as platonic as she once thought. Thank you again for the review!

_TheStabilityProject_: Peke's just plain adorable so he has to defend his rider and try to make Tsu'tey soften up. I hadn't thought of using an ikran viewpoint but I'll definitely try it once Joanna gets Xeki. Hmm, Peke and Xeki sound the same in pronunciation: Peck-e, Sek-ee. Anyway, Tsu'tey's definitely softening up like Neytiri did but remains snarky as ever because that's him and I wouldn't love him any other way. And yes, this story will test me with the action plots in Iknimaya or as the Atykwe call it, Uteho'awkx. Well, there's a reason Nitari spoke to Joanna directly on her first day there and maybe all that tough love on Tsu'tey will mold him into something Nitari might approve of. There's a lot of information I'm using to create more depth into Tsu'tey's character as the chapters flow so we'll see.

_xlostinmyownworldx_: Thank you for loving the story. I try to make it as detailed as possible but not too much that a reader goes to sleep. The chapters are long so I always suggest a good stretching and grabbing a drink before diving into the length of the story to make sure your body doesn't give up halfway. I keep a cup of coffee to help me edit. lol.

_Andie_: I'm glad the fates worked to get you to click on my little title. I tend to forget things too, especially during school time, so I always bookmark my pages to remember (I have over a hundred at this point). Now if only I had the talent to create this into a film, I'd be happy. Cameron can keep the money as long as I see more of Tsu'tey and Joanna squabbling.

_New Fan_: A-ha! So you _did _notice the changes in her personality in the last chapter. Joanna's meek around everyone due to her self-confidence now and Tsu'tey's treating her like a piece of glass which is very unlike him. Don't worry, next chapter, we'll see her returning to her old ways since she promised to do so and snarky Tsu'tey' will be following along. I understand how hectic life can be and I'm glad the two part chapter 10 gave you such relief.

_1stp Klosr_: Thank you for thinking this story as one of the best, I heartily appreciate it. Your question actually got me thinking when it comes to the ikran of the sea. I created the camouflaging colors due to evolution depending on their environment but I hadn't thought of _physical _differences. I remember the purple Tetrapteron on Jake's first flight over Pandora so there is diversity among them and I'm currently looking at the different bird types that can swim or dive underwater. The Atykwe are efficient in sea hunting just like the Omaticaya in forest hunting so who's to say that the sea ikran can't dive underwater for prey. Thanks for the question, I love picking my brain over them.

_Deep Blue Dragon_: I'm glad I can showcase a decent Tsu'tey for the fanfic fans and thank you for the review. I hope your binder isn't too full with these long chapters! My physiology professor gave us hoards of information packets on human body systems (apart from our standard materials) and I've run out of room in two binders and I got to thinking 'how does Deep Blue Dragon do it?'.

_Compa16_: Ooh, a masterpiece! I'm enjoying the reviews I get for this story, truly. I hope I can keep the same quality as the chapters keep going. Thank you!

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**Next time****:**

"No, you chose fishing, you _stick _with fishing" I pointed out smartly in rebuttal and wringed the wet fabric in my hands to let the excess water fall on the grass to be absorbed. Shaking the cloth free of any remain, I place it over a flat boulder to dry in the sun as I stated haughtily, "_I'll _be doing my washing."

That cocky smirk widened into amusement as he joked cockily, "Did I forget to give you my share of clothes? You must remind me next time, Joanna."

Instead of retorting, I used the old locker room technique from Earth and smacked his rear end with the end of another wet fabric I'd soaked in the river. The resounding yelp of surprise and the wet slap was pleasure to my ears causing me to laughed aloud in victory. I truly missed these days of long ago and promised myself I'd never be meek because this was worthwhile.

"_Wiya!"_

"Don't mock a lady" I preened with wry amusement to knock him down a peg from that monumental pedestal of his and stood erect with a proud posture. Sometimes, my brain amazed even myself at my handiness.

Unfortunately, I was entrapped by a light but intricately weaved net the next second and chastised myself with a growl for being caught off guard. Tsu'tey's laughter carried over the gentle river current and I wriggled in my trap as my hands fought whether to break free or choke him. The latter seemed to be winning.

"This isn't funny! You better free me or I'll. . .I'll. . .I'll do _something_, you can be sure of that!" I threatened wildly but he only laughed harder, his voice echoing over the spacious area. Nets were always iffy for me and I never touched them since fishing wasn't my thing so I was at a loss on where to start. The openings were very small so I had to be careful of not entrapping my hair or accessories which only added fuel to my aggravation. Couldn't he have just dumped me in the river? That would've been a better punishment than this maze of a net.

Things didn't get better when he grabbed me from behind by the shoulders and I really did feel like the catch of the day. Curse my brilliant ideas! I could hear the cattish grin on his face as he spoke the words, "Should I skin my prey now that I have it?"

"No but I'm going to skin _you _when you let me out of here" I hissed angrily and wiggled in his grip for freedom but felt a tug on the top of my head from the net. Great, my hair just got caught. I stilled in my movements as my face twitched in boiling irritation and growled in exclamation, "If you ruin my queue, I'll chop off yours!"

"Joanna, that's not very nice" he stated seriously to my false threat (I really should've remembered our first meeting because of it) but I didn't care at the moment.

"Well, you're not the one who's losing hair follicles to a net!" I retorted defensively to add points in my corner as my fingers tried to free a few caught braids from the thin holes in the net. This day was turning out to be irritating and hoped it wouldn't get any worse. I fidgeted one last time to push him away and muttered under my breath, "Argh, I'm never coming to a river with you again."

"I was merely being playful-"

"I'd rather have you throw a fish at me than a net" I snapped sourly and carried the net like a long veil toward my washing rock. Oh, the sight I must be as I sit down to untangle it from my head. These are the kinds of stories you hear around the campfires to laugh at or blow out of proportion and soon enough I'd either be named 'the mistaken guppy of a Na'vi' or 'the net monster that lures men to the river as dinner'. My fingers worked on the untying the net off one of my lower beads and mumbled, "You need to think of better ways to be joke, I'd like to keep my hair intact."

He scoffed distastefully from his end and pointed out, "You are high maintenance sometimes, Joanna."

"Says the man with a nice set of hair" I argued snippily and hissed when he neared my area. I knew I shouldn't be biting his head off but I loved my hair. True, it sounded a bit vain but after enduring thin straw-like hair for years in result to protein deficiency and malnutrition due to my harsh college life, I wanted to keep my new mane safe. Tsu'tey didn't know the origins of my overprotection and I forced myself to calm down. He wasn't to blame, my little ego was and she was aiming a pitchfork at logical Joanna to agree.

Tsu'tey returned the same hostility in his hiss and stated bluntly with authority, "I'm trying to help you, skxawng."

My ego wanted to keep fighting the humiliation with its poisonous sword but humility allowed me to grit out tightly, "Fine."

So there I sat like a girl with gum in her hair while Tsu'tey untangled the netting away carefully with his skilled hands. I stared grumpily at the rocky shore with a frown that would've scared all the fish away for leagues. As if reading my mind, he muttered flatly to justify his actions, "I was only trying to amuse you."

"You don't need to do so, I enjoy my time with you. . .regardless of your crazy pranks" I replied gently with a small smile as his boyish grumpiness lightened the mood. There were days when I'd let him simmer in his own corner until he was calm and collected since I wasn't particularly fond of being angry. A piece of fruit candy generally did the work for him and he'd be mellow until he found something to nag me about. As a friend, I listened to any serious problems but most of the time, he was simply venting about his day. My fingertips tapped against my knees as I informed modestly, "I like the way you joke, it's cocky but subtle. You don't go out of your way to gain attention which is why we now find ourselves in this little bind because you chose to do so."


	15. Stare Death In The Eye

_Grab your favorite drink or snack and sit down for another lengthy ride!  
_

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CHAPTER 13:

**Stare Death In The Eye  
**

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"Swerve to the right! Toruk incoming-"

"I highly doubt a _Toruk _will come straight at me after catching-"

"Do you want to cover _all _of the endless possibilities?"

A disgruntled 'yes' from my mouth was the reply as I obeyed my unyielding teacher. Of course, I didn't get to dodge the 'toruk' when he called out coldly with finality, "Your ikran has been injured and you fell to your death."

"That's not fair! You didn't even let me say that I dodged to the right and went into one of those swirly aerial moves and. . .argh, you win" I mumbled with reluctant defeat to once again failing my ikran taming and letting him have the win. My fists clenched to wave in the air in protest to his impossible scenarios but settled down when he aimed a narrowed gaze at me. Skxawng.

I was now healthy enough to resume training that consisted of fast reflexes, running, and pa'li riding. Archery and climbing would wait a little longer due to the muscle resistance that was needed for the skills but my arms were almost there. I'd been exuberant on the day Tsu'tey told me to ride Peke through the safe areas of the forest while he rode Aci to supervise us (he refused to take the 'girl' seat). Of course, I felt tiny compared to the two experts but Peke and I still felt special for joining them. I finally felt as if I was on the right path again and since then, my training only continued as my confidence increased to tell me that yes, I _could _achieve this. Now, he was training me on how to handle an ikran and the basics of mobility.

"Again, Joanna" he repeated listlessly as he prepared a net to fish with since it was his turn today. We decided to train near a river bank that was always filled with healthy fat fish and Tsu'tey tended to do most of his fishing here due to the tranquil silence. I liked that about him; he always picked out the quietest but nicest training areas.

My hands released the two leather straps that were tied onto a log to form a basic practice dummy to substitute an ikran and slumped back to rest on it. The muscles in my back relaxed instantly after the past hour of hunching but my face wrinkled into a frown when he called out sharply, "Keep practicing, Joanna. You must know how to lead your ikran away from the nest or fail sealing the bond."

"Can I do it this time _without _the sudden toruk coming full blast at me? They don't wander so close to the nests" I begged miserably with a pitiful pout for emphasis since he came up with outrageous ideas that were practically impossible but personally hoped none became reality. He gave a halfhearted grunt in return as he worked on untying a knot and I took control of my own training, taking the sound as a definite 'sure, why not'.

The past month had brought on many lessons of training as I regained all of my lost stamina so it wasn't a surprise that I kept my body in tip top shape while my arms healed. I looked forward to every morning lesson that would have Tsu'tey biting my dust as we hiked but he would nonetheless hold me steady as I trained my arms, little by little. There was no doubt in my mind that Tsu'tey would help me achieve Iknimaya with every lesson and useful tip that he gave me but at the same time, there were also unforeseen results to this camaraderie of ours. One was the fact that we were spending most of our days together when our chores for the day were done and I had to kick him out of my hammock (personally made. . .after two months) by nighttime before he fell asleep. Most of the time, I let him linger for an hour or two so he could sleep away his worries because he deserved to after everything he did for the clan. That and he wasn't so grouchy afterwards. The other was that with every passing day, I was finding myself looking forward to seeing _him _instead of my training. When I first started, it had been the other way around but nowadays. . .

Yes, dear world, I feared I was becoming smitten with Tsu'tey. It was better to say his name than our professional relationship because that would sound completely immoral. How ironic that my little heart would get bitten by that hardheaded, cocky, grumpy-

"Keep digging your feet into the grass and you'll pull up chunks" he butted in with a light warning since the Na'vi weren't supposed to leave tracks of their whereabouts but I gave him a dismissive hiss. He wasn't impressed by my little act of defiance and questioned with a smirk, "Do you want me to restart the lesson?"

"You can't do that, your memory can't remember every little thing you- no, don't start over!" I yelped frantically when he began to pull the log I sat on (that's right, pull, with his _bare _hands) while I tried to pull it in the opposite direction to fight him. Restarting the whole session was not alluring in the slightest and I drawled out a tired groan of complaint, "Tsu'tey!"

He dropped the log back onto the dirt and I awarded myself the winning point proudly until he declared, "Only because I don't want you straining a muscle in your arms."

Ugh, that smartass. . .but a compassionate smartass.

As a diligent student, I listened and used the makeshift harness around the log for stability while a fake rope (to imitate the ikran queue) draped over my left leg. My hand would use this as support as well and used the combinations in movement he'd taught me to maneuver my 'ikran'. He was a great teacher as he observed every movement and told me whether I was doing good, average, or 'awful, even for a blind tapirus'. What I loved most was that he didn't treat me different for being his friend; in training, I was a student, nothing more. We could laugh outside my training like old school chums but once he gave orders, my carefree friend was gone and I was expected to pay full attention to the stern schoolmaster.

The man was a dexterous demon because his hands kept fixing the net while his eyes were trained on my exercises without falter. I often wondered if I could ever achieve the level of expertise he held and highly doubted it because he was the best, nobody else could best him. . .like, at _all_. Well, maybe Jake in a fist fight but I wasn't about to do that with him for fear of facial reconstruction. When I finished, I simply grabbed my handy satchel off the grass and deposited it on my lap to await any last minute corrections.

I beamed proudly when he remarked simply, "Perfect. Do you see how you fare better when you listen to me?"

There went my happy smile and I hurled a nearby stick at his head, savoring the bounce it made off his bare chest. Since our talk at the Tree of Souls, I had slowly allowed my protective shell to melt away as Tsu'tey guided me to those high branches every week (not that I made it easy for him). I would climb one branch only, adding on another every week as he lectured on how to gain momentum and the flexibility needed for such climbing. The first time I climbed three of them, fear overtook me on the descent but he stayed with me until I calmed myself. He went ahead first and caught me the second my feet touched the branch to make sure I didn't slip off like any good instructor would. The first night gave me nightmares from the experience but I practiced a few breathing exercises to help me along (mostly because I happened to accidentally slap him on my first climb). Our trust was cemented and I knew I'd be conquering those heights soon enough without having panic attacks. As for my personality, I wasn't so meek as before but I did blame any leftovers of it on this new emotional development of mine. Of course, I could safeguard any slips of that by resorting to my 'nagging woman' defense.

"Can we eat? I'm starving" I asked tiredly as I stood up to stretch my tight muscles after their training. I touched my toes to get the blood flowing and jiggled my legs as Tsu'tey watched me with an awkward stare. You'd think he would be used to my erratic behavior from Earth but no.

"You're _always _starving, it's a surprise you haven't gained weight" he remarked sarcastically and jabbed my bare sides for emphasis. Luckily, I wasn't ticklish like my human body had been and quickly pinched his left side in payback as he left himself open to attack. Did he really expect me to just stand there and take it? Maybe back then with meek Joanna but not now. He stopped prodding me like a piece of dough and jumped back with an, "Ow!"

He rubbed his abused area with a sour frown directed at me and I warned airily, "Dreamwalker ladies don't take kindly to weight jokes. And you should eat more so then, you won't be so cranky during the day."

His golden eyes remained impassive as he weighed his options on continuing (he was basically digging himself into a ditch at this point) until finally, his lips moved, "So we're eating then?"

And that's how we usually dismissed our arguments in favor of better tasks. It was almost a shame we couldn't rattle each other's cages like we used to but I loved our playful banter. I nodded with a pleased smile at winning this round and patted my handy satchel to inform proudly, "Fruit and sweet rolls."

"_No sandwich?" _he asked disappointedly because I finally found something this hunter, who claimed he'd _never _in the history of Pandora like anything of human origin, liked something. That's right: a sandwich.

What could I say? He was a man and a hungry working hunter likes his food. After seeing me eat my human made creation during a training break, he'd snatched it for himself under the reason of examination and gave me his own plate. Curiosity didn't kill the cat and he found himself enjoying the different tastes but practically recoiled when I told him what it was and where I learned to make it. I ended up giving a lecture about it being acceptable (it was just food for Eywa's sake) and during last meal, made one specially for him as I explained the different varieties I could make. By the time I finished, there was needy glint in his eyes that I took pity on because he'd never willingly admit he wanted a sandwich (the man was too damn prideful). We didn't say anything about it but whenever there was leftover bread, I made one for him as a snack for after training. Obviously, he got used to my generosity with the questioning look he aimed at me in regards to his sandwich.

"Are you going to make fun of my weight again?" I grilled cockily since he knew I was the only one he trusted with his sandwich fancy and could make his precious food item. Oh, it felt good to have an advantage over him and the little crease between his brow bones added the little cherry on top.

"I didn't say anything, I merely made an _observation_-"

"Are you going to-" I asked flatly to let him know I wasn't going to let the comment slide and relished the cranky face he pulled at being cornered. He was accustomed to getting his way all the time but as my stubborn streak surfaced day-by-day, he was learning not to underestimate me.

"No!"

Chuckling softly to his forced answer, I squeezed his forearm as he fiddled with the net irritably in response to pent out his frustration. My touch caused him to pause and I soothed his bruised ego by informing, "I will make something else for you tonight. I've been testing with the batches of leftover dough to recreate an old dish I ate back on Earth and I think you'll like it."

His eyes brightened at the new idea and I meticulously dropped hints with a sneaky smile, "Leveled slices of dough that will be soft under your fingertips, sauce that contains three different kinds of herbs and thick enough to stick to your fingers, niag that crumbles and melts in your mouth, and meat that. . .well, you'll find out."

He groaned in a manner that was both orgasmic and self-pitiful and I let a small laugh leave my lips to his boyish complaint. Only food and butchering enemies excited the usual granite wall that was Tsu'tey. I tried not to laugh harder when he turned away to fiddle with his net again in an attempt to ignore me and heard him protest stubbornly, "Why must you torture me so?"

"Because I want you to be pleasantly surprised" I answered innocently as I kept the secret to myself (oh, how he hated when I hid things) and patted his shoulders to boost his morale on the matter. Physical contact in public was rare but as we grew to trust each other, I noticed that my accidental or sentimental slips of the hand no longer caused him to flinch. He had probably given up on this 'old dog learning new tricks' gal but I appreciated that he let me get away with it. I smiled amusingly and gently teased from behind, "Don't tell me food will fell the great Tsu'tey."

"No. . .but my stomach might" he grumbled in complaint as he turned around to glance at me and I chuckled softly. His face relaxed as we stood together on the riverbank, I guess it was therapeutic for him, and he admitted slowly, "Although I am grateful to have someone like you do this for me, it feels deceiving. Clans are supposed to share everything and here I am, trying to disturb tradition and order by hoarding your recipes to myself."

We walked over to sit by two boulders that lined the river's edge, my feet becoming cold when they touched the damp dirt and I piped up brightly, "When I'm sure my recipes will be liked, only _then _can we share. I don't want anyone complaining or becoming sick by my hand and you pinning the blame on me. We're in this together, _eylan_."

"Wait, so am I your tester?" he protested to being a guinea pig in my Na'vi/Human cuisine project and I slapped his arm playfully as we sat down on separate boulders. If at all, I should put him as a control subject before he ends up favoring my foods and refusing to share.

"I'm sure there are worse fates out there than that" I mocked dryly because he ate everything he touched and pulled out two leaf plates from my satchel. I handed his share over to him with a shy smile that rose when his fingertips brushed mine but cleared it off with a small cough as my fingers lowered to open my own. Food worked wonders on a distracted mind with its variety of flavors and decided to focus on the different tastes rather than my sentimental mind.

I dipped my toes in the cool water, letting it soak my warm skin as I nibbled on the sweet bread that was freshly baked last evening. The sweetness reminded me to pick a ruby red flower that bordered outside Kelutral as a treat for my Peke because he loved the collected nectar inside. The bugs tended to sting me when I picked the flower so they were either void or squashed when he received it but he loved my gift nonetheless. He'd grown a bit these past weeks as his growth spurt kicked into full gear but he remained my Peke despite the physical changes. Tsu'tey complained when he bit the other stallions but I justified it as self-defense, giving Peke a kiss of pride for finally showing them who was boss. Unfortunately, he decided to smack Tsu'tey with one of his antennae in a show of dominance and it was up to me to part the two before the warrior was flattened by the pa'li. I think Peke felt threatened by another male but I always assured him he was my baby and I would take care of him until he returned to Eywa.

My eyes caught his fingers trying to untie the knots in the net and aimed a flat stare in his direction since this was snack time. Only he could be such a workaholic and forget his own needs. He let out a small hiss in rebuttal to my placid glance but returned to eat his meal while I shook my head to his behavior. His sharp teeth practically devoured everything in a hurry to get to his fishing and I reprimanded him to calm him down, "Relax, eat your food. The net won't be going anywhere and the fish have nowhere to go but the river. It's not like they're going to go on vacation for an hour. Besides, you don't see me going crazy over washing the clothes I brought."

His eyes met mine as I sank my teeth into a sweet roll, tearing the end of it from the body and knew I was showing the same behavior I'd just warned him on. His face took on a thoughtful expression before he pondered curiously, "I hope you don't think my question is too bold but. . .your clothes always have a certain sweet scent about them and I wondered," his ears flattened against his head in modesty as he finished hesitantly, "how do you achieve it?"

The stoic hunter took me aback with his discreet tone after being used to demands or smart-alecky comments but I smiled warmly to show he could be open with me. The Na'vi were private people and I often had to remind him that my mindset wasn't like that and I didn't mind answering his questions. His secrets would be my secrets and if he needed to confide in me, I was an open book to him alone. I bit into my fruit slice before admitting my little secret, "When flowers are dropping their petals, I pick them up and store them within my clothes for the fresh scent. When they dry, I like adding a drop of floral oil to keep them in a jar inside my nook."

I gazed the water's edge as I smiled fondly in remembrance, "My grandmother filled her clothes with petals to let them catch the scent where she stored them and I always think of her when I smell my clothes. I liked dressing up in them when I was little because the scent was so sweet, just like her. She also taught me that using scented soaps kept a good scent too since human clothing is kept in airtight containers. Would you like a few to try it? I have soaps with flower and fruit extracts so when you have a good scent going, you can use them afterward to bathe with."

He chuckled nervously to my offer, knowing he would not want to smell feminine like me, and wasn't surprised by the polite decline, "No, I don't want my prey smelling me before I make the kill. That and the men will wonder why I smell like a woman."

"There's nothing wrong with smelling nice, I could make a spicy woodsy scent for you if you'd like" I offered warmly to let him know it was all right to disagree and decided to tease playfully with a cocky grin, "I'm sure smelling like blood or dirt after a hunt won't have women swooning after you."

"Some might" he defended optimistically to save face but I merely chuckled to his comment. Who knew, maybe some did but I certainly wasn't one of them. I very much preferred his clean and tidy appearance. . .but dripping water down his skin was also a charming appeal. No, bad Joanna! While I argued internally with myself, he pointed out proudly, "The art of the hunt isn't meant to look pretty. It is raw strength, finesse, and strategy-"

"In other words, a little statue of yourself" I teased lightly with raised brows of amusement but he frowned yet again to my little jests. You'd be surprised how many times he pulled that face within a day and wondered how the hell he didn't get wrinkles over the years with all that scowling.

"Joanna, I'm being serious" he argued snippily as he turned his face towards the slow flowing water, feigning a tone of hurt and I rolled my eyes to let him know I wasn't falling for it. Did I mention he _loved _guilt tripping me into apologizing? Not that I should complain because I did the same exact thing with him.

My words, however, weren't all empty jokes and I spoke softly with a warm glance, "I was being truthful too. You're admired as one of the best in your generation, I think that gives you reason to be proud. Children will want to follow in your footsteps as they see how much dedication you put into the clan. Who knows, maybe they will start whittling Tsu'tey totems? They're already imitating Jake as the Toruk Makto."

"I highly doubt- they're making Jakesully _totems_?" he asked incredulously to the recent activities the children partook in and I nodded proudly to the little youngsters. It wasn't my fault he ran from them like the plague instead of interacting but Jake started their current trend after creating a deformed Spiderman that scared the toddlers. It was strange for them to already know of human existence but fictional creations were not going to lessen their fear of the unknown. Of course, Neytiri ended the arts and crafts session by hurling it into the fire to relieve the children and dragging away a morose Jake.

I tried to dodge his accusatory glance by focusing on a rock that suddenly appeared fascinating and answered cheekily, "I told you they look up to heroes. It's not my fault you choose to scare them off rather than regale them with tales."

"Bah" was his stubborn response as he finished his sweet roll, his left cheek bulging as he chewed the last pieces. Did women find this man appealing due to his rank, attractiveness, or attitude because he was an onion wrapped in a puzzle box locked within another safe box that resided among hundreds inside a vault that needed cracking. Then again, he was striking _my _fancy so my brain would pick at this unorthodox attraction until it found a roadblock.

My fingers grabbed the last piece of fruit in my leaf plate and I held it out to jest playfully, "Here, now you can't complain that you didn't get the last piece."

He snorted at my comment to hide the fact that he tended to steal from my plate half the time but I persisted, pressing the purple piece to his lips. The nudging motion caused him to back away from my hand and he pointed out dryly, "You _do _know you're smearing juice all over my face?"

I laughed to his sourpuss attitude and jabbed him with the little piece again, nabbing the wanted reaction when his teeth ripped it away from my fingers. Success! And how in the world were his teeth whiter than mine? They practically glowed against his cyan skin. A girlish laugh arose in my throat but I shoved it down before it could surface. I had to remind myself that I was with my ruthless taskmaster, the sleepless hunter- wait, wait, back up, did I call him _mine_?. . .Oh, oh, crap in a barrel. I really had to stop this from going further.

_How can this not keep turning awkward?_, I thought miserably and wished I'd never allowed myself to feel like this over a man. I rarely dated them because most were a waste of time as I got to the top of my field and this time, I really needed to be at my best to succeed. I'm practically asexual with my behavior and he'd sooner stab himself in the heart than think the same of what I felt for him. He was so highly ranked that only the best would suit him and I was anything but that. Eywa, it was like high school all over again!

"Aren't you going to eat? We have chores to do" he reprimanded me out of my thoughts and held out a few pieces for me to take without a chance for refusal. I gave him a friendly smile for the gesture (he made sure I was eating and it beats me how he knew when I wasn't full) and grabbed them, tossing the pieces in my mouth without savoring the taste.

I stared at my feet as the realization hit home that yes, I _definitely _was attracted to the warrior next to me. Ugh, I wasn't the romantic type nor did I expect to have my feelings requited- actually, I hadn't fully decided on what to do with my feelings on the matter which was best. If I didn't acknowledge them, no awkwardness would seep through and ruin my best chance at succeeding in Iknimaya. Like I had told Tsu'tey months ago, I was not on the prowl for a mate and stability in my new life came first.

To pent out this new dilemma, I soaked my toes in the refreshing water and gave a sidelong glimpse to see what he was up to. The thought of Tsu'tey being man candy to the Na'vi women flew out the window when fruit juice ran down the side of his lips as he bit into the pieces like a carnivorous beast and I sighed. Yeah, _this _was surely attractive. . .but it managed to make me laugh nonetheless. He was being himself in the open instead of the impassive warrior back home that portrayed order. I chuckled amusingly and reached out to grasp his chin with my hand to stop his messiness, scolding lightly, "Tsu'tey, you eat like a baby. All this sugar will attract insects once we're walking-"

"I didn't think you'd care if I got bitten" he interjected smugly, raising his chin in superiority to my fussing, and I splashed water onto his face to wipe away the arrogant look off his face. That knocked him down a few as he frowned at me a second later, wiping away the rivulets of water trailing down his angular face.

"They can eat _you _but I don't want to go along for the ride" I retorted with a dismissive scoff as my fingers cleaned up his face and flicked a few drops of water into his eyes for the crack. His canines bared at me but I paid him no mind, already immune to his scare tactics and false threats. During training, he was ruthless and wouldn't hesitate to strike with cold words and exercises but off the field, he was harmless like a kitten.

I picked up a few more pieces and let him have the rest but he moved them back toward me with his hand. Dumbfounded, I stared at the brightly colored pieces and he pointed out simply, "You need the energy because I will not be carrying you back if your muscles cramp."

"You did it last time" I complained with feigned woe to his nagging and could see the faintest smirk playing on his lips.

Okay, that, I had to admit, made him handsome in his own right but I wasn't about to ogle him. His cranky nature amused me compared to most who would be frightened or frustrated of a man like that but there was a certain charm about him when I wasn't in the mood to talk and let him ramble. Actually, learning that aspect is what caused me to see him in this current light as it happened about two weeks ago when the women pierced my ears.

On Earth, it was quick with the little gadget but here, the procedure was slower with the needle (a sterilized thorn) and anesthetic was banned for this. Neytiri told me to pierce my ears in her manner but that scared me halfway across the moon and decided to go with a simple piercing on both ears. Cheryl, the kind dear, had stored rubbing alcohol from the crates we'd first brought here and kept a bottle for herself in her first aid kit for use in any emergency. She'd helped rub my new piercings and I slept with a headache in result to the throbbing pain in my lower ears. By the next morning, I didn't want to take out the temporary earrings in fear they'd either bleed or become infected (that and the pain) but Cheryl had none of it and I complained like a toddler the whole way.

Tsu'tey, the insensitive skxawng, nagged that I should be braver over a little pinprick and since the jerk didn't have any piercings, I covered his face with my leaf plate full of porridge. The men had a hearty laugh while the women gasped at my boldness and of course, Neytiri lectured me afterward as a future leader would. The upside of the story was that she laughed at the end of the conversation as she let rank slide for a moment and told me not to do it again. . .publicly, that is. Of course, Tsu'tey had to track me down like a wild animal to get comeuppance and he found me in the evening while I sewed myself a pair of socks (they kept my feet warm at night).

I found myself shocked when he didn't scold me but handed me my first pair of earrings. One held beautiful emerald hued gemstones that had been polished to dangle freely while the other had wooden orbs that added decoration to a turquoise-violet feather that dangled as well. I'd never owned so beautiful and had usually seen the women wearing such which prompted me to respectfully decline such a gift. Of course, he intentionally nagged that he'd personally gathered the materials to have them created so there was nothing to do _but _accept. He then told me to get the ugly temporary earrings off and helped me put them on with gentleness fit for handling a newborn. Since that day, I'd never taken them off.

My fingers picked up the last yummy fruit pieces and tried not to laugh at the amused expression on his face as he watched me eat. Every little twitch of his facial features either sent me laughing or coyly blushing. I was about to justify my hasty nibbles when he remarked openly, "You eat like a riti. Using your front teeth while lowering your head to hide your scraps."

"And you're a prolemuris, loud and sloppy to eat your hoard" I replied good-naturedly with an impish grin as I snatched his empty leaf plate to deposit it into my satchel. His fingers smacked my right forearm gently in return for the jab (a learned human behavior that he blamed me for catching) since he hated the nickname but the smug grin on my face remained plastered on.

I grabbed the round container I brought, it was a large bowl plainly put, that held clothes of my own and Cheryl's to be washed by the riverbank. I didn't mind washing against the flat rocks since the gentle soap didn't harm the grass I rinsed it over and of course, I used a smaller bowl to bring water over to the clothes. I wasn't about to pollute the beautiful river with its happy fishes that would soon be in Tsu'tey's net and soon, roasting over a fire. I loved eating crispy fish with its soft meat and crunchy herb roasted skin. With a smile aimed at tonight's fish dinner, I kneeled down at the river's edge to begin soaking my clothes with water.

"Help me catch the fish" Tsu'tey lured with a mischievous grin as he stood up to find his own spot and I batted the back of his knee with my tail. My fingers rubbed the small bar of soap over the cloth to begin scrubbing it against the flat boulder to clean it. I chuckled to his suggestion since he knew damn well I couldn't fish and filled my small wooden bowl with water to rinse the material clean.

"No, you chose fishing, you _stick _with fishing" I pointed out smartly in rebuttal with a witty grin and wringed the wet fabric in my hands to let the excess water fall on the grass to be absorbed. Shaking the cloth free of any remain, I placed it over a flat boulder to dry in the sun as I stated haughtily, "_I'll _be doing my washing."

That cocky smirk widened into amusement as he joked cockily, "Did I forget to give you my share of clothes? You must remind me next time, Joanna."

Instead of retorting, I used the old locker room technique from Earth and smacked his rear end with the end of another wet fabric I'd soaked in the river. The resounding yelp of surprise and the wet slap was pleasure to my ears causing me to laughed aloud in victory. I truly missed these days of long ago and promised myself I'd never be meek because this was worthwhile.

"_Wiya!"_

"Don't mock a lady" I preened with wry amusement to knock him down a peg from that monumental pedestal of his and sat upright with a proud posture as he scowled. Sometimes, my brain amazed even myself with its cleverness. My wet fingers brushed back stray strands that fell toward my face during my washing and felt the fingertips cool the warm skin of my forehead.

Out of nowhere, I became entrapped within a light but intricately weaved net the next second and chastised myself with a growl for being caught off guard like this. Tsu'tey's laughter carried over the gentle river current and I wriggled in my trap as my hands fought whether to break free or choke him. The latter seemed to be winning but he was out of my reach for a good smack I could blame on being accidental.

"This isn't funny! You better free me or I'll. . .I'll. . .I'll do _something_, you can be sure of that!" I threatened wildly and bristled in my spot but he only laughed harder, holding his stomach as his voice echoed over the spacious area. Nets were always iffy for me and I never touched them since fishing wasn't my thing so I was at a complete loss on where to start. The openings were very small so I had to be careful of not entrapping my hair or accessories which only added fuel to my aggravation. Losing patches of hair wasn't intriguing me. Couldn't he have just dumped me in the river? That would've been a better punishment than this maze of a net.

Things didn't get better when he grabbed me from behind by the shoulders and I really did feel like the catch of the day. Curse my brilliant ideas! How could I forget to watch my back with a man that hated to have his dominance usurped? I could hear the cattish grin on his face as he murmured cockily behind my ear with that pleased timbre of his, "Should I skin my prey now that I have it?"

"No but I'm going to skin _you _when you let me out of here" I hissed defiantly and wiggled in his grip for freedom but felt a tug on the top of my head from the net. Great, my hair just got caught. I stilled in my movements as my face twitched in boiling irritation to this annoying conundrum that threatened to pop a blood vessel and growled in exclamation, "If you ruin my queue, I'll chop off yours!"

"Joanna, that's not very nice" he stated seriously to my false threat (I really should've remembered our first meeting because of it) but I didn't care at the moment.

"Well, you're not the one who's losing hair follicles to a net!" I retorted defensively to add points to my corner as my fingers tried to free a few caught braids from the thin holes in the net. This day was turning out to be irritating already and hoped it wouldn't get any worse. I fidgeted one last time to push him away, warranting a success when he let go, and muttered under my breath, "Argh, I'm never coming to a river with you again."

"I was merely being playful-"

"I'd rather have you throw a fish at me than a net" I snapped sourly with bared teeth and carried the net like a long veil toward my washing rock. Oh, the sight I must be as I sit down to untangle it from my head. These are the kinds of stories you hear around the campfires to laugh at or blow out of proportion and soon enough I would either be named 'the mistaken guppy of a Na'vi' or 'the net monster that lures men to the river as dinner'. I'd rather be the latter rather than cute and embarrassing. My fingers worked on untying the net off one of my lower beads and mumbled listlessly, "You need to think of better ways to joke, I'd like to keep my hair intact."

He scoffed distastefully from his end as he went on the defense and pointed out shrewdly, "You are high maintenance sometimes, Joanna."

"Says the man with a nice set of hair" I argued snippily and hissed in warning when he neared my area, fearing he'd try to rip the net clear off my head. I knew I shouldn't be biting his head off but I loved my hair. True, it sounded a bit vain but after enduring thin straw-like hair for years in result to protein deficiency and malnutrition due to my harsh college life, I wanted to keep my new mane safe. Tsu'tey didn't know the origins of my overprotection and I forced myself to calm down because that was the harsh truth; he didn't know. He wasn't to blame, my little ego (along with a few other people) was and prideful Joanna was aiming a pitchfork at logical Joanna to agree.

Tsu'tey returned the same hostility in his hiss as he leaned down to catch my sulking gaze and stated bluntly with authority, "I'm trying to help you, skxawng."

My ego wanted to keep fighting the humiliation with its poisonous sword but humility allowed me to grit out tightly, "Fine."

So there I sat like a girl with gum in her hair while Tsu'tey untangled the netting away carefully with his skilled hands. I stared grumpily at the rocky shore with a frown that would've scared all the fish away for leagues. As if reading my mind, he muttered flatly to justify his actions, "I was only trying to amuse you."

"You don't need to do so, I enjoy my time with you. . .regardless of your crazy pranks" I replied gently with a small smile as his boyish grumpiness lightened the mood. There were days when I'd let him simmer in his own corner until he was calm and collected since I wasn't particularly fond of being angry. A piece of fruit candy generally did the work for him and he'd be mellow until he found something else to nag me about. As a friend, I listened to any serious problems to help him but most of the time, he was simply venting about his day and needed a friendly ear. My fingertips tapped against my knees as I informed modestly, "I like the way you joke, it's cocky but subtle. You don't go out of your way to gain attention which is why we now find ourselves in this little bind because you chose to do so."

"I _am _helping you, remember?" he remarked pointedly to his current task and I nudged my bare toes with his since my hands were incapacitated. I just couldn't stay still, could I? My forehead felt a puff of air as he snorted to point out sarcastically, "You _always _have to get the last word in, verbally or not."

"Would you have it any other way? I distinctly remember your agreement" I teased cheekily in reminder to our previous talk at the Tree of Souls and kept jabbing his toes with my own for entertainment. A grin spread over my lips as I stated matter-of-factly, "See? Toe fighting doesn't cause damage, it slightly tickles only."

He gave an uninterested 'hmm' of acknowledgement as he worked on untangling my braids and my toes gently prodded the brownish coverings over his lower legs that reminded of either gaiters or greaves of sort. I tended to attach leather straps with glued stones that I found onto my legs for my rides with Peke so mine weren't as fashionable. I'm honestly not sure where I fit on the Na'vi fashion scale but taking into account that I hadn't been stared or laughed at yet, I took it as a good sign. The women here could be elegantly subtle or colorfully dramatic in their appearance but they knew how to work it while I was still trying to learn. His voice broke over the soft current of the river that filled my ears as he reprimanded placidly, "Breaking my concentration is unwise."

"You're telling me that a small poke like this will break that precise focus of yours when being in the middle of a wild and unpredictable sturmbeest hunt _won't_?" I asked skeptically and stifled a laugh to the absurdity since he always left the clan with a stoic face on and returned as fresh as a daisy, retelling his tale on the strategy used on the field and how nothing fazed him. I felt a small rap to the top of my head the next second for scoring a point against him and rolled my eyes because he also sought to reign supreme in our banter. Apparently, he deemed me worthy of an upgrade to tantrum toddler level. I was about to tell him that I wasn't a child in the slightest (my boobs were proof of that) since I was perfect in health as he was but Tsu'tey beat me to it.

"There and no braids were lost" he taunted smartly with a cocky smirk and I shot him a glare since he started this whole thing in the first place. The squared netting lifted from my body and I rejoiced in being liberated from that uncomfortable cloth prison to move around without constraint. I'm sure he regretted it now and instantly felt remorse for the fishies that he would catch.

I stood up to bow dramatically in front of him and declared boisterously, "Thank you, oh kind-"

"Enough" he cut off with an exasperated sigh but I simply grinned like the bothersome imp I was, swinging back and forth on the balls of my feet. At times, he tended to scold me for the behavior since I no longer held the injury card to play but he was still my cranky pal so he let my craziness slide. He shot me a questioning glance and had the audacity to ask nonchalantly, "Remind me again why we're friends?"

"Because without me, life would turn dull" I offered perkily and leaned forward to loop my right arm through his left, facing the opposite direction where the forest lay with a smile. I'm certain that if he saw it, he'd read every emotion running through my mind like an index card in front of a speaker. I didn't mind some of them being read but certain ones that weren't platonic were _not _what I wanted him to see. My temple touched his shoulder as my skin tingled to the skin contact and I admitted softly, "And I do treasure your friendship."

And you.

A few seconds of silence passed between us before he made his very important ruling, "Fair enough."

I rolled my eyes to the simple answer, turning around to face him, and tugged on the arm I held to preen slyly, "Oh, come now, surely you have a better reaction than that after my nice little admission."

He directed an impartial glance at me to point out bluntly, "You're the emotional one, I'm the cruel one."

"You're just evading" I complained to his slip in conversation and tugged his arm close to my chest. No way was I about to let him get away with a 'fair enough' after all the craziness I'd endured with him so far. Did he not remember falling into water pools? Escaping wasps? Getting shot in the butt? Being colored pink in fruit goo?. . .My goodness, how were we still alive? My lips widened into a sweet innocent smile as I insisted mischievously, "Come on, tell me."

His brow raised with mild curiosity as he tried to fix the net in his free hand since I had the other trapped in my grip and he asked with confusion, "Tell you what?"

I resisted from smacking him upside the head to his forgetfulness on the topic of 'friendship' and peered at him to ask truthfully, "That you'll never grow tired of me or forget me?"

That trademark smirk of his returned and he relaxed in my grip rather than keeping me at bay like the plague. With that accented voice of his, he answered my request with a softhearted tone I rarely heard, _"I will never forget you, my little eylan."_

"Thank you" I whispered gratefully to his honesty and gave his arm a squeeze before letting go, satisfied that he wouldn't brush me off like a flake in the near future. Heading back to my washing, I skimmed his lower leg with my tail as I passed by and murmured discreetly, "I'm not that small. You're just gigantic."

I found myself wrapped inside the net a second later as he used it like a constricting rubber band around my shoulders. I _really _shouldn't turn my eyes away from him when he strikes so easily. Trying to gain freedom _again_, I complained aloud to my wrongful entrapment and relented, "Okay, you're not abnormally shaped."

"That's not what I wanted to hear" he taunted next to my left ear and I growled with a weak wriggle against his secure grip. The man could probably crush wood with those damn hands if he willed it. He mimicked the same tone that I'd had in my voice seconds ago, requesting innocently, "Tell me."

Oh.

A smile full of honesty crossed my lips and I returned the same heartfelt sentiment, "I won't forget you either, Tsu'tey. Not in my lifetime."

I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't have minded the removal of the net just to have that skin contact but I'm pretty sure I was kidding myself at this point. This was Tsu'tey, the indestructible warrior, while I was clumsy and too perky for his type. I was satisfied with being his friend and counted myself lucky that time wasn't changing his views of me after all the stunts I pulled for hilarity's sake (not that he hasn't done his own).

"Good" he murmured softly against my ear as my nerve endings were tickled by his breath and just like that, he released me to continue fixing his net.

I fought down the growing blush in my cheeks as his low timbre often caused that particular reaction in recent days. The idea of being a giggling schoolgirl that coyly batted her eyelashes was not the type of person I was and decided I needed to nip this in the bud somehow. Part of my logical mind searched its catalogues to pin this as infatuation due to our months together but as time passed, I realized that we'd known each other for more than half a year. Infatuations lasted weeks and if it didn't leave soon, I was about to throw myself in this cold river right here to wash it away somehow.

Logical Joanna wasn't quick enough to knock out romantic Joanna from taking control and my mouth slipped out the words before I could stop, "Can you teach me to fish?"

"I thought you were going to finish your washing" he pointed out casually as his brow raised in amusement to my sudden change of mind and I coughed into my hand to divert my eyes to the ground. Damn you, romantic Joanna, you're ruining my integrity! I resisted from fisting my hands and exclaiming 'damn' when he agreed with a superior but mischievous tone, "If you are so eager to learn, who am I to deny?"

"Don't get so cocky, I can learn from another hunter if I please" I muttered under my breath for being put on the spot with my own words and felt my face heat up to that wicked smirk of his. A second later, he handed me the heavy net with a defiant 'no, you can't' to having his position as teacher usurped and I scoffed skeptically to rile him as I grabbed the fishing net.

He motioned for me to walk to the river's edge where my toes dipped into the cool water once more. My skin was becoming pleasantly tingly by the cold temperature when he instructed, "Normally, you fish near the middle of the river where most travel but with you being a novice, I don't want the fish to suffer more than they have to-"

"_Hey!"_

"Must you interrupt me, ngatsyìp?" he sighed dramatically to halt my protests (he was ridiculing me with his superior talents, after all) and I managed to elbow his stomach for the name. Smartass. He uttered a small hiss in retaliation as he stood beside me but ordered simply to start things off, "Throw the net but make sure all of it is in the water."

I didn't take its heaviness into account and almost found myself joining its trip into the river when I hurled it. The net made a heavy splash that had Tsu'tey pinching the space between his eyes in aggravation to something I'd apparently done wrong. So much for becoming better at my skills. I shot him a reproving glare for his obvious displeasure and pointed out bluntly, "This _is _my first try, you know."

"A net is not thrown in such a callous manner, it will scare the fish away" he lectured me with that 'you should know better' tone that I found irritating because I _didn't _know. That's what he was for. My body tensed in reflex from our close proximity when he stood behind me and hissed when he slapped the top of my hands when I refused to place them in his. Wasn't this the kind of behavior that turned me into an awkward rabble of words in the first place? Unfortunately, he wasn't having none of my opposition and his hands grasped mine as he tugged them to pull the net from the water. My fingers hastily grabbed the openings to pull it all in while handling the heavy weight and heard him bark out the next order, "All right, I want you to throw it from the _side _to let it glide into the water instead of creating that huge splash-"

"I get it" I gritted out tightly in defense to my nonexistent fishing skills and proceeded to let it fly sideways in an arch over the clear water. My eyes narrowed when it sunk easily into the depth of the river without its previous loud splash and let my shoulders slump at being wrong yet again. Would it be so wrong for the universe to give me a freebie just once? As a student, I strived to never fail in what I was taught and frowned at the riverbank for letting myself down. I was supposed to reflect his teachings perfectly, like a shadow, and to see them at this crappy of a level told me to memorize extra notes.

My brain didn't have long to concentrate as the tug of the current nabbed my concentration and kept a steady hold on the net before it carried us both downstream. Otherwise, I'd really piss him off and hear an hour-long lecture about how losing people's things is as bad as lying or being impolite. If I still had my laptop, I could fill that thing to its maximum occupancy with all the rants he's pinned me with. I hummed softly to distract myself but with the passing minutes, the weight of the net overcame my untrained muscles and I groaned grumpily, "The net's a little too heavy for me."

Giving him a side glance, I piped up brightly to puff his ego with that sweet tone men found 'damsel in distress' worthy, "You have perfectly toned muscles. Be a dear and handle this for me?"

"You need to work on your persuasion skills a lot better, flattery will get you nowhere" he stated neutrally with that airy tone to squash my attempt but my words nonetheless worked because he grabbed the net into his hands the next second. I'm certain my ears turned purple the second his body pressed against mine, practically enveloping me as he took over reeling the net in. All I could do was yank pieces of it as the ropy wet net rose and tried not to let the feel of his moving muscles affect my concentration. The second his right hand lifted a part of the net, I hastily escaped the tiny spot that wielded no personal space to stand next to him in the open.

"Thank you for the lesson but I think I'll stick to my ikran taming for now" I chuckled nervously as I cut the lesson short and scuttled behind him to return to my washing. His hand shot out to grasp my wrist and I groaned at being captured by the warrior again, reluctantly retracing my steps backward to face him with a small frown to mumble, "I'm not getting more ikran training, am I? I'm already washing clothes."

Tsu'tey appeared amused to my little whine instead of exasperated and grinned to preen playfully, "And a good little washer you are, Joanna."

I batted his right forearm for the jest although secretly, I enjoyed his teasing and wagged my index finger to lightly warn, "Now you're just teasing me."

"I wouldn't dare tease the mighty clothes washer that will fell me with one strike of her wet cloth" he stated woefully as he feigned a look of panic and I crossed my arms to his very good acting skills, purposely aiming my chin to the side. My lips itched to smile at his antics since it was a rarity in public but I thoroughly enjoyed hearing the complaints or apologies that were attached at the end of his sentences. Sure enough, his hands gripped my elbows to bring me closer and he laughed softly to entice, "You must join my humoring, little _eylan_."

My fingers attentively touched the sides of his arms, noticing they were as hairless as mine, and tore my eyes away before my flirty side decided to peek through and accidentally scare him off. Instead, I decided to lightly tease him in return with a friendly smile, "But I like hearing you complain. I'm accustomed to a cranky Tsu'tey."

His golden eyes glittered under the sun and I found myself fighting the lilac tint forming on my cheeks as he continued to stare at me with that eye piercing look. I glanced at the damp riverbank below my feet to occupy my sight before I made myself into a fool and almost thanked Eywa a second later when voices neared us, hastily pulling my arms away. He frowned to the interruption but I smiled gently, telling him to relax. A young trio of women, non-huntresses by the looks of it, carried bundles of clothes and baskets of picked fruits under their arms while chatting away.

Tsu'tey, courteous as always, offered a greeting and his attention heightened their conversations immediately as they recognized him. I groaned inwardly as I realized we were about to meet a group of his admirers due to their lower voices, doe-eyed glances, and pretty much the obvious admiring smiles aimed at him. I slunk away on my tiptoes to return to my previous post to avoid being sucked into the 'how great is Tsu'tey?' vortex of no return and grabbed a few soapy cloths to rinse over the grass. Out of the corner of my eyes, I noticed how much prettier all the Na'vi women appeared in comparison to myself and tightly wringed the cloth in my hands to place it over a nearby rock to dry. I really didn't need to feel self-conscious on my lazy appearance this early in the day. Rinsing the clothes was a good stress relief idea and I tried to fuse myself with the wet rock next to me in the hopes none of them noticed me.

Of course, _none _of them did as Tsu'tey suddenly became a regular chatty Cathy and I rolled my eyes to his ego stroke. If the man could ever be an animal, he'd be a peacock with his never-ending tendency to show off. My hand itched to throw a wet rag at his forehead to yank his floating pride back down to the ground but knew I'd be chastised for behaving in such a manner since I was rankless. So I did what I was best at, ignoring everything around me and getting my work done so I could exclaim 'yabba dabba doo' and head home. I kept rinsing my presoaked clothes, washing a few stubborn stains in between as my hair became messy with the effort, and took a peek at them from the corner of my eyes. Yes, I know I promised not to but still!

Perfect, now he was showing off his fishing skills and explaining it to them without the frown he'd shown me. My poor molars practically cracked against their counterparts as I grit my teeth tightly when one of the women took hold of the net to ask if she was doing it right. Had _I_ been that obvious in giving him my attention? Did he suspect the same sentimentality from me now that he saw this? I turned away with an embarrassed face because the last thing I wanted was for this. . ._annoying _little crush to get in the way of my training. My task here was to be objective at all times and not pine after my instructor; I was to be logical and practical, not emotional.

_It's a lost cause, he has better choices in women and you need to succeed_, my ego (or as I called it, Logical Joanna) chided frankly and I narrowed my eyes because most of the time, I agreed with it. Obviously, this was one of the rare times in which I didn't. _He will see you unworthy of such affection, I say forget the whole thing completely. Master the rank of huntress and we can have a strong warrior of our own among the Atykwe. Live by the sea, talk with Nitari, fly with the ikran. . ._

_That does sound nice_, I slowly agreed as my brain conjured all of those alluring images that plagued me in dreamtime. _I do miss Nitari. . ._

_Tsu'tey sees you as a student, use it to your advantage and know that those without status in the clan are nothing_, my rational side pointed out coldly with finality and for once, Feisty and Hopeful Joanna reluctantly agreed with sour pouts. _We are meant to be a powerful force, undaunted by obstacles and Iknimaya is standing between acceptance and begin an outcast. There is only so much patience he will give for you, cast away emotion and make way for cold strategy. Otherwise, it will break you._

_I hate it when I have to listen to you_, I thought with regret but my brain had yet to fail me in life and I wouldn't disobey. The heart was strong with emotions but the brain was the control center, it knew better.I'd been completely wrapped in my own thoughts that I failed to hear my name being called but a sharp whistle broke me from my ruminations with a jolt. As I turned to Tsu'tey, I saw what he was warning me about when he pointed toward the river: my batch of clothing. While I'd been scrubbing at stains to distract myself, I failed to notice that my emptying bowl of clothes had been in the edge of the water and half of the clothes inside were now traveling downstream. Gasping in both horror and humiliation, I managed to grab a few shirts of Cheryl's before they headed toward the current and dumped them on a sturdy rock. Anxiously, I threw myself into the cold water and my warm skin instantly broke into shivers to the sudden temperature change.

Tsu'tey, the skxawng, had to call more attention onto me by snapping rudely, "Joanna, you'll scare my fish away!"

"It's either seeing me and Cheryl naked at Kelutral or your precious fish and I'm not giving you either" I retorted sarcastically without a glance back and threw myself into the water to paddle over to each floating item. If I thought the water was cold at the start, it was only getting colder as I swam near the middle. Droplets of water splashed into my eyes as my hands slapped the clothes desperately to grab them before they sank underneath and found myself not needing to kick my legs as the current did the work for me.

I swam with all the energy my little heart gave and prayed to Eywa that the current didn't get stronger as I floated further downstream, stuffing my bundle into the crook of my right arm while using the left to swim and grab. As a Na'vi, I never swam (thankfully, I had learned as a human) and my accident prevented me from partaking in the exercise so I was certain my movements were sloppy and mediocre at best. Oh, how I hoped I wasn't embarrassing myself. . .that and trying to prevent the fact I might get dragged off into unknown territory.

_Is this part of your 'be your own woman' plan too?_, feisty Joanna grilled the cool logical Joanna but the other didn't respond. Typical.

Spitting out water, I yelped in alarm when something unexpectedly tugged on my right leg and continued to do so as I struggled by kicking. What if I awakened some predatory freshwater shark or a snake? Or worse, that awful dinicthoid I heard stories about! I'd be swallowed whole! Rationality went out the window with me and I splashed wildly as fear took hold. Dying today was not on my to-do list! My feet kicked away from the current towards the shore but felt the same heaviness pulling on my leg.

A second later, Tsu'tey bellowed loudly, "You're caught in the net! Stop tangling yourself!"

. . .On second thought, being devoured by the carnivorous fish was a better end. At least he'd end my humiliation.

You'd think all the unfortunate set of events ended for me here but no. I had to grit my teeth in silent fury when I saw his arms pulling the net towards the shore and sure enough, I was tugged along for the ride like a poor turtle in a fisherman's net. My limbs ached to run off into the forest rather than face the group, knowing I'd be given sympathetic stares that underlined hidden amusement, but drowning would just put the cherry on top for me at this point.

If my life were a cartoon, my face would be tomato red while steam rose from the water at suffering this embarrassment. The second I felt the gritty floor of the river, I stood up on my legs and raised my chin to preserve my remaining strands of dignity, tearing off the bothersome net from my feet as if it was a shackle. Tsu'tey deposited his portion onto a nearby rock to bring in this new part and heard him remark smugly, "I knew my skills at fishing were good but I didn't expect to catch a full grown Na'vi."

My throat harbored a low growl as my feet sloshed over the damp ground, flecks of dirt and tiny rocks wedging between my toes as I placed my retrieved clothes onto a slab of rock. I forced it to stay put in the center, daring the inanimate objects to move with a stern glare, and ordered lowly, "Stay!"

Tsu'tey was ranting about who knows what at the moment but I didn't pay him any special attention as I noticed a few more articles were _still _in the water. I resisted from falling on my knees in hopeless defeat and wailing 'why' to the heavens above but took initiative instead by telling the cranky warrior impassively, "There's plenty of fish out there. Watch the clothes."

"Woman, you dare-," I was diving back into the river at that point so his words were muffled by the water slapping against my ears.

I don't remember how far downstream I swam but luck was on my side when I managed to find every scattered piece without being accidentally eaten by river predators. I didn't know if they really existed in this area (Tsu'tey scared me with his damn campfire tales, in addition to the children) but thanked Eywa when I reached the shore safe and sound. . .with nobody in sight.

A second later, I realized that I'd landed who knows where.

My arms were exhausted from swimming and hated the fact that I had to carry the second wet bundle in my arms. I just knew this extra unexpected exercise session would have my arms aching tomorrow morning. The area I surfaced at was a distance away from where Tsu'tey and I had been, cursing my luck at the day's turn of events. Maybe tomorrow would be better; I was optimistic at disappointing times like this. So I did what I had to: walk all the way upstream to find our small area while I dripped water all over the ground to pinpoint my path on the small dry rocks. If viperwolves could read tracks, I would have been dead minutes ago. Animals lacked in the area so that was a great plus because stumbling into a sturmbeest's drinking spot and being chased downstream _again _was not the excitement I sought for today.

By the time I actually returned to the right area of the riverbank, everyone was gone but I already anticipated that in my head. I really shouldn't have been that surprised. I'm sure he followed his fans to wherever they headed like an ego stroked guard dog. . .ugh, I shouldn't even waste my time on acknowledging these petty affections of mine. Nonetheless, Tsu'tey could've at least left a sign that he'd return but his belongings were also missing. Okay, talk about indirectly telling me 'scram while I entertain the ladies'. . .jerk.

Brushing back my wet strands of hair, I sighed aloud and grabbed my things to deposit them into the basket that managed to stay in its spot after I floated away. Luckily, the clothes on the rocks had dried somewhat and I grabbed them to place them on the top since my washing was over with for today. Glancing briefly to the small incline that led upstream, I decided to leave them be before I embarrassed myself further. I hated to look so foolish, especially in front of him, and decided to end the day by returning home. What else could I do here while I was soaking wet and all on my own? I wanted safety and Kelutral called me home to its awaiting arms.

I headed into the shaded woods with my only company, the squishy sound of my wet feet picking up dirt, to follow along.

* * *

After setting my batch of clothes to dry (I'd do the rest later), I proceeded to shower with sweet warm water to leave my clammy skin heated because the forest hike did nothing to ward away the cold. I was overjoyed at seeing the brilliant sun shining down to warm the area and plopped myself down on a boulder to bask like a turtle until I was dry. As always, it didn't take long for the children to find me once I returned home and my thoughts concerning Tsu'tey faded away as I played with the little ones. He didn't even have the courtesy to wait and tell me he was running off before leaving me alone so no, he could kiss my blue ass.

"Ow."

"Sorry" I apologized sheepishly to the small girl, Leka, as I brushed her hair gently. She always ran up to me with her little paddle brush after playing rough-and-tumble games with the boys and asked me to brush her hair back into place. Her parents always tried to stop her from becoming too messy from her constant playing but that's what I was here for. To keep their minds off it and keep families running smoothly. Leka was just one of many that sought me during the day and I didn't hesitate to help; they needed me and I wouldn't refuse them.

"You look sad today, sister Joanna" she pouted thoughtfully, turning to the side slightly so I could catch the little frown and chuckled softly. A lot of the children had taken to calling me 'Sister' despite I had no official status there but I couldn't dissuade them from it. Part of me cherished it because I was somewhat seen as part of their society and not a mysterious outsider.I smoothed down a few frizzy strands at the end of her long hair and heard her ask sympathetically, "You miss warrior Tsu'tey, don't you?"

My lips smacked together as I tried to form an argument against such an idea but I was talking to a sweet little girl here who knew nothing about the woes of attraction. At this age, boys were either friends or 'icky'. Shaking my head at the thought of letting this Tsu'tey issue get under my skin further, I humored Leka with a small curious smile, "Now why do you say that?"

"He's always with you. . .and he smiles at you, like this," Leka turned around to show me a huge Cheshire grin that was nothing like the smile from the warrior himself. Her bright face lightened my mood as I laughed softly to the dramatic expression because the man would never be caught dead with such a look. She stuck her index fingers into the corners of her mouth to emphasize with slurred happy words, "Shee? Luk thris."

"Oh Leka, Tsu'tey is my friend but that doesn't mean I always need to be with him" I explained carefully so her young mind could stick to this fact rather than all the other pieces gossip fed her. She needed to see that it was perfectly all right to remain friends with the opposite sex. . .even if we did tend to spend a _lot _of time together but only he was the exception. I patted the top of her head innocently and pointed out easily, "We have other friends and spend a lot of our time helping the clan in similar activities. That's all."

She appeared satisfied with my response but knew she'd ask again eventually. Children were naturally curious about the world and often yearned to be thought of as mature little individuals that could rival adults. I wouldn't hesitate to listen and shed light on her questions to keep her mind flourishing.

Her next question rendered me silent, "Well, where _are _his other friends?"

Hmm, good question indeed. I'm sure they were around somewhere because I didn't follow the guy like a puppy 24/7 so his life was a mystery to me. Actually, most of it actually was since he was silent about it and wandered as he pleased to find me. I simply kept brushing her long hair to smooth it perfectly as I tried to come up with a decent answer and simply remarked, "I don't know. Maybe you should ask warrior Tsu'tey yourself."

"Oh no, he scares me" she shied away with a modest tone and I chuckled softly because yes, the man scared all these poor kids with his horror stories. Frankly, I'm surprised parents haven't mobbed him outside Hometree's entrance for frightening their children like a boogeyman. Oh, the hilarity that would ensue (well, for me, anyway). Leka's eyes brightened as she quickly turned around again and I stopped my brushing as she added in giddily, "But he's nice to you. Most of the time though, he's like this."

She proceeded to furrow her brow deeply and placed a frown on her round face before raising her chin proudly. Leka would definitely be good at mimicking others with her Tsu'tey impression being the first and hoped she wouldn't be doing the same about me later on. I placed my fingers on my chin to feign a thoughtful but impressed tone, "Hmm, the resemblance is uncanny."

"Uncanny to what?" a voice asked behind us and we both jumped in surprise to our conversation being overheard. I turned to find Tsu'tey standing there, holding the net over his left shoulder as his face held curiosity to what had been said. Oh, so was I supposed to drop everything and chatter with him like he'd never left?

"Nothing, this is between me and my little friend, Leka" I rebuffed simply and handed her the brush as I finished smoothing down her hair from the center part. It was best that I ended my brushing here because with my mouth and Tsu'tey's temper, we were dynamite ready to be lit. Calmly, I told her cheerfully, "There you go. Now run off and remember, tie all of your hair next time before you tumble around with the boys."

Leka gave a highly pitched merry 'thank-you' and scurried off like a bullet as I stood up from my rock to face Tsu'tey. Now that there were no children around, the gloves were coming off and I'd corner him like a boxer. I poked the center of his chest to show I meant business and accused coldly, "You left me at the river without so much as a goodbye. I ought to give you a black eye-"

"I'm not your keeper, you seemed perfectly fine-"

"I was swimming down a current and landed who knows where, narrowly avoiding either being drowned or chomped as a snack and you. . ." I snapped heatedly as he flew into his own rationalistic defense and restrained myself from actually hitting the man. Slaps on the shoulder were fine but one to the face or a punch could initiate a fight. I wouldn't mind beating the hell out of him in the woods without interference but in public where everyone could see was entirely different. I was here to show I was perfectly trustworthy, even if I had to restrain myself from beating the crap out of their best warrior. My hands flew up to my head where I wiggled them for emphasis and snapped irately, "I mean, did you suffer a brain injury and completely forgot my existence on Pandora? Or was it that your ego just couldn't let the possibility of seeing women swoon slide by and decided to abandon your little _eylan_?"

Tsu'tey hissed defensively to being called out but I stood my ground as he scowled angrily to argue, "You are completely exaggerating everything. I objected to your heading back in the river but you refused to listen to me-"

"Are you kidding me? You're defending yourself after that deplorable behavior-" I growled furiously to the jerk since he apparently thought every action of his was justifiable regardless of the consequences. If I let someone float downstream, I'd feel guilty for not being able to help and mull over it. This guy probably would've thrown a parade with a Dixieland band!

"Stop interrupting me" he demanded briskly with a narrowed gaze that commanded obedience but I defied him by baring my teeth to show I wasn't backing off. I couldn't let him think I was weak and let him win this battle because I _was _in the right. If it was the complete opposite, you'd bet I'd be getting my ear yelled off about leaving his highness.

"You started it!" I shot back swiftly and that score point went to me since he indeed had. His short temper tended to cut conversations off in mid-word and I wouldn't hesitate to take advantage of it.

A few seconds of silence passed as we settled into a stalemate with my heated glaring and 'angry' woman pose while returned the same hostility in posture. It was a good thing most passerby's just stared at us awkwardly for a second or two before hurrying off to tend to their business. Finally, when people weren't passing by, Tsu'tey decided to open his mouth with this asinine response, "Woman, I simply accompanied the other women upstream to survey the area-"

"_Bullshit_, you wanted three more to your horde of admirers and another thing, stop calling me woman!" I shouted indignantly at him to get my words to sink into his thick skull. Did he not see how he behaved around women? True, he wasn't a natural flamboyant charmer like some men but he thoroughly enjoyed all the attention he received without trying to put an end to it. His eyes narrowed to my pinning him with the blame but I wasn't about to feel guilty after being left behind just so he could show off. He could do that on his own time, I didn't care, but not when he was supposed to make sure I didn't get mauled underwater. If I didn't matter, fine, then he wouldn't matter to me when he floated away downstream to never be heard from again. My hands clenched into fists as I snapped slowly to enunciate, "I have a name, it's Joanna. J-o-double n-a! Use it!"

"Why are you so livid? You're alive, aren't you?-," it was about here that I saw red and was ready to explode like a volcano. Every fiber in my body ached to literally beat him into potato mush with my own two hands.

"Sometimes, I just want to twist-" I began but closed my mouth when I felt a tug on my legging, turning around to see Leka standing there with a peppy grin. I was ready to yell at him with words that would've made Eywa blush but forced myself to calm down for her. She'd seen us at the start of our arguing and was _smiling_? Shouldn't children scatter to find shelter in these types of situations? Happy for our attention, she pulled out a small lilac cloth from behind her back and handed it to Tsu'tey with a proud smile.

He was puzzled by the item as he studied it between his fingers and Leka piped up cheerfully, "I made it for you both. Sister Joanna needs a good mate and I want little Joanna's' running around soon so I can play with them!"

I froze on the spot in dismay and embarrassment for Leka's wrongful assumption about us (why did my words never get through to children?) and noticed Tsu'tey had become transfixed with the cloth. Great, he was tons of help. Since he was stuck on pause at the moment, I leaned down to her eye level and tried to let my young friend down gently, "Now, Leka-"

"I know you'll be happy together!" she giggled enthusiastically with praise to this crazy couple that we weren't and squeezed my hand. The next words out of her mouth sent my mind reeling with embarrassment (I'm sure Tsu'tey's got knocked into the next star system) when she ordered sweetly, "Remember, little Joanna's'. I think two or three this big," she used her hand to measure up to her waist, "is good. Not little Tsu'tey's', they'd scare people."

She ran off to play with another group of kids and my shoulders slumped depressively at being left to settle this new aftermath. Why did people think there was something between me and coconut head? Now the _children _were following the gossip! I took a daring peek to find him in the same petrified position and I'm certain that if pigeons existed here, they'd be building a nest on his head by now. I didn't want to explain where Leka got the idea from (mostly because he'd frighten the residents and more rumors would start from that) and with slinking steps, began to walk backwards away from him.

That is, until my nose decided to itch on its own and a loud unrestrained sneeze broke the silence around us.

"_Whoopsie."_

He stared in surprise at me immediately as I'd appeared out of thin air but I was more concerned with my sneeze. I touched the start of it and noticed it was dripping from the force of the sneeze. So it wasn't because of an involuntary ticklish response. . .uh-oh. Did Na'vi get sick? I'd never been sick before! What if I got sick and medicine couldn't help? What if I was contagious?

My brain began recalling past information on such since I hadn't concerned myself on the biology of the Na'vi like Max and-

Max!

And so, without a care for Tsu'tey, I returned the same treatment (petty, I know) and dashed away like a woman on fire to find our resident medicine man.

* * *

"Just keep warm and no more sudden dives in the cold, _especially _after exercise" Max advised with his gentle scolds and I nodded obediently, twiddling my thumbs as I kneeled in my seat.

"So I _can't _die from this?," was my question for the third time in our conversation since I managed to corner him in the healing alcoves. He'd been fixing dislocated bones for a few young hunters that were injured in the recent sturmbeest hunt before I snatched him away to question him. This whole 'sickness' thing was new to me in this body and I needed to make sure it couldn't worsen. The tiniest new things that my body showed always caused me apprehension because there was a lot I didn't know about the physiology of the Na'vi. It's not like the RDA gave us manuals on our Avatars so I was on edge with any new symptom. Jake, on the other hand, took it lazily and as his motto went 'if my bone's not sticking out, I'm perfectly fine.' You can see why Neytiri had to unwillingly drag him by the foot to see a healer whenever he was sick.

"No, you can't" he finalized flatly but then touched his chin to ponder aloud with curiosity befitting any scientist, "Unless you expose yourself to the elements _and _somehow catch a cold from somebody else without seeking treatment as it worsens. . .then yes."

"Wait, you can't just change your prognosis!" I complained for his turning the tables on my sudden shift in hypochondria against me and sulked in my little spot. Ugh, I could already feel the clear mucus trying to drip down my nasal passages. Max fiddled with a few urns that were neatly stacked against the natural protruding bumps in the alcoves that served as shelves and took out three distinctive leaves to show me.

I grabbed them with my fingers and studied each carefully, noting their leaf shapes and color in case I encountered them in the forest. Max cleared his throat to grab my attention and I placed my hands in my lap to listen as he informed carefully, "Take these to Cheryl and tell her to give you a week's supply. Boil them as tea and you'll be fine within days."

Before I could put in the same question again, he raised his index finger to halt me and finished quickly, "You've fallen out of a tree, a little cold is nothing in comparison, Joanna. Na'vi are quite resilient yet I understand your concerns over symptoms like this but for now, you can scratch this one of your list of worries. Now, vamoose and let me take care of the real patients."

"_Hey!"_

And so, I did. I received my little bundles from Cheryl as she tended to her garden in the east, overly happy to give me the plants but fussed at why I swam after our clothes. Sweet Cheryl would forsake all personal belongings just to keep her friends alive and safe. She was my bestest (that's right, _bestest_- she was that awesome I created a word for her) friend in the world and I trusted her with all of my little secrets as a sister would. Without Cheryl to confide in, I'd probably be rampaging throughout the forest by now.

I grumbled out my take on what happened and after smacking my arm for being careless, she advised me to distance myself from him. Normally, Cheryl was for 'pro friendship' but in this case, I had to blink at her with perplexity to her words. I mean, she seriously wanted me to stay away from him. She gave me a one-armed hug to comfort my confusion and sighed knowingly with a small smile, _"Oh, Joanna, I know you like Tsu'tey-"_

"_Don't tell me you're in the crazy wagon with all those rumors" _I whined pathetically to all the gossip flying around. I mean, was it bad for a girl to have a guy friend she confided in? This wasn't the Stone Age! On the other hand, this was a completely different society with norms so maybe I _was _being seen as his admirer. . .ew. Unfortunately, my feelings did go in that direction and found myself in another slump because I'd never told Cheryl about it. That secret had been kept internally because I was skittish and worried if anyone found out. Sure, the guy has plenty of admirers but he didn't need to know _I_ harbored feelings for him too. The last thing I needed was for him to laugh like a hyena and tell me to keep dreaming. . .okay, I'm sure he wasn't _that _cruel but still, I was allowed to be paranoid.

"_Joanna, I don't need to hear silly rumors to know what's going on" _she chuckled softly with a sympathetic smile that allowed my defenses to lower and handed me a wooden cup filled with tea. After my trip through the wilderness, I craved something warm but it only burned my tongue when I tasted it. I groaned pitifully at having both my secret discovered and burning my poor tongue. The universe was having a field day with me today. Cheryl rubbed my back gently to calm me and leaned towards my shoulder to say, _"It was bound to happen with someone you spent such a large amount of time with."_

_"Like you and Noren?"_ I preened playfully since there was no doubt the two were in the courting process but poor Noren was too reserved to make a move. Of course, the shy Cheryl wouldn't either so the two were at a standstill without take off on the matter while making goo goo eyes at each other. It was cute since the two returned each other's sentiments unlike Tsu'tey, who probably made kissy faces to his own reflection. It was a shame that I couldn't keep a camera so I could catch the crazy stunts he pulled and shown them to him. Oh, what could've been.

Cheryl blushed faintly to my remark and coughed nervously to dodge the question entirely by reverting back to the main topic, _"The point is that you've been investing yourself in this emotionally and he may see this as 'teacher-student' exchange instead of what it is. Tsu'tey is highly intelligent but he's lost in deciphering what you feel because let's face it, humans are very emotional beings and traits like that take a while to disappear. Maybe distancing yourself will show him what he truly thinks of you and what you mean to him. He has to know that one day, you won't be his student and will live a life all on your own."_

"_I don't really care what he thinks of me, it's obviously not very high if he leaves me flowing downstream" _I muttered stubbornly as I clung onto his behavior to justify what Cheryl advised and touched my nose as I felt it dripping a bit. Oh, how I hated being sick! I rubbed the flat end of my nose harshly and growled with irritation, _"Argh, I don't want to be sick. I like my energy and I need to- achoo!"_

My foot stomped the ground as I reluctantly wiped my poor nose again and heard Cheryl suggest warmly with a smile, _"You should take a nap, it'll help."_

I could've fought her suggestion tooth and nail but it was best to reserve my energy since my poor white blood cells needed to charge to battle. They better fight to the death because surrendering would leave me groaning and aching for cold medication that I no longer had as a human. My body slumped in defeat as I drank some of the hot tea again, forgetting how hot it was, "Ow!"

Nursing my burned tongue against my cool teeth, my lips blew out a little steam into the air as I agreed meekly, _"Okay."_

* * *

_(Third Person POV)_

Cheryl finished pouring another batch of hot tea for her friend as Joanna slept but it would soon be time to wake her for last meal. Illness was a rare occurrence but it happened among the Na'vi just as it did with humans and medicine would fix it with time. She knew Joanna was an adventurous (albeit stubborn) person who was constantly on the go but she'd be in bed for a few days at the least unless she wanted to risk a scolding by all the healers. Nobody wanted to have Mo'at give them the evil eye for disobeying so Joanna would be staying put as Cheryl watched over her. Joanna had always done the same for her when she didn't feel well back at the Avatar compound and did a few of her shifts so she could snooze. Cheryl had grown up in a house full of boys so having Joanna by her side cemented both their need to have a trustworthy sister.

Her fingers fiddled with a few ruby colored beads from a bracelet Noren had given her a few weeks back, a subtle smile lighting up her face. The young hunter always brought a smile whether she was up or down and felt lucky to receive the same sentiments from him. Selecting a mate took time (unless they wanted the shotgun version of Neytiri and Jake) so she would wait until he was ready to ask. The sound of footsteps alerted her to an incoming clan member and she fixed the bracelet neatly over her wrist before turning around to meet Tsu'tey.

Unlike Noren, this particular hunter was straightforward and frank with none of the open friendliness her own teacher had offered. Joanna had never given an indication of her type of men but 'rough around the edges' seemed to fit Tsu'tey quite nicely. She was certain he was seeking Joanna since they never conversed at the profound level as he did with her friend and Cheryl hoped Joanna wouldn't get her feelings hurt. Tsu'tey was a courteous person, she would admit, but that didn't mean he'd be breaking a few hearts along the way.

"Cherylsmith" he acknowledged politely with a small nod and she returned it, softly speaking his name with her meek tone. There was a certain atmosphere the man caused within others in public and Cheryl scratched 'public politeness' as one of the traits Joanna must've liked. Then again, any woman would bludgeon her man to have such mannerisms instead of having them burp the alphabet aloud. A serious and quiet man like Tsu'tey wasn't in her taste so there had to be something else Joanna saw in him that others didn't see easily. This was a conundrum she would have to dwell on.

Despite the modest outlook, Cheryl could be a formidable force when faced with someone to protect. She'd done it during Pandora's battle and if she needed to protect Joanna, she'd scald him with tea. Tsu'tey was there for a reason, everything he did was with precise calculations, and she wanted to know whether he came to pick a fight or see her friend. Flashing him a courteous smile, she asked calmly, "You seek Joanna?"

"I. . .yes" he replied with a small frown on his lips because he hated being so obvious when he sought the woman. Nobody in the clan could make him uneasy except for Joanna (well, and the clan matriarch), especially when she was furious. She'd left him without an explanation after her verbal spat and he was _never _left behind without being supplied a reason. He deserved it after being treated so heinously with her words and he still didn't know what the whole point was!

_Human women turned dreamwalkers must be the most difficult or maybe it's just Joanna_, he thought exasperatedly in regards to her shifting moods because her friend was the total opposite. He was certain that by old age, he still wouldn't understand that woman.

"I'm afraid she's unavailable" Cheryl informed gently as she pondered whether letting him see her was best at the moment. Either Joanna would heed her advice or she would continue yelling at him in an attempt to block her feelings and keep him close. The two were already volatile and she didn't want them to get into an argument that would be hard to come out of. Whether for romantic or platonic purposes, the two connected on a level that brought comfort and safety to both so Cheryl wanted to maintain that as peacekeeper.

Tsu'tey was inclined to believe the honest Cheryl but his peripheral vision caught notice of a form inside Joanna's hammock as it was located across from the other woman's. Something was amiss and he wanted to know exactly what was happening because Cheryl was never the lying type. If so, somebody had replaced the woman everyone had known with a stranger. He didn't hesitate to point out the obvious and Cheryl barely registered a look of surprise as he stated simply, "She's right there."

"Yes, but she is sleeping" Cheryl replied sweetly as if everything was fine and Tsu'tey was beginning to become perplexed by her unchanging attitude. She sighed softly before he demanded what was going on or asked about her eerie calmness (Joanna told her that speaking in low tones diffused the bomb that was Tsu'tey's pride) to explain, "Joanna went into that cold river for quite a while to find our clothes. Walking back home all wet from where she landed in that cold shade caused her nose to become congested. . .well, I think that's all it is for right now. She's drinking tea and sleeping it off but I'm sure she'll feel worse when she wakes. May I make a suggestion?"

When he didn't object, she folded her hands neatly on her lap and recommended quietly, "Apologize. . .and stop spending time with her."

Tsu'tey brain grinded to a halt and Cheryl saw the slip in his stoic mask when his shoulders tensed visibly. Apologize? For what? She scared his fish away and inadvertently got sick by her own making. How was he to blame? He didn't throw her headfirst into the water, he yelled at her to come back where it was safe but she disobeyed. He would stick to his decision like an ikran to its prey but the other request puzzled him completely. They were friends, there was no need to be apart simply because of an argument that was wrong on _her _part. Once the guilty party took the blame, the two could move forward; plain and simple. He tilted his head to the side as he tried to make Cheryl understand, "Joanna is my student-"

"Exactly, so why must you spend time with her when you're done with training?" Cheryl innocently pried as she attempted to get from point A to B so maybe, just maybe, he'd realize her friend's internal emotions. Of course, Tsu'tey was a logical thinker rather than an emotional one so he didn't get the meaning that poor Cheryl was trying to convey.

Instead, he clasped his hands behind his back as he stated directly, "She is my friend, Cherylsmith-"

"Friends enjoy time together, yes, but not _every _day and more than _half _of it" she pointed out clearly with a small accomplished smile that Tsu'tey found unnerving. With the smallest of smiles, she could unnerve most into spilling the truth but Tsu'tey was one hard cookie she hadn't encountered. When he returned a blank blink of his eyes, Cheryl decided to pursue an alternate route by questioning with that gentle nature of hers, "Do you do the same with Jake? Norm? Only dear friends should constitute as such and yet, she is only your student. I am Joanna's closest friend after many years and even _I_ don't spend the amount of time that you do with her."

. . ."Is this your way of telling me you're jealous of our friendship?," was _not _the response she was hoping for.

The poor herbalist finally broke her own calm demeanor by deadpanning in surprise to his question because that was the last thing she'd expected. She rubbed the center of her forehead with her fingertips as she dropped the matter for the night.

"No, just. . .wait for Joanna until she wakes" Cheryl sighed depressingly as she failed to crack open his coconut thick head and wondered if he had the tiniest inkling of what Joanna felt. The emotional levels of men were both similar and different to a woman's so there had to be a balance that would get Tsu'tey to notice _something_.

_I mean, he has to understand the concept of liking someone_, she thought curiously as she inhaled the sweet aroma of the tea when she added a few drops of nectar. _He was betrothed to Neytiri, after all, and I'm certain the Na'vi version of the birds and the bees has been told at this age because Jake had no problem on his mating night-_

She balked in surprise when she watched Tsu'tey sit next to the start of the branch where Joanna's hammock was and restated what she'd just said, "I meant for you to wait until she woke. . .elsewhere around Kelutral."

"I have nowhere to be, I can wait here" was his logical and unyielding response as he decided to watch the canopies, twitching the end of his tail over the branch to sway a little.

Cheryl didn't want Joanna to explode on him the second she woke and since he seemed ready to instigate another round, she had to do something to stop it. With the casual way Tsu'tey acted in the small area, she had to wonder just how close the two were. Did he not see that Joanna didn't share such intimate time or conversations with others in the clan? Her friend never told her about her talks with Tsu'tey due to their secrecy but Cheryl was certain that both delved into parts of the heart and mind that most wouldn't tread on. At this point, she could see why Jake wanted to put the two together and had first thought the man had been joking until he brought up a few good points.

At remembering Jake was within Kelutral for the day, Cheryl's neurons jumped on their hamster wheel to jumpstart her thinking process. She needed to defuse both of their current temperaments and grabbed Joanna's journal that was stuffed between a pair of lilac leggings. Cheryl had found the book so many times she warned Joanna to stuff it in the farthest corner before she accidentally took it to wash at the river. She didn't want to rip out one of the pages but desperate times called for desperate measures and she tore it cleanly. Her free hand sought the nearby wooden stick that still had a decent amount of soot at the point. Quickly, she jotted down a note of 'Keep him there for an hour before he and Joanna cause an explosion of epic proportion' in pig Latin because the warrior certainly wouldn't understand that.

She waved the white paper in the air to call him quickly with urgency (she didn't have to fake that) in her voice, "Tsu'tey! I need you to deliver this to Jake, it's of the utmost importance."

Adding an extra topping of distress, she traced her fingers through her hair as she rambled, "I can't believe I forgot! Please, I'd be grateful if-"

"All right" he interrupted with a tired sigh as he stood back up to walk off the branch, grumbling under his breath about losing the comfortable spot. Instead of finishing his conversation with Joanna, he would play errands for her friend. Well, if his leader needed it, he certainly wouldn't fail in that aspect and helping out her friend could earn him points in his argument. The clan came first, after all, and he snatched the paper to stare at the closed parchment oddly, murmuring aloud, "Why would you need to send this?"

"Human habits, you know" Cheryl replied with a bashful chuckle and waved him off with her hands. Her plan seemed to be working but she needed Jake to read it so Tsu'tey wouldn't come back and argue with a sick Joanna. The hunter was downright intimidating with his piercing amber stare and she wondered what drove her friend to choose him as a romantic interest when she was ready to go hide. She shooed him away and quickly gave him the last of her orders, "Hurry now, the Olo'eyktan needs to have this in his hands. Do you understand? He _must _read it and you _cannot _leave until he does."

"I've no idea what is going on but he will receive this. . .whatever it is" Tsu'tey promised as he gave the paper one last glance before heading on his way. Cheryl didn't take her eyes off him for a second until he disappeared from the area. She patted her chest to calm her beating heart from exploding since her nature was to relax and find peace, not seek danger with the clan's advisor.

* * *

_(Joanna's POV)_

By last meal, my head felt twice its weight as my face felt incredibly pressured. Why did I even wake up? I should've just nagged Cheryl to let me sleep instead of going to eat. On the bright side, nothing else on me hurt except for the increasing fatigue that was growing heavier throughout the night. I cursed my immune system for this one but I was in the wrong completely since my hasty actions brought this shortcoming. I wasn't watching the clothes like I should've because of my own self-consciousness and almost lost them. Maybe this was a lesson in disguise to teach me to forget this Tsu'tey business.

I drank a hot vegetable soup that Cheryl helped the cooks prepare and I promised to name my first born child after her for all that she was doing for me. She'd told me that Tsu'tey had dropped by and before I could yell to kingdom come, she explained how she cleverly made him leave by bringing Jake into it. Apparently, the two went fishing for a few hours to keep Tsu'tey at bay and I hoped he caught all the precious fish he could eat. Once I became better, I'd repay that grand selfless favor by nudging Noren (more than I usually did) to officially courting her and maybe Leka would have little Cheryl's' running around her instead for playmates. I'd pick little Cheryl's' over little Joanna's' any day.

My teeth finished chewing on a soggy sweet vegetable as the last of the thick soup left the bowl to enter my stomach. I would've licked the wooden bowl clean but that would only embarrass me and I already looked horrible in my sick body. The food had tasted wonderful but I couldn't smell a single thing with my congested nasal passageways and cuddled into my blanket to keep warm. It was safe to say that I was the only person wrapped in once but luckily, the color was teal so it wasn't such a stark comparison to my skin. Otherwise, a pastel green or ruby red would've given me away like a tiger in a lion pride.

I let out a small yawn but when my teeth clicked together in closing, I jumped to seeing Tsu'tey sitting next to me on the left. How the hell did he keep popping out of nowhere? Did he master a ninja skill and I was unaware of it? I withheld a pitiful groan to my luck and turned to him with a lazy stare that basically read for him to get on with whatever he needed to say. I wasn't in the mood to argue but if he forced my hand, I'd show off my crappy debate skills. . .yeah, I'm not proud of that D in high school from ages ago.

His face shifted from stoic calmness into full on irritancy when he demanded, "Why did you cut off our conversation?

"I don't need to be patronized right now" I sighed tiredly to this headache causing conversation and tucked my blanket close to my chest to prevent any cold drafts from coming in. My health was the most important and any little spat he wanted to induce could wait a few days. With his temper, he'd probably have more ammunition but I didn't care. Remembering my previous conversations with my brain (I've had a _lot_) and Cheryl's advice, I cleared my throat as I went over it at the last second and stated grimly, "We need to talk."

"But. . .we _are _talking" he pointed out listlessly and I mentally sighed since I forgot this man took things a little too literal sometimes. After all the months we spent together, you'd think he'd pick up on a few human phrases.

I rubbed the top area of my nose to stop the pulsing of my poor sinuses because I wasn't about to explain what I meant and began slowly, "I've come to a decision concerning our friendship after what happened today. Yes, I know you left to find a better fishing spot with your lady friends and yes, I willingly went into the water so yes. . .I was at a fault. . .in _some _parts. I blame myself because I thought that you'd at least stay to make sure I was all right but then I remember that you have your own life and can do as you wish. I'm not really anyone you should be worried over like a family member so I overstepped my bounds."

Furrowing my brow, I glanced at the warm radiating hearth to continue, "I have become a little too dependent on your presence since my fall and that isn't good. You are an acquaintance as well as being my teacher and I began to blur the lines between the two but I see them now. I've. . .um, I've decided to distance myself from you so I can focus on being independent, apart from you. It isn't healthy for me to depend on your constant company every day and I'm sure you'll be better off with more free time to help the clan with. You don't need to worry about me."

The pressure behind my eyes increased as I tried not to become emotional because I did care for him but this was for the best. Time away from each other would help me think less of him if all I had to do was see him for training. A professional relationship that took a few hours every other day was better for my heart than this mess we were in. A less emotional attachment was best and I assured halfheartedly, "I'm sure we'll laugh at this in weeks to come. . .well, I will since you don't really laugh."

"What exactly are you saying?" he asked slowly as he scrutinized my appearance for an answer but there would be none there. He had to understand what I was doing and why because I didn't want him to feel lost or lied to. I was to be clear and concise to the point in order to save myself more inner conflict. My face betrayed a sullen expression that he read instantly and I resisted from running my thumb over his smooth cheek when his ears lowered a few inches. In old fashioned movies, this would be the part where I pour my heart out and he miraculously concurs in order for us to ride off into the sunset to live happily ever after and all that fairy tale glamour Hollywood spouted but this was reality where every moment made a difference for both parties.

"I'm going to be your student and a casual acquaintance, nothing more" I stated simply to finalize everything I meant and tried to keep my voice steady. I didn't want to sound deceitful or ungrateful for what he's done for me as a friend but I needed him to respect this decision. Trust was a two-way street and despite he left me in the river, I wanted to leave on good terms with him. My mouth suddenly felt like it was stuffed with cotton balls and I cleared my throat to say, "You don't have to play keeper with me-"

"I was joking-"

"Well, sometimes those jokes hurt when you come back from miles downstream to see you've been abandoned!" I shot back with a cracked voice and cleared my throat again to swallow the lump trying to settle there. Ever since we became friends, my emotions have soared to a point where I wonder whether I can control them as good as I used to. My emotional barriers were always locked to others (except my dear Cheryl) but Tsu'tey had an invisible key that could fit into all of the locks to render my defenses useless. Of course, my timing sucked because my outburst carried over the first row of clan members (Jake, Neytiri, and Mo'at among them) as a silent pocket had filled the area. Noticing that a _lot _of eyes were on me after that, I apologized quickly to make my leave, "Sorry. Excuse me."

It was a good thing I'd finished that soup or I'd be starving for the night as I headed to the staircase. I knew Tsu'tey would follow after me to demand more answers but I was one step ahead of him as I ducked into one of the nearby alcoves that concealed me from sight. I'd learned enough from the kids hide-and-seek games to know my own way around. My back pressed against the rough wood as I blended myself into the dark shadows to stand still, hoping I wouldn't get discovered for an interrogation.

For the first few minutes, I could hear his voice carry over the area as he asked any passerby's about me but luckily, none had seen me scuttle by. My teal blanket sure came in handy to keep me from being an obvious eyesore. I remained hidden for quite a while because I wanted to be sure he wouldn't find me on my way up or on any alternate route I might take. I didn't like hiding, it felt cowardly to do so, but like I'd said months ago, Iknimaya was my purpose and I aimed to complete it. I don't know why I thought I could feel affection for somebody who was the golden eagle, the pride of their clan, and believe for the tiniest second that he could find a little ugly duckling like me interesting. It was time somebody popped the bubble under me and brought me back down to reality before I made a complete fool of myself.

* * *

A few days passed and with them, my irritable cold had faded away until all I was left with was a dry flaky spot on the sides of my nose from all my dabbing. I'd carried a blanket for the first day to make sure the windy mornings wouldn't make my illness worse as the seasons began to change. The nights were becoming cooler as dawn happened at an earlier time so our nights were be cozy with the hearth to keep us warm. I hadn't experienced a seasonal change firsthand since I'd been stuck watching it from inside the compound so I was excited for the new change.

My days as always, consisted of spending time with the giddy children and training. With my cold, I was able to slide out of the latter but I couldn't avoid speaking to Tsu'tey for too long without it appearing that I was avoiding him. He was my teacher, after all, and I did say we would remain friends on a basic level. I just wanted him to understand how abandoned I'd felt at the river and for him to see that my life wouldn't revolve around his forever. The main reason why I dodged him was because I knew he'd argue until he was purple in the face about what I did and why I did it. To me, the less he knew, the better; and who knows, his temper might have subsided a bit since then. My outlook was brighter as the fresh air uplifted my spirit and hoped the universe wouldn't throw me another curveball. Speaking of curveballs. . .

At the moment, I was sitting on a warm boulder that the passing sun had deliciously warmed but was now in the comfortable shade with a thanks to the moon's rotation. Other Na'vi were gathered around the area as Jake had a clan treat for them: Baseball. That's right, dear world, the ex-marine was teaching the Na'vi a human sport away from Hell's Gate. Hopefully, things wouldn't get competitive. . .scratch that, competitiveness would be the understatement for this game. It was a good thing he didn't decide on playing football or Mo'at would have more injured in the healing alcoves after that rough sport.

I watched our glorious leader explain the rules to the two teams where he was captain of one and Norm led the other to make sure everyone knew the game. Jake tried to get me into the spirit of baseball days ago when he was forming the teams but I lucked out by playing the sick card with Neytiri, who told him to find another player. So here I was, happily sitting next to a group of youngsters who were excited to see this 'tawtute' sport (of course, I asked for parent permission first because men could be very competitive) and snacked on a leaf plate full of banana fritters. I held a young toddler in my lap and allowed him to pick up his own little pieces, watching him point to the clearing/diy baseball field with excited laughter. Rixat was happy to eat and babble about everything in sight as I listened with a smile to keep him perky.

"Joanna!" Leka's chirpy voice popped in and I turned to find her pulling a man my age, hunter ranked from his garb, as he tried to halt her to no avail. In his defense, she did have a strong pull for a little girl. She stopped in front of me, forcing the man to stop behind her and pointed to her sleek-haired willowy companion to announce with a cheerful grin, "This is my brother, Talen. He brought me to see the game, he's in Normspellman's team."

She pulled on Talen's hand like one would to their rag doll and proudly informed, "This is Joanna, she's the one that always takes care of us when sa'nu is busy."

"Yes, I've heard a lot about you" he spoke politely while trying to stop his sister from pulling off his hand and wondered if she got her roughhousing traits from him. She'd told me her parents only had two children so unless there was another sibling roaming around, I'm certain Talen was the one she praised about in private but obviously tried to ignore in public. Children were quirky and I smiled modestly at Talen when he dipped his head to say, "A pleasure, Joanna."

"Likewise, Talen" I chuckled softly as Leka scrutinized which open area to sit in and I took the time to inform the young hunter, "Jakesully is going over the rules, you might want to join to make sure the game goes smoothly. I'm a bit nervous the rules will be misunderstood and cause conflict."

He agreed with a low timbre that was the opposite of Leka's and turned to find her gone from where she'd previously stood. I gave him the freebie when he appeared dismayed and pointed to where she was sitting alongside a group of little girls, already chatting away like he didn't exist. Talen sighed aloud and stomped over to the spot to chide in reminder, "Stay with Joanna or-"

"You tattle to sa'nu, I know" she finished smartly to shoo him away but patted his knee affectionately as she sat. Her smile widened mischievously as she stated casually, "I'd rather play with my friends than see you lose the game."

"I won't lose!" he remarked indignantly for being given such little faith but ruffled her hair affectionately before joining the other players. A small smile pulled at my lips at seeing the sibling interaction and wished time would've stopped for me and mine when we were happy and clueless in childhood.

A small groan caught my attention as little Rixat reached for the Na'vi version of a sippy cup that was hidden inside my satchel. That basically meant 'I'm thirsty, gimme' so I dug into my bag to fetch it as he waited expectantly with those gorgeous golden orbs. I grabbed the hollowed out ikei fruit that was perfect for storing fluids for toddlers and babies, without any residue or absorbance to harm them, as three clean holes were punctured at the top to allow suction from the youngster. Rixat grabbed it happily when he saw its lime green color and began to drink as he nestled against me with a satiated whimper. I was sure he'd fall asleep eventually and hoped the game wouldn't make too much noise but highly doubted it.

I ate a few more pieces of my yummy fritters to finish the plate as my free hand patted Rixat's leg, surveying my small group to make sure nobody ran off to explore. My name was called from behind and I turned lazily to see that Tsu'tey had once again popped in out of nowhere. Holy banana fritters, was the man a ninja or some kind of stealthy assassin in hiding? I blinked as his arrival stunned me in my place and slowly swallowed as I tried to come up with something to say. Usually, I was the first to speak whenever we met up but I allowed him to take the first step this time.

"I was hoping you might speak to me" he proposed calmly and I regained my composure to manage a decent nod. I wasn't about to deny conversation after he sought me so I gave him a serene smile to let him know it was all right. You know that whole 'he'll get over it' piece of thought I had a few minutes ago. . .yeah, I was very wrong on that assumption.

"You're my friend, of course-"

"Then why did you say those things?" he demanded curtly with a sharp tone before I could finish my friendly words and calmly reminded myself that I was dealing with a man scorned. . .whom also carried a short temper that apparently couldn't fade. On Earth, books in stores say women carry a deeper emotional sense due to hormones and all that brain mumbo jumbo I've no idea on. Those writers should meet this man because he seemed to carry a tempest of emotions that could suck the daylight out of the sky and drown you in the deepest of waters. I felt pity for the poor animals he hunted down because _I_ certainly wouldn't want to be on his warpath.

I sighed aloud to try to gather my thoughts and to give him a few seconds of breathing that would hopefully calm him somewhat. Trying not to argue in front of innocent children, I lowered my voice and pointed out my previous decision, "We're friends and if you value me, you will listen and let me flourish away from you."

His face screamed a negative 'hell no' on my decision and I softened my gaze so he could sympathize with my choice. If I'd been male, we would've been arguing with a fistfight like he'd done constantly with Jake but with his faithful respect for women, I had an upper hand. Unfortunately, my little gazes didn't deter him and he tried to dissuade me, "But-"

"Tsu'tey, get over here! My co-captain can't just abandon the team!" Jake yelled dramatically across the clearing and Rixat jerked awake in my arms with a soft whimper. I tucked him close to keep him warm (what children didn't love warmth?) and shushed him gently as he wiped one of his sleepy eyes. Uh-oh, must be nap time. Like I said, kids could fall asleep in seconds and I didn't want him stressed by the sudden noise that would come.

"Children, if any of you want to return home, I am taking Rixat back" I called out to them and wasn't surprised when the youngest three scampered over to me. Their attention span shifted quickly and I patted the top of their heads affectionately as I balanced Rixat in my arms. Turning to Tsu'tey, I smiled gently to encourage his sullen expression, "I'll be back to watch the game so I'll wish you the best of luck right now. I hope you understand why I am putting a halt to our time together but it isn't to hurt you. You are my friend and I'll be here to talk when I'm not busy with my own things."

With that said, I made sure my kiddies were following me as I headed back towards Hometree's entrance. This gap needed to be established to reinforce what Tsu'tey and I were: acquaintances that retained objectivity. If he missed my companionship. . .I would have to be brutally honest with my feelings rather than keep doing a mental runaround with his mind. If he could understand how I felt being left at the river, then I would know I meant something. A big smile lit my face when Rixat wrapped his little arms around my neck to restart his nap and for a moment, thought about how I'd feel holding such a fragile being of my own in my arms like this. I bet that little Joanna would be as stubborn and smart-alecky as I was.

* * *

I returned to the game just as Jake struck the ball with his whittled bat (he didn't hesitate showing it off) and took off like a track runner to grab first base. Sitting next to Neytiri and the children, the youngsters told me that Norm's team was actually winning which is why Jake was showing competitiveness. I almost laughed aloud at the irony since Jake called himself one of the best from his old high school team days while Norm preferred the old game of basketball. What did make me laugh was Tsu'tey's sour and furious face as he stood stiffly in second base, painfully glaring at the Avatar who defended center field because the other team was winning.

"He looks ready to eat that poor man alive" I laughed heartily with sympathy for the poor guy that would soon be relieved by the next player, Max, from Jake's team. If there was one thing Tsu'tey hated more than humans, it was losing and unlike Jake who had his 'game' face on, the warrior had his 'killing' face on. Protecting third base, Norm appeared pretty smug on his chances of winning so far and didn't hesitate to egg Jake on with old fashioned English words from the game.

"Tsu'tey is shamelessly petty when it comes to losing publicly" Neytiri sighed hopelessly with a small frown (I'm pretty sure everyone wants to forget that Tsu'tey tried to kill Jake more than once) but whooped the next second with the children as Max hit his ball on plate and took off to grab first base. The children joined her with their own cheers as Max finished his short run to first before he was tagged out while Jake ran towards center, which Tsu'tey had just left.

For some reason, my eyes were pinned on Tsu'tey (no, I wasn't ogling him) as he made the dash to third which Norm protected and saw that he'd caught the ball from one of the other catchers. I knew Norm would tag him out due to the closer range to the plate but my nerves put me on edge to the determined face Tsu'tey held. Uh-oh, somebody was about to die and oh dear, this would not end well.

My suspicions were unfortunately correct a second later.

Tsu'tey was like a speed demon on full gas and even poor Norm tried to bail at the last minute from his own base to escape. Unfortunately, he found himself tackled to the floor by the brick wall that was Tsu'tey and he fell like a sack of potatoes. I yelped in horror to the harsh impact as Norm laid out on the ground like he was sun-tanning on the beach while Tsu'tey kept his momentum without a care until he reached home plate to score Jake's team a point. Of course, he had to raise his arms proudly at his own success (the showoff) while my face was contorted into shock and mortification. Holy Eywa, that man was a serious force to be reckoned with!

_Is this the kind of guy you're attracted to?_, my logical mind asked incredulously and I slumped in my seat at the outrageous turn of events. _He flattened our friend into a pancake and he's still cheering about it?_

_Shut up, he's just. . .very passionate_, my romantic side shot back as both waged a battle for supremacy.

Norm's team didn't hesitate to call out the warrior on foul play (more like a serious football tackle with its brutality) and Tsu'tey argued that his actions were fair since he wasn't touched with the mitt. Jake rubbed his forehead stressfully as the game seemed about ready to erupt and broke the squabbling by pointing out, "We can blame each other till sundown but for the sake of sportsmanship, could one of you. . .besides Max. . ._check _on poor Norm?"

Neytiri cursed next to me in dismay as helpful Max was the _only _one there and Peyral, who was on Jake's team, tried to score points by declaring proudly, "Maxpatel is already helping before any of you and he's on the opposite team which should give _us _the point."

This erupted in another quarrel again and while Max helped poor Norm stand up on his feet, I heard my friend groan painfully, "Remind me _never _to get between that man and a base."

Of course, the male children were impressed by this show of male bravado and tried to mimic Tsu'tey's actions but I halted them. I didn't need to explain to parents why one of their children had been tackled to the floor and possibly experiencing a light concussion. I aimed a warning finger to where Jake tried to maintain peace and reminded the young boys, "No, fair conduct and rules must be followed in games and never broken or people get hurt. You should follow our Olo'eyktan's example by maintaining peace and civility."

They frowned in disappointment that I ruined their fun and I gave them a ball so they could play catch instead in a side area that was empty. That seemed to liven them up almost instantly since they could roughhouse and chatter all in one. I watched Neytiri walk into the clearing where Jake stood and heard her trying to settle the baseball dispute which only seemed to be growing by the minute. It was like a black hole! See, this is why Earth sports should be banned. They used up too much testosterone in men that was needed to, uh, kill things. . .okay, I lied, I just didn't want Jake to drag me into playing because I was the bookworm-explorer type.

In the end, they called it a draw to save both teams from arguing further till their throats hurt and heard Jake say they'd try again. . .on the next full moon. That should give him enough time to fix the rules a bit and educate Tsu'tey that tackling was not permitted, especially his violent types of tackles. I could only watch in amusement as Neytiri supportively told Jake he did his best while he sulked as a boy did when his favorite show was cancelled. A rub to the back seemed to encourage him further into trying another game and I decided to pry my eyes away before the two got too mushy. My own decision was to call this day quits too and motioned to the children, "Come, young ones, let us return your mothers."

Leka hollered to her brother she was leaving as he was helping his team leader recover from the fall but Norm appeared well. I mean, he was already eating something I couldn't see while Max kept trying to take his wrist's pulse but Norm wasn't making it easy as he devoured his food. I gathered the young ones as everyone around us engaged in side conversation and headed towards the right path that would loop to the front entrance of Hometree. All of the children broke off into their own interpretation of the game and wasn't surprised to hear Tsu'tey as the highlight. Would the man ever not be the main attraction in the clan's news?

I was about to remind them that praising him was bad because I didn't want them learning that kind of behavior (I'm certain their parents didn't either) but stopped when my foot tripped over something. I wasn't given a chance to glance down as I felt something sharp pull my foot and within seconds, I was upside down in midair as I yelped in surprise. My vision became dizzy as the spinning ground faced me but I knew right away that my right foot had triggered a damn trap because I was upside down like a caught animal. With dangling arms, my left foot kicked at the air for freedom and I didn't hesitate to call for the first person who'd help, "Jake!"

Half of the children hid muffled snickers to my predicament while the other half mimicked my calls to catch his attention. Blood was rushing to my head by the time someone actually came to help and I didn't hesitate to point out flatly, "Yes, I'm in a trap and no, I didn't see it. Please help me."

"All right, but the third save earns me an extra leaf plate of teylu" Jake joked good-naturedly to my humiliation as he began cutting the rope that held my right foot in the air. I was about to warn- more like shout- that I'd hit the ground but felt someone holding me from behind as my body was raised upright to restart the correct blood flow. My arms waved in the air comically as Jake finally cut the rope from my feet with two tears of his knife and down I went.

I expected my feet to touch the ground with no stability but found myself blinking with perplexity when I could see my bare toes wiggling in the air and within my line of sight. Also, the muscled arms underneath me were the dead giveaway that I was being carried by a man. In my feminine mind, I expected a valiant warrior of renown with a dazzling smile to ask whether I was all right. . .only to wince horribly when I realized that that certain warrior was named Tsu'tey and he was already plaguing my mind. I practically slumped in his arms in defeat (I couldn't catch a break, could I?) and groaned miserably, "Oh, woe is me."

A second later, I proceeded to slap him silly by the chest as I ordered embarrassedly with blushing cheeks, "Thank you but put me down. I'm no child."

Being in his arms is not what I had planned for today and fought the furious blush as he lowered me by the legs first so I could hop off. Coughing nervously, I avoided his gaze as the children scampered over to check if I was all right by patting my arms. They really were little sweethearts and focusing my attention on them faded away the heat forming all over my face as I assured them, "I'm fine. It's all right, young ones."

Jake eyed the disarmed trap that now lay in two cut ropes and I could barely see the thin strand used as the trigger on the ground by feet. It was a crafty trap, I would admit, and Jake had the same mindset when he put my own question aloud, "I want to know who put this here."

This time, the uncomfortable cough didn't come from me and we all turned to see Tsu'tey sheepishly kicking a tiny rock with his toes. Were you kidding me? Him? His gaze intentionally avoided Jake's questioning glance as he admitted with a low careful tone, "I created it, Jakesully. I. . .I simply wanted to talk to Joanna."

"So your way of getting me to talk was by _trapping _me like an animal?" I demanded indignantly to his idea of how to attain my attention and rubbed the back of my head as the blood flow began to regulate down my body. If the area didn't feel so unbalanced, I would've smacked him silly.

"You aren't talking to me! This _is _all I could do!" he exclaimed to justify his actions and I refrained from grasping the useless rope on the ground to choke common sense into him. I stop speaking to him for a few days and he uses illogical ideas to force me to do so? My brain was telling me to forget this crazy hunter after this latest stunt but my heart was notoriously pleased that he took such ingenious measures to assure we would. Nonetheless, I was not about to back down on what I'd decided and took a deep breath before I verbally exploded and accidentally taught the innocent children a few offensive words.

"I don't know whether to call you insane or ruthlessly effective" I hissed heatedly but turned away since there was a task to be done and to be honest, I was one word away from laughing crazily. Tsu'tey's ploys at attention ranged from downright crazy to subtle craftiness but there was always a humorous undertone to some which I don't really think he meant to give the impression of. I played the ignorance card and clapped my hands to summon the children back to me and rallied them, "Come on, children."

Tsu'tey grasped my arm to halt my leave and I stiffened my muscles because I certainly didn't appreciate being manhandled. The children stilled in surprise to the bold move and heard the warrior demand briskly, "What can I do to stop this nonsense of yours?"

"It's not nonsense and if you knew me, you'd get it" I stated sharply because I wanted him to understand my purpose on this and pulled my arm out of his grasp with a small yank. His face was extremely defiant on this, his whole posture was practically tense as he leaned over me, but I could see that his eyes were searching for that answer. He was truly trying and I would accept that at least. I would point him in the right way because he was my friend and someone I cared for, sighing softly to say, "I need you to See, Tsu'tey."

I needed a quick exit and with a small shred of guilt, lied to my dear friend by bellowing, "Jake! Tsu'tey wants to know more about player positions and the Hall of Fame!"

Tsu'tey didn't have a quick enough reaction time to dodge Jake's vice grip on his shoulder as he pulled him away unwillingly, chatting aloud with raw enthusiasm, "That's great to hear! Most of the Na'vi don't seem to care about the history but I'll tell you _a-l-l-l-l _about it, brother."

* * *

_(Tsu'tey's POV)_

See? She wants me to _See_?

She walks away from me and is asking me to ponder her covert meaning when everything else I've done so far is wrong?

When I finally managed to escape my brother's long history of his tawtute sport, by cleverly lying I had to make arrows, I was determined to find that woman. I truly don't understand her mind. First, she wants to be friends with me and suddenly, she avoids me like a plague and has me unwillingly learning about 'baseball'? There had to be a connection and I was going to find out even if I had to trap her all over again. Obviously, my mistake was admitting I'd done it in the first place so I'd have to improvise a new trap.

At first, I believed her short illness had caused delusions that forced her to brush me aside but she was fine now. Bluntly put, she was perfectly healthy with all the screeching she did today. Joanna was beginning to be an enigma for me as time passed and part of me despised being denied her company after everything I'd done for her. I was giving her training, my friendship, and above all, my trust, yet she simply casts it aside for 'personal development'. What the wiya does that mean? I was almost willing to say the woman was ungrateful but she'd never shown such traits which is what bothered me the most.

As an expert tracker, I checked the usual spots she visited with me or on her own but found nothing. Not even a footprint or a lingering scent. The woman was becoming crafty, either that or I was losing my touch and of course, _that _would never happen. I must have checked every level of Hometree before realization hit me (quite literally) when something struck my lower right leg. I glanced down to see a baseball rolling on the ground which was the culprit and a young boy picked it up with an apprehensive stare aimed at me.

I often forgot the youngsters were nervous around me but they had no need to. Yes, I ignored their chatter and avoided them along with occasionally frightening them with false tales around the hearth but that didn't make me a man to be feared. I patted the young one's head to stop his poor flinching and he spoke up meekly, "You're not mad? We're sorry, we were just playing-"

"It's all right, young one" I dismissed easily and knew that if anybody knew Joanna better than I (or Cheryl but she wanted me to stay away so I wouldn't ask her), it would be the children she spent her time with. Children didn't lie often so I was inclined to ask what had been on my mind since I started this search, "Do you know where Joanna is?"

The little boy scratched his head in thought before piping up with an assuring smile, "Yes, she went to the forest to draw. She likes to play with the atokirina."

He scampered off with a jubilant laugh to rejoin his friends and after finally receiving a good lead, headed to the outside with hasty steps. However, upon reaching the entrance, I stopped abruptly because I'd no idea where to go. The forest was huge when it came to finding one person, how was I supposed to find her? Where would I even start?

_She'll never venture into the deep_, my logic stated matter-of-factly and I wholeheartedly trusted my instinct on it. Traversing the forest was easy after living here my entire life but to find Joanna, I had to think like her. Eywa knows what went on in that head of hers but I'd try. _She's inexperienced, she will stick to the outskirts. It's safe and not too far from home. Visit the places she's gone to first and then head deeper._

The downside was that she could leave by the time I found her spot and be lost myself since I wouldn't know if she'd been there at all. In the past, she would leave footprints and crushed leaves in her departure as a giveaway but rarely left tracks nowadays. I was teaching her well but a little _too _well because it would hinder my search. I should have brought Swizav to survey the area from above but the trees would obscure much of the ground floor so I was on my own for this one. Even Aci would grow irritated over jumping protruding roots that were off path; she could be very picky sometimes.

I entered the western sector of the forest which was the least populated at this time and since Joanna liked her solitude, I thought it was best to start here. The twitters of insects and lack of animal calls told me the area was safe for now as I traveled and stuck to the abundant coverage of the tree trunks. After the excitement of Jakesully's game (which _we _obviously won), the thrill of action- _adrenaline_, Joanna had called it- hadn't left my system and I didn't hesitate to make use of it in my run.

My path didn't take me far from Hometree when I spotted a glow within the trees. My cautious but curious nature forced me to quiet my steps into silence as I neared and used a nearby tree as coverage as I leaned to the side, using my left eye to spy what lay ahead.

Two atokirina.

I calmed instantly to the pure spirits that floated before me in the open and wondered why they were here. Their beautiful glow bathed my face as I watched them and sensing my presence, began to move towards the interior of the forest. Instinct told me obey the signs of Eywa and I followed cautiously as predators would loom closer with every step I took away from Hometree. The pure spirits were sent as signs but it didn't mean that they were always carrying good ones. Whenever I wandered the forest, I was more comfortable using the branches as safer transport rather than the ground floor but doubted the atokirina would follow _me_. I placed my trust in them as I'd been taught since childhood and kept a slow pace, hoping that every step I took wasn't leading me away from Joanna.

The past days without her company were my lousiest since her arrival. It was ironic that our first days together were filled with intolerance (mostly on my part) to the point we couldn't hold a civil conversation and now. . .I missed my friend. She'd become a natural presence in my daily routine and realized she played a bigger role in my life than I first thought. I was supposed to be teaching her about life in the Omaticaya but she taught me things I'd never know in my entire lifetime. The stars. Science. Human cuisine. Art. Anthro- whatever her rank of knowledge had been on Earth. That is why I simply couldn't understand why she'd break apart our friendship without a decent explanation.

All right, so I did comprehend when she said her life might be too dependent on my presence but I didn't mind. She could follow me around and pester me till sundown and I'd still enjoy her company. It felt unsettling without her presence beside me and I didn't like it. I willingly admit that I worried when she was ill these past days and checked on her from the next level above when she slept since Cheryl never seemed to leave the area (she was too chatty for my liking). Joanna had become one of my closest friends and the idea of losing her friendship did in fact cause my chest to sting painfully. Rarely did personal matters cause emotional turmoil within me but I didn't want her to think I took our friendship for granted. Hmm. . .was that what she wanted me to See?

I'd been completely wrapped in my thoughts that I didn't realize the atokirina had stopped their journey and I glanced around the area that was shrouded in low roots and wide leaves for concealment. The innocent glow of the atokirina led me to my target, their tendrils gently swaying as they joined the few others that floated around Joanna as she held a piece of cured leather against her propped knees. The writing tool she created was in use as her fingers expertly drew a few lines of whatever it is that she was sketching. Joanna loved the pastime while I wasn't overly fond of it, not because it was a human hobby but because my neck hurt too easily from looking down for long periods. She had an abundance of patience I didn't have and nagged that I was impatient in an attempt to get me to continue the hobby but after getting a knot in my neck muscles that almost ruined my accuracy in archery, the leather and the little 'pencils' went goodbye over the branches in the same manner her 'computer' had.

Many times she'd told me that atokirina found her within the woods along with those at the Tree of Souls but I never believed her at the start. The main reason was because I despised her during that time and doubted that Eywa would ever find any dreamwalker fitting of joining my people. Clearly, I was wrong. With my time consuming schedule to keep me busy, I hadn't given her claim another thought since those days but as I watched one resting on the top of her head and another safely in her palm. . .I began to believe it.

They were pure spirits and were there to represent Eywa's will. She always saw them as separate entities, naming them after the deceased in Eywa's embrace whenever we entered the Tree of Souls, but I always corrected her. Of course, she never listened to me but when did she ever? We were both too stubborn to relent and one of us would be right in the end anyway. There was an innocence about her that had yet to be corrupted by the dangers of this world but if her logic wasn't breaking it, I'm sure I couldn't either. Quietly, I parted the large leaves with my fingertips until I entered her secret spot and announced my presence, "Joanna?"

She flinched involuntarily as I startled her out of the private moment, her hands pushing the materials to the side as she glance at me. Her stiff body relaxed at seeing it was me instead of a stranger but she still exclaimed in that shrill voice that stung my ears, "Where do you keep popping out from?"

"I've been searching for you all day and we are going to talk even if I have to tie you with these roots" I informed firmly to my unyielding stance on the topic and she narrowed her eyes in defiance at me. The atokirina sensed our hostility and decided to leave us to our upcoming argument, floating away into the leaves above us. Joanna muttered inaudibly under her breath and heard her fiddling with her satchel, the shifting of objects becoming very clear in my ears. This was the sound of a hasty leave and I touched her left forearm gently with my fingers, hoping to stop her as I requested quietly, "Please talk to me."

Her glance softened as she stared at the roots below us to avoid eye contact and she spoke softly, "I told you what you must dwell on. You must distance yourself from me before we become dependent on each other's presences-"

"We're friends, it is natural" I broke in matter-of-factly to make her see reason but she shook her head. If she wanted me to admit that she was a good friend (had I ever told her that?), then I would. I didn't want to keep arguing the same thing over and over if I was going to be in the wrong all the time. It just wasn't productive.

"You left me alone, friends don't do that" she spoke faintly and clutched that satchel of hers to her chest, her demeanor shifting into its defensive state. She was unreachable at this point but I wouldn't stop, I wanted to know what she was hiding. Before I could ask what she was referring to, she reminded faintly, "I'd never leave you alone if you were on Earth, especially after promising it. I understand that you had to get your precious fish-"

"Oh, now you're being sarcastic" I scoffed wryly to her words because she was still upset about my leave to fish upstream. I went fishing, what was wrong with a little _fishing_? It's not like I made her fish for me or threw clothes in the water to make her ill. I sighed aloud with a bit of aggravation to that incident and demanded sharply, "Why am _I _always in the wrong? Maybe _you're_ in the wrong this time, Joanna. I went to fish, you decided to swim after your clothes, I left to fish upstream and help the women pick reeds. Your actions were your own doing and I specifically warned you numerous times. My objective was to fish and priorities are first."

She stayed silent for a few moments and thought maybe she saw my side to this but I was very wrong. Her eyes hardened into a narrowed gaze and her voice carried a coldness I hadn't heard before as she murmured quietly, "You just don't get it."

"Or maybe it is you that needs to understand that you're being selfish by enforcing your decisions without my input" I snapped impassively to maintain my side of the argument without losing to her. Her face already dictated that my side didn't matter one way or another but I would not submit to her. I tried to talk, trap, search, and who knows what other things to get her to listen but she remained adamant on her point. What was so important about her diving after clothes that _I_ did wrong? I didn't even throw the clothes! Women were such strange beings and I grit my teeth as I stated firmly with my own ultimatum, "You swam after clothes and became ill, that was your doing. If you want to argue the same point over and over, I will return to Hometree this instant and forget how long it took me to travel here! I'm certain the fish will appreciate my company better than you."

I turned my back to Joanna to show her I was serious on the matter and expected her to relent to my own challenge when she saw I was serious. It was about time that she gave up the fight and let me win this argument because I'd already allowed her to win countless others. Instead, I heard her mutter frigidly, "Fine, go enjoy your admirers and your succulent little fish since they're a higher priority."

When I turned around to argue, she was nowhere to be found among the gnarled roots that decorated the small area and I resisted from grabbing my hair in frustration. What was this woman doing to me? It had been child's play to track her when she had been helpless with her healing injuries but now that she could wander alone, her stealth had grown considerably well. That and I didn't have any atokirina to serve as guides this time.

I didn't know what was going on with her attitude recently and wished she would allow me past her emotional boundaries. Joanna was a private person with her inner dealings but if she had a problem, I wanted to help no matter how furious I became. Yes, my patience was short and I was prone to easy outbursts when angered but I calmed down easily because I knew she wasn't trying to hurt me. At the same time, I also tended to cause the problems between us so I might not be the best person to handle it. Maybe if I took her to Cherylsmith, she might feel better?

I wandered through the brush to detect any sound from her, hoping the atokirina would return to guide me to her but no. I was on my own this time and I had to keep my senses open to detect her whereabouts. Eywa knows why I even followed after her _again _but she was still my student despite she seemed to want to halt our friendship.

"Oh. . ."

A weak murmur in the forest was caught with my hearing and I knew it was Joanna's voice the second it echoed. I pinpointed the direction it came from and hastened my steps into a full run as I spotted a hint of blue up ahead. Heavily doubting it was a prolemuris on the ground floor, my eyes caught onto Joanna's braided hair. A few steps allowed me to certify that it indeed was her as she clutched her satchel close to her chest. Oh, she was going to get such a tongue lashing for running away from me.

"Honestly, Joanna, why do I always have to-" I began irritably but the words died on my lips instantly as I came face-to-face with what Joanna had yelped about.

She was at a standstill with a full grown palulukan that had her cornered in its sights for a meal as its sharp teeth glistened. My stomach dropped as I saw the tightening ripples in the beast's taut shoulder muscles as it prepared to pounce on his prey and I was certain Joanna had no idea on what to do. Her face was frozen in complete shock and fear as she stared at the most dangerous creature that everyone, Na'vi or animal, feared in all of Pandora.

Wiya.

* * *

A/N: I actually planned to put this out earlier since the holidays had me cheerful but my pet rabbit of four years became very ill one evening and before I could take him to the vet for emergency care, he died in the early morning in my mom's arms. I'm starting to dislike December because instead of it being cheery, I have to bury my little rabbit, Snowball, next to his father (he was given to my brother and mated to my own female rabbit who's now the only one left) who coincidentally died a few days apart from him only three years ago. I didn't expect his death to hit me so hard but I find myself missing him every minute after years of routine of just watching him wander the house (I often sat him on my lap while I typed my stories). To honor him, he will grace my profile pic instead of the handsome Tsu'tey for a while.

On the brighter side of this story, our dear Joanna is in another jam. I think the 'Braveheart' piece I chose for this chapter really works and loved listening to it when it came to Joanna's little dinner talk. You know, I'd really like to have a Na'vi anatomy chart so I can know what they actually consist of when it comes to organ systems since they are prone to injury. So, we leave off where Joanna's trying to push away her emotions by distancing herself and trying to get the fact that he ditched her without a goodbye going through his head. Tsu'tey, of course, is lost on all this but we'll see his side of emotions in the next chapter. I finally got a good musical piece for Tsu'tey's and Joanna's union ceremony so if anyone's played Dragon Age: Origins, 'Leliana's song' (soundtrack version) is one I'm using.

Thanks to all of your alerts (I got a lot this week so gluten-free cookies for all) and appreciate all of your reviews:

_Mark_: Joanna's very touchy and secretive about her parents but she will admit her history about it in three chapters. Tsu'tey's not the artsy type, he's more likely to draw doodles and call it a masterpiece in order to head out and fish to his heart's content. I actually read a fanfic (can't remember the name but it's good) where a telescope was created by Grace (it was a Tsu'tey/Grace pairing) for scientific purposes so as a writer, I never want to write any similar scenes from other works whether I read them or not because readers could say 'hey, I saw this before' so everything my readers read here is all created out of my coconut head. Well, some jokes come from my younger brother but he gives me rights to them._Crye 4 Me_: I'm tickled pink at your review because ironically, she has the exact situation you described with this cliffhanger except it's in reality. Now, she really does have to escape it.

_Na'viWolf_: Happy holidays, I hope you enjoy the chapter in present form.

_Caleb's babe_: Glad you're still loving the long chapters and yes, the two become more adorable with passing chapters whether they're fighting or laughing it up.

_New Fan_: Docile Joanna just doesn't have the feistiness that regular Joanna brings Tsu'tey, does she? He's gentle around women but little excitement from a nervous Joanna will tame him and tamed, he cannot be. . .well, until fatherhood strikes but then he'll be beating down his daughter's admirers. He has to nudge Joanna into coming out of her shell to dominate like she did in this chapter because she sure didn't take any of his lip. Of course, she will also be developing that caring subtlety as his partner because like he will tell her later on, he hasn't received much affection growing up as the last of his family and craves that from his loved one because constant yelling will just ruin their relationship. In public, he's collected and sarcastic but in private, he's affectionate and caring. And yes, the increase of touching (from both parties) will keep rising until one of them finally admits they truly care for the other. Your last review cracked me up and I really did try to finish the last pages before it came in on the 21st but my rabbit was so sick on that day (I was actually on my computer when my brother mentioned his strange symptoms so I was baffled since I checked on him during my breaks), I couldn't concentrate and on the 22nd, he died and I was- still am- upset by the sudden death.

_Shaviel_: Thank you for the review, I appreciate your comments on my writing skills and am glad the story has you hooked. There's a lot of good fanfiction work here since many authors try to start here before heading into non-fiction arena. I tried writing non-fiction but there's always a fandom that sucks me right back into fanfiction so I never really leave it. I always enjoy seeing archers in competition but unfortunately, there's never been nearby places to learn so I got stuck with drawing (which I luckily found myself decent at with my father's prodding and college classes). Thank you for the support and I wish you luck as well with your own writings.

_C2ruis_: Yeah, the whole mystery Na'vi just adds in that little suspense that seems like nothing but in reality actually is. Lol, now I sound like a 'Lost' writer. I haven't bought the new edition (I probably will in a few months) but I saw a few of the extra footage on you tube. I loved the sturmbeest hunt because it was pure awesomeness, had Tsu'tey, and they didn't wipe out the herd like the poor Hartebeest in Africa.

_Compa16_: I loved grumpy Tsu'tey, it just added flavor to his character and yes, he should've lived. It's not fair! He and Grace were the ones I liked the most. Of course, my wounds had salt added to them just a few days ago when my best friend suddenly told me out of nowhere that Cameron had filmed a few scenes of the first film at the studio he worked at. I practically yelled at why he didn't call (he phoned me when Iron Man 2 was there so I could visit the set; guys, honestly) and then popped out with the knockout 'oh, the producers were here last week to check out one of the sets for the second film because they liked the way we worked on the first film'. At this point, his sister, her fiancée, and I were ready to maul him.

_GreenpplOMG_: Tsu'tey's going to be glum the whole time she's gone and you know what a grumpy Tsu'tey means: ass kicking's all around, circa early-Jake arrival era. He's such a tough little clam to crack as poor Cheryl found out but Tsu'tey deserves his share of happiness after all he gives to the clan._Skoedaddy_: It's hard to see a soft Tsu'tey because a man like him is already tough and admitting he's falling for a woman he's not betrothed to or ranked just makes it sweeter. In the next chapter, we will finally see what Joanna's been trying to nail into his head about abandonment while Jake plays matchmaker with positive results. Thanks for the kind words on the chapters, I try to make them better as they go along. This one is actually longer than the last!

_Kudokuchan69_: Joanna's naturally curious about everything and what I love is that she doesn't give a hoot to whoever has a problem with it. She just smiles cheekily and goes on her way. And yes, I just wanted to give more of a deeper story to Tsu'tey (we get more on the next chapter) because I don't want to make him appear like in the film where all you saw was 'you're an alien, I hate you'. Everybody has a bad day and Tsu'tey got a LOT of them because if I were him, you would've seen me breaking clay pots in the back of Hometree at seeing someone romancing my woman and adding laxative to the new guy's food in revenge. And the 'with him' part you mentioned was a subtle foreshadow because she will understand the intimate connection when the two eventually pair off (the readers will celebrate then).

_Emmalime_: Thanks for the review, I'm glad you're still loving the story! Happy holidays!

_Dark Inu Fan_: Yep, Joanna's back on her feet and ready to take the bull by the horns -well, an ikran's antennae in her case- but she's getting there. I matched the subtle camouflaging colors to how Max is, intelligent but peaceful in spirit. I love his helpful personality, especially in this part with poor Norm.

_GhibliGirl91_: Oh, it takes me days to make this length unless I'm really on a roll (there's chapters that do that) but the editing is what sucks the life out of me since I just have to have it perfect. There will be cuddling in the next chapter as the two reconcile (not romantically. . .yet) and a boy Tsu'tey is just adorable. I love kids so I'm always 'awwing' every running toddler until my brother says 'they won't be so cute when they're sneezing at you'. There's many types of critics in the fan fiction world but you are the best kind I like to call 'kind and helpful'. You give respectful and honest words to help someone better their skills and I take it into consideration with my own respect to update those skills. There's some people out there that will brutalize poor authors with vulgarity and I find that very unappealing because as my mother says 'you kiss your mother with that mouth?'. I wish you very happy holidays!

_JackBlack_: I'm glad you have a snack with this story, I always have coffee to keep me running during the editing process. Plus, it's been cold in west this week so warm food always sets the calm mood. And I'm excited to finally be free to sleep in rather than waking before dawn to head to school. I'll be trying to update faster since I have free time but this week, I just had the worst days possible so maybe my sad mood will lift to continue the comedy I love putting into this story.

_Devanelle_: I worried about that same problem too when I first outlined the first chapters because I didn't want them arguing constantly (it's too two-dimensional) but hopefully, I've developed their personalities as time flows. You have the arrogant Tsu'tey at the start who was still furious with humans, then the sympathetic one who realized his faults, and the current one that's trying to figure out Joanna. As psychology will teach us, human development is dynamic so luckily, we won't be stuck to the overconfident jerk that Cameron showed at the start but the passionate warrior that he is. Thank you for loving the story!

_TheStabilityProject_: I'm glad you loved the chapter! I feel for poor Norm because he's the sweetheart type you can show off to the parents and still love his masculinity when he fights off RDA soldiers. It's funny how Jake's focusing more on Tsu'tey's love life than Norm who'd happily agree to any help on wooing his lady. They will come together as time passes as Jake pins them as frequent visitors to the Atykwe when Joanna leaves so you know Norm's going to be bringing his charm. I had to make Tsu'tey's hug affectionate on his terms by giving it that natural and awkward outlook since he's not really supposed to be hugging but will do it anyway to comfort Joanna. He's courteous to women but when they're upset, he gets skittish like a mouse. And good holidays to you too!

_Sharpie-Marker1101_: The first spats of Joanna and Tsu'tey had my stomach cramping from all the laughing and with their romance attached in later chapters, the two will be arguing from the best ikran food to parenting skills. Hope you liked this chapter!

_Nekuranekomegami_: I'm glad this story makes you grin, it's what I am for with the Tsu'tey humor. Enjoy the update!

_DeepBlueDragon_: I remember those binders, I gave all of mine away to my brother (he's 4 yrs younger) when he entered high school and I left so I've never used them until last semester. I stuck to the three inch because I had to carry my textbook, lab book, extra notebook (my binder was just too fat from the printed powerpoint notes), and another supplementary book for my physiology class. I love printing on both sides of the page, it saves money and trees plus I hate wasting paper. I always feel honored when my story's print worthy and am glad you love the chapters. Hope you're having a wonderful holiday.

_SuzSinger_: Wow, you read all of it in a day? I have to give applause because it would take me days to read the total amount of what I've written so far and thank you for loving the story like this. You can't help but feel sad for Joanna or anyone that falls off a tree like that but her bumpy road with Tsu'tey still isn't over.

_EunHee Kim_: Thank you for loving the story and appreciate it when readers read their stories like that. I hope you enjoy this extra long chapter!

_BlueMonkeyLover_: Thanks for showing your enthusiasm for the story! Like any person who owns a computer, I would've gone rabid on him if my baby was flung into the great beyond like that simply because he was impatient. Obviously, in this chapter, we return to that image when he said he flung art supplies in the same manner. Bad, Tsu'tey, when will he learn?

_Cc_: I appreciate your words on the story and I'm the same too when I find a good story, I stay past 3 in the morning and end up dead tired the next day but I still end up sitting in that same chair hours later to finish reading.

_Electrogirl88_: I'm glad everybody likes the character development and the detail, I'll keep supplying more with each chapter. I never get tired of telling my reviewers that I love that they love the story!

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**Next time:**

The beast's bone crushing fangs bared at Joanna and I could see her chest was rising heavily from the fear. No Na'vi could face such a creature without fear coursing through their blood. I couldn't leave her to face such an animal nor could I expect that it wouldn't tear its teeth into her if I interfered. Any sudden move or lack of it could trigger severe consequences for Joanna.

Fear gripped me as well, not for my own safety, but for hers.

I wanted to signal for her to dodge into the bushes nearby but didn't get the chance as she suddenly bolted into the plants opposite of me. The palulukan didn't waste any time and took chase after her, breaking thick and thin branches into pieces with a rain of leaves in its wake. I could feel the blood pulsing from my heart in my throat as I chased after them as well, hoping I could get there before Joanna made a fatal mistake. She didn't know what to do in these situations and lacked the skills to truly elude such a fearsome beast.

My legs used their longest strides as I pushed my stamina to the limit and heard the palulukan's fearsome roar, the sound striking fear in me and hurting my ears. I yelled Joanna's name afterwards, hoping the echo would give away my location to the beast and let its interest grow in me instead. Prey in the open was much better than one tucked away in hiding. I pulled my bow over my head and readied an arrow as I saw the creature's dark shade but couldn't release it due to its armored back. No arrow could penetrate it and I couldn't waste a critical shot only to have it be deflected.

Its massive paws were clawing at a path of overgrow roots as its head slammed against it in an attempt to crack it open, a terrified shriek erupting from inside as I caught sight of Joanna. She was trying to hide from the palulukan but it would soon finish tearing the web apart and nothing would protect her. That thing would tear her apart!

It managed to tear a whole for its sharp claws and Joanna tried to crawl deeper inside but there wasn't any more room for her. One of its claws caught her left shoulder and crimson blood poured over the brown roots as the beast retracted it. The cry she emitted snapped something in me and I wanted nothing more than to rip the beast apart for injuring her so viciously. She needed me more than she ever has and I wouldn't abandon her, not even if I had to risk my own life. I did the most idiotic but noteworthy thing I could do for my friend: throw a rock at the palulukan's head from behind.

A angry growl left its powerful jaws and it turned to me, its yellow eyes hardening as it curled its lips in challenge. Nobody was crazy (or drunk) enough to fight such a creature and yet, I found myself here. I returned its threat with a defiant hiss of my own because certainly wasn't leaving and heard Joanna yell, "Get out of here! It'll kill you!"

"That's what I'm hoping for!" I called back to let its attention shift to me completely but the beast turned its head back toward Joanna, remembering his original prey was hiding under there. It decided that she was worthier of a meal and I got the end of its tail to my left side, the sheer weight of it knocking me to the ground in one motion. I recovered quickly, rising to my feet as I clutched my bow tightly and spotted Joanna throwing her satchel's items at its head to keep it away. Was she insane? That wouldn't help matters!

"_I hope you get eaten too, Sylvester!" _she yelled angrily at the beast as her small knuckles tried to punch its snout away from her small hiding spot. I had to admit it, the woman had audacity in a time like this.

Its quills were raised in offense to Joanna's retaliation and its action allowed me to spot my opening. The skin between the start of the quills and the neck was soft and sensitive in comparison to the rest of its armored body. Being the best marksman of my tribe, the shot would be easy if its head stayed in the same position and aimed my arrow at the perfect spot. I could hear Joanna's shrieks mixing in with its roars and tried not to let it break my concentration as worry hindered my target area. Joanna needed me and this was the best chance I could offer. It was either a hit or miss and I took the shot, releasing my arrow into the beast.

I knew it struck when my yellow feathered arrow wasn't deflected and the pain I inflicted caused it to finally perceive me as a threat. I was taught to never harm beings that didn't touch me or intentionally seek to fight but this was a battle I forced myself into for Joanna's sake. Its yellow eyes centered on me as it left Joanna alone and I yelled at the beast to follow me, clutching my bow tightly in my left hand as I prepared to run. With a praise to Eywa, the palulukan took chase without hesitance and I headed west to lead it away from this area because I didn't want it nearing Hometree's vicinity. I'm not sure why it was hunting in this area but with the Sky People's destruction of our land, many animals had to seek new hunting and grazing lands.

Using the trees to act as obstacles, I managed to create a good lead on the beast but I knew it would soon shorten. That creature could plow through anything and break it into pieces with its strength so all I had in my corner was flexibility. Its stamina was longer and it covered land at a faster rate so I needed an advantage. Jakesully had told me of his first encounter and I knew of a nearby waterfall where the large rivers of Kelutral deposited so if I led it there, I would have a chance.

I could hear its thundering footsteps from behind as it trampled everything in its path and hoped Joanna was safe. If anything happened to her, I would personally blame myself.

* * *

_Thank you for reading my story and showing such appreciation for it. I hope everyone is having a joyous holiday worldwide and may you all experience peaceful happy days every time you wake!_


	16. The Power To Protect, Pt1

CHAPTER 14:

**The Power To Protect, Pt.1  


* * *

**

_(Tsu'tey's POV)_

The beast's bone crushing fangs bared at Joanna's frightened form and I could see her chest was rising heavily from the crippling fear. No Na'vi could face such a creature without fear coursing through their blood and freezing their heart. I couldn't leave her to face such an animal nor could I expect that it wouldn't tear its teeth into her if I interfered. Any sudden move or lack of it could trigger severe consequences for Joanna.

Fear gripped me as well, not for my own safety, but for hers.

I wanted to signal for her to dodge into the bushes nearby but didn't get the chance as she suddenly bolted into the plants opposite of me. The palulukan didn't waste any time and took chase after her, breaking thick and thin branches into pieces with a rain of leaves in its wake. I could feel the blood pulsing from my heart in my throat as I chased after them as well, hoping I could get there before Joanna made a fatal mistake. She didn't know what to do in these situations and lacked the skills to truly elude such a fearsome beast. I was teaching her to tame an ikran, not face Pandora's most dangerous land bound creature.

My legs used their longest strides as I pushed my stamina to the limit and heard the palulukan's fearsome roar, the sound striking fear in me as the leaves shook in vibration and hurting my ears. I yelled Joanna's name afterwards, hoping the echo would give away my location to the beast and let its interest grow in me instead. Prey in the open was much better than one tucked away in hiding. I pulled my bow over my head and readied an arrow as I saw the creature's dark shade but couldn't release it due to its armored back. No arrow could penetrate it and I couldn't waste a critical shot only to have it deflected.

Its massive paws were clawing at a path of overgrown roots as its head slammed against it in an attempt to crack it open, a terrified shriek erupting from inside as I caught sight of Joanna. She was trying to hide from the palulukan but it would soon finish tearing the web apart and nothing would protect her. That thing would tear her apart!

It managed to rip a hole for its sharp claws and Joanna tried to crawl deeper inside but there wasn't any more room for her to squeeze into. One of its claws caught her left shoulder and crimson blood poured over the brown roots as the beast retracted it. The cry she emitted snapped something in me and I wanted nothing more than to rip the beast apart for injuring her so viciously. Its pinkish tongue tasted the blood staining the roots before snapping its jaws over them to crush the wood into jagged pieces. She needed me more than she ever has and I wouldn't abandon her, not even if I had to risk my own life. I did the most idiotic but noteworthy thing I could do for my friend: throw a rock at the palulukan's head from behind.

An angry growl left its powerful jaws and it turned to me, its yellow eyes hardening as it curled its black lips in challenge. Nobody was crazy (or drunk) enough to fight such a creature and yet, I found myself here like a valiant warrior from the old songs. I returned its threat with a defiant hiss of my own because I certainly wasn't leaving and heard Joanna yell, "Get out of here! It'll kill you!"

"That's what I'm hoping for!" I called back to let its attention shift to me completely but the beast turned its head back toward Joanna, remembering his original prey was hiding under there. It decided that she was worthier of a meal and I got the end of its tail to my left side, the sheer weight of it knocking me to the ground in one motion. I recovered quickly, rising to my feet as I clutched my bow tightly in one hand and spotted Joanna throwing her satchel's items at its head to keep it away. Was she insane? That wouldn't help matters!

"_I hope you get eaten too, Sylvester!" _she yelled angrily at the beast as her small knuckles tried to punch its snout away from her small hiding spot. I had to admit it, the woman had audacity at a time like this.

Its quills were raised in offense to Joanna's retaliation and its action allowed me to spot my opening. The skin between the start of the quills and the neck was soft and sensitive in comparison to the rest of its armored body. Being the best marksman of my tribe, the shot would be easy if its head stayed in the same position and aimed my arrow at the perfect spot. I could hear Joanna's shrieks mixing in with its roars and tried not to let it break my concentration as worry hindered my target area. Joanna needed me and this was the best chance I could offer. It was either a hit or miss and I took the shot, releasing my arrow into the beast.

I knew it struck when my yellow feathered arrow wasn't deflected and the pain I inflicted caused it to finally perceive me as a threat. I was taught to never harm beings that didn't touch me or intentionally seek to fight but this was a battle I forced myself into for Joanna's sake. Its yellow eyes centered on me as it left Joanna alone again and I yelled at the beast to follow me, clutching my bow tightly in my left hand as I prepared to run. With a praise to Eywa, the palulukan took chase without hesitance and I headed west to lead it away from this area because I didn't want it nearing Hometree's vicinity. I'm not sure why it was hunting in this area but with the Sky People's destruction of our land, many animals had to seek new hunting and grazing lands.

Using the trees to act as obstacles, I managed to create a good lead on the beast but I knew it would soon shorten. That creature could plow through anything and break it into pieces with its brute strength while all I had in my corner was flexibility. Its stamina was longer and it covered land at a faster rate so I needed an advantage. Jakesully had told me of his first encounter and I knew of a nearby waterfall where the large rivers of Kelutral deposited so if I led it there, I would have a chance.

I could hear its thundering footsteps from behind as it trampled everything in its path and hoped Joanna was safe. If anything happened to her, I would personally blame myself. She was still new to the dangers of Pandora and upsetting her back there only brought the creature to her so in part, I _was _at fault. Despite my brief anger toward our argument, I cherished her more than I did any clan member and I found it humorous because she didn't have an official status at all.

The roaring rapids of the waterfall filled my ears and I knew we were very close. Palulukan couldn't swim in water and that was a weakness to be exploited because on the ground, I stood no chance against it. If I'd brought my knives, yes, but armed with a bow, long-range attacks wouldn't be enough to bring down the beast. That and I wasn't carrying any arrows with neurotoxin. At this point, even I called myself stupid for forgetting them, but Joanna's actions did indeed make me do stupid things. _That _is how badly she affected me and wondered what I could do to stop it.

My heart beat wildly in my chest with the force of a thundering drum as I tried to keep it steady with my run but by using such long sprints, my stamina was depleting. I'd journeyed to find Joanna only and after using my energy on the game back at Kelutral, my body was finishing the last of its energy reserve. Yes, I was a seasoned warrior that was in constant training but even with my experience, my body became tired after long hours of nonstop activity like anybody else's. I _really _should've followed my instinct and brought Swizav with me to search the area instead of traveling alone.

The joints of my legs were already beginning to ache from the run but I had to keep going until I reached my destination and led it far away from Joanna. I could see the dense bushes that surrounded the edges of the cliff and grit my teeth, forcing my body to pump the last strength it could muster into my legs. If I lived through this, I would eat _every _time before I explored- no matter how much I didn't feel like it- and would definitely rest after all activity. Second, I would tie a lead around Joanna's waist to make sure she never wandered more than five steps away from me to avoid incidents like this. The crazy adventures I shared (unwillingly) with this woman could fill a night's worth of stories until daybreak.

I crashed into the dense bushes without stopping and pushed them back with my hands, breathing heavily as my pace decreased to push through the orange vegetation. My toes bumped against thick scratchy roots that littered the floor while my hands were busy with their branches but the approaching roars of the beast hastened my effort. Within seconds (although they felt like agonizing hours), I dashed into the dusty grassless clearing that was void of plants as the bushes and trees of the forests secluded it like a hiding spot. Hopefully, my carcass would be found if I didn't make it.

This section of the cliff rose over the river below with a pointy drop-off so jumping would guarantee my survival somewhat since it passed the ground level. Splinters of wood exploded before me and I raised a hand to cover my eyes briefly, stepping backwards instinctively as the orange bushes ripped open with a shower of leaves to allow passage for the massive palulukan. Its wild yellow eyes targeted me as it landed on its paws, jaws sniffing at the air loudly before letting out a roar of intimidation at me. I may have feared it as a man but as a warrior, I certainly wouldn't submit to it.

I stared that wicked beast in the eye without fear because although it had cornered me, I knew Joanna was safe. I wasn't sure if I could jump over the edge without being caught in its jaws and the two options were weighing heavily in my head. I'd come close to death already and unlike then when my world was in turmoil, there was peace now and I could die happy. I expected my mind to switch to my Aci and Swizav as my last fond memories due to our tight bonds but found myself surprised when Joanna's face joined the other two. Of course, I didn't get to ask my mind why as the palulukan roared at me, its dangerous claws digging into the ground and I could already imagine the flesh being torn from my bones in the same manner as the earth.

A crash to the left in the treetops interrupted its attention on me and as it focused on the trees, my heart raced whether to jump or wait to see if it was Joanna. I told her to run home to seek safety and I'd be furious in my grave if she didn't listen and automatically joined me in Eywa's embrace. I would scold her in eternity for that blunder. As my gaze lingered between the left and the edge, I felt a sharp push from the right (which I completely overlooked) and the force was enough to push me over the edge. I caught a hint of cyan and watched as Joanna dove after me over the edge, narrowly avoiding the pointed teeth of the beast as it roared furiously over losing both of its prey.

Knowing that the palulukan wouldn't dare jump in after us, I focused on our next obstacle which was the large river below. I couldn't lose Joanna again and raised my right hand into the air to grab her attention since she remained at a higher elevation. Her own fingers sought mine as she shouted with a wild grin, "That was quick thinking, huh? Tricking the thing into believing I was elsewhere?"

Only Joanna could seek conversation while we were sailing through the air. I couldn't tell whether she was frightened or not but I was uneasy since my last experience almost brought my death. The coincidence of having Joanna by my side on both incidences settled my worry a bit but it didn't mean I would like my newest crash landing any more than I did the first time. On the bright side, there weren't any trees and I hadn't suffered any injuries.

"Don't let go of my hand!" I shouted my command as the water rushed up to meet us with the same force we would impact with and I filled my lungs with air as we plunged into the deep cold water. Joanna landed afterwards but my fingers clung to hers with all the strength I had, even if I had to cut off her blood flow to sustain it, I would. I promised to keep her safe from danger and I would bring her back to Kelutral without injuries. . .well, any more injuries.

I kicked as strongly as I could to rise to the surface and broke the water to view my surroundings with gasping breaths. The current of the river was powerful due to the nearby waterfall and water splashed my face repeatedly, blurring my vision as I tried to see. Joanna's fingers tightened against mine as she surfaced and with black hair concealing her face like a veil, shouted in alarm, "I can't hold on!"

I needed one hand free to swim but she was more important so I was left with my feet kicking as I tried to grasp her left hand. Unfortunately, her strength was nothing in comparison to mine and I could feel the pressure of the water winning against her as the current opposed us. My right hand tightened to the point that I could've broken her fingers but her slender digits kept being pulled from mine as she tried to swim to me. The water was too much of a force for us and her hand tore away from mine seconds later, leaving my own to grasp nothing but emptiness as the river wasted no time in separating us. I could see her traveling in the opposite direction quicker than I could swim and knew I couldn't reach her. The current pulled me further downstream, dragging me down into its depths as I fought to surface and call her name.

I kicked at the water to push myself upward before my lungs ached for air and broke the water's surface to inhale deeply. My eyes were continuously splashed with water and only the blurry blue sky above could be seen with no noise filling my ears but the rushing water. I coughed into the air to clear my throat of water as I was left with no choice but to wipe my eyes and protect them from the water in order to view my surroundings. Rushing waves of different sizes covered my field of vision as black rocks were the only objects in sight.

Joanna was nowhere in my vicinity. She was gone. . .simply gone.

A wretched yell left my lungs at the possibility of her drowning due to her weaker strength and the recent injury to the shoulder. She needed me and I failed her. I couldn't bear the idea of swimming to land without her after trying so hard to keep her with me. Despite trying my best, I _failed_. Rocks from underwater struck my back painfully as the current carried me away and I tried to cling to one, hoping to use it as a surveying spot but it was to no avail. It was too slimy to keep a secure grip and the current swept me downstream to a place where Joanna would not be at.

* * *

_(Joanna's POV)_

I'd never faced currents this strong, yet again, I've never swum in many rivers. Tsu'tey tried to keep us from separating but his strength was no match for this and my inexperience might have cost us staying together as well. I could only hope that he made it to land and hated myself for not being able to do a search for him. My shoulder hurt terribly from the thanator's cut and my swimming skills were nothing like his; I would only end up causing my own demise in the end.

I kicked with all my might in the opposite direction towards shore with a heavy heart but knew he had a better chance than I did. He was strong and uninjured, he would find his way while I had to struggle to make it to land. The current was powerful but I managed to gulp a few pockets of air before descending below to push myself closer to shore. It was frightening to know that if I didn't surface in time, I would asphyxiate or drown in this river. . .but I was determined to survive. I repeated the same process, paddling like a lost little dog, until I reached the shore of who knows where. I needed land under my feet and as I approached a shoreline, I didn't care where it was as long as it was dry.

The gravity of Pandora was heavy outside the water which led to my crawling over the wet rocks of the shore. My hands practically hugged the land the second they touched it and I panted heavily to bring in the delicious air into my lungs, coughing out any droplets that tried to get into my windpipe. My breathing was ragged from the adrenaline surging through my bloodstream after the fright from running from the thanator. Even more, _surviving _the encounter with the thing! I half-expected it to come after us in the water but I forced my mind to be logical.

_We're frightened, alone, and wet, what do you want me to do?_, logical Joanna snapped worriedly and curled into a ball to rock herself. So much for her help.

Of course, romantic Joanna had to butt in with, _You have to find Tsu'tey. He could be hurt!_

I agreed with the latter.

I wiped my face clear of droplets raining down from my soaked hair and scanned the area around me, hoping that a hint of cyan would be among the gray rocks. A whimper caught in my throat as I tried to find my voice and frantically searched the area, climbing onto a boulder with shaky fingers to find safety. A thin strand of security filled me as I nestled there and I peeked over the top to view the my surroundings. I was crestfallen to find that I was alone in this sparse area, cold and wet yet again. Life was certainly throwing me through the thresher lately.

"Tsu'tey!," I called out without a care for who or what might hear me. My voice was hoarse from the yelling I did with the thanator and my own distress tightened my vocal chords to call out decently. My nerves were unsettled by this new dilemma but I needed to find him above anything.

My left shoulder ached as I climbed off the boulder to shakily stand on my feet, taking a few deep breaths to calm myself. This was a safe area for now and I had to keep repeating that before I broke down into shambles. Clumsily, I walked over the variously sized rocks of the river's shore to head downstream as they poked my feet and for some reason, felt they were telling me to keep my guard up. I doubted Tsu'tey would be upstream due to the waterfall that shoved us downstream but if I didn't find him during this hike, I would head there because being lost was the last thing I wanted. Otherwise, I'd have a repeat of Jake's first adventure on Pandora.

I traveled with my stinging shoulder, gripping it with my hand to somehow ease the discomfort and I refused to look at it because of the worst I expected. My legs were covered with dirt that was picked up on the way and knew I'd be filthy when I returned to Hometree. . .if I returned with the way things were going. This time, I really was at a loss on the location of home unlike the river incident and hated feeling so alone and lost in the large riverbank.

It wasn't the safest thing to do but yelling his name aloud brought me tiny threads of hope that I'd find him instead of a hungry wild animal. Pandora was known for its deadly animals, after all, so I shouldn't be bringing such attention to myself but I was. What he did to save me was beyond anything anyone had ever done and if anything happened to him, I'd blame myself entirely. The man was chivalrous and despite my recent attitude, he mattered more to me than the stupid precedent of being right. My emotions were running high and I wanted nothing more than to hear that arrogant scolding voice of his rather than the suffocating silence around me.

My ears caught the sound of tapping rocks straight ahead and my heartbeat rose quickly, prompting me to call his name hopefully. I expected a response but when none was received, my heart raced with desperate hope and I yelled out again, "Tsu'tey!"

Breaking twigs filled my hearing and I heard an echo, "Stop yelling!"

My breath shook with a flood of relief to his irritated tone because rule number one was never to give your position away but I didn't care. He could have his secret rock taps, I just wanted to hear him. What mattered was that I _found _him!

My feet barely touched the ground as I ran to where I heard his voice, my toes wedging between the piled rocks to prevent falling and picking up dirt. I was certain my lower legs were filthy but my appearance was the least of my concern as I found him resting against a boulder. There were no visible injuries on his striped skin and my breath became steady as I saw he was alive and well. He came out looking better than I did with only a soaked body as a parting gift from the palulukan and was thankful for it. The exhaustion from the whole incident set in as we found ourselves safe and I fell to my knees to relax somewhat. It wasn't the best place to picnic but far better than being in a palulukan food platter. Crawling over to him, I pressed my palm against his damp chest to feel the stable heartbeat and gazed at him with appreciation to faintly ask, "Tsu'tey, are you okay?"

"Yes, but next time, listen when I tell you to run" he scolded sternly with a firm glance and I nodded quietly since he'd only been trying to protect me so I deserved it for being careless in the first place. My ears perked up at the fact: he had protected _me_. Did that mean that I truly mattered to him? I noticed the tiniest superficial scratches from tree branches on his arms as his stripes covered them well and despite they probably felt like nothing to him, my gaze softened. He caught my lingering gaze as I tried to keep my emotions bottled and asked quickly, "What's wrong? Are you hurt? Your shoulder-"

His hands tried to check my stinging shoulder but I shook my head to tell him it was fine. I could fix it back at home anyway but the pressure in my chest increased as that awful sense of sadness filled my heart. His eyes roamed over my body to check for any more visible wounds as he aimed a perplexed gaze at me, demanding worriedly, "Then what-"

My arms wrapped around his neck and I clung to him tightly, pressing his back against the rock, as the skin contact filled me with security. I'd never felt so safe since that day he hugged me (although awkwardly) and I needed that same feeling of assurance with him. If anything happened to him, the blame would be mine and I admitted truthfully with a shaky voice against his neck, "I'm sorry for putting us in danger. You could've been hurt and I don't want that- I mean, you're grumpy all the time but you're my friend and I care about you. I don't want you to pay for my mistakes-"

He surprised me by choking out raggedly, "I'll die if you don't let go-"

I loosened my hold because I didn't want to accidentally choke him but heavily doubted my strength actually could. He could be such a drama queen sometimes but I listened. My arms remained draped around his neck, my skin warmed by the higher temperature around his nape and watched him cough his inhales with a small tender smile. My brow furrowed in sympathetic embarrassment for causing that and mumbled out sheepishly, "Sorry. I just. . .I shouldn't have wandered off. . .I should have-"

"What's done is done, you cannot change it" he broke in to settle my rambling and felt his arms encircle my shoulders to return the gesture. A small smile touched my lips as my fingertips touched the back of his neck, my forehead touching both my forearm and the right side of his of his neck as I huddled there. Hugging was a private matter between families and didn't feel the awkwardness from before as his hold stayed cozy between the two of us before letting go. My romantic side was over the moon with his attempted gesture but logic told me to keep my head clear. His voice took on a lighter vibrant tone as he changed the subject, "We are alive and should return home. I really want to know when the next '_baseball_' game will be."

I chuckled to his laidback comment, especially after what we just went through, and heard him say nonchalantly, "I _should _scold you for ineptitude to scout the area you entered. . ."

"But?" I added in with a perky smile to coax him along and scooted back to my original position. My hands dropped to his forearms as I tilted my head to the side to glance expectantly at him. I _really _hoped I wasn't about to get a lecture.

"I think the palulukan was warning enough" he dismissed gently with a small smile and I nodded quietly in my spot, glad that I wasn't facing his wrath for putting him in danger. I was surprised by how forgiving he sounded, his whole expression screamed complete tranquility, but I think my obvious fear softened him up. He was right though, I _never _wanted to see that creature or even an image of it for as long as I lived.

My fingers grasped his wrists tightly and the words were out of my mouth before I could take them back, "Don't ever do that again. Don't put yourself in my way, I don't care how weak or stupid I look, you _never _get in the way of another beast again. You. . ."

I felt tears brimming my eyes as his face blurred before me and could feel my emotions breaking through my fortress in waves. He was dear to me, platonic and otherwise, and I didn't hesitate to admit my fears, "If I lost you or anyone in the clan that's treated me kindly. . .I'd never forgive myself. So if there's ever a next time, you _leave_-"

"A clan sister is never left behind, nobody is ever left defenseless to face danger alone" he cut in sharply to my proposition but I didn't care about his reasoning, I just wanted the people I cared for to remain safe and not to fall into harm because of my blunders. If I screwed up, _I_ wanted to be the one to suffer the damage, not the one who took it upon himself to watch over me. Droplets of tears rained down my face as I tried to contain them by rubbing my cheeks and heard his voice point out gently, "Besides, you are my responsibility."

All I could reply with was a muffled grunt of complaint as my throat remained tightened to the aftershock of the incident and felt his fingers wipe away a few stray tears. His gentle touch comforted me as he tried to calm my fears but at the same time, I was worried that he'd think me weak. His stern gaze softened as I stared at him through blurry eyes, his fingertips feeling like silk on my damp skin, and he soothed gently, "Stop crying, Joanna."

"It's not like I can order it to stop" I shot back weakly but closed my eyes to push back any little droplets trying to surface. This wasn't the Joanna that he and I knew so she needed to be put on the backburner. He couldn't see this part of me, not yet. I moved away from his reach, wiping my face messily with my hands to clear away the salty liquid. Seeing a nearby pool of water, I crawled on my knees to the water to wash it all away. I always did hate the tight sensation that the trails of tears left on my face and scrubbed them off with my fingertips as I dipped them in the cold water to refresh my skin.

Concentrating on washing my face allowed me to push all that emotion back in its fortress and lock it away as our main objective became clear again. We had to return home safely. Standing up on shaky legs that didn't even feel my own, I scanned the forested area behind us as my feet crunched against the assortment of river rocks littering the area. Clearing my throat free from any roughness, I looked back to Tsu'tey and ordered, "Let's head back before anyone notices we're gone."

He listened in agreement and took the lead, ushering me behind him as he stated, "Follow my command and continually inspect our surroundings."

"Do. . .do you think it's still near here?" I asked hesitantly as we stepped back into the wooded area, suddenly cautious that that black beast would pop out of anywhere. Trees. Bushes. Even under a rock!

"No" he answered simply as his fluid movements blended perfectly with the forest, leaving everything untouched while I picked up dirt with my feet and brushed against the leaves. How was I not supposed to feel inadequate? I remained close because there was no way I was leaving more than a foot distance between us after all the dangerous incidents I tended to drag him into. He came to a halt as a dirt path entered our sights and turned back to me without warning, pressing his fingers to the center of my forehead, as he uttered quietly, "Never cry again."

"But-"

"I don't like seeing you cry" he confessed simply with an earnest expression and my mouth dried instantly as my heart decided to quicken its beating. I hugged him before he could put in a word edgewise (probably to scold me for being careless again) and my fingers grasped the back of his necklace since he didn't wear human shirts that I could cling to. He was a Na'vi and damn it, I was falling hard for this stubborn one.

He returned the embrace but I could feel the muscles underneath his skin slacking downwards as he surveyed the area around us. I could've stayed like this forever because he made me feel safe, even in a dangerous forest filled with predators. His fingers clasped my shoulders to aim an amused stare at me and brought up casually, "This won't be a daily happening, will it?"

"No, completely spur of the moment" I replied cheerfully as I dug my cheek into his chest for soothing warmth and smiled when his fingers stroked my hair in return. On Earth, having your hair touched like that was calming and therapeutic but as a Na'vi, the sense was twice as strong due to the sensitive skin receptors and nerve endings associated with the scalp and queue area. I was one step away from purring like a happy kitten. . .that is, if Na'vi could've purred.

"I. . .I understand now" he whispered faintly out of the blue and I glanced up to catch a glimpse of his puzzled face. His eyes flickered between my face and the path behind us as his fingers weaved into my hair. I could only bite my lower lip to keep my face relaxed to the pleasant and oh so delicious combing his fingers were giving. Unfortunately, my mental balloon of happy time was popped when he clarified his words, "You had a right to be upset at me. I left you, all alone, in an area without security and nobody knew your whereabouts."

Well, at least the fall knocked his logic into place on that argument. However, I didn't want to be vulnerable in front of him again after all that unpleasant quarreling because it simply didn't feel as comfortable as it once did. I let go of him with an uncomfortable cough into my hand and took a few steps backwards to hug myself in order to warm my skin a bit.

"Joanna, I. . .I've been a skxawng, haven't I?" he asked breathlessly as he realized what I'd been trying to make him understand and I nodded quietly, shuffling my feet against a few pebbles on the path. He sighed out with frustration and furrowed his brow, making me believe he was about to lash out at me but he merely admitted hesitantly, "I thought you were mad at me for going to fish and getting ill-"

"I'm still new here and if I'd known you were going to leave me like that, floating downstream with my amateur swimming skills, I never would've stayed there" I intervened to get everything clear because I wasn't about to blow into another argument and lure another palulukan into the fray. He wanted to know what I thought, then fine. I would put everything I felt into words he could comprehend and maybe that stunned expression would shift into awareness. Meeting his gaze to show I meant business, my voice didn't falter as I explained firmly, "You didn't even stay to see whether I returned and you practically erased all your tracks of being there. How was I supposed to feel? Happy? Pleased? You want to know? I felt abandoned, Tsu'tey. Worthless. Unwanted. Disappointed. And it's not just that you left, you gave me a false sense of security that you'd be there waiting for me and you weren't. You made me feel that I was only worth being with during training and once in public, I was on my own. That's why. . .that's why I need to spend less time with you and focus more on trusting my own instincts-"

"I made a mistake and very deeply regret it but you can't just-" Tsu'tey tried to plead his innocence and another second of staring at his flawless bewildered face would've had me agreeing but I stopped myself.

I turned around swiftly to follow the path we were on to put everything behind me and quietly requested, "I want to go home, can you do that for me?"

The tiniest sound of crushed grass was heard as he turned to follow suit and I was amazed that I even heard it. Tsu'tey _never _made noise or faltered in his skills and I could only gap in astonishment as he passed by me, muttering under his breath, "Very well, but this matter isn't over."

* * *

We returned home and to avert attention away from our thanator encounter, Tsu'tey and I sneaked through the back paths where people were scarce. As evening approached, nobody was showering at this hour and we took advantage of the chance to clean off all the dirt from the river to wash away the evidence. I'd never been so happy to wash up with warm water and really hoped this wouldn't bring back my cold.

I was ready to head to my nook for a cozy blanket when Tsu'tey pulled me away toward one of the storage alcoves on the first level. Imagine my shocked stupor when he sneaks into one where healing salves and herbs are stored without permission from the healers. The man was bolder than I thought! I must've smiled nervously at every passerby while hoping nobody noticed why I was stationed outside with my tail between my legs. When he appeared next to me (without sound this time), I smacked his shoulder with my good hand to reprove his outrageous behavior.

"You can't take things without asking, you're breaking your own rules" I pointed out lowly with a hiss and pushed him forward to appear nonchalant. Both of us smiled politely at any passerby's to ward off the obvious arguing we were experiencing.

"Be quiet and follow me," was his hushed order while simultaneously greeting a family walking by. Only Tsu'tey could play commander and an everyday man with his impenetrable mask. Meanwhile, I grumbled under my breath like a sour toddler and listened because he had indeed saved my life.

And so, we crept to my hammock where he proceeded to show me what he'd stolen- er, _grabbed_. It was a small teal leaf containing a jade green salve in the middle and before I could ask or touch it, he ordered simply, "Turn around so I can apply it."

"I can do it myself" I argued snippily since skin contact was not what I had in mind. For once, I wished that the 'no touching' norm would extend into the hammock because I was liable to unleash romantic Joanna and ravish the man on the spot if he kept touching me. Yeah, it was that bad.

He aimed a flat stare at me, oblivious to my internal dilemma, and demanded smartly, "Then tell me, how will you access your back? It will most likely become infected. Should I wait until your body is coursing with oozing infection to-"

"Okay, fine" I relented with an aggravated sigh to his morbid words and crossed my arms huffily, pulling my hair over the right shoulder. His fingers applied the liquid with gentleness that was void when he tackled poor Norm onto the ground and felt light pats to the deeper wounded areas. I was lucky to have escaped with only this cut and hoped it wouldn't leave a scar. That would _definitely _raise questions and I didn't want people to know my encounter. Tsu'tey would probably boast his heroism and yes, he had a right to. . .as long as he kept me out of the picture and anonymous. I winced when he reached my back, the cooling sensation easing the stinging that I couldn't reach myself and bringing sweet relief. I almost groaned pleasantly as the stinging went away and was replaced by soothing numbness. Oh, plant analgesics, what would I do without you?

Tsu'tey wrapped a cloth bandage around my shoulder and under my armpit, securing it tightly to make sure the gash didn't show or that it would fall off with the lightest movement. He wound another piece underneath my breasts and I glanced at him suspiciously if he dared to try anything funny. He noticed my heated hawk-like gaze on him and his hands stopped moving, prompting him to point out matter-of-factly, "Do you want to expose your injury? If I don't do this, the constant arm movement will have it falling off before nightfall."

I grumbled under my breath because he was right, again, and had to sit idly while he played healer. This was another skill I'd yet to learn and knowing my clumsy self, I'd become injured on the field a lot. I twiddled my thumbs for mild amusement as he tied me up like an English nurse to her WWII patient and heard him speak up, "I want to talk about what you told me."

"I tell you lots of things-" I tried to evade what he was mentioning but he wasn't letting me slip away so easily.

"It was stupid of me to forget you'd never swam on Pandora and even more to leave the area" he murmured apologetically as I felt his dexterous fingers tying the cloth pieces together. I tucked my knees in and rested my chin on them as I stayed silent to give him the floor on this one. His voice paused every few seconds as he tried to convey his thoughts into words, "I should've known. . .but I was irritated at losing my fish and you know I love fishing. It was petty of me to think you were mad at that. . .but if you would've asked me to stay-"

"Do you've any idea how childish and needy that sounds?" I brought up sarcastically to the image of myself asking to be defended by him in front of everyone. That was not who I was trying to be but I needed him for certain things I wasn't ready for. I clasped my hands over my chest to feign a dramatic face of distress and heightened my voice into a chirpy tone, "'Oh, Tsu'tey, I need you to protect me in front of everyone because I apparently can't do so. Won't you stay with me?' Do you _really _think I'll be saying something like that in front of people?"

He tightened the cloth a little too much than he really needed to and I didn't hesitate to slap his forearm with my good hand to stop him from taking out his irritation on me. Of course, his excuse was a good one, "I'm finished."

My shoulder did indeed feel better than it did at the river and I turned around to nod at him with a grateful smile, "Thank you, for everything. You don't have to be heroic-"

"Did you expect me to let it eat you? I'm certain you wouldn't have been tasty" he replied cockily to his joke and I shook my head to his humoring. Only he could find a way to make fun of a monstrous creature. On the other hand, surviving was a feat for a Na'vi and a joke on the thanator so he deserved to milk the encounter for all it was worth.

Following in his steps, I faked a pout and joked with a dramatic sigh, "True, when they take a bite out of your shoulder and leave, it's a sign you're not ripe. Talk about being picky, it chose you over me. I was probably too stringy for him."

His serious stare relaxed as he shared a laugh with me and I leaned back against my hammock to let the day's stress melt away. The hammock was really supposed to be for one person but with my amateur skills, I'd accidentally used extra cloth that couldn't be removed and the women had helped me finish it before I ended up with a family size version. Otherwise, I'm certain the thing would've snapped weeks ago and killed us. I'd never shared his hammock because his was perfectly constructed (the damn thing even looked shinier!) and I liked my privacy so with my higher level, it was a perfect spot to relax.

"Are you sure you want to stop spending time with me?" he asked calmly from the opposite end and lowered his gaze to a patch on the hammock, picking at a few strands that stuck out to occupy his vision. Modesty took over in his voice as he admitted quietly, "I truly am sorry and although I would be against it. . .I would abide. You are a dear friend but if our interaction conflicts with your focus on learning. . ."

I was shocked that he was giving me the right to do so after fighting so adamantly against it for days. Had he finally understood what I've been trying to say? I agreed. Yes, I deserved to beat more of an apology out of him but he claimed himself the guilty party instead of defending his own point. My mind tuned out the rest of his voice as logical Joanna told me to snatch the offer to prevent future conflict while romantic Joanna pleaded the opposite. I wanted to push him away to banish my feelings but it wasn't fair to him by taking away someone he trusted. I wasn't ready to test my luck by getting into danger or facing my own fears anytime soon.

Something prodded my knee and I jerked back into the present, my gaze shifting back to his as Tsu'tey watched me with mild amusement to preen, "You weren't listening, were you?"

"I. . .no, I just. . .no, I wasn't" I muttered sheepishly as he saw right through my crappy acting and rubbed my hands down my face. Being the better speaker of the two, I found myself at a loss on what or how to tell because I didn't want to hurt him. The soft chirping of a nearby bird told me not to waste time and I took a deep breath to calmly say, "I do need time to focus on myself and I do cherish your friendship," I jabbed my finger at his chest and firmly threatened, "but seriously, don't you ever leave me in a strong river on my own again or on a mountaintop or even a tree without knowing I'll be all right-"

"I promise- no, I vow I will stay until you say otherwise" he pledged quickly to my small threat because I certainly wasn't going to leave myself open for downfall like that again. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me; it certainly would not. His brow furrowed lightly as he tried to keep his face composed but I could see him struggling with a sheepish expression. Didn't he know he could be honest with me? The man could be a murderous thunderstorm but there were rare instances when he held an innocence about him that I was growing to adore.

I was putty in his hands and the funny thing was he didn't know it. A small sigh left my lips because I wasn't going to torture him by prolonging this and grabbed his hands into mine to give them a gentle reassuring squeeze. He already knew this as my 'worried human habit' after doing so one day when he injured a shoulder muscle during a hunt while I, the worrywart dreamwalker, took his hands into mine to fuss over it. It was a good thing I could write it off as human habit rather than romance or he would've read 'I will suck the oxygen out of your lungs in a second with my lips'. That's how much I worried for him when he went into dangerous areas but he always returned. I, on the other hand, was prone to bad luck but sometimes, a little bad luck could help someone. If I hadn't found the thanator, Tsu'tey never would've gotten my message across into his coconut head.

"I need more time to involve myself in other things" I began slowly and gently to make this as easy as possible. The moment his ears drooped, romantic Joanna began to bawl while logical Joanna handed a spear to survivalist Joanna. I knocked all of them away from my mind with a mental bowling ball and continued gently, "I need to develop a life away from you because I won't be your student forever. You and I enjoy certain pastimes which is great but too many is a little too dependent like I told you days ago. However, just because we see less of each other, it _doesn't _mean you matter less to me."

My thumbs grazed the tops of his hands and I smiled to admit fondly, "You're one of my closest friends, Tsu'tey, and I'd never tear myself away from somebody I cared for. We will spend time together training and when I have free time or when you do, we will do whatever we want. Remember, our purpose is to help the clan first and after we do that, we can talk and explore as much as you want."

"But we will not see each other as much" he finalized quietly and I nodded silently, trying not to let his sullen expression affect me. Oh, he was turning me soft with every passing day. His hands squeezed mine weakly (the hand holding remained foreign and new to him) and he asked once more to double check, "Is that what you truly want?"

_No, I want you but I can't have that slice of heaven either_, I thought tenderly while romantic Joanna thrashed around as she sniffled into a few tissues.

I nodded silently to finalize everything and couldn't help but feel I was losing a part of myself to that. Logic told me my choice would serve best because there was a chance my attraction would fade and it wouldn't ruin our friendship. I wanted to preserve this rare friendship and falling into a pool of sentimentality could heavily backfire on me if he didn't or couldn't feel the same. I wasn't ready to do that to myself after finding someone that would risk their life for me. Tsu'tey visibly appeared disheartened by my choice although he was trying to cover it up well and I wrapped my arms around his neck like I'd done at the river. I didn't like seeing him upset, it picked at my heartstrings ever since he lost his leadership title and continued to do so.

I embraced him just like he'd held me during that first time (without the awkwardness, of course) to comfort any worries and huddled next to his side to keep him close. My hands rubbed his back gently as I whispered soothingly, "This is something I must do. There is a lot of emotional turmoil inside me-"

"I can help" he broke in with a voice that was both modest and caring, so unlike him that I wanted to hear more of that softhearted tone. I'd become used to his confident and firm voice in public along with the calmer and sarcastic side when we spoke in private but this side always managed to knock me off my feet. I'd only heard him speak so gently when we visited the Tree of Souls for my first tsaheylu connection to it and viewing his past. Was I nearing the last layers of my onion- er, I mean, the hunter?

Romantic Joanna shot me straight in the heart with melancholy when his modest voice tickled my right ear, "You can talk to me. I know I'm the last person somebody would want to share their burdens with and I may not be the most emotionally available. . .but I understand all of those turbulent emotions. I cast them aside because they can break you in more painful ways than having your own bone fracture."

I loosened my hold to glance at him and got a serious knocking on my emotional fortress when I saw that stoic mask slowly cracking at the seams. His eyes were downcast with a visibly upset stare aimed at the floor, lips thinned with emotional restraint, ears flattened against his skull in defense, and his chest was rising with faster breaths. My hands left his neck to press them against his chest, shushing him gently to relax his breathing. His voice was heavier but the tone was thinly frail as he admitted, "I've felt grief and anger so agonizing since I lost my family and it continues whenever I see anything from the Sky People. I have experienced an array of them and yet, I cannot vocalize each as easily as you can. I admire that you can but I hate it because you shouldn't have to feel that way. You're a young soul-"

I was about to playfully remind him that I was older in mind to lighten the mood but he beat me to it as his amber eyes pierced my own, "I know you've lived longer than I. From what you hide, your life on Earth was painful just as mine here was. This is a new life, you shouldn't have to feel that way anymore. You are safe, _I_ will keep you safe, you have a clan as family and they will not have you burdened."

His words cracked my emotional walnut open and I pressed my forehead to my hands, my voice shaking with kindness, "You've no idea what you. . .and the others. . .mean to me. Don't be upset on my account, you've suffered more than I have and you deserve to be free of it. I would love more than anything to tell you but this is something only I can solve."

"Nonetheless, I appreciate your heartfelt words and I will confide in you with what I can" I whispered tearfully and used one hand to wipe them away hastily. He already had me blubbering again but this time, I wasn't embarrassed by it. I looked at my damp fingertips briefly before meeting his gaze and chuckling softly with a trembling smile, "Oh, look how easily you make me cry, _eylan_. But these are happy tears, for you, because I'm lucky enough to have such a dear friend who cares for my little troubles."

I embraced him again, smearing tears on his right shoulder as my cheek pressed against it in friendly appreciation. If I wasn't attracted to him, he would've made the best big brother type of guy I could've told everything to. My eyelashes were damp from the flowing salty tears that fell onto my lips and although my chest was pressurized enough, I managed to request meekly, "Hold me."

And he did.

* * *

Eventually, I calmed down from my emotional catharsis and he managed to restore that collected mask of his until we were back to our normal selves again. That small moment allowed me to forge a closer bond to him as our emotional glass houses cracked but they were yet to be fully shattered. Maybe one day, they would be.

The whole thanator chase had left me with no adrenaline nor the need for excitement so without an adventure, I became lethargic and drowsy easily. Obviously, my face betrayed me as I sat in my comfy space and Tsu'tey suggested quietly, "Should I leave you now? We've said what we needed to say and. . .I will, I suppose, see you eventually?"

He had politeness and grace that I didn't think would be present after all the arguing he did just hours prior. Tsu'tey was definitely maturing like Nitari foresaw as we mended our wounds and hoped for his sake, that he would live a very prosperous life. Our first memories felt so old and full of hostility that nobody would recognize the old Joanna and Tsu'tey of half a year ago. There was a bond between us that kept growing and I didn't want to sever it in fear for both our happiness and personal growth.

"I'd like for you to stay, I don't have anything to do right now" I replied amicably with a warm smile and flopped down onto my right side on the hammock to stretch out like a cat. My left shoulder stung at the movement and I glanced up at him to pipe up giddily, "Tell me a story."

He leaned back into the hammock which assured me he wasn't going anywhere. If at all, he'd probably fall asleep within the hour but I didn't mind one bit. His fingers tapped against the hammock while a thoughtful pout surfaced on his lips until finally, he glanced at me to curiously ask, "What about?"

I puckered my lips in thought and heard him snicker at my childish expression. Oh, like his little pout was any more sophisticated. Slapping his knee lightly, I studied his appearance to give me inspiration and received a puzzled glance in return for the staring. The small lifting of his ears brought a cheerful smile to my face because I always found myself fascinated with them, especially his because of their unique feature. A question formed from that and I asked him to deliberate on a topic that picked my brain more than once, "What's the story behind your right ear?"

His large eyes blinked to my question and I chuckled softly to sound less critical because I didn't want him to feel self-conscious all of a sudden. As a constant sufferer of self-esteem, I lightened my tone to complete and honest intrigue as I spoke, "I've noticed you have a small knick so it has to be either from birth or an exciting adventure tale."

"Nothing escapes you, does it?" he chuckled softly to my observations and patted the top of my head. Yep, just like old times.

"I was a _scientist_, I was taught to never dismiss anything" I agreed easily since anthropology was all about objective observations and patted the hammock with my hand. His eyes shot down to my moving fingers and I smiled impishly to preen, "Well, am I getting a story or will we take a nap?"

He hissed softly in defeat to my little nagging and settled down next to me, inhaling gently when a gust of wind rustled the leaves overhead. From across, I could see his right hand fiddling with his ear absentmindedly and he began softly, "My mother always told me I had the cutest ears in the clan and squeezed them in affection every morning. I actually thought they were my best physical feature until the tawtute shot a piece of it off."

Holy crap.

I stared at him in disbelief and he placed his hands on my shoulders when I tried to inspect the ear like a fussy mother. I'm certain his mother must've done the same when it occurred. He wasn't continuing until I calmed down and I grumbled inaudibly under my breath because I couldn't change the past but if I could, you bet your butt I would. Reluctantly, I sulked in my spot and allowed, "Carry on."

"I was about eleven seasons old and eager to explore my world because I believed I could be the best warrior in history" he began with a warm laugh that relaxed his features considerably, practically softening every inch and taking away all the years of aging. I found myself smiling alongside him with that contagious laugh and he explained sheepishly, "I was very confident in my skills despite I knew nothing but being a child, you believe you're invincible against the world. The sun was high in the sky and I found myself wandering the forest because I'd seen a group of yerik nearby. I wanted to study them so I followed them despite not having permission from my parents to wander deep in the forest. I thought that if I managed to learn something and return before they realized I was gone, I would be fine."

"Bad Tsu'tey" I chided playfully and he grinned smugly because it certainly was true. As a child, he'd obeyed his parents and adored them dearly but his personality always had that adventuring streak that defied what others told him. From the memories he'd shown me, I'd learned that when he was trying to walk, he refused to let anyone touch him by giving a little hiss and ended up bumping into everything in sight. He'd sniffle every time he fell and there certainly were times when he really did hit his head a few times and cried like any little infant would. Nonetheless, he didn't give up until he could walk without holding onto anything and had the cutest little walk by putting most of his weight on his front toes. It was remarkable to know that that adorable toddler, with his bruised purple bottom after falling too many times, became one of the best in his clan and showed no flaws in his skills.

"Yes, I was, but I learned from my mistakes" he agreed humorously and his face told me he was proud of each moment since he overcame them. I couldn't blame him but part of me wished half of those weren't so full of danger. He wasn't halfway to old age and he'd already defied death; what else would he get into till then? I agreed halfheartedly and poked his bicep so he could continue, prompting him to hiss softly at my hastiness but went on, "I wanted to learn more so I could tell my peers and show off what I knew. Unfortunately, I let my interest lead me into an unknown area and the clan was already growing wary of the tawtute that kept growing in numbers on our land. They established false peace treaties and broke their own word repeatedly, resorting to violence so of course, our clan did the same. I was young so I had yet to see one and wasn't afraid of all the rumors spreading over the hearth during last meal. To me, they were nothing but tapiri hiding behind their creations and would fear us in the end."

He released a strained sigh as his ears flattened and he delved deeper, "I kept myself concealed under a bush as I watched the group interact but all they did was graze. Their meal was cut short when they were frightened away by something. I wanted to follow so I could keep my search going but I soon heard words of a different tongue. Words that were only echoed by our Tsahìk because that was _their _language. I stood up quickly to hide behind a tree because I didn't know what they would do but at the same time, I didn't want to appear hostile. This was a new situation and I didn't know what to do. I was a child, I expected them to leave me alone. . .but they didn't."

"I was stupid and made the mistake of repeating the greeting I always heard from their emissaries when they neared Kelutral" he explained grimly and I clutched his arm in reflex to my worrying. It was an old story, I know, but it affected me to know he'd gone through it. His fingers patted my hand to let me know it was all right (and probably give him his circulation back) and he continued, "I thought I could make acquaintances and tell them all about our ways because I wanted to make a difference. That my little voice could change the ongoing conflict. I expected them to return my call with a friendly one of their own but all I received was a garbled array of words I didn't understand. They sounded alarmed, cautious, irritated, even downright mad. This was all before I learned English so all I could do was repeat the phrase in my most friendliest voice while trying to find a way out of there because instinct told me to run."

"A second later, bullets struck the bushes I'd recently hid under and I heard their loud footsteps trampling over all of Eywa's vegetation" he sighed with a disgusted tone, glancing at the leaves overhead with a melancholic eye. The Na'vi treasured their world so dearly and if they saw what had been done to Earth's, I'm certain they would've annihilated humankind off the planet in a second. To them, hurting and changing their world was heinous and unconscionable. His nose scrunched slightly in distaste as he described everything vividly, "At this point, I didn't want to breathe and told myself to get to a hiding spot quickly without making noise. I didn't know how to get back home and I wouldn't dare lead them back to hurt my people. I didn't want these violent creatures anywhere near them. I'd been so caught in my own worry, I didn't hear the yelling subside until they began shooting again to find me. My right ear erupted in pain and I ran from the tree with fear, leaving my hiding spot to run into the forest for refuge. My ear hurt as I would've described 'so badly it made me cry' and I held it while I ran, only to draw my hand back to see it covered in blood."

My cheek pressed against his bicep as my hate for the RDA reached a whole new level than before. They'd attacked children _before _the massacre at Grace's school? It was completely atrocious for soldiers to open fire on a small child. I mean, what the hell were the hiring requirements nowadays? Know how to pull a trigger and no training needed? Did they even hire _real _military soldiers from Earth or just privately owned mercenaries? He chuckled softly to my worry, patting my head with a kind smile before resuming the tale, "At that moment, I thought they'd blown my whole ear off and I'd be the laughing stock of the children. It's funny at what runs through your head when you're swimming in fear. I kept my scrawny little legs moving because I thought if I put enough distance between us, they'd leave me alone. Unfortunately, I could hear the pests following. My hearing wasn't as good as it is now but they were horrible at masking their steps, I think they were novices."

He scrunched his face in disappointment but let out a short laugh a second later, "I suppose I was lucky for that because it gave me time to find a decent hiding spot. I noticed a small cave in the distance and decided to take my chances in there. A larger cave would draw their attention and I'd yet to reach my growth spurt so I could conceal myself quite well in small spaces. That and facing a palulukan or nantang pack who lived in larger caves would place me in worse danger. So, with hasty kicks in my step, I jumped into the small entrance that was littered with dry gnarled roots and crawled inside. I fixed the roots back in place to conceal the area and kept crawling until I felt the end of the cave with my fingertips. I curled into a ball just to make sure I was hidden in the darkness completely and there, I waited and waited with my heart pounding. My ear hurt terribly and I wiped the blood that dripped onto my hand on my leg because I had nothing else. There were no plants or pieces of cloth I could use so my hand served as a small bandage."

His fingers reached up to touch the round indent on his ear and I could picture him as that small boy, frightened and in pain with nobody to help him. It was traumatizing and I could understand how such a memory along with all the others the humans had given him could break his patience for peace over the years. He didn't start out hating the species and every conflict he faced simply dealt him with another layer of evidence against them. I reached up to gently take his fingers away from his ear, placing them into my own for a sympathetic squeeze, and I stared at him to remind, "Do you remember when you told me that getting my ears pierced was nothing to cry about. I owe you an apology for giving you a face full of porridge."

My cheeks darkened at that incident with this new information and I lowered my forehead to his chest in embarrassment when he began laughing at the memory. His fingers combed through my hair as I laughed against his chest and heard him comment amusingly, "I think our interactions will leave me with more memories than those with the tawtute if we continue on this same path."

"Come on, finish the story" I insisted giddily, patting my palms against his chest, because I wanted to know what happened. He gave a lazy yawn as he slumped under me to play the sleeping card and I groaned aloud as he ruined the suspenseful mood he'd created, "Don't make me beg now."

He opened his mouth to show me his pearly white teeth in a lazy groan but opened his eyes the next second to stare at me with those gorgeous amber orbs. His gaze instantly made me self-conscious (I simply couldn't handle being stared at by him anymore!) and scooted to my respective side on the hammock since being halfway on the guy seemed more friendlier than it should be. He tilted his head in curiosity but I motioned with my hand for him to continue (and definitely not ask) and he obliged my meek request, "Where was I? Oh, alone in the dark. For the first time in my life, I was frightened and I wanted my father to save me but he didn't know where I was. I'd disobeyed and paid for it so part of me thought I deserved it. The waiting was awful and agonizingly slow as I remained huddled, hoping they wouldn't find me. When I didn't hear I noise, I expected them to pull me out of the cave and when I did hear noise, I expected the same but nothing happened. I did hear their voices faintly but only for a short while and eventually, the forest was quiet except for the sounds of wildlife."

"I wasn't going to be stupid and run home right after that so I waited a decent amount of time" he recounted with a little pride in his voice and I smiled at that, completely enthralled with the tale, "I heard prolemuris pass by and a forest banshee screech, an entire collection of animals wandered around before I decided that the area was clear. Inside my cave, I tried to remember what father taught me about never becoming lost. He told me to follow certain growths of plant life, the location of our sun would always show the four points of direction, and the flowing rivers would lead us toward Kelutral. Every lesson or story he told, I remembered, and I mustered my courage which was very little by then to push back the shrubbery at the entrance. I took my time in studying the area as I wandered and I wouldn't run because hastiness could lead me into more trouble. I followed my father's instructions despite the pain in my head and used the branch systems to journey home because there was absolutely no way I was walking home by trekking through the undergrowth."

"Long story short, I returned home with no more injuries and I was never happier to see my clan" Tsu'tey finished warmly with a fond smile for his beloved people and I chuckled at actually seeing dimples on his face. He really should trade that grumpy frown for the beaming smile he secretly owned in his arsenal of expressions. He yawned lazily, taking away the nice dimples to replace them with a flash of his sharp teeth, to conclude simply, "I was now safe and evaded the humans from finding me, learning something entirely new than what I had originally intended. Everyone noticed my arrival and it wasn't because of my ear but from all the blood I smeared onto myself. Sylwanin and the other children were the first to see me as Mo'at had been reading to them outside. She wasn't my mother but when I saw her, I simply ran to embrace her and cried out everything that happened. I didn't care about boasting my adventure anymore, I just wanted to be warm and clean to see another day. You wouldn't think she could carry a child my age but she did and I never felt safer. She washed away all the blood and grime from my body and tended to my injury without any help from the other healers. When she finished, I asked her if my ear was gone but she assured me it was perfectly intact. . .with a small reminder about what happened."

I reminded myself to sew Mo'at a new poncho since she was fond of those, particularly with the warm hues. Despite her stoic and powerful appearance as matriarch, Mo'at was a mother herself and saw everyone as her own to protect. Tsu'tey seemed chipper at the end of his account as he stared at the treetops with a serene face and I asked curiously, "What did your parents say?""They were furious at me but thankful to Eywa that I was spared" he chuckled softly with a dull undertone and pointed out casually, "I was rash in trying to explore and almost paid it with my life. My mother kept me under her watchful eye for an entire season and kissed my right ear every day, telling me they were perfect and now gave me character. Instead of being joked on about my mismatching ears, the children were in awe to my escape and asked me to retell the whole thing for an entire month. Obviously, I left a few parts out, mainly the crying and my idiotic beckoning."

I laughed at this because it was something he would do in the present and watched him frown as he admitted bitterly, "You couldn't imagine my dislike when Mo'at announced that the tawtute were building a school, Grace's school, to establish peace relations and all children could attend. I _begged _my mother to let me stay home, I washed clothes, I cleaned, I hung onto her skirt, I even trapped myself in the family hammock, but nothing worked. She wanted me to learn the language so I would have an advantage of knowing both and next time, I wouldn't be caught off-guard. Father, of course, agreed."

He snorted at the air with disinterest and informed me with a bored tone, "Several seasons later, I was staring out that dreary window I showed you since their schools consisted of entrapment. I remained there until the dreamwalkers gave me a stupid paper with my name on it, which they didn't even spell right, that said I learned English and Math. I let a tapirus eat it as I walked home but the next day, Grace gave us a decent reward of fruit preserves from her gardens at the compound. I gave my share to mother so she could make something with it and from that, I learned to make bread with fruit filling as another cooking lesson from her," a sigh left his full lips afterwards and he spoke faintly, "And that, dear Joanna, is my tale."

"Why is it that you can dictate such a story and leave me breathless but yet create false horror stories that don't?" I scolded gently with an impish grin to his campfire tales but he scoffed dismissively. Oh, we were back to careless Tsu'tey now and I rolled my eyes to cuddle into my hammock since the evening was becoming drafty already which meant a colder night. I gazed at him with friendly smile that masked my affection and warmly commented, "I liked it because you learned something and although I don't like what happened to you, it proves how much of a survivor you are."

"You're right because now, I can add these scars," he piped up proudly and touched the three circular scars on his abdomen that remained as proof of his attack on the Valkyrie. Eywa, I still remembered pulling those bullets out of his hostile form and he sitting here gloating about it. His lips widened into a cocky grin as he finished, "to that one."

_He hasn't changed all that much, has he?_, I thought in dismay to the crazy things he could do and really hoped he wouldn't partake in any more. I don't think my nerves could handle seeing him come back bloodied and broken if he decided to ride a wild sturmbeest like a buffalo for fun or dared to tackle a full-grown Toruk for looking at him funny.

"You're brave" I agreed with a small sigh to his personality but this is who I cared for. He appeared pleased by my remark and puffed out his chest to the ego stroke, subtly smiling to himself. However, I knocked him down a few by finishing firmly, "Bravely _insane_. Don't you dare do that again. Even if I didn't know you then, I wished somebody would've pulled you away, you crazy, crazy man."

Instead of arguing with me as usual, he smiled softly at me with an earnest gaze that read everything off my face and Tsu'tey asked quietly, "You're worried, aren't you?"

I nodded quietly and pressed my back onto the hammock to sigh aloud, "I don't want to lose you one day and the clan doesn't either. You're daring and courageous, I understand that, but I don't want to sound selfish when I tell you that if there's impending danger, I'll feel the need to tie your tail around a branch to keep you grounded and safe."

My fingers picked at the fabric of the hammock to hide my sheepish expression and the hammock swayed slightly with his movement. I glanced up from my spot to see him sitting and opening his leather satchel for something. What does he carry in that thing anyway? As for mine. . .it was best not to ask because everything was drenched. Even my sketch book. While I asked Eywa to send another atokirina for a new sketch, Tsu'tey fished out a cerulean necklace of round wooden beads and white opaque gemstones in irregular shapes as white feathers dangled in between the spaces. My eyes locked onto the gorgeous necklace with interest and I sat up to compliment, "Pretty."

"It was my mother's" he informed softly and traced his thumbs over several of the beads in affection. Without the need of having to tell me, I grasped how much he missed his parents throughout the years and being an only child basically left him as the last with their memories. There were still remnants of that little boy in him who needed his mother when he was frightened or simply for an affectionate embrace to reassure him. He'd grown up to serve his clan but nobody tended to _him _when he was in emotional turmoil and needed a shoulder to vent on. When we met, he was an emotional pressure cooker ready to blow (which he did, on me) but as Neytiri, Jake, Mo'at, me, and others reached out after the battle to show him he was appreciated by all of us- especially after renouncing leadership- he was more calm and collected.

When he began tying the necklace around my neck, I freaked out like teenager with a bad haircut and blurted, "What're you doing?"

He didn't stop tying it behind my neck and I tried not to let the brush of his fingers affect my heartbeat as he spoke casually, "I am lending it to you. It has brought me luck in life and I think you need it more at this point than I do. Also, I want you to know that I will reclaim it one day which means I will make it my goal _not _to die anytime soon."

"But it's your mother's-" I blurted worriedly as his words left me stunned to what he was doing. I didn't deserve something so precious like this and with my blunders, I'd probably ruin his family heirloom. He shouldn't be doing something so rash!

"It is mine and I choose for you to wear it" he stated matter-of-factly to loophole around the truth and I gaped at him because he left me speechless! His fingertips touched the white feathers delicately, grazing the skin over my sternum lightly, in a farewell caress before letting go and commenting approvingly, "It fits you well since I outgrew it after Iknimaya. Besides, it matches the earrings you have on."

_The earrings you also gave me_, I thought miserably because I'd yet to give anything decent to him in return. All I've created is a little ikran toy and giving freebies on food does not match up to jewelry, especially a family heirloom. No wonder he doesn't find me interesting! I'm like the kid everyone feels sorry for and pretties up to look decent. What could I ever offer him?

I shook my head repeatedly because I didn't want such generosity (or pity) and declined, "Tsu'tey, I can't accept it-"

"I'm not taking it back yet so you're stuck with it" he justified and like that, he'd won the verbal round with his loopholes. Couldn't he see I felt horrible at being given these things without nothing to offer in return? The earrings were one thing but a necklace? How could he entrust something so valuable to me? His mother would've smacked him into a different species for giving me this. His hand squeezed my right shoulder once in reassurance and he comforted my glum mood with kind words, "I know you will keep it safe."

I nodded quietly since there was no other way around it and let the subject drop. He'd given me this and I would take care of it as if it was my child. Wait, I didn't have one so that probably wasn't the best starter for this. I'd take care of it as best as I did. . ._not _myself, I mean, look at me! I was almost thanator chow an hour ago. . .aha! The children. _That _would be my precedent and Tsu'tey would have it back in better shape than when he gave it to me.

I felt my right ear get tugged on and protested the pull, gently slapping his hand away for being snagged away from my thoughts. He was probably getting tired of me doing that since we got home. I hadn't had my ears yanked before (well, playfully) but I found the sensation both painful and pleasurable as it shot down my spine. Who'd a thought? A little masochist but still. . .I burst out laughing at that horrible thought. Damn Jake and his dirty mind back at the compound when it was joke/karaoke night. I bet Neytiri would be stunned to learn all the weird kinkiness humans had and the Kama Sutra would give her a heart attack on the spot. Well, she can't say she didn't pick well in the bedroom department by choosing a human born man. What must a dreamwalker's Na'vi mate think when they realize we know a _lot _more about physical mating than they expect?

Tsu'tey stared quizzically at my bouts of laughter and before he thought I was laughing at him or his gift, I explained with chortled giggles, "I was thinking about something entirely different. . .back from Earth."

"Would you care to share the knowledge?" he asked curiously and my cheeks tried not to darken at having to explain such an adulterated topic. Goodness, his mind was probably as innocent as a ten year old's! My cheeks definitely turned purple at that because I didn't want to know what romantic escapades he'd done if his mind wasn't so pure and that was best left in the gutter recesses of my mind.

"Um, it's, uh, not important and certainly a topic not meant for innocent ears" I stammered nervously, trying to hold back from clearing my throat awkwardly, and groaned mentally to his puzzled look that blatantly showed an increase in interest. Damn gutter mind of mine. Why did he have to be overly intrigued in everything I said? Couldn't he have picked another day when I was boring him? I ran a hand down my face to what awaited me and flatly, I pointed out like any grown adult, "Sex."

His ears merely lifted as he remained confused and logical Joanna basically stamped his file as 'unworthy as a partner on basis of lacking common mating knowledge'. I muffled a pitiful whine because with his English vocabulary, I would've thought this word would've been covered in the human school. Hmm, maybe Na'vi parents decided to ban the exsay talk? I highly doubted it with their openness but I really should've used the pig Latin to cover my tracks. Damn you, logical Joanna. I almost dared myself to feign sleep as that charmingly innocent glint in his eyes bore into my own mortified orbs and regrettably enlightened his mind to the taint, "Mating, Tsu'tey, it was about mating. Oh, see? You're already wincing- forget I said anything."

I turned around to lay down on my side and hide the embarrassment heating up my face because the second I saw his face gawk in shock, I could see myself being stamped by his logical Tsu'tey as 'unworthy friend by bringing up the word mating'. The situation didn't make me feel better due to the skin contact of his arm against my back and groaned mentally to my crappy luck. A few seconds later, I heard him drawl tentatively, "Your mind is very. . ."

"Shut up" I snickered in humiliation as my fingers traced the sturdy fibers of my hammock and kicked his feet with my own playfully. It took me a few seconds to reach his longer legs to the end but I managed by angling my hips to elongate my own. The movement caused the necklace he gave me to clack against one of my own that was of simple wooden squares and black stones which made the two a very nice contrast in partnership. I would've continued to wear both if they weren't a Na'vi fashion faux pas and graciously smiled, "Thank you again for the necklace."

He shifted behind me, causing little movement in the hammock, and spoke up curiously, "Will you tell me a story from your past? Your origins?"

I closed my eyes to that question and grumbled under my breath, "What? Like my family? I already explained that to you-"

"I have shared many aspects of my past, you could at least show me that same respect" he stated coldly to my objection and I bit my tongue as my stubborn side wanted to argue that it was secret. However, he _did _deserve the same after his generous tales and answers to all of my questions, no matter how idiotic or deep. He'd shown me much more about his past than I had and despite I wanted to tell him that part of my history, I couldn't. I was afraid he'd judge me so all I had at my disposal were memories of happier times and hopefully, he would like those. They weren't as spellbinding as his but it was something.

I released a sigh between my lips as I opened up on the good side of my old life (which I had no problems on doing) and murmured softly, "I'm not ready to talk about them, it took me a long time to seal that part of me away. . .but if you'd like, I can tell you about my grandmother?"

"I will assume that you _didn't _hate her?" he asked with a hint of amusement and I chuckled since most of my cooking habits and tidiness came from her. Every time he asked where I learned certain Earth skills (mostly my meals), I always answered with my Grandma Lila as my wonderful teacher.

"No, I loved spending time with her until she passed on" I answered tenderly about my deceased relative and hoped she was happy for me after all the life lessons she taught me. I always thought of her when I was cooking for the clan or playing with the children and breathed deeply to fade away the feelings of melancholy from the lack of her presence. My fingers held a few beads from my necklaces to occupy my focus and I explained proudly, "She taught me how to make my own garden and cook. Unfortunately, I learned to knit instead of sew which is why I was awful when I first started here."

"Yes, I remember those uneven knee length socks" he remarked dryly with a snicker to my first projects and I nudged his side with my elbow for the joke. Oh, how he ridiculed me horribly back then for not knowing the different stitching styles.

"Humans don't lift a finger anymore with all the modern conveniences but she was self-reliant" I said with a beaming smile to what she'd accomplished by working from scratch and man, did she retire comfortably. Less expenses meant more savings and her lessons came in handy during my college days when I had to squeeze every penny. I squeezed so hard it would've gone into my flesh from all the scrimping I did. I owed her more than anyone could imagine and whenever I saw Nitari, I always thought of her. I suppose that's what led us to meet, in a way, because both of them were similar with wise personalities. Wiggling my feet to make sure they didn't fall asleep, I added in, "So was my grandfather but he died shortly before I turned one so I never knew him. My grandma sure loved him though because she never sought another spouse or even thought of it. Most human mates buy jewelry for the female for sentimental purposes but grandpa Max built her an entire garden with a _gazebo _and a pond to overlook the area. He also bought her a lot of pets but they kept them elsewhere when they started eating everything in the garden. I have tons of pictures of them back at Hell's Gate since I never brought them back with me because I was worried they could get ruined. I'll tell you about my garden of _beets _because I loved eating them but my parents didn't."

I turned around to face him and touched the side of his feline nose with my index finger to coax innocently, "Hmm, how about it?"

His nose wrinkled to my prodding of it and I squealed in surprise when he tried to bite my finger off, shaking the hammock with the sudden movement. I withdrew my hand with a laugh of surprise to his fast reflexes and exclaimed playfully, "Bad Tsu'tey!"

"Start the story, woman" he ordered dryly to my never-ending liveliness around him and watched him tuck his arms behind his head as he yawned lazily. Would he ever stop calling me woman? I never called him 'man'. Who knows, maybe it was his weird way to show familiarity.

"You better not fall asleep or have the lids of your eyes painted like last time" I warned swiftly and poked his left side to bring him to attention.

Weeks ago, the dreamwalkers had been sharing stories from Earth from just about anything to the groups of Na'vi that huddled at the hearth. The children stayed up for a little while to hear the nice historic tales of humor and adventure but once it was time for bed, we raised the rating on the stories. Everyone already knew Tsu'tey didn't find them interesting (even those with food because humans wasted good supplements in his view) so we were surprised to see him awake when we talked late into the night because we expected him to either fall asleep or leave. He'd been sitting way in the back so when Norm offered him a leaf plate of banana fritters, we were surprised that he ignored the pleasant Norm until he was moved by the shoulder. Imagine our shock when his 'eyes' opened to reveal his real ones underneath and we realized that he'd painted his eyes on top of his eyelids to make us believe he'd been awake the whole time! I was insulted while Jake was impressed by his genius and Neytiri banned him from using paint for the next two weeks. Nowadays, when we talked, I made sure his eyes were blinking to be sure he wasn't faking it and dozing off.

Tsu'tey only gave an unimpressed 'keh' to being reminded and I shook my head to this stubborn man. You see why he drove me insane with his cool remarks but sensitive confessions? He was an enigma that kept drawing me in. For extra kicks, I brought my finger up to his left eye and gently grazed the thin eyelashes of his upper lid which earned me a rapid closing of his eye. His left hand expertly batted my hand away without needing to look and I rolled my eyes to begin my tale, _"Okay, I was around six and while my family went out to Disneyland, I went to spend my summer with grandma. Disneyland is a place of amusement for kids that supposedly says dreams come true but in most 20th__ century films, women were practically won trophies for a valiant man and royalty. . .ugh, trust me, you wouldn't like it. The current films were okay but nothing to make me excited on going. I preferred the horror and black and white films of that old era. So anyway, I had gotten my third mosquito bite-"_

"Joanna, I'm already lost in your tale" he broke in with a protesting growl and I laughed at his baffled expression to the most common Earth facts, watching his feet rebelliously kick the hammock. I would've thought that the capitalist RDA would've ordered the Avatars to teach old-fashioned dribble like that instead of the useful sciences. I mean, they taught Tsu'tey math so they were probably thinking 'hey, with his size, he can be a cashier and security all-in-one'. I could only imagine what they would've done to the Na'vi if they managed to suck the moon dry of the ore they'd wanted. Knowing the RDA, they would've brought a new meaning to slavery. I patted his chest in sympathy for displacing his logic and his fingers grabbed a few of the decorated braids on the right side of my head as they grazed my cheek. His eyes met mine as he fiddled with the strands between his fingers and he proposed with a charming smile, "Tell me of your first day on our world."

I liked the way he said 'our'.

"You mean the breathtaking arrival, the annoying Sky People pushing me around and telling me I'd die within five minutes, or my running from everything that moved" I laughed amusingly in remembrance to the ups and downs of that day. The good had been meeting Dr. Augustine and everyone in the Avatar program while the bad had been running from wild riti and hearing Selfridge nag on endlessly that he was in charge with his attack dog, Quaritch. I nabbed an intrigued grin from Tsu'tey and knew he'd be able to follow along on this one as I recounted, "My face was practically stuck to the window of the flying machine, a Valkyrie, which we also used for transport when you didn't jump on it to eradicate humans."

I earned a hiss and a gentle tug of my braids for the jest but continued with a smile, "I didn't want to miss a sight of this untouched moon but unfortunately, I could already see the devastation from the mining. I was ecstatic when the ship touched the ground and I stepped out to finally feel this alien world underneath my feet. Of course, Hell's Gate ruined that by making the outpost into a military base from our own world but the first thing I saw was the large blue planet hovering above and when ikran flew before it. . .oh, it was gorgeous."

He smirked proudly at the fact that his world managed to beat mine in beauty and yes, he had the right to gloat. My fingertips trailed down his forearm as I shot a downcast glance to the hammock to admit, "We don't have wildlife on our planet anymore, all are in captivity because our air is so dirty but here, everything was- _is _untouched and pure. Unfortunately, I had to go to this boring orientation with Quaritch where we were told to fear the planet, don't cry about going home, something about Kansas, don't touch anything, and to see you as enemies. . ."

I poked the center his warm nose again, where the soft pink-beige color melted into cyan, with a perky smile and leaned forward to ask mischievously, "But you're not my enemy, are you?"

"Keep going" he insisted to get my attention back on track and grabbed my hands into his to make sure they wouldn't poke him elsewhere again. I'd be lying if I say I didn't like the touching and let him have the win with a small playful hiss. After all, he was the one initiating contact so I wouldn't keep poking him like a gummy bear.

"Okay, so then. . ."

* * *

**A/N**: And so, the thanator chase ends and Tsu'tey gained forgiveness but no more spending the day together with Joanna. I always wondered about the little nick in his ear and actually had _3 _backgrounds for it. The _first_ was a viperwolf encounter during adolescence where he was caught off-guard and one sneaked behind him to nip the part off while he fought the pack. _Another _story was during the pre-teen stage when he was learning archery and by mouthing off to other learners what they were doing wrong, he missed an incoming arrow at the target and literally had his ear pinned to the wooden slat. Both were interesting but since I think the human encounter made a little more sense due to his growing hostility for them over the years and I just found a crying little Tsu'tey breaking my heart but lovable for his perseverance. Hope you guys liked the version I went with!

On another note, I'm **finally **sketching a Tsu'tey and Joanna pic which is a spoiler for Chap. 16. It's unfinished but I wanted to give you dear readers a taste of it and I will say beforehand that I can't draw Na'vi but I'm certainly trying so be nice. _Go to my profile and click the DeviantArt link and it'll take you there so you can view my little portrait._ If you can't find it, just message me. And thank you for the sentiments on my little bunny, I've been pretty upset since last week and instead of holding him for the New Year's countdown, I had to hold his sister (who's the complete opposite of my calm Snowball but she likes to lick people).

* * *

The holidays brought my many story alerts to thank you everybody! And the reviews cheered me up completely with the rainy weather in my city that doesn't seem to want to leave so thank you:

_New Fan_: The mystery Na'vi is not Talen but he does start to fancy Joanna so we'll see Tsu'tey's murderous rage- I mean, reaction, in the next part as Jake innocently pulls the strings. The nameless warrior was just a representation of some who still aren't open to the dreamwalkers but he won't pop up anytime soon. As for competition, the story has its suitors for Joanna but Tsu'tey is a very hard character to remove from her heart. Thanks for the condolences, I miss my little guy.

_C2ruis_: Yes, we are finally getting to the romance turn point as the two realize it's not all about friendship and it all reaches the breaking point in chapter 16. Joanna's just flustered that he'll find out while he's in denial that she could care for him (in part 2) so the next part has his take on it.

_Lilmisspurplesunshinee_: Thank you for the sentiments and I'm glad you loved the chapter.

_Na'viWolf_: Oh my, I practically yell to the heavens when my internet goes down and even worse, when the power goes out. I hope you had a great holiday and enjoy this new year!

_Compa16_: If only my mind could project what I imagined or at least drew it well on paper. And yes, Tsu'tey and Joanna will keep building, even till the end of the story. Thank you for sharing about Sunshine, she sounded like a great little ball of fun from your detail. My brother had one, he called her Rukia, but thankfully, she died in her sleep without pain (which is what I wanted for my bunny in old age) but he still misses her.

_EunHee Kim_: Joanna knows she's into him but heavily tries to hide it while Tsu'tey needs a nudge in the right direction to admit to himself that he does. We'll see that in the second part.

_Electrogirl88_: Joanna is sweet on that oblivious hunter and you'd think he'd know after easily detecting the affection between Neytiri and Jake in the film. Well, we'll see more of him in the next part.

_Nekuranekomegami_: I'm glad you think my skills are awesome, I tend to criticize everything I do and continuously edit (ex. the Tsu'tey tale with 3 alternate endings is proof of that) so thanks for loving the story!

_TheStabilityProject_: I'm not sure, I always end up somewhere in the 24-28,000 word mark in my word program but online, tells me it's 30,000 so who really knows? Jake's just easygoing and humorous in anything he does (I still laugh at him falling down the tree branches in the film) but he's determined to get his two pals together. Oh, I'm always happy for people who write their fanfic stories and I just love the ikran clan since it inspired me for this tale. I'm certain you'll do splendidly! I find all animals wonderful but it's sad to me because you give so much love to them and they end up outliving you. I'm left with three bunnies now, all girls (one is the matriarch of all), and a turtle that I hope will stick with me to middle age since they apparently live 30+ years.

_Sharpie-Marker1101_: Mostly, Joanna will nag him when he makes their little daughter upset since she thinks the world of him and hates being separated from him when he'll journey to other clans. Tsu'tey's thick headedness will be cleared in the next part as he realizes his own feelings.

_Jack Black_: I'm glad you had a great holiday and you have a thoughtful sister. As the oldest, I buy my younger brothers presents so I hope they appreciate them as much as you do. I was going to buy the extended version but then I saw a price drop on Assassin's Creed Brotherhood and went with that one as my own gift for acing my semester. I did, however, see Tsu'tey's death scene on YouTube and had to grab my hair because Cameron gave him a worse death than Quaritch. The poor guy got shot, fell of a Valkyrie, landed in the forest bloody and broken, and had to ask Jake for death while Quaritch simply got a boo-boo from Jake's attack in the sky and got shot by two arrows by Neytiri. I mean, even Trudy died in a glory of fire while Quaritch just choked a little and went 'bleh'.

_Kudokuchan69_: Thanks for the sentiments and I'm glad you liked the cliffhanger. I don't like using them a lot but when I do, it's for the progress of the story. Last time, it allowed the transition to friend stage and this one sets the field for the romance phase.

_Cherryblossom321321_: Yeah, that logical Joanna is a brutal one since we all have that little voice that nags us while romantic Joanna just wants to be loved by Tsu'tey. If you love Leka, she'll be in the next part to embarrass both.

_Emmalime_: I know this chapter wasn't as long but combined with the other part that will be up, it's a whopper. Don't you just have a hate-love relationship with cliffies? I sure do.

_Straychild_: Unfortunately, since it's not at the tops slots with my other fics, I won't be updating it soon. However, I do have the next chapter (I always write out about two or so regardless of how a story's received) so if you want to message me your email, I can forward it to you. Hope that helps!

_Restoringthehistory_: I always have to suck in the viewer somehow to walk the narrator's steps (in this case, Joanna) or it'll ruin the experience for me. You're just like me, I always hear music when reading my chapters to give it a certain feel or describe it in the text to fit that schema. I have a bunch of songs to accompany the chapters on my profile so I always click on them (they lead to the full songs on YouTube) when I read the chapters.

_Claycarole_: Oh, those head colds ruin me, especially with the sinus blockage. I just had one a few days back and destroyed it with teas/medicine/saline sprays, anything that was in my health arsenal. And thank you for the cliffhanger comment, I always love reading them but never really found a good way of using them without being repetitive. I always love meeting fellow writers since we all have our different styles and brainstorming processes but yes, it takes a bit of juggling to balance both. I hope you do well in your upcoming semester, I return till February for mine and am going to sleep like a bear till I do.

_Thetwilightsaga64_: Thanks you for the comment, I'm glad you love it! Hope this part was long enough as part 2 is the same.

_Crazykido2_: You're welcome, I'm glad you love my little (long chaptered) tale of the prolemuris Tsu'tey and the tapiri Joanna.

_Na'viBambi_: I hope you had fun on your trip and little Tsu'tey's would indeed frighten others. How long did it take you to get over Jack because I've been crying over every little reminder (in private because I'm not too public on crying) and it doesn't help that his sister looks exactly like him. L I saw that alternate ending too and I could only help but think 'uh-oh, Joanna's not gonna like being huge at carrying those twins'. As for the mating itself, I've kept everything T-rated so I honestly don't know. Some may be squeamish at stuff like that and others may love it, I think a poll would be interesting to settle the matter like it did with the babies. And thanks for pointing out the stuck together word issue, my program never shows if there's an extra space or fails to correct any words that are stuck together so I always try to catch them but some are bound to get away.

_Taokiomi93_: I'm glad to keep you entertained! Thanks for reading and reviewing.

_LilMizFireGirl_: Yes, Tsu'tey will indeed find his feelings. . .in the next part so yay! I'm glad you liked the last chapter.

_Luv4Uncas_: Thank you for the favorite add and yes, Joanna is just an adventurous ball of energy which is what both annoys and excites Tsu'tey for the craziness she put him in. And you'll get your wish in the next part as Joanna starts to get attention from Talen since she decided to cut back her time with Tsu'tey.

* * *

**Next time on Pt. 2**:

Dinner was an easier event to converse in and Tsu'tey kept Joanna by his side to make sure she didn't run off for another nap or play with the children. He was convinced that whatever man sought her as a mate would be perplexed daily but would receive a good caretaker. Strangely enough, he didn't see why she didn't want any of that in the near future or appeared the least interested. He had an inkling it dealt with her family but she would open up when she was ready, he wouldn't force her. True, he wished she'd share more than what he was giving her about himself but maybe Joanna's inner conflict ran deeper. His loss had been traumatic but he had the clan to lean on as he grew but from what he pieced together in her accidental slips of the tongue, there was nobody who helped her through it. She always spoke of being alone, attaining her ranks alone, never with somebody or with a group. Tsu'tey couldn't imagine anyone suffering conflict on their own in the harsh world all the dreamwalkers described.

_What are you hiding from me?_, Tsu'tey wondered as he watched her stuff fresh niag into a piece of bread to eat with a happy smile, wagging her brows in an attempt to get him to do the same.

Jake watched their interaction from his spot at the head of the circle as he nibbled on what he would call the Na'vi version of barbecue ribs. His mate had killed the animal during their hunt and he'd gotten the idea after having a hankering for it. He'd eaten his share of ribs back on Earth and during family barbecues when he was able to visit in between tours of duty, Jake whipped up his own homemade barbecue sauce to wow the family. The skills carried over to his new life and he found substitute ingredients in no time with the help of the cooks and many seemed to like it. He paused from his meal to whisper amusingly over to Norm and Neytiri, who sat respectively on each of his sides, "Those two are digging each other so badly it's actually funny."

"They plan to bury each other?" Neytiri asked confused to the lack of knowledge on Earth sayings. Her mate still needed to understand that although she knew his language, certain phrases and jargon were lost to her after learning the literal sense of English words.

"No, it's an Earth thing but it basically means they like each other. . .like you and me" he explained easily with a smile and Neytiri's ears perked up at comprehending.

"Are you sure? They're always fighting-" Norm laughed at the duo's proneness to attack each other verbally within minutes since that's the way the two behaved in public. Out of view, he'd no idea what went on but he hoped neither was nursing cuts and bruises in their hammock.

Neytiri smiled widely as she watched her childhood friend and the dreamwalker interact. Oh yes, she'd never seen him behave so tentatively when he was betrothed to her or Sylwanin (well, maybe) and he wasn't sitting so upright. He was actually slouching a bit and fussing with her, only to smile a minute later. The future Tsahìk smiled knowingly and answered her friend with a serene smile, "Oh yes. They may not be the most emotional of people so instead, they resort to doing what they know best to let each other know their feelings: by fighting. She is a dangerous wind and he is scorching fire. Separately, they can cancel each other out but together, they can be a formidable storm. They interact privately, I know this because Joanna always carries his favorite snacks and he takes painting powders every week. . .and he certainly doesn't paint. We must give them time to let their feelings surface and give them privacy to settle matters."

Jake gave his mate an uncertain glance to her idea and dared to face her womanly wrath as he stated nervously, "Well, maybe Joanna, but Tsu'tey really isn't. . .he's just not very nice to most people. For all we know, his version of 'I like you' could be 'kill the Hexapede cleanly and you'll have my approval' or giving her a piece of meat. I don't honestly know what he'll do and he definitely hasn't talked to me about things like that," he wagged a finger to both and proposed, "We may need to intervene on their behalf."

"Jake, they're already like wild tigers when they argue so imagine both of them turning on you when they realize your intention" Norm tried to defer another of his friend's schemes but the leader shrugged it off, refusing to listen to other arguments. He knew both individuals wouldn't like to have their love lives manipulated by their friends and tried to avert a disaster by telling Jake in English, _"Dude, that's like a thanator fusion right there!"_

He scoffed to the reason since he managed to elude one and took a sip from his drink to ponder aloud with an optimistic gaze toward the sky, "But what about having little Jake marry little Joanna or little Tsu'tey marrying little Neytiri-"

"What about little Norm?" Norm interjected to have his future kid in the running and not left out in the dark after all the crazy stuff he got into with Jake. He'd yet to gain the attention from Tarazi and his latest ploy of showing off his archery skills backfired when he picked up a set of practice arrows that were flat with no point. The feeling was indescribable as each arrow bounced off the wooden target and fell just as Tarazi had shown interest by glancing over. The curious gleam in her eye was gone as soon as she saw five of them piled on the ground and she left before Norm could realize and tell her they were practice arrows. As of today, he still couldn't look her straight in the eye without turning purple.

"Fine, you get my second born" Jake offered offhandedly while Neytiri smacked his shoulder for handing away their nonexistent children without a care. He uttered a sigh and glanced at her to compromise gently, "Now, Neytiri, you can't coddle our children forever-"

"We don't have any children!" she pointed out bluntly as she tried not to laugh to his antics and made a mental note to have the final say on the decisions concerning their first child. She wasn't in a hurry to produce an heir but that's not to say it wouldn't be a pleasant surprise for her.

Jake grinned impishly to the trap she'd just fallen into and lightly dropped the hint with a low timbre, "Well, it's not too early or late to start."

Neytiri stuffed his mouth with a piece of bread as she blushed heavily to the innuendo while Jake tried not to choke on the food. All he did was attempt to be a father! He yanked the bread out of his mouth and nibbled on it since his spit was already on it, daydreaming about how awesome it would be to teach his kid to ride a pa'li and whittle a Spiderman figurine.

From their spot in the dining circle, Joanna tilted her head to the side as she watched the leaders bicker about who knows what and grinned at her friend to ask curiously, "What do you think they're arguing about now?"

"It's best not to wonder" he replied simply to what the couple spoke about (joking or not, he never meddled in the affairs of others) and picked up a piece of the marinated ribs to tear it into two.

* * *

_Thank you for all of your positive feedback on the chapters and I hope you're all off to great start on this new year! I'll try to have the Tsu'tey and Joanna portrait finished by the next update and part 2 will be up soon, I promise!_


	17. The Power To Protect, Pt2

**CHAPTER 14:**

**The Power To Protect, Pt.2  


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**_(Third Person POV)_

Tsu'tey kicked his feet into the hammock out of years of habit every time he awoke and blinked lazily to greet the brilliant sunset hovering in the horizon. The lilac and pastel pink hues that peaked over the forest brought tranquility to his mind as he stared at the calming colors but one question remained. How long had he been sleeping? He tensed when his shoulder muscles cramped lightly as he rolled them forward for warm-up and felt the hammock was much too small for his height. . .meaning this wasn't _his _hammock. He then noticed a slumped figure sleeping next to him as her back faced him (By Eywa, he hoped it _was _a female) but confirmed it as the curve of her hips nudged against his own in a way that would have the clan elders frowning at him. Personally, he didn't mind it one bit. His hands were entangled with hers as she- wait, he might as well look at-

"Joanna."

Her name rolled off his tongue naturally like a tune from its instrument and he remembered they'd been sharing tales before she fell asleep on her side and he followed soon after to pass the time. The corner of his lips frowned slightly when he realized it was his friend (_and _student) but then again, better it be someone he knew than a stranger. He tugged his hands back but the woman kept a firm grip to prevent it, mumbling incoherently under her breath as she curled further into the hammock. His hands were no longer visible from his vantage point and he wiggled his fingertips across smooth skin that wasn't his own and wooden beads. Definitely not helping matters. He really shouldn't have decided on embracing her form to ward off the cold that could bring back her previous illness and support her injured shoulder.

Tsu'tey tried to twist free but it only served to tighten her grip reflexively. He swallowed a dismayed groan that almost escaped his lips as she raised them to the center of her chest. No, that was a worse place to have them! Her heartbeat pulsed steadily against his fingertips and he groaned at having his hands imitate the position of a baby being held by its mother and more importantly, be so close to her cleavage. He was not a child of any sort, he _scared _children away with his warrior prowess and he had no intention of feeling a breast in his hand. Oh, the humiliation he'd suffer for that one but luckily, her closed hammock obscured their position from any passerby's. She held his arms closer as she mumbled faintly in her sleep, "Palulukan. . .Tsu'tey."

The worried exhale reminded him of their recent incident in the forest and empathized with whatever distressed her sleep. Not many wanted to dream about those dangerous creatures, himself included. He tugged her sleeping form close to his chest and whispered soothingly in her ear, "It's all right. Keep sleeping, nothing will harm you. You and Tsu'tey are perfectly fine."

"Tsu'tey. . ." she breathed softly, tail involuntarily flicking at his calves, and he kept her close to his body heat to settle her worries. The skin contact felt strangely right and he relaxed against her form, trying to decide what to do now. If he woke her abruptly, she'd be furious and if not, she'd be mellow. It was plainly obvious what his only choice was. Her shoulder nudged his as she sought him for support by leaning back to the warmth of his body and he felt unsettled when his own dwarfed her narrow shoulder like a protector's. She really was smaller than him but then again, the majority of his clan mates were shorter than he.

He murmured her name to ease her discomfort and kept telling her to sleep as she mumbled groggily, "You. . .skxawng."

"_Hey!," _he mimicked her human word of complaint because he wasn't about to be blamed about why his hands were on her bosom but she did nothing. A second later, she continued dozing with a simple kick of her foot and he realized she was simply talking in her sleep. Well, at least she called him that during sleep rather than in real life. Joanna was a quirky person by nature and Tsu'tey wondered who on Pandora would tame her lively spirit. With that in mind, he proceeded to fall asleep again by nestling next to her.

A while later, Tsu'tey awoke _again _to find her still asleep and sighed into the dark curtain of her hair as he took notice of their close distance. . .extremely close that if Joanna had a father, he would've been chased out of the clan. Etiquette told him to leave now before anyone came looking for them (he prayed to Eywa none of her friends checked the hammock) but since he'd closed the hammock when he first fell asleep, he had second thoughts. They weren't doing anything implicating in public and he rather liked their position. It seemed almost. . .natural. Of course, he wouldn't dare say that aloud to anyone.

Joanna awoke after a few shakes of the shoulder by a bored Tsu'tey, who'd lost interest by staring at the hammock's enclosing roof, and he heard her mumble groggily, "No, me sleep now."

"Joanna."

Tsu'tey flicked the end of her ear gently with his fingers to see if it would wake her faster and a hand flew up to swat him away instantly. For a moment, he wondered what was it about ears that led Joanna to the topic of mating when he'd pulled on the right one hours ago. He heard her whine in complaint as she twitched in her fetal position, kicking into the hammock like he had as the problematic hand rubbed her left eye as she muttered a lax warning, "Lay off the ears."

"We must eat, then you can return to rest" he informed her softly since last meal would be served soon and he wanted to ask the cooks if they needed help. With Joanna's shoulder being injured, he didn't want her preparing food and irritating the injury further. His companion, however, groaned lethargically at having to get up, move, and only come back to sleep again later on. She curled up again in a fetal position as the idea of more sleep felt wonderfully marvelous to her and he heaved a sigh toward the sky at her sluggishness, "Joanna, be a good student and get up."

"No, _you _be a good teacher and go back to sleep" she mumbled back defiantly to put in her two cents at winning the argument and felt his arms wrap over her shoulders as he attempted to sit her up. Joanna whined in complaint to his strength because he could hold her weight as if she were a mere piece of paper and didn't appreciate being squeezed this early out of her nap. She slapped his arms lightly to show him she was proceeding to sit upright (although slowly) and wiped the sleep away by yawning glumly, _"Oh, you're such a party pooper."_

. . .

"You'll have to figure that one out yourself for making me get up" she teased cockily and stretched her arms over her head to pump a little energy back in. Her left shoulder stung again to the sudden movement and she hated having another injury to nurse after being sick just a while ago. If she was going to go to the base level, she'd have to cover her bandages with a shawl or a sleeved shirt to hide her recent encounter. She had no intention of retelling the tale and was fine with keeping attention away from herself, which probably couldn't be said about her hunter friend. Tsu'tey noticed the sudden jerk in her stretch and leaned forward to clasp the start and end of her shoulder with each hand. She expected a lecture about being careful with the injury but he simply informed gently, "Place a warm compress on the sides to lessen the soreness before you go to sleep tonight."

She nodded silently and smiled warmly when his fingers gently kneaded the stinging areas surrounding the wound. Oh, she never should've taught him about massaging with the way his dexterous fingers moved and brought euphoria to her sore muscles. He knew the exact spots to rub and Joanna's muscles welcomed the newcomer with rejoice to his skills. Her body felt inclined to lean back and just stay there like a content log but she couldn't let her mind linger on such. She allowed a few more relaxing squeezes before leaning forward away from his reach and issuing a polite thank you for his kindness. Tsu'tey didn't mind one bit actually but he did care when she laid down on her side again to nap. She chuckled impishly with a toothy grin at his frustrated groan and the hammock shifted as he laid down next to her.

_She is not going to fall asleep on my watch again_, he thought in aggravation to her insistence on napping and would have been worried if she appeared ill but she was perfectly healthy. The injury had been prepared against infection and he was certain she'd be eating like a demon once the food was served. Tsu'tey had already realized that Joanna could be a very sneaky nantang in disguise.

His student really could be lazy during late hours despite her never-ending interest to explore. He prodded the curve of her spine to see if the sensation would liven her up but Joanna simply jabbed his stomach with her elbow as she arched her back. Feisty little female. Really, she was the only one in the clan who defied him to no end- even on the tiniest decisions. He rested his chin on a bare patch of her injured shoulder, his eyes glancing at the last rays of sunlight lingering on the horizon through the threads of the closed hammock as they faced its direction. She whimpered a sigh of content (believing he'd given up) as she tucked her legs close to her stomach and he warned lightly, "If you don't show for last meal, I will double your training tomorrow."

"Good, I get more experience" Joanna agreed slyly with a small smile hitching at her lips and he frowned to the sneaky smile from his perch. Would there ever be a day when she didn't refuse all of his orders? She caught his annoyed expression and lightly tapped his chin with her fingers as she proposed sweetly, "C'mon, just two more minutes? I will do. . .what _do _you do in your spare time?"

"Can we just keep your mind in _one _place? Hmm?" he suggested calmly to evade her question on his leisure time since everything he did was for the clan and held her to his chest to keep her from attacking pettily. Her skin was velvety soft under his touch and he leaned down to trace his nose over her ear, lightly inhaling her floral scent that he came to enjoy more with every passing day. He'd no idea what routine she used to keep her skin as smooth as precious visi fabric since many months prior, he'd shown her what to use for bathing after she admitted to washing in the water pools. He pulled away before she caught the slight graze as impersonal but admitted to himself that her aroma could be intoxicating if one lingered.

"I'm like an ikran, I don't like staying in one spot too long" Joanna grumbled flippantly about her perplexing behavior but leaned into his embrace, lightly apprehensive that he'd leave for the action but he did nothing of the sort. She smiled to herself for the sneaked opportunity (she definitely wouldn't waste it) and relaxed against his muscled chest, purposely leaning back to feel the rise of his chest with every breath he took. He was the perfect combination of springy comfort with the muscled security to support you. Joanna wouldn't have minded sleeping against him like that every single day but resigned herself to the idea that she never would.

His warm breath tickled the edges of her right ear as he pointed out smartly, "Then shouldn't you be walking down to eat?"

"You just love turning my logic against me" she chuckled dryly to his valid point and her interest was caught by the bioluminescent spots over his forearm, her nimble fingers tapping each one like piano keys. Tsu'tey sighed mentally at seeing her mind skip onto the next attractive thing (he _really _wanted to eat after wasting energy in the game and the palulukan) and raised his brow with confusion to her intrigued taps. He didn't understand her innocent curiosity over anything (he'd already given up on finding out) and almost choked when she brought up casually, "Have you ever counted how many you have?"

"Wh-Why would I count them?" he stammered quizzically to the bizarre question and shook his head to what her mind was focused on now. Sometimes, the things she said completely baffled him. Spots were spots; Eywa bestowed them on Her children and each carried theirs for individualism. Nobody really focused on them at the end of the day.

Joanna laughed to the bewildered tone of voice that rarely left his mouth in public and satisfied his need for the answer by explaining easily, "The Sky People have something similar but they're dark and they don't glow. It's almost the opposite but in smaller numbers. I had some on my arms and back when I was human but I don't think you saw them. On our world-"

"_This _is your world" he interrupted matter-of-factly to enforce the fact she lived with the Omaticaya now and she smiled when his grip tightened just the slightest around her shoulders. She treasured having a place to belong and felt immediately at home when he breathed against her ear, "You're not going anywhere."

"Okay, on _their _world, tawtute check them because sun damage could lead to a life threatening disease and the dots just reminded me of it" she finished earnestly with a smile of nostalgia to her old body and stopped tracing the spots at his elbow. Her endless curiosity almost forced her to trace his unique stripes but that would be too forward of her as a friend. She had to remind herself that despite certain human features, Tsu'tey was still an alien with higher reservations in social behavior in comparison to average humans. Chuckling softly as she gave him a sidelong glance, Joanna poked fun at herself, "I'm just rambling now, aren't I?"

"You said it, not me" he stated simply with a witty smirk and her breath tickled his chin as she eyed him with a glare this time for agreeing with her. He bared his pearly teeth in a playful hiss to defend his opinion and she smirked to his stubbornness, brushing her shoulder against his to quiet him.

The next question caught him completely off-guard when she grinned innocently and asked, "What happens if I lick your nose?"

Tsu'tey let out a mixture between a laugh and cough while Joanna grinned widely to the inquisition because she did want to know. He buried his face into her thick loose hair, lightly brushing his cheek against hers as she blushed to the motion that caused butterflies to erupt in her stomach. She never expected such skin contact with him due to his stoic nature and romantic Joanna swooned at the gesture like an old southern belle. Her fingers tentatively touched his shoulder as she laughed to the new sound and tried to get her answer by persisting, "I'm serious. Sometimes I notice my nose gets dry and there are animals on Earth with similar noses that lick it for moisture. Should I keep my nose damp then?"

He sighed to her crazy ponderings because only she could ask such frivolous things that would make him question his entire judgment on the world and actually try to find the answer. Tsu'tey glanced into those bright orbs of gold that just hours ago had twisted a knife of fear into his heart and he erupted into a fit of laughter at their current moment. She brought a smile to his face with the simplest of words nowadays when others could not and he didn't hesitate on muttering out his opinion of her, "Woman, you drive me insane."

Her lips broke into a coy grin for his unexpected admission but he was Tsu'tey, the unpredictable always accompanied him. She tilted her head to the side to let her romantic side peek through, cheeks full with a light blush as she stared at him with a doe eyed expression and asked daringly, "Do I?"

His cheek touched hers as he held her in place in his embrace and Joanna relaxed with a small content sigh, pressing hers against his with that token of affection she harbored for him. Her right hand reached back for his shoulder to grab a hold of it-

"Joanna!"

Her eyes popped open to Cheryl's voice and Joanna realized her small moment was over. Oh well, it was better that it happened than to never have felt it at all. Still, she wished it could've been more so she didn't feel afraid of telling him what she truly felt. There were so many risks accompanied with her sentiments and felt as if it was a ticking time bomb in her hands whenever she was with him. She disentangled herself from his arms with a sheepish smile and sat upright to shake the happy lovey dovey warmth in her stomach and trade it in for normal stomach acid. Finger combing her bedhead hair to give it a neat appearance, she yawned lazily and glimpsed at him as he opened the hammock carefully to its inviting open style. The man was a fine specimen in Joanna's eyes and she hoped that whoever Tsu'tey found attractive one day, they would cherish his stubborn but caring nature. Trying not to ponder on what could be, she cleared her throat and informed him objectively, "I'll leave first with Cheryl. I don't want crazy rumors starting if they see _both _of us exiting the hammock together. I'm sure the men would hoot to your male image but I won't have my nonexistent one tarnished before it's even born."

"Always thinking one step ahead" he complimented her feisty nature and resisted from running his fingers down the curve of her spine as it peeked through her top attire, a maroon creation that covered her from the neck to her waist but left the back completely uncovered as it tied around the middle of her back in intricate ribbons. He'd been noticing that she had a straight line of bioluminescent dots along the center of her back and wondered where it ended as the dots faded to hide underneath her tail. That sudden thought halted his thinking process because it was _Joanna_, not a Na'vi woman he didn't know and could observe for mild interest from afar.

Turning around, Joanna surprised him with a gentle peck of her lips to his forehead for everything he'd done and shared with her today. There was no denying she admired who he was as she delved deeper into his journey from being Tsu'tey'evi to Warrior and advisor of the Omaticaya. Patting the top of his head in friendly cheer, she piped up brightly, "See you for last meal."

He was too stunned to ask about the first action and Joanna took her leave from the hammock with a small yawn as she grabbed onto the branch overhead while wondering if sweet naxa juice would be served.

* * *

Dinner was an easier event to converse in and Tsu'tey kept Joanna by his side to make sure she didn't run off for another nap or play with the children. He was convinced that whatever man sought her as a mate would be perplexed daily but would receive a good caretaker. Strangely enough, he didn't see why she didn't want any of that in the near future or appeared the least interested. He had an inkling it dealt with her family but she would open up when she was ready; he wouldn't force her. True, he wished she'd share more than what he was divulging about himself but maybe Joanna's inner conflict ran deeper. His loss had been traumatic but he had the clan to lean on for aid as he grew but from what he pieced together in her accidental slips of the tongue, there was nobody who helped her through it. She always spoke of being alone, attaining her ranks alone, never with somebody or a group. Tsu'tey couldn't imagine anyone suffering conflict on their own in the harsh world all the dreamwalkers described.

_What are you hiding from me?_, Tsu'tey wondered as he watched her stuff fresh niag into a piece of bread to eat with a happy smile, wagging her brows comically in an attempt to get him to do the same. _She's like no other._

Jake watched their interaction from his spot at the head of the circle as he nibbled on what he would call the Na'vi version of barbecued ribs. His mate had killed the animal during their hunt earlier in the day and he'd gotten the idea after having a hankering for it. He'd eaten his fair share of ribs back on Earth and during family barbecues when he was able to visit in between tours of duty, Jake whipped up his own homemade barbecue sauce to wow the family. The skills carried over to his new life and he found substitute ingredients in no time with the help of the cooks and many seemed to like it as he glanced around the circle of Na'vi. He paused from his meal to whisper amusingly over to Norm and Neytiri, who sat respectively on each of his sides, "Those two are digging each other so badly it's actually funny."

"They plan to bury each other?" Neytiri asked confused to the lack of knowledge on Earth sayings. Her mate still needed to understand that although she knew his language, certain phrases and jargon were lost to her after learning the literal sense of English words.

"No, it's an Earth thing but it basically means they like each other. . .like you and me" he explained easily with a dimpled smile and Neytiri's ears perked up at comprehending.

"Are you sure? They're always fighting-" Norm laughed at the duo's proneness to attack each other verbally within minutes since that was the way the two behaved in public. Out of view, he'd no idea what went on but he hoped neither was nursing cuts and bruises in their hammock.

Neytiri smiled widely as she watched her childhood friend and the dreamwalker interact. Oh yes, she'd never seen him behave so tentatively when he was betrothed to her or Sylwanin (well, maybe, her sister was private about such matters) and he wasn't sitting so upright. He was actually slouching a bit and fussing with Joanna, only to smile a minute later when she listened and wiped her sauce splattered mouth. The future Tsahìk smiled knowingly and answered her friend with a serene smile, "Oh yes. They may not be the most emotional of people so instead, they resort to doing what they know best to let each other know their feelings: by fighting. She is a dangerous wind and he is scorching fire. Separately, they can cancel each other out but together, they can be a formidable storm. They interact privately, I know this because Joanna always carries his favorite snacks and he takes painting powders every week. . .and he certainly _doesn't _paint. We must give them time to let their feelings surface and give them privacy to settle matters."

Jake gave his mate an uncertain glance to her passive idea and dared to face her womanly wrath as he stated nervously, "Well, maybe Joanna, but Tsu'tey really isn't. . .he's just not very _nice _to most people. For all we know, his version of 'I like you' could be 'kill the Hexapede cleanly and you'll have my approval' or giving her a piece of meat. I don't honestly know what he'll do and he definitely hasn't talked to me about things like that," he wagged a finger to both and innocently proposed, "We may need to intervene on their behalf."

"Jake, they're already like wild _tigers_ when they argue so imagine both of them turning on you when they realize your intention" Norm tried to defer another of his friend's schemes but the leader shrugged it off, refusing to listen to other arguments. He knew both individuals wouldn't like to have their love lives manipulated by their friends and tried to avert a disaster by telling Jake in English, _"Dude, that's like a thanator fusion right there!"_

He scoffed to the reason since he managed to elude one of those beasts on his own and took a sip from his drink to ponder aloud with an optimistic gaze toward the sky, "But what about having little Jake marry little Joanna or little Tsu'tey marrying little Neytiri-"

"What about little Norm?" Norm interjected to have his future kid in the running and not left out in the dark after all the crazy stuff he got into with Jake. He'd yet to gain the attention from Tarazi and his latest ploy of showing off his archery skills backfired when he picked up a set of practice arrows that were flat with no point. The feeling was shamefully indescribable as each arrow bounced off the wooden target and fell just as Tarazi had shown interest by glancing over. The curious gleam in her eye was gone as soon as she saw five of them piled on the ground and she left before Norm could realize and tell her they were practice arrows. As of today, he still couldn't look her straight in the eye without turning purple.

"Fine, you get my second born" Jake offered offhandedly while Neytiri smacked his shoulder for handing away their nonexistent children without a care. He uttered a sigh to her protective nature and glanced at her to compromise gently, "Now, Neytiri, you can't coddle our children forever-"

"We don't have any children!" she pointed out bluntly as she tried not to laugh at his antics and made a mental note to have the final say on _all _the decisions concerning their first child. She wasn't in a hurry to produce an heir but that's not to say it wouldn't be a pleasant surprise for her if it happened.

Jake grinned impishly to the trap she'd just fallen into and lightly dropped the hint with a low timbre, "Well, it's not too early or late to start."

Neytiri stuffed his mouth with a piece of bread as she blushed heavily to the innuendo while Jake tried not to choke on the food. All he did was attempt to be a father! He yanked the bread out of his mouth and nibbled on it since his spit was already on the thing, daydreaming about how awesome it would be to teach his kid to ride a pa'li and whittle a Spiderman figurine. With Neytiri's genes, he was certain his child's whittling wouldn't come out horribly mutated like his. Heck, his son or daughter could even become the best craftsperson in the clam!

From their spot in the dining circle, Joanna tilted her head to the side as she watched the Omaticayan leaders bicker about who knows what and grinned at her friend to ask curiously, "What do you think they're arguing about now?"

"It's best not to wonder" he replied simply to what the couple spoke about (joking or not, he never meddled in the affairs of others) and picked up a piece of the marinated ribs to cleanly tear it into two separate pieces. Joanna stared in disbelief at how effortless he made it look while she had to gnaw on hers to get the piece to budge and shot the meat a small glare. Unlike Jake, she hated ribs because she never got the handle of eating them right without looking like a baby who'd splattered sauce all over themselves. Worse, she hated what Tsu'tey would think of her appearance. The hunter gave her the other piece he held after seeing her endless struggle and because he didn't want her piece to fly at his head like a projectile. She took it with a gracious smile, appreciating his generous offer and nibbled on the meaty pieces of the bone as she glanced at the floor in modesty.

"But they have the most fun" she mumbled to being left out of the humor loop and picked up a white stringy vegetable she wasn't keen of but ironically, he was. She nudged his shoulder with hers to nab his attention since her hands were messy and told him, "Here, you get these because I can't like them for the love of anything."

"You cannot be picky, be thankful that we have food for today" he reprimanded in response to her fussy face and she crossed her arms to snort at the air derisively. She wasn't about to eat them, regardless if it was a food essential, and would force him to take them for himself. She found it ironic that a man that could be so picky with food would admonish her about her own tastes. He narrowed his eyes to her defiance on eating the food and he warned stiffly with thinned lips, "Joanna."

She didn't acknowledge him, simply turning around to eat her piece of meat in crafty ignorance, and he growled under his breath for the obvious brush-off. He needed to finish her training quickly, kick her off the nesting mountain with her ikran, saddle a hunting group with her, and mate her off to a clan brother. That's what he needed to do so he wouldn't get grumpy around her and to clear her presence from his mind. Tsu'tey almost groaned aloud in misery when a little boy bounded up to her and sneered at the ground for her constant companionship with the children. Joanna was oblivious to his sudden sour mood as he brooded beside her but she was the stark opposite as she smiled brightly at the young one, patting their head in friendly greeting, "I See you, Karuk."

"The others and I wanted to know if you will play with us after eating" he asked shyly but gave her that innocent grin that always melted any maternal fleck in women. A little swish of the tail clinched it for the softhearted Joanna as he requested politely, "We want to play _hide-and-seek_."

Joanna chuckled warmly to his sweet tone and assured him pleasantly, "Of course, I also have some paint and we can color the toys you all made afterwards. Won't that be fun?"

Karuk's tail swayed happily behind him as his ears perked to their highest point and he smiled like a kid on Christmas to blurt enthusiastically, "I will tell them! Oh, and Leka said to tell you that Talen thinks you're pretty. Very pretty. He's over there with her."

Joanna almost choked on her food when the little boy waved to the little girl from across the circle as she tugged her brother's shoulder for attention. She was surprised that Leka didn't unhinge the joint from its socket with the force she contained. Talen directed a polite but embarrassed smile at Joanna as she glanced over to return it while Leka tried to bring him over but he wasn't budging under her strength. Joanna chuckled to Leka's enthusiasm to meet and politely told Karuk, "I think you should go to her before she decides to run here and angers her parents. I will see you soon, okay?"

The boy ran off giddily into the shadowy rows to return to his friend and Joanna tried to glance anywhere but across from her. Did someone really find her attractive? Why? She looked simple in comparison to the other women, her features weren't glamorous and her garb was plain with neutral colors. Then again, Talen donned the same hairstyle Jake used to wear and the young hunter definitely wasn't bad looking with his own simple hunter's garb. If anything, it told her he could be even handsomer. Tsu'tey had zoned out as he ate his food with a bored expression but it changed when he noticed the bashful expression growing on her face. Why were her cheeks suddenly so purple? Thinking she'd suddenly choked on her food or didn't like something, he asked firmly, "What happened?"

"He wants me to play with the kids and told me that Leka's brother thinks I'm pretty, not to say Talen isn't handsome but-" Joanna rambled timidly with a high pitch and heard Leka's cheerful voice from across, causing her to look up and smile at the little girl. She avoided lingering her glance for too long and turned her gaze downcast to ask with the meekest voice he'd ever heard from her, "Is he courting anyone?"

Tsu'tey didn't like that curious tone in her voice because courting should be the last thing on her mind and grit his teeth tightly to the point that they would've cracked. Why was she suddenly interested about courting? And why Talen? What was special about him? He frowned to her coy expression because Joanna should not be aiming any 'come hither' glances at _anybody _and replied coldly, "No. Besides, you have no status here and shouldn't be looking at anyone for a mate."

"I'm not, there's no law against looking and if I want to look at an attractive man, I will do so" Joanna shot back defensively for his stern tone and hated the thought of that scornful bite of his resurfacing to strike her confidence down. All she'd done was ask a simple question about courting, why was he so cynical about her curiosity? She slunk in her seat to his scolding and pointed out curtly, "I'm not asking to be looked at-"

"_Nobody _should be looking at you" he objected firmly at the idea of others courting her or even charmingly glancing at her. They wouldn't understand her strange babble or knowledgeable mind. Her crazy moods and behaviors to prove herself or why she only carried sentimental trinkets in her satchel rather than useful weapons or how she mumbled nonsense in her sleep. Her dislike of climbing but love of hiking and fear of tall heights but not the depths of water. She was all kinds of crazy and it struck Tsu'tey that all of the sudden frustration over Talen was serious denial over what could be disguised as attraction. After all, why had he just compiled a list about her and why nobody would understand her like he did?

True, she wasn't ugly for a dreamwalker nor gorgeous to make him gawk but there was something about her that made him want to both throttle and hold her at the same time. Eywa, he'd done both already since the day started! There was a subtle elegance about her when she braided her hair while withstanding his daily rants in her hammock and he was instantly content when she ran a hand over his own hair to calm him without uttering a single word. The other side was her feisty nature to argue with him until turning purple in the face or the sarcastic wit that matched his like an arrow to its bow and he relished the competition. And the touching, she made his skin feel more alive when she grazed her fingertips against any area.

Dear Eywa, he. . .he found her attractive.

Women that fawned and listened to him would have satisfied as a lifelong partner and many sought it but one that challenged and wanted to explore alongside him were scarce. She was tenacious and he liked that. He looked forward to her verbal challenges (except when she was truly serious) and couldn't handle a day without her company. He already felt lonely at the fact that they wouldn't be spending as much time together as before. What if she wanted to spend her new free time with Talen? That fact allowed Tsu'tey to delve into the hidden feelings he felt for Joanna that in reality, weren't as platonic as he painted them. She enticed him with mere body movements and her words kept him on the edge for wanting more. Yes, Joanna was indeed an attractive woman to him. Problem was. . .could he admit it?

_When had the men even showed the slightest interest in courting her? True, they agreed she was pleasing to the eyes but as a mate?_, Tsu'tey pondered critically to the new development and tapped his fingers against his knees in thought. _She can't sing or hunt but ironically, she's a wonderful caretaker of children. Most importantly, she doesn't have a rank yet. No rank means no chance for a union, everyone knows that. Besides, she's more liable to fight her partner than listen with her independent nature. Ugh, women are such difficult beings to interpret._

Joanna, on the other hand, was pretty much insulted by his rude personal comment and lost her appetite for Jake's BBQ. He knew her emotions were fragile when it came to being self-conscious after telling him pieces from her youth and college days on how she'd been told to follow beauty regimens instead of looking like a plain Jane from her own mother of all people. She could take the hits from people she didn't give a tapirus' ass for but those she considered family were a different matter and he classified in that group. Seeing her own messy sauce covered hands, the wave of self-esteem crashed down on her little hut of solitude and Joanna couldn't help but feel inadequate. Quietly, she pushed her leaf plate away and stated stiffly, "I will see you for training tomorrow."

With that said, she left the area hurriedly without waiting for a reply and Norm sighed from his spot next to Jake as he watched her sudden departure, "They couldn't even last through a meal."

Jake stroked his chin to the new problem facing the two and already knew Tsu'tey was at the heart of it all. Frankly, he wasn't surprised since Tsu'tey worried more about providing for the clan than his own personal problems so it was up to Jake to solve it all. He allowed his brain to stew over a few ideas and proclaimed to his mate and Norm, "This challenge will take all of my brain power."

"The last time you used your brain power, you caused an interspecies war" Norm reminded dryly to the chaos Jake unleashed on Pandora and was smacked upside the head by said friend. Norm held his abused head and yelped that it was true since day one as an avatar had Jake running around in a hospital gown while flashing his rear end to the entire compound.

"Which goes to tell you that I'm capable of anything" Jake justified proudly to what his learned skills could accomplish (although he regretted the bad outcomes) and rubbed his hands together in excitement for starting the engine on his matchmaking. Of course, he couldn't help but smirk cockily at his friend to ask wittily in afterthought, "And _who _won the war?"

"You," was Norm's flat reply as he munched on a few raw crispy vegetables.

"Thank you- ow!" Jake exclaimed when Neytiri smacked _him _upside the head this time to knock his ego down a few trees. He rubbed the side of his shaved head in similar form to Norm as he frowned to the surprise attack but restated his comment when he saw the angry glint in her eyes, "Er, I mean, _Pandora _won."

She appeared satisfied to his answer and returned to eating her meal as if never striking her mate. Jake hoped their humorous lighthearted spats wouldn't get too much attention since Mo'at seemed to be eyeing their interaction curiously. He aimed an innocent charming smile at his mother-in-law and noticed Mo'at's gaze shifted to his head. That's when he realized that Neytiri had smacked him with the palm of her hand rather than the side. His shoulders slumped as he sunk in his seat, grabbing a nearby clean cloth into his hands as he declared in complaint, "Neytiri, you got sauce in my hair!"

* * *

"I'll count slowly to seven, okay?" Joanna's giddy voice echoed in one of the empty areas of Kelutral's base as the laughter of children bounced off the wooden walls.

Her voice echoed again over the children's as she laughed aloud to gently reprimand, "No, Talen, you don't go hide with them! You try to find them in their hiding spot after I finish counting."

Playing with the children to dissipate the uncomfortable meal talk, Joanna failed to see Tsu'tey sitting on one of the alcoves from above that could be used as viewing perches. He had tracked her down (quite effortlessly this time) after last meal to see why she'd walked off rudely without finishing a meal and wasting it, only to find her in conversation with the hunter and a cluster of children. He knew she'd been upset at the start of their little game as the swaying of her tail and twiddling thumbs gave away her tells easily to him from down below. Tsu'tey chastised his own stupidity at not realizing how deep he'd delved his emotions into the woman and whether she could return such sentiments. He wasn't the easiest man to bear but he would care for the one who opened their heart to him and Joanna captivated to him like nobody else.

"You know, _talking _to her is better than watching from afar which can be seen as creepy" Jake's voice suddenly popped in and Tsu'tey craned his neck in alarm to see the man hanging onto one of the vines growing over the vertical columns as his feet were safely secured on the alcove the other hunter sat in. How did he not notice him?

Tsu'tey blinked in bafflement to having his acute senses fail him by the younger man and tried to hide the hit to his pride, demanding straightaway, "_Where _did you come from?"

"Where I came from doesn't matter" he dismissed offhandedly although the other man remained wondering where he actually did come from but Jake was already chattering away, "What matters is that you've been staring at her since she got here and _don't _tell me it's platonic. If so, the other women around here better be getting the same treatment."

"No, I'm curious, _where _did you come from?" the hunter asked with riddled confusion to how he'd climbed without making a sound. The area was void of loud noise and even grabbing onto the ledges made some kind of sound to be detected. Tsu'tey refused to believe his vigilance was being corrupted by the new emotional growth he was experiencing for Joanna.

"Hmm, I don't know, my brain doesn't focus on half the stuff I do," was the glorious leader's reply since puffing up his brother's ego would only lead to more questions. He was there to knock his mind into cold water to motivate him into conquering a love interest. His feet tapped against the wooden ledge in thought and decided to rile a little ardor from the man in regards to Joanna. A clever smirk passed over Jake's lips as he brought up nonchalantly, "Now, answer me truthfully. Do you desire the headstrong Joanna? Does she make your heart beat like a sturmbeest herd running to a water hole? Does she make your days happy like a ray of sunlight? Do you want her running to somebody else for comfort and affection? To see them together in public while you remain a friend? Do you want them mating wildly like a couple of viperwolves-"

Tsu'tey had to stop him at this point because he really didn't want to hear the rest (nor imagine it) and shook his head to clear it away. Snorting carelessly, he questioned his brother's erratic behavior, "Where did you come up with all of this?"

_This is the kind of talk Joanna would come up with and I can see why the two are friends with this similar chatter_, he thought wryly but his leader wasn't all jokes every minute and at the moment, the goofy smile on his face unsettled him. Tsu'tey was more inclined to speak with serious straightforward people because the jokesters were unpredictable in their speech patterns and behavior.

"Oh, I drank a pretty concentrated drink of nectar and my mind's all over the place" Jake answered excitedly as his eyes blinked rapidly and remained opened to their fullest. Tsu'tey worried his leader might be drunk instead of energized but he seemed to have a good grip on the overhead vines as he stood tall on the ledge. He would definitely be keeping an eye on his posture; it wouldn't look too professional for the clan leader to suddenly nosedive down to the base of Hometree.

Jake nudged the man's leg with his toes to nab his attention since Tsu'tey could sit and act like a boulder at times. The hunter hissed in complaint to being suddenly disturbed but Jake ignored his little hissy fit, pointing out smugly, "I've given you two answers. Your Olo'eyktan demands a response."

The hunter grumbled to himself as the emotional battled raged internally but his friend never steered him wrong. Despite their shaky past, they were there for each other as brothers now and if anyone knew Joanna, it was the Earth-born Jake and the other dreamwalkers. Tsu'tey didn't want anybody else to know the new revelation and sighed softly to himself in resignation before admitting, "Yes. I care for that crazy, sarcastic, but endearingly enticing woman. I'm not foolish, am I?"

"You'd have to talk to Neytiri about that since she chose me over-" he stopped himself short before he treaded into shark filled waters with deadly man-eating sharks named Tsu'tey and patted his friend's head. Tsu'tey stared at him with a deadpan expression for being on the receiving end of the 'there, there' condolence. Jake chuckled uneasily to prevent an argument and hitched his voice up as he rambled quickly, "Hello there, Dangerous Hunter That Has A Friend Named Jake That Wants To Live."

"My friend, I think you need to sleep early."

"Before I do that, which I probably _won't_, you need to do something to gain Joanna's attention" Jake pointed out matter-of-factly to stop the conversation from shifting to him (which Tsu'tey seemed to be doing to his annoyance) and keep the spotlight on him. He was overjoyed at knowing he wasn't crazy since he'd been saying from day one the two were a good match. Well, at first he just wanted to leave Tsu'tey to his admirers since he'd become the newest bachelor on Pandora but Jake truly wanted to give him his other half after taking Neytiri as his own mate. He still felt a little uncomfortable for that but the other hunter simply assured it had been Eywa's will. Now that Joanna was definitely in the picture, maybe Eywa would bring the two together.

Tsu'tey, however, wasn't too keen on the idea because romance wasn't his best skill. If at all, it was nonexistent. As the best warrior, he'd been automatically chosen to be the next leader so romancing a few women to search for his potential mate was a missed experience. He'd always given tokens to Sylwanin and Neytiri but Joanna was completely different by being from another world. Jake could see the discomfort in his body language as he shifted in his seat and suggested with a smile, "Do something that shows you consider her special. Take her for a surprise trip, make her a meal, give her a gift. Something she'll like."

Tsu'tey snorted at the air as he watched her chase a few children around and stated bluntly, "I highly doubt she cares for me in the same manner-"

"Are you two really that _blind _to how you act? You're together all the time and I know Joanna, she finds your friendship meaningful" Jake blurted with disbelief to Tsu'tey's viewpoint after seeing the two sharing a meal like a couple. He couldn't believe that his friend still needed reassurance and sat down next to him as Tsu'tey sullenly stared at the wooden ledge with flattened ears. The Olo'eyktan grasped his shoulder with a warm smile to ease wariness and gently advised, "Joanna may be outspoken on any topic but she's shy on her emotional life. You have to show that you're interested or else. . .she might find somebody else."

Tsu'tey glanced in the direction of Joanna again and his ears flattened against his skull immediately, his brow furrowing as his lips curled to show his sharp teeth. Jake could only laugh softly in amusement to the other man's envy, muffling the sound behind his hand to make sure it wasn't overheard and their hiding spot revealed. With a humored lift of his brow, Jake commented casually, "You look ready to backstab that poor hunter in the kidney just to get him away from her."

"I do not" he objected stiffly with a frown because having his emotional state read like a tapiri's tracks was not good for his stoic demeanor. Joanna always spent her time with him, the children, or her dreamwalker friends but to see her around another male boiled his blood to the point he wanted to rip her away from Talen. It wasn't simply because Talen was a male but for being an interested male. His hands curled into tight fists as he stated sharply with a growl, "That hunter is boldly trying to gain Joanna's attention-"

"I think they're simply talking and as you know, Joanna can make her own decisions" Jake interrupted slyly to rile his clan brother and saw Tsu'tey's jaw clench tightly. It was obvious from above that the young Talen was captivated by Joanna as the two spoke but her behavior wasn't the same that she shared with Tsu'tey. However, with ongoing contact, Joanna could easily be drawn to another and Jake knew that little Leka would not mind having a sister-in-law like her. Being the older brother, Talen had the cute little sister card playing for him while Leka remained innocently oblivious to the woes of love. Jake didn't hesitate to point out with caution, "If Talen is interested in Joanna, all he has to do is wait for her to gain rank-"

"She deserves better, he doesn't know her like I do!" Tsu'tey snapped tightly with a scowl aimed at the duo below as he dared that _boy _to touch her and clenched every muscle in his body at the idea. She should be smiling at him, asking to go see the fan lizards she adored and relaxing in her hammock afterwards. By Eywa, he could still smell her scent on himself. His forehead creased as he tried to vocalize his internal feelings, hesitating as he tried to tell his brother, "They don't realize. . .she's unique and understands me like nobody else. She listens. . .she teaches. . .," his ears flattened as he whispered faintly with a somber expression on his face, "I want her to See me."Jake couldn't stop the gleeful grin from spreading over his lips and genuinely pushed him with the words, "Maybe it's time you started showing her."

Tsu'tey glanced at him uncertainly because putting himself in such a position could risk his entire friendship with her. He wasn't ready to do that. Jake, on the other hand, already knew the two lovebirds just needed to tell each other but they were very private people with their emotions. Even now, Tsu'tey had struggled just getting the words out. Jake couldn't imagine what he'd tell Joanna or miss saying to her. Grasping Tsu'tey's shoulder, he ordered with a confident grin to motivate the hunter, "Come with me, I have a few ideas of my own."

Once again, Tsu'tey stared at him skeptically to drawl doubtfully, "Are you sure they won't have her _screaming _at me? A lot of your ideas have that result."

"You're going to have to trust me if you want Joanna in your arms and giving you babies by next year" Jake joked wittily with a hearty laugh as Tsu'tey's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates to that incomprehensible idea.

* * *

The parents of the children had come by to pick them all up and as always, graciously thanked Joanna for taking the time to tend to them. She enjoyed having a purpose with them and politely refused any generous gifts they tried to give her, telling each to give them to their children instead. The only one that refused to leave with her parents, however, was none other than Leka, who wanted to watch the singers since her older friends were able to do so and wanted to be a 'big girl' like them. Her parents relented when Talen offered to watch her but Leka didn't want him but Joanna instead because 'boys wouldn't understand'. Joanna could only accept but told her that Talen would be in charge and had to obey her older brother.

"Fine, but only because he thinks you're pretty" she agreed with a pout to retaliate against him calling her a child and Talen sighed aloud to the unabashed things his sister said.

"You can see why I spend my time away from her, she lives to embarrass me" Talen said miserably but grabbed Leka to tickle her sides, laughing when she squealed in complaint to being shown her weakness. She slapped his hands in futility to halt the onslaught of the tickle attack and he warned playfully, "Will we behave or will we not visit that pool that has the pretty hopping little animals?"

"I'll be good!" she promised quickly to stop the tickle assault and good on his word, Talen released her with a brotherly pat to the head. Leka stuck out her tongue in nonviolent retaliation, which she'd learned from Joanna (one of her witnessed arguments with Tsu'tey), and scampered over to her keeper where she'd be safe from the tickle monster.

However, Joanna wanted to hide behind Leka a second later when Tsu'tey walked into their little area but knew there was no way to hide from him. To her, he was like a bloodhound that would find you no matter how long you tried to evade him. He made eye contact with her so she couldn't back out now by being ignorant to his presence and Joanna politely excused herself from the two for a moment, wringing her hands as she walked over to Tsu'tey.

Leka, however, brightened up when she saw the stoic warrior and called out, "Warrior Tsu'tey, do you still have my gift?""Yes, Leka" the hunter replied courteously because he indeed had. Joanna never asked about it in order to avoid questions but he currently used it to cover the little ikran toy she'd made for him so it wouldn't become dusty. Now, he kept her gift on top of a small shelf in his private nook to keep it clean and safe from lingering dist particles. Tsu'tey had lost his own in the destruction of Hometree and missed the gift his father had created for him during his first years of life. He lost many of his mementos that day and what little he recovered from the ashes of his home had been badly ruined or charred beyond recognition. He never admitted it to Joanna but he cherished her gift because it brought back that lost connection to his youth, to fresher days that had been bright with hope. Eywa worked in interesting ways to bring a dreamwalker into his life that kept healing the wrongs her species had brought upon his life.

"Remember, little Joannas's" Leka reminded with a wagging finger to what she'd told them days ago and proceeded to pull on her brother's satchel to find candy. Talen could only try to hold her back while not embarrassing himself in front of a master hunter by letting a child best him.

Joanna could only chuckle softly to their antics and Tsu'tey caught her attention by stating softly in private, "I'm sorry for upsetting you at dinner. I don't mean to hurt your feelings, I just. . .I tend to say very stupid things around you. I was angry with myself over something but I _never _meant to project my feelings onto you."

"You made me doubt my own self-image and you know easily it affects me" she accused to be clear and concise with her words to prevent another river incident mistake like last week. She didn't want to tiptoe around the damage his scathingly careless words could do and didn't hesitate to point out curtly, "You made me feel ugly and-"

"You are a beautiful young woman, nothing less" he cut in truthfully to let her know that she was, there was no possibility for her to be unattractive physically or in her soul. She was as pure as the day she became one of The People and continued that same path, regardless of her stubborn streak. He resisted from clasping her shoulders in public, settling on folding his hands behind his back as he explained carefully, "I've seen you grow from a tawtute clothes wearer to one who wears nothing but Omaticayan garb. You have grown confident these past months, do not let it falter because you earn what you work for and deserve all of it," his golden orbs observed every single delicate feature on her face from her smooth forehead to her pouty lips as he stated softly, "There is not a single patch of skin or trait in you that is ugly and if you don't believe me, I'm certain others will say the same as I have."

He brushed a stray twist of hair behind her ear with one hand as she took on a bashful downcast glance to the floor and Tsu'tey whispered gently with a faint smile, _"Lor."_

Joanna didn't know how he managed to say the right words to render her barriers useless and crossed her arms to shy away, accepting the comfort he brought to squash the pain he'd inflicted. She didn't think he was capable of such heartfelt words in public, although private between both, and accepted his apology. How could she not with that low timbre voice and polite mannerisms? Oh, the man was a romantic conundrum. He got her misty eyed so easily but she managed to clear up her eyes without tears falling and remembered she had a chorus to go see with Talen and Leka. She turned around to offer the two an apology for keeping them waiting, smiling at the large grin on Leka's face, and turned around to ask Tsu'tey warmly, "We're going to see the singers for a little while. Would you like to come?"

She expected him to agree since children wouldn't be around to pester him at this time of night and because their time together would lessen by the next day. Besides, the more, the merrier as Cheryl would say for her. Tsu'tey, on the other hand, saw himself as the intruder in the trio since it was apparent Talen was taking his sister and had invited Joanna along. He didn't want to be the outsider as the young hunter tried to charm his friend and Tsu'tey would not simply sit there without doing anything about it. No, he would have to reluctantly leave them alone and go on his way. . .otherwise, he would be liable to react in the same manner as when Jake told him he'd mated Neytiri, only ten times worse.

"No, I should prepare my arrows for tomorrow's hunt" he politely declined as he spared a glance at her companions and almost smiled at the disappointed pout on her face. It was wrong for him to feel gratified but if she missed him, maybe her thoughts would dwell on him during the singers performance. He touched his leather satchel in afterthought and gave her a modest glance as he spoke earnestly, "I want to give you-"

"Joanna, Joanna, they're starting" Leka called behind her and ran forward to grab the hem of her shirt. Her little fingers tugged on the fabric as she aimed an innocent pout at Tsu'tey to sway him with the words, "Warrior Tsu'tey, she'll miss it. Can't she get in trouble tomorrow? She'll be good for all of tonight, I promise."

That's not exactly what Tsu'tey was about to say and his fingers released his satchel as he noticed all of the attention was suddenly on him. No, this wasn't how he planned it at all! Joanna directed a regretful glance at him as she fought the losing battle between the two and sighed apologetically, "I'm sorry, Tsu'tey. Please tell me tomorrow."

Leaning forward, she squeezed his shoulders with her hands and told him faintly, "Be careful on your hunt and may Eywa watch over you, my _eylan_."

Tsu'tey mumbled a halfhearted farewell of his own and he was certain that she would've liked his gift. It was all she spoke about during their nightly walks around Kelutral. He watched them leave as they spoke excitedly amongst each other and felt a twinge of tightness in his chest at the sight. It was unavoidable, wasn't it? Once she became a huntress, she would have no need of him and their binds would be severed as the student-teacher relationship came to an end. When he started training her, he would have shouted happily from the highest mountain for her leave but now. . .

He opened his leather satchel and reached inside carefully to fetch what he'd wanted to show, or rather, give to her. His hands brought out the gift delicately and he raised it to chest level, opening his enclosed hands to reveal a confused fan lizard. Tsu'tey sighed dejectedly to himself as he experienced another wave of melancholy, accepting the unwelcome and new emotion, and muttered to the fan lizard, "We tried."

His thumbs gave its dark legs a gentle flick and it shot into the sky instinctively with its bioluminescent color of red and orange to bathe the area in its glow. Tsu'tey silently watched the creature Joanna was fondest of until it found refuge on a nearby wooden ledge and he proceeded to walk away from the area towards his hammock.

His token had been refused.

From behind a wooden column, Jake shook his fists as his plan went up in smoke yet again after all the planning he did (not to mention hunting the damn lizard) but he wouldn't call it a defeat. No, it would just give him another day to improve. Still, he couldn't help but complain in utter frustration, "No, no, it went all wrong! He was supposed to give her the lizard! Even if everyone watched, that would've made it more dramatic and catchy as a guy. She was going to go into one of those girly romantic moments before declaring her feelings and kiss him! _Arrgh, it looks so much easier in the movies!_"

Norm sighed as he stared out from the other side of the tree to see Tsu'tey already on the spiral staircase and rolled his eyes to Jake's dramatics. The man could maintain complete calm during a battle but a plan in matchmaking had him in hysterics. Norm wondered if Jake should just give up on the 'Tsu'tey and Joanna' love train and wouldn't have minded getting help on his love life. With Jake's determination, he could bring a new meaning to the words 'love doctor' and Norm brought up casually, "You know, not _everyone _falls in love instantly. My warrior beauty still doesn't know my name."

Poor oblivious Jake didn't catch the hint.

"It's been months, they should've been riding into the sunset with an ikran like Neytiri and me- we only took three, they're way and I mean _way _past that!" Jake exclaimed woefully to all his careful planning being ruined by a singer's performance. He'd gotten Tsu'tey to admit he cared for his friend and that was a great feat in itself with the stoic warrior but unfortunately, Joanna couldn't stick around to receive her gift. Jake was convinced that that single act could've changed everything but now, it was back to the drawing board. Ugh, he made better war strategies that actually worked in comparison to the current problem. He crossed his arms, leaning against the tree with thinned lips to mutter grimly, "It's like playing chess with these two!"

"They're not going to like it when they find out you have been trying to play Eywa" Neytiri scolded firmly from her spot on a seat of roots as she tagged along for her mate's crazy plan and smacked him behind the head. She was trying to make him see reason and agree to her plan to let things flourish naturally on their own but her Jake was always trying to get ahead first by skipping steps. He rubbed the side of his head, frowning as she lectured matter-of-factly, "You cannot play Eywa because if you do, you will fail and when She finds out, She will be better at it because She's _Eywa_."

Jake grasped her shoulders to plead dramatically with fueled passion, "If you've never believed in me before, I need you to do so now."

_Did I not support him through a battle?_, she asked herself on the crazy things she got into for her mate and stared at him placidly.

. . ."Jake, I am going to sleep."

"Oh!" he groaned in defeat since he knew the underlying meaning said 'either join me or you're sleeping with the ikran' in Neytiri talk. He hung his head in surrender because he certainly didn't want to use leaves as a blanket and promised obediently, "I'll be up soon, darling."

Neytiri jumped off her seat to leave the area quietly and Jake took his time to follow with slow steps, aiming a finger at Norm to declare valiantly, "We'll regroup tomorrow for Operation Palulukan Love."

"Palulukan Love?" Norm and Neytiri echoed in baffled unison to the glassy eyed Jake.

The Olo'eyktan gave them a sidelong glance before pointing out, "Those two are like palulukan with territory issues. I think it's quite fitting. . .that and if they overhear me, I can disguise it as two palulukan I saw while scouting."

Neytiri simply heaved a tired sigh to inner workings of her mate's mind and proceeded to leave the area with Jake hot on her heels to make sure he didn't sleep in the canopies that night.

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**A/N**: Does Jake get funnier by the chapters or what? Poor Norm, he wants help while Joanna refuses help with a love life. And yes, we finally have Tsu'tey admitting his feelings because the two are just adorable when they're together. Not sugary sweet to make you hurl but comically sweet and challenging. The next chapter will have one of them admitting their feelings so put your bets in.

I want to thank everyone for their story alerts and reviews. Unfortunately, I won't be able to reply to last chapter's reviews since I had to go to urgent care during the week I was supposed to upload this (this really should've been posted two weeks ago but I just managed to gain enough strength without overbearing dizziness today) and after being given medicine that gave me horrible and I mean horrible side effects, I just wanted to sleep it all away at home. I'm not sure how great this part of the chapter came out since I've been sleeping a lot and wondering where the closest ER is. Obviously, this has given me less time to write so I'd rather give you guys the next helping of the chapter rather than take extra longer to post it. I greatly appreciate all of your feedback, whether in reviews or PM's, on this story and will certainly reply next time.


	18. Threads of Budding Love

CHAPTER 15:

**Threads of Budding Love  


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_(Third person POV)_

Joanna's foot hopped over a few dry leaves without looking and instinctively, landed inches away from them onto fresh grass that wouldn't give away her position. She crawled slowly under the heavy undergrowth of the forest before kneeling on the dewy grass of morning, pulling a crafted rookie's bow from her back without making a single sound as each move was perfectly calculated. Tsu'tey kneeled down beside her, flawless and noiseless in his own movements as he studied both their surroundings and his student.

Today was her first try at hunting a Hexapede.

According to tradition, at least three successful and clean kills (regardless of the animal species) must be done by the student before their teacher can declare them ready for Iknimaya. Joanna had learned every maneuver possible to evade an ikran and although her bola techniques weren't perfect, she could practice for that until Iknimaya itself. The test to successfully hunt was pivotal in her process to move up the career ladder until she was smack in the middle of taming her ikran. She was excited- no, _thrilled_- that he'd deemed her ready to make the first hunt and had hardly slept the previous night as she went over everything he'd taught her in tracking and archery. She couldn't fail him; if she did, it would be a letdown for both.

She and Tsu'tey had left Kelutral shortly after the morning meal to wander to the nearest grazing areas to find a worthy animal to give its life. Tsu'tey decided a Hexapede was easiest due to their high reproduction rates so he'd told her about the nearest field and allowed her to begin tracking them without his help. At first, the soft part that cared for her wanted to guide her route but the professional side was amazed when she didn't hesitate to lead the way with a confident gait that allured him as he eyed her swaying hips. He was actually proud of her honed skills because they were nothing like her old clumsiness when they'd been at Hell's Gate. Oh, what horrible uncoordinated actions she showed when she managed to flip herself upside down on a rope; he'd never forget that one.

She'd followed his directions perfectly without falter and instantly began tracking for the animal when she found recent grazing spots and tracks. He'd never seen anyone excited about fresh _dung _in all of his life but Joanna always seemed to surprise him with her quirky personality. Eventually, the two happened upon a herd of five and kept following them throughout their daily wanderings in the forested fields as Joanna decided to pick the oldest as her kill. She'd refused to kill the youngest or the sickliest (despite his say) because to her, 'they could have a cold and be all better the next day'. Tsu'tey would _never _understand her strange logic.

Joanna kept careful track of the Hexapede's movements when it wandered away from its small herd to give her ample opportunity and although she felt awful at having to take its life, it had to be done. It would return to Eywa's embrace and would ensure meals for the clan. Her golden eyes watched the innocent animal chew on its patch of grass as it remained unaware to their presence. Her ears flattened at having to see its life end by her hand and they brushed by his lips when he whispered to call her attention, "Study it. Tell me what you see."

Her voice remained deathly faint to avoid being overheard and giving away her position, "It's alone but the herd is nearby. When it leans down, the neck is entirely exposed at that angle. I can take the shot but aiming for the spot that will instantly kill it is. . .what if I veer off?"

Joanna looked to him for guidance, her eyes betraying uncertainty as she asked meekly, "What if I heavily injure it? I'll waste its life for nothing and fail.""Remain calm, breathe, assess the situation again, and take the shot" he advised gently with slow words to shift her mind back into the hunt and kept his eyes locked on the grazing animal to make sure it didn't run off.

She took gentle breaths, pressing her forehead against a mossy rock as she cleared her head from all the negative thoughts to purge them. This was the semi-final of her career ladder and if she couldn't pass this, she'd never get to the final of ikran taming. Her fingers gripped the center of her bow to clutch it close to her chest like a dear friend and quietly, resumed her kneeling position to take the shot. Carefully, she readied the violet feathered arrow she'd been carrying in her hand against the bowstring to apply pressure. Students carried only one arrow freely until passing Iknimaya. Afterwards, they could either carry any amount of arrows in their leather or wooden quivers, whether on their waist or back. Joanna already preferred the waist or on the bow (like Jake's) because she worried she'd miss grasping one and seconds were critical during hunting. Tsu'tey, however, believed she fit the common Omaticaya quiver that rested against the back and assured that with her five fingers, she couldn't miss.

He watched her assume the archer's pose he'd perfected during their training, using the middle of her first two fingers to grasp the nock and pull it back while keeping her chest down as the shoulders rose to lock the muscles in place. Her eyes narrowed as she targeted the neck of the Hexapede, lips thinning in concentration and he was certain she would do this. She was capable of anything set before her and knew the second her taut muscles released the arrow, it would pierce the animal in a clean kill.

A shrill cry tore through the forest to interrupt the previous tranquility and the Hexapede lifted its head, bolting at the last second when Joanna was ready to take the shot. Her teeth grit together as a defeated growl threatened to leave her lips and she gripped the center of the bow, lowering it in frustration as the animal escaped to the safety of its herd. She didn't even bother to watch it leave.

She'd failed.

"I. . .I took too long" she whispered sullenly as the weight of failure tightened her shoulders and Tsu'tey was about to point out that she didn't exactly fire the arrow so it wouldn't count. He wanted to give his student another chance (and not have her upset) but her ears perked up as she stated knowingly, "That cry. It was a little tapirus."

He was about to agree since the poor animal was _always _food for some predator and it couldn't be helped but Joanna bolted out of the bushes to head in its direction. Slamming a fist onto the ground for her rashness, Tsu'tey followed suit to make sure she didn't do anything stupid and called out, "Joanna, it is nature taking its course!"

"I don't care, nobody hurts the tapiri around Hometree!" she shot back protectively because seeing the little groups huddle together for food and shelter around Kelutral made them her unofficial pets, her babies, and nobody touched them. She'd even given them names already to Tsu'tey's dismay and always had scraps to give them if one looked too scrawny or sickly. Of course, she took it a step further by nursing any sickly tapiri with a bowl of water filled with medicine and Tsu'tey found it endearing at times but right now, it was anything but that.

Joanna hurried her pace when she heard another shrill cry of pain mixed with fear, producing a furious growl in her throat. Whatever was hurting the tapirus ruined her test and it was going to pay dearly. Her muscles tightened at the need to destroy whatever creature was causing fear to her babies and used every opening in the forest's foliage to silence her movements rather than crashing through everything. Tsu'tey was about to warn that the danger could be a pack of viperwolves or a thanator (which he never wanted a repeat encounter of) but a second later, she disappeared into a large teal colored bush.

_Wiya, this woman is going to kill me one day!_, he thought in dismay to her lack of focus because their main objective was to hunt, not save a tapirus that was probably dead already.

Joanna unsheathed the hunting knife her teacher helped her make and leapt into the dense area, golden eyes ablaze with fury to what was hunting one of _her_ tapiri. She'd expected a vicious viperwolf but what she found was rather puzzling and frightening.

A slinger. The Lenay'ga.

She'd studied this creature from the logs received back at Hell's Gate and saw that the 'dart-child' portion was embedded into one of the hind legs of a tapiri. The little grazer cried softly in pain as it was being unwillingly sedated, its yellow eyes rolling back into its head as it tried to fight it off with the last of its strength. Joanna grit her teeth in rage to the orange slinger and watched as the main 'parent' body remained lost and blind to the whereabouts of its counterpart. There was no hesitation in what she had to do.

Using her knife, she ran to the dart portion as it began humming lightly to start its beckoning call and Joanna stabbed the creature in the center of its 'head' to bring the beacon to an abrupt halt. A sharp cry emitted instantly from the creature as it stopped trying to eat and sedate the tapirus which led to her slamming the knife down repeatedly onto the stinger horizontally, hacking the hard bony barb in half. Briefly glancing back at the desperate body that was now walking erratically to find its lost 'child', she pulled out the sharp but smooth stinger from the tapirus' leg to make sure it would stay safe. She was here to protect it with everything she had and wouldn't let that beast touch it ever again.

Not trusting the head creature to be dead, she swallowed her disgust and fear to bravely grasp it into both hands. With the skills she learned to play basketball back at Hell's Gate, she threw it far into the jungle where they wouldn't be at. Tsu'tey found her at this exact moment as he burst through the shrubs and found himself horrified to the scene before him as Joanna wiped her shaky hands over her leggings, facing the headless slinger with a determined face as it lumbered wildly around the area. He'd never hunted the creature since the clan only took in orphaned dart-children for weaponry so this was completely new to him. He had heard rumors of hunters grappling with the predator but they always needed several hunters to free any captured kin from sedation. It was a dangerous creature to trifle with and he wondered how Joanna was facing that thing without visible fear. Her posture was defensive but unwavering as her narrowed eyes analyzed the enemy's weakness, purposely using herself as a shield between the slinger and the helpless tapirus.

She placed a finger to her lips to stop him from talking or making noise that would give away their position as she used the silence to her advantage. The thing was lost without the beacon child and she didn't want predators picking off her little tapiri so unfairly. She could handle a banshee and a thanator who gave a swift death but a pack of viperwolves or the sedating predator were the cutoff line on fairness. Joanna took the archer's stance and nocked the arrow to the bowstring with precision that had long been practiced over the months and Tsu'tey saw no hesitance in her eyes this time. She targeted the softest area visible as the thin layer of skin would provide no protection to internal arteries and organs.

This time, there was no second guessing as the beast blindly lurched in its frenzy towards her unknowingly and Joanna fired the arrow. Only the arrow's whizzing sound and the slinger's pounding feet echoed in the forest as she watched the purple fletching move with the slinger, indicating a strike. She'd scored the critical hit on its chest and she expected it to fall from the pain but to her dismay, the slinger kept moving.

Its movements were frantic as she provoked its offense for self-preservation with the attack and Joanna prepared to use her knife to stab it to death if needed. She'd never done any hand-to-hand combat but it was never too early to start. However, a second arrow whizzed by with its yellow fletching to strike the same area and she turned to see Tsu'tey holding his own bow against the slinger. Joanna ran to the sedated tapirus to run a hand over its brownish-purple head to let it know she was there to take care of it as she watched the orange slinger finally collapse on its side. She didn't want to walk up to the creature but knew Tsu'tey would be furious if she didn't show the same respect for all of Pandora's creatures. She swallowed thickly because the situation could be worse and the thing could've been a thanator. Reluctantly, she stood up to run over to the dying slinger to place her hands on its orange flesh as its sides rose weakly to breathe and channeled her inner neutral scientist to say the words, "I See you. . .eh, whatever gender you are, and thank you. Your spirit goes with Eywa, your body stays behind to become part of the People. . .I am sorry things turned out this way."

Joanna knew all creatures were to be respected because they were simply following natural instinct and didn't know better, the slinger was no different. She didn't like being selfish in that manner but couldn't hold back from letting go of the creature afterward. It no longer breathed so she knew it was dead and despite it tried to kill her tapirus, she respected its will to survive against her. Sighing in relief, she turned around to see Tsu'tey studying the area with his calculative gaze that reminded her of a panther's and knew the flattened ears with the wrinkled nose weren't a good sign. This was usually the time when a lion attacked a zebra on those animal shows she used to watch in her cramped apartment and his feline features didn't lessen the sudden apprehension.

She wanted to point out that she struck a good shot but doubted that would cheer him up. Instead, she had to stand there to take the scolding he'd been waiting to unleash and was admonished with, "You interfered in the balance, Joanna. You _never _interfere with Eywa's decisions. It was a tapirus, they're always hunted, you cannot stop it-"

"His name is _Albert _and he's four months old" Joanna defended softly as she kneeled next to the young animal and stroked its unconscious head. She couldn't help the empathetic streak she had towards living beings- hell, even plants!- and would do anything in her power to help. The tapiri were special to her since she saw them every day and she glanced at Tsu'tey's impassive form to admit softly, "I recognize the two intersecting stripes on the left side of his tummy. He's young and deserves a chance to learn to survive-"

"You do not decide who lives and dies, Joanna" he snapped sharply to make her understand reason to her impulsive behavior. She had great potential but her sentimentality could destroy all her progress to become a huntress. His steps crushed the grass underneath him as he marched right up to her, staring her down with a stiff dominant posture as he stated briskly, "I interfered when the palulukan chased you and I shouldn't have. I went against Her will because you matter to me but emotions have no place during hunts. I atoned for that but you deliberately forced my hand again to save a _tapirus_-"

"Albert!"

"You shouldn't be attaching yourself to it in the first place, they are from the wild-" he argued coldly to her caring nature with the animals because they certainly wouldn't save her during danger. She was an emotional being but hunting required neutrality on the field and he didn't want Joanna to risk her wellbeing or a hunting party's success if she interfered. He allowed her coddling of the children but-

"Oh, and the pa'li and ikran are different _how_?" she mocked sarcastically because she wouldn't dare let the same happen to her Peke. She made her decision and would stand by it, regardless of how he perceived it. Leaning down, she picked up the tapirus in her arms to handle the weight of the young creature and despite he was heavy like a child, began the trek back home. She tried not to let the force of the lifting carry over into her voice as she stated adamantly, "I'm taking Albert back to his mother. You can come with me if you want and if you lose the attitude, you _may _get a sandwich since it's lunchtime and Albert will be hungry."

Tsu'tey stammered nonsensical gibberish as she entirely twisted his reasonable logic into nothing. She was ignoring everything he'd lectured her on and was leaving a carcass in her wake while carrying another like a fragile child. No, definitely no. Enough was enough. Clenching his fists at her immature behavior, he commanded grimly, "Stop."

Joanna immediately halted in her steps to obey but eyed him with a narrowed gaze in case he was ready to blow into another argument. He pointed to the dead slinger that remained impaled by two arrows on the chest and demanded harshly, "_This_ is the kind of huntress you want to be? You leave one who you intentionally killed by your hand and rescue another who isn't dead nor your target. You must honor what dies, regardless of your emotions. They are both creatures of this world, children of Eywa, and they lived lives of their own before you interfered. Joanna, you must respect the lenay'ga just as you do that tapirus. If not, then I have failed as your teacher."

She eyed the ground because touching that thing was not what she intended on doing today but he had a valid point that she couldn't ignore. Selfishness was not a trait of hers and valuing one animal over another wasn't fair, regardless of her dislike and fear of the slinger. Gritting her teeth for a brief moment, she admitted reluctantly with a guilty face, "It's frightening. I hate it when you make me feel guilty but I don't know what that thing is useful for. Yes, I should've thought about that _before _I killed it but. . .I had to help Albert."

She groaned miserably at how pitiful her excuse sounded and stared at the tapirus in her arms to blurt sheepishly, "You know me, I can't let little animals get eaten when I'm near. I have to help because then, I'll feel awful for being useless when someone's in need. It's just not in me to ignore. . .otherwise, I would've followed that rule when I found you in battle."

"That's different-" he shot back heatedly to her defense but Joanna didn't see eye-to-eye with that opinion.

"How? You're a living being, Albert's _also _a living being" she pointed out sarcastically to the obvious fact because both breathed the same air and lived lives. Hadn't he just insisted upon that with the slinger? Her eyes sought his for understanding on her stand and pointed out firmly, "Tsu'tey, you talk about maintaining balance but it is all around us. Eywa led me to you when you needed help and it led me to this little tapirus. Elsewhere, there's another tapirus being eaten and I can't help that but I will accept it. Face it, whenever someone or something is in trouble, I will aid them."

"It will be _your _downfall for interfering" he warned crossly to her sentimental heart and hissed when she turned around to walk away, shaking her head as if _he _was in the wrong. He had been a hunter far longer than his inexperienced student and wouldn't hear or dare to take words like hers into mind.

"Then I will die so that another may live, isn't that also balance in itself?" she stated coldly with finality on the matter and wished that he'd understand her view on life. She didn't like talking about death either because to her, it was like knocking on its door but he didn't have the right to be so callous about it. The weight of the tapirus caused her to shift her weight onto her right leg and she requested simply without glancing back, "Please harvest what you can from the lenay'ga and I will listen to what you know about it because I certainly don't. Is that better suited to you, teacher?"

Tsu'tey grumbled inaudibly under his breath because he was going to give her a tongue lashing back home and stomped over to the dead slinger. The dead carcass would soon draw attention from the viperwolf packs, maybe even a young inexperienced thanator, so he had to be quick to leave the scene before his scent lingered. Noticing the head was gone, which was the most important part, he called out, "Where is the head?"

"Oh, I threw it into the bushes- oops" she began but faltered at seeing his irate expression as his jaw tightened and his shoulder muscles tensed visibly with that cold aura reserved for his warrior side. She didn't like feeling the size of an ant under his gaze since the man was already tall enough and defended weakly, "Well, I didn't _know _what was useful. I was rash and stupid; is that what you want me to say? Because I will."

"You said it, not me" he agreed simply with a dull disconnected tone and headed into the forest, disappearing within the tall bushes without making a single noise.

Joanna's ears flattened at disappointing him (like the Hexapede hunt wasn't failure enough) but damn it, she needed to save the little tapirus. She hated admitting he was right because as an ex-anthropologist, she knew how crucial objectivity was in the field to succeed. Seeing there was nothing else to do, she began to carry Albert home by using the branch systems overhead that connected the trees into routes. It would take her a while to return but it was definitely safer after her latest encounter.

XXX

Tsu'tey's stoic mask broke into a deadpan expression of incredulity and irritation as he watched Joanna feeding scraps of leaf plates to her rescued tapirus, who limped slightly on his injured leg but seemed perfectly all right. She'd reunited him with his little herd of five, including his mother, and watched as they all brushed their little snouts together in recognition. She'd heard the mother calling out with beckoning wails from the outskirts and the somber cry turned into squeals when she brought Albert to her. Of course, it took a while for the tranquilizer to wear off but she patched up his injured leg with a little salve to make it better and wrapped a piece of cloth to make sure it would stay somewhat sterilized.

He couldn't believe her overprotective behavior (it wasn't even her child!) and struggled whether to verbally explode on her or resign to her caring nature. She didn't have to kill the slinger but he regrettably admitted that leaving it alive and carrying the tapirus out would've pinned her as the next target. He hated the internal struggle of his principles because as a teacher, he should be lecturing her till nightfall but as a man, had to admit that she wasn't as helpless as she appeared. She was frustrating, brave, reckless, caring- an entire collection of emotions that had him flustered on what to do! On one hand, she was his sweet caring Joanna but on another hand, she was his reckless idealistic student!

A pebble struck his kneecap and he broke out of his thoughts to stare down at Joanna as the culprit of the childish action. He shot a cold glare to both her and the cluster of tapiri next to her, which immediately had the little grazers huddling around her for protection, and Joanna purposely ignored his glower to ask casually, "I made a sandwich. Want to share?"

His eyes narrowed into slits at being asked with that sugary voice usually aimed at tantrum children and Joanna frowned to his standoffish attitude to scoff, "Fine, more for me then-"

He snatched the second half out of her hand, gaining an indignant 'hey' from her part, and bit into it to show he wasn't about to be bossed around by his _student_. Joanna rolled her eyes to his petty display of male dominance because whatever the topic of their argument, he always strived to win with his competitiveness. She let him have this one because dipping the sandwich in sour fruit juice as retaliation would just get his tail in a knot and deem her bowless for a week. Instead, she stewed in her spot as she brushed the backside of a waddling tapirus named Ted as it found a patch of grass to munch on. Tsu'tey seriously pondered what attracted him to the dreamwalker when she behaved so impulsively because women of the Omaticaya were not foolish in their thinking.

_Although, she is a very good cook_, he admitted as he bit into the delicious snack and felt guilt bite his conscience for thinking ill things about the one he cared about. _I wonder what else that Earth born mind of hers contains. . .and whether she'd find me the same way despite my short temper._

"Will you stop interrogating me with your eyes? I already agreed I ruined my first try at hunting" she snapped with annoyance, bursting his thought bubble as he realized he'd been staring at her the entire time. Even the tapirus she named 'Ah-peert' blinked at him.

_She's ruining my stealth!_, he declared miserably as he took notice that his skills at neutrality and stealth weren't up to par with what they were weeks ago. Namely, ever since she stopped spending time with him and ran off to the children and Talen. He felt secluded from her life whenever she told him of something new she'd learned with the other hunter because he wanted to be a part of it. Two days ago, she'd come back giddy with excitement at making her first urn. He didn't comment on it being terribly lopsided at first until she stated proudly that Talen was proficient in creating pottery in which he proceeded to huff that he wasn't a good enough teacher if she made that monstrosity. It was a petty retaliation but he didn't want her time with Talen to increase while his lowered. He'd even denied the young hunter access to his hunting group because he was liable to fiercely interrogate Talen to tears. . .which ironically had Jake laughing when Tsu'tey admitted it during their private talks.

"You decided on a Hexapede, you took an arrow fit for a _Hexapede _kill" he sighed to her hasty decision on killing the slinger and sat down next to her to eat his snack while she devoured hers in seconds. He gave an irritated hiss to the tapiri that neared him to pick up any stray crumbs, scaring them away to Joanna's side but she slapped his knee to silence his sour mood. Tsu'tey aimed another hiss at her physical scolding but she countered by turning her back to him as she soothed the tapiri with baby babble. Those creatures were cutting away his last shred of patience as she showered them with love (because a part of him wanted that love for himself) and he spoke up offhandedly, "It was a good thing I brought my own arrows to finish the kill. We will be starting over and I want you to hunt Hexapede only, _nothing _else."

She nodded silently as she licked the crumbs off her fingertips and he watched her dainty pink tongue lapping at her skin. Ever since admitting his attraction, he found himself carefully watching every small movement she made and by Eywa did it make his tail curl on end. He swallowed thickly and shook the image of that tongue doing other things away before his face turned purple. Clearing his throat, he tried to maintain his commanding voice as he ordered, "I don't care if you hear another tapiri, you will not move. It can be our Olo'eytkan being trampled to _death _by a Titanothere-"

"Hey! That's not nice, he's hunting one right now" she defended to his audacity to propose such a thing because she didn't want an accident happening to their leader in such a difficult hunt. That and Neytiri would smack him into a whole different species altogether for saying that about her mate. Joanna secretly knew he wanted to go when Jake announced that he was handpicking a team for the special hunt but unfortunately, being a teacher left him stuck with her that morning. After her fiasco in the forest, she understood that a spirited man like him would rather be out _there _in raw danger and calling the shots with Jake than teaching her to hunt a delicate Hexapede with lethargic instructions.

Tsu'tey snorted dismissively to her worry since the hunters could take very good care of themselves because their Olo'eyktan would choose the best suited for such so precautions were already taken. He had no doubt that the hunt would be victorious and having a Toruk Makto strengthened the odds easily. A chance to hunt an Angtsìk was an honor indeed and he had been privileged enough to partake in three during his life as a hunter, leading the last hunt himself. He scowled to her frown, matching her wrinkled nose with his own upturned one, her furrowed brow of defiance with his own creased brow of strictness, and her pouting lilac lips were nothing to the strict fine line his created. Tsu'tey didn't hesitate to set forth the next rule of her training by commanding sternly, "The point is, I want you to forget everything but taking that shot. Can you do that for me?"

"Even if you're being attacked by tetrapteron or a band of feral prolemuris?" Joanna asked impishly with a cheesy grin and conjured the humorous image in her mind. Yeah, that totally made the day's events less traumatizing for her. The blood freezing glare he sent to her halted the evil giggles that were about to escape her throat and she coughed nervously to crush them, reluctantly agreeing with a frown, "Fine! I will."

"Good. . .and my skills would _never _allow that to happen" he stated calmly with that subtlety of arrogance in his voice and finished the last two bites of the sandwich. Joanna was surprised he was still eating the thing since hers had been gone minutes ago and wondered if he took tiny mousey bites. He raised his angular chin to shoot her a smug side glance as his words pointed out the obvious rank difference and experience between them. Evil Joanna thrashed in her cage for comeuppance and she gladly released her for the moment.

Her rebuttal wiped the smirk completely off his face, "Your awesome skills failed to wipe the crumbs off your face."

For the first time in ages, he found his cheeks heating up in embarrassment because appearing professional and neat was a must for someone of his rank. Also, gaining the attention of Joanna on a non-platonic level would not be achieved if he looked so messy and unkempt. The back of his hand furiously wiped at his mouth to rub off whatever flecks of bread remained there as he tried to appear nonchalant about it. Joanna didn't really care one way or the other about his appearance since he had her heart hook, line, and sinker.

Fortunately, his bad luck turned around when he saw Neytiri approaching them with her graceful strides and Tsu'tey touched his fingers to his forehead to politely greet, "I See you, Neytiri."

"No fair, I wanted to say it first" Joanna grumbled for losing the verbal race, nudging his side with her elbow in retaliation, and hastily greeted the princess with the same politeness. Neytiri didn't miss noticing the closeness between the two as they sat together because the hunter would never let his legs brush against another's nor let his elbows continually nudge another woman's.

"Mengati kame" she replied with an amused smile for the two as she observed the perky Joanna and the snappish Tsu'tey. They were like day and night but there were similar traits the two shared that obviously kept bringing them together and with her cleverly subtle way, Neytiri put her own plan into action. Her method on matchmaking was passive, a natural process that led to discovery. . .although her own attraction to her mate took the direct approach but she dared to risk it all and luckily, she found her mate for life. With a serene smile, she spoke up with a cheerful voice, "You two are just perfect for whom I seek."

Tsu'tey stood up from his spot on the log to offer it to her but Neytiri declined with a simple raise of her hand, explaining her problem to the duo, "We are short on fruit for the mating union taking place today and I hate to ask-"

"We'll do it!" Joanna agreed instantly without knowing what Neytiri wanted in the first place and Tsu'tey resisted from massaging his temples to her hastiness and rude interruption. This is just what he lectured her on no more than a few seconds ago!

"But I haven't asked yet" Neytiri stated with confusion to her offering but Joanna simply grinned delightfully while Tsu'tey looked more than ready to bolt at any sudden movement.

"You need Tsu'tey and I to pick fruit? Fix a few decorations? Make the hearth heartier? Whatever you need, princess, Tsu'tey and I are at your full service" Joanna offered kindheartedly with a peppy advertisement to match what she'd be willing to do. Tsu'tey, of course, was too polite in front of company to demand why he'd unwillingly been dragged along _again_.

Neytiri chuckled softly to the smiling dreamwalker because with that kind of generosity, she didn't see why Tsu'tey hadn't told her mother that he wanted to court Joanna the second she attained rank. Trying not to dawdle, she requested warmly with glittering eyes at the awaiting celebration, "I simply need a basket or two of fruit for tonight's meal. Everyone is excited about the union so of course, extra food for eating and drinks during the dancing is a must."

"We'll be back before you know it" Joanna promised with a military salute Neytiri had learned from her mate (unlike Tsu'tey, who was still lost in that translation) and grabbed her things before tugging on Tsu'tey's arm to pull him up.

She was excited since this was the first union after the move to Kelutral and had never experienced the Na'vi version of a wedding. Jake and Neytiri had theirs the day before the battle with the RDA so the celebratory mood wasn't the same then as it was now. Joanna was certain Jake's romantic side would do something neat for their anniversary since they didn't celebrate such things and part of her was glad because all that commercialism Earth attached to it made it look like a chore in their time. Cheryl had told her that the uniting couple dress in beautiful fabrics and the ceremony is presided by the Tsahìk to bless the union. A feast is then hosted by the clan for the special occasion which leads to dancing (more than likely, drinking too) while the couple consummate their union to see if Eywa approves. It had something to do with the queue and after what Tsu'tey told Joanna months ago, tsaheylu was a definite must to seal the bond. Joanna didn't know much about it and asking Tsu'tey would probably have him murderously snapping at her since he was reserved on such topics.

Neytiri thanked them with a grateful smile and left Joanna to tug the immobile boulder that was Tsu'tey. Her face creased in determination as she strained to pull him up to his feet and grunted aloud to persuade, "C'mon, Neytiri needs us. Get up, you lazy Titanothere."

"I will move when _I_ am ready, not when I am forced to do a chore without a say" he remarked stonily to her demands as she repeatedly tugged on his right arm but he kept his muscles rigid so Joanna wouldn't budge him. The balance of dominance had to teeter to his side after everything he put up with her and this action would be his first stand against her tenacity.

Joanna, on the other hand, wasn't about to take any of his sass and growled under her breath to his petty action because he was behaving no better than a toddler! Stomping her foot in aggravation, she tugged on his bicep one last time before declaring tightly between clenched teeth, "Fine. When Talen returns, I'm asking _him_."

Internally, a fuse was lit in Tsu'tey's mind when she mentioned that ugly name and he grit his teeth at being replaced by the other hunter. Was she deliberately trying to make him jealous? By the look on her infuriated glowering face, he assumed that no, she was clueless to his inner conflict because he definitely received a strike of jealousy. He tried to keep the annoyance out of his voice as he stood up suddenly, knocking poor Joanna down on her butt as the sudden movement caused her to loose her grip. Airily, he raised his chin into the air to pose like a melodramatic theater actor and relented, "Fine but _I_ will lead."

Joanna grumbled inaudibly under her breath as her butt hurt (not to mention the start of her tail) and looked to the nearby tapirus to order her minion, "Get him, Albert!"

The young tapirus merely glanced at her with curiosity before returning to feed on a patch of grass, oblivious to her command. Disillusioned by their gentle nature, she beckoned to the other tapiri with a hopeful face, "Betty? Ethel? Fred? Lucy? Ricky? Nemo? Tsu'tey Jr.?. . .Fine, I guess it's up to me."

The group of tapiri huddled together as if scolded when she aimed a small reprimanding glare at them but immediately forgave the gentle grazers at seeing their timid behavior. She didn't care that he called them weak, they were precious to her. . .even if they'd abandon her in a second when danger loomed. Tsu'tey, however, raised his brow in curiosity to the last name she'd uttered when beckoning the animals and flatly asked, "You named one after me?"

"I'm thinking of changing it because it seems like a waste, I think Atan is a better name for her" Joanna sighed dramatically as she tapped her chin in thought and stood up to dust herself off. Tsu'tey tuned out most of her rambles but the last words halted his mind like an ikran's screech.

"_Her?"_

At this, Joanna ran away like a scamp with an evil laugh as Tsu'tey shot the innocent tapirus known as _Tsu'tey Jr. _a scowl before running after the woman.

* * *

_(Joanna's POV)_

Tsu'tey led- and by led, I mean commandeered- our search to the nearest trees filled with fruit that ranged from palm size to pineapple size. Ironically, the largest fruit were on the highest tree branches so of course, I had to be the target in the game of catch when Tsu'tey decided to climb like a prolemuris and hurl them down like projectiles. I don't think I've ever moved as fast as I did then with the basket juggling in my arms to hopefully catch them all before I got bonked on the head with a concussion.

When _I_ wanted to climb the tree, he refused to play catcher by deeming it unworthy of his stature and I flung one of them at his head for his stubbornness. He reacted by catching it instead of letting it burst on his head like a water balloon and from there, I proceeded to collect my share so he wouldn't nag to Neytiri that he did all the work. There weren't any short bushels nearby so we would have to make due with what we caught since the smaller fruit bushes were in Kelutral's gardens after transplanting a few and with them being picked today, we didn't want to disturb their growing cycle by over picking.

Our picks varied between bright and pastel eye-catching pieces of fruits so I was certain Neytiri would approve of our haul. The basket was already full but when my eyes caught notice of nearby banana fruit trees, I grasped Tsu'tey by the forearm to lead him to the tall trees giddily. He obliged with a curious glint in his eyes as well since catching an uneaten banana fruit was a treasured find and I always liked foraging the bottom of each pile for that coveted prize. Tsu'tey tried to hide his own excitement by lazily glancing around the area, nimbly stepping over the thick gnarled roots of the towering banana fruit trees that reminded me of old redwoods, but I could see each cunning glimpse as he observed the mounds of fruit around us. There was a little boy in those pools of gold and I kept to myself to see if I would catch a glimpse.

As usual, all the banana fruit was either half-eaten or decomposing but it didn't deter me from my quest. A good find could be hidden in between the piles and I kneeled down to search through each little mound, unconcerned to what bacteria or microbes was contained on the fruit as the mush stuck to my fingertips. Tsu'tey kicked the fruit apart neatly with the tips of his toes since his highness wouldn't get dirty unless he had the absolute need to do so. I picked up a few of the good half-eaten ones to stick them inside my foraging satchel that was made of brown cloth while my good satchel for important things was now newly made and improved with Hexapede leather.

Tsu'tey's voice carried across the silent area as he questioned incredulously, "What are you doing?"

"Taking a few back to Kelutral" I answered simply with ambiguity since the ikran liked to feast on this and I'd learned from ongoing contact with Swizav that he ate anything and everything. He'd been nuzzling my neck once before a trip with Tsu'tey and had almost chomped the necklace he gave me, figuring I'd been hiding a snack from him. A chastising whack to the head from Tsu'tey showed him that necklaces weren't chewable and he stopped. . .but not before biting onto Tsu'tey's hair to give him a playful yank. That was a major difference between the ikran and his rider because Tsu'tey was finicky about everything in life. Part of me wondered whether the hunter was spoiled due to his high ranking because he was a man that nobody said 'no' to.

The hunter stared at me like I'd grown another head but I paid him no mind. This was my decision and if I wanted to fill my bag with half-eaten fruit, I would do so without his consent. Plus, the little tapiri clusters were cute when they waddled into the clearings to stare at me expectantly with their big eyes so they had to have their share also. I truly felt bad that they had to be prey to larger creatures and always tried to give them a little treat to shower them with love. I'd keep an eye on Albert to make sure he didn't wander off alone and get into another jam because the next time, I wouldn't be there to save him. I knew I was meddling in Tsu'tey's 'circle of life' but I couldn't help myself, it was in my nature to help. Maybe the scientist in me would wake from its retirement and screw my head on right about remaining objective but the tapiri were my unofficial pets. I remember the first time I couldn't find a mature female when I returned from training with treats and waited weeks for her until I had to regrettably admit to myself that Martha wasn't coming back. Unlike today, Tsu'tey actually cheered me up back then by spending the day with me and interacted with the tapiri clusters by helping to feed them.

Picking up another half-eaten fruit, I held it up above my head and spoke up brightly to declare, "Happy ikran are good ikran."

"Where did you hear that?" he asked with a hidden tone of curiosity as I heard him rummaging in the small piles behind me, throwing aside any useless fruit that was better off decomposing for mulch. Of course, Mr. Pompous kept using his feet throughout his search instead of his hands like me; for a man that lacked advanced technology and high standards of living, he sure could be picky for a Na'vi.

I threw away a rotting fruit over my shoulder that was already moldy, earning an offended hiss from behind and struggled not to laugh as I unknowingly struck him. Offering a halfhearted apology, I leaned back from a pile I'd finished checking through to answer earnestly, "An old Earth saying but it used workers instead so I customized it."

I filled half of my pack since I tended to be a pack rat whenever I ventured off to explore and scampered back to Tsu'tey as I avoided stepping on some of the rotten fruit. My hands were already sticky and gooey but having that on my feet would drag who knows what onto them like a glue trap. I found Tsu'tey studying one of the fruit but he hid it behind his back as soon as he saw me approach, prompting me to ask sneakily, "What did you find there?"

"Do you know the chances of finding an uneaten utu mauti?" he asked nonchalantly as he gave nothing away but a big knowing smile spread over my face as I observed the tiny dimples forming on his face. Just as anger was easily deciphered on his face and body language, joy was also another emotion that slipped through his stoic mask when he was with me and I knew he'd found something.

"You found one? I want to see, I want to see" I blurted eagerly to see if it was indeed true and tried to peek over his shoulders like a perky youngster on caffeine. Of course, it was impossible with his taller stature (which also made me feel tiny) so I opted to maneuver around him but he kept sidestepping me the whole way. Oh, he was a sneaky petty man. I slapped the back of his shoulder playfully as my fingers grasped the leather cover around his midriff to pull it and implored gently, "Oh, Tsu'tey, I'm not going to take it. You can eat it for all I care, I just want to see it."

He cast a suspicious glance at me and I dropped the funny business to ask directly, "Do you _really _think I'm that kind of person?"

Instead of blowing into an argument, I headed for the tree lines because I didn't like the way he was behaving today and I'd rather head on a separate path than blow into a full argument. I batted away leaves in my way to pent out my frustration as I mumbled under my breath in English, _"Honestly, the crap he pulls out of his ass-"_

His hands landed on my shoulders without warning and I flinched instantly at the thought of another 'think on your feet tests' but felt no feet tripping my own or my knife being taken away deftly. His left arm draped over my chest to keep me from running off (good thing because the only path I knew was the return path home) and his right popped up in front of me to show me the plump purple fruit that all the Na'vi became giddy over like schoolchildren regardless of their age. I didn't really get the whole pizzazz but Tsu'tey wore a smile like he'd one the lottery causing me to chuckle over the rarity of seeing one. Ugh, he was such a hard man to decipher because he could be mistrustful like a fox one minute and friendly like a puppy the next.

"Good find, Eywa must be watching your recent behavior" I complimented automatically and fought the bubbly feeling arising in my tummy as his warm toned chest pressed against my back. Okay, this certainly wasn't helping my attraction simmer in the slightest and cursed the romantic side of my brain that kept prodding me to surprise him with a passionate kiss that would make the fruit the least of his excitement.

_Shut up, romantic you_, I reprimanded the miniature lovesick Joanna as she cut paper hearts with his name on them and logical Joanna began throwing them into a shredder to quiet her sudden dominance.

His next words astonished me when he revealed to me, "I will share it with you."

Where was the dreaded taskmaster that was known as Tsu'tey te Rongloa Ateyitan? He was all over the radar today with his moods and I was lost on the map trying to read them!

"No, as another saying goes 'finders keepers' so you keep it" I declined politely as etiquette dictated on the matter and patted my good leather satchel that contained my own snack that I packed in case I became hungry. Knowing me, it was inevitable anyway. He didn't appear convinced to my refusal because as the finder, he was supposed to give up (he was a paradox, I tell you!) and I told him gently, "Besides, I have my own food so we can eat it at Kelutral."

He flashed me a pearly smile that would swoon all the Omaticayan women and released his hold to urge me forward, "Actually, I know of a place with a beautiful scenic overlook. It isn't very far and we can eat there."

"But what about Neytiri's fruit?" I asked nervously with a hushed tone because I didn't want her to be angry at our late arrival after promising her we'd be quick. I'd given her my word on it. A reason of sightseeing didn't seem worthy enough as an excuse for the future Tsahìk and I hesitated to follow his suggestion. Usually, it was the other way around on these out of the blue treks and I twiddled my thumbs anxiously to reply meekly, "I'd rather go home."

He read the uncertainty on my face clearly and stashed away his prize in his leather satchel to point out matter-of-factly, "The feast isn't until last meal and even so, we have a lot of time before the food is prepared. If we do cause a setback, _I_ will wholeheartedly take the blame."

I still didn't approve because Tsu'tey was a man that didn't like (and couldn't stand) a hit to his pride and doubted he'd take a fall for me. The fingertips of his right hand sought my own and I couldn't help the lilac tint that rose in my cheeks at the physical touch as he gently squeezed my fingers. I'd never felt so old-fashioned about hand holding until now as I stared at him directly in the eyes without modesty. He pulled me along gently to coax my favor as he smiled widely with giddiness to whatever place he wanted to go to. His face was void of grimness or stubbornness as his bright eyes blinked at me with enthusiasm and I smiled in return to his carefree face. I rather liked seeing his features without a single crease and didn't question his request as he spoke, "Follow me."

* * *

"You know something, Tsu'tey?"

"Hmm?"

"You could be a map maker or something with all that knowledge in your head" I chuckled amusingly as we sat on a grassy slope that was north of where we'd been and only accessible by Na'vi hands and hiking feet. His destination had taken us to a solitary grassy cliff that overlooked the southern forest of Pandora and took my breath away by the beauty of the endless horizon that trailed over a sea of trees. Pandora could astound with a simple gaze at its lush landscapes and the sight of Polyphemus above sealed it with an ethereal aura. I couldn't peel my eyes away from studying everything in the distance as wild ikran soared the tinted sky of powder blue from Pandora's atmosphere and the medium blue of the gas planet. The canopies of varying tree sizes obscured the land and the tallest trees towered like candles that would soon glow with the bioluminescence of night. Tsu'tey probably knew every inch of this place and what I found as a recent discovery was probably years old and boring to him.

"I have lived here all of my life, only new places would confuse me but I get my bearings rather quickly" he admitted easily with a small carefree smile as he cut into his fruit (which we stopped at the creek to wash. . .that, and my sticky hands) and found his peppy mood contagious since the beginning of our hike. It was nice to see him relaxed and casual instead of his usual foreboding and grumpy self. His gaze met mine as he paused his cutting and I caught a brief glimmer in those orbs as he remarked pleasingly, "I am glad you like it, Joanna."

"Love is more like it" I chuckled softly to the place he'd picked and observed his sharp features, wondering what else he contained in that brain of his. The Na'vi people might not know complex science or other Terran subjects but their naturalistic lifestyle delved into deeper subjects that weren't known to mankind or at least, existed in history books only. I might have been brilliant in anthropology on Earth but Tsu'tey was outstanding on Pandora with his knowledge. He might not know what the tab or delete button on a laptop does but he definitely knows the difference between a nonpoisonous flower that could kill you from a similar harmless one that was sweet to smell. The silent air around us gave me time to contemplate on what Tsu'tey had taught me thus far and despite my bratty stubbornness at times, he never failed me when I needed him the most.

"I'm sorry."

His gaze broke away from his dexterous cutting to inquire with a puzzled glance, "What?"

"I. . .I shouldn't have interfered back there, it was stupid and reckless. . .I made such a mess for you to clean up and you shouldn't have to do that" I murmured shamefully to the recent incident with the slinger and opened my snack plate to nibble on a piece of fruit I'd cut back at Kelutral. I always packed the essentials for travel in case of emergency and food was a must. My lips sucked on the purple cube to lap up the juice with my tongue as I occupied myself to gather my thoughts, slowly adding to my collage of emotions, "I'm a worrier by nature but you're right, I have to remain neutral to help the clan thrive. I just. . .I don't like hearing or seeing animals die. They're living beings who eat, breathe, sleep, and move like I do. "

"You do know that's what happens when an arrow shoots into their _neck_, right?" he asked flatly and I smacked his shoulder to get him to be serious since I was pouring my heart out. Oddly enough, he was completely serious as he faced me with an earnest look that deemed me attentive and advised, "This is the path you have chosen to walk. If you are unsure, you are always welcome to voice your thoughts with me. I am your teacher, I will guide you with what you deem best and what you are comfortable with."

I smiled kindly to his sincerity and shook my hands to fade away the doubt that seemed to gnaw at me whenever I held a bow in my hands. Never before had I felt uncertainty until I saw my prey before me; in training, it was a wooden target and imaginary, completely different from the real breathing thing. Briefly glancing at a puffy cloud floating by at the right that looked like a lamb, I groaned weakly at all the animal motifs being thrown at me today and murmured softly, "This is what I need. A clan is your family and I cannot let my family down, can I?"

His fingers slowly tapped against my own that rested on the cool grass and I chuckled softly to his awkward but genuine act. For the first time since the day started, I felt comforted by his presence when he stated, "Only if you are sure."

"I am" I assured gently and patted his right shoulder casually without the timidity over skin contact, smiling widely as he examined my action with a tilt of his head. He never paid my human gestures too much attention, except when I first initiated them due to cultural norms, and wondered why he was suddenly interested in each one. I doubted I'd ever understand his complex mind and warmly finalized, "If I feel any hesitation, you'll be the first to know. Now, it's time to snack."

"We just ate back at Kelutral" he protested against my appetite and I snorted at the air dismissively. He could nag forever with this bit but I wouldn't pay him any attention since he typically gave up when he saw I wasn't giving him the spotlight. If he dared to poke me in the stomach for emphasis, I'd slap his shaved head to joke he had abnormal hair. Obviously, that wasn't the best rebuttal but I couldn't find a flaw to exploit. Sure, I could say his eyes were a bit large but he'd boast that they'd help his surveillance or that he was gigantic but that would lead him to rant about his hunting abilities. There was no way to win against this guy so all I could say was a little extra weight would serve me against starvation or make me the next social fad in comparison to the willowy Na'vi.

"You brought me here so you're going to keep me appeased or like you said, 'you take the blame'" I stated matter-of-factly to his previous words and he bared his teeth to my precise memory skills.

"You are better at bartering than I first anticipated, Joanna" he commented with a small smirk on his lips to my growing ability to find excuses with his own uttered words and I grinned proudly to my little talent. He passed something to me and I withheld an instant complaint when I saw several pieces of peeled banana fruit in a clean leaf (I swore the man carried them like humans would Kleenex).

"But I told you to keep it" I insisted to the generous offer but he placed the yellow fruit on my leaf plate before I could say otherwise. This was his little treasure find and I didn't want to take part of it away from him. His eyes told me he wasn't accepting refusal of any kind and I sighed softly in defeat, flashing him an appreciative smile for the rare treat, "Thank you."

I grabbed one of the cubed pieces and nibbled on a corner before tasting what all the fuss was about. Since humans called it banana fruit, I expected it to taste like one because of the similar coloring on the inside but it was sweeter than anything I'd ever tried. This was not a _banana _fruit. The myriad of tastes could've mixed in a kiwi, mango, watermelon, and even the exotic annona, and it still wouldn't be the same taste as this. Tsu'tey smiled cockily as he saw the admiration of the wonder fruit written across my face and chuckled softly in amusement to remark, "Now you see why it is a rare delicacy."

Dabbing at the corner of my lips, we laughed together like old school chums on a picnic as he taught me something new about this world and I pointed to my plate to offer, "You can share my fruit too since you offered me this."

He pulled his half of the fruit closer to his chest as if fearing contamination and I teased playfully to his silly boyish action, "All right, I won't taint your precious there with this inferior fruit."

"All fruit is equal" he rebutted my comment and I rolled my eyes when clear juice dribbled down the left side of his mouth. Just like a cute but cranky baby. I wiped it off with my fingertips like I'd done so many times during our debates, brushing it off against the grass, and he complained to maintain his pride, "I am not a child."

I opened my mouth to reply that he sure ate like one and that sustaining dignity flew out the window when it concerned both of us alone but he cut me off intentionally with a heated glare, "And I don't eat like one."

_He's cute when he's fussy, not overly crazy which drives me bonkers like earlier today_, I thought with a small hidden smile to his attitude and returned to my batch of fruit to eat the banana fruit. _I keep falling hard for him and I don't even know if he could ever feel the same._

"Finish your meal, little Tsu'tey" I chided gently when I caught him sneaking glances at me and he nudged my back with his elbow before continuing his snack. Yep, just like old times.

He grumbled noncommittally, chewing his bites of fruit with careful precision while I basically shoved them into my mouth to swallow them like a hungry duck. It wasn't a pretty feminine sight so I quickly slowed down my bites significantly before he had a chance to chastise me about it with another 'don't you know' lectures. My slow deliberate bites became noticed, regardless of my attempt to squash my messiness, and heard him ask curiously, "Why are you eating so slow?"

"Am I?" I tried to feign innocence to my sudden change of habit and could see from his skeptical glance that he wasn't buying it. The man would've honestly made a good detective with his perceptiveness but maybe I was an easy tell at conveying my inner thoughts. If so, I needed to work hard at building that brick wall that I'd brought with me during our first meeting. Uttering a disgruntled groan, I stared at my feet to occupy myself as grass poked out between my toes and admitted with embarrassment, "My manner of eating always looks disastrous in comparison to yours. You eat like a meek Hexapede while I'm a thanator, shredding everything to bits-""I like the way you eat" he broke in casually with a quiet tone and my mouth gaped in surprise that he didn't agree, much less scold me. His line of sight diverted away from mine as he stared at the clouds instead and he stated simply, "It tells me you're a woman who enjoys her food. You always concern yourself with what others think. Don't. It is better to see a bird enjoying its freedom in the sky rather than constrained in its cage for aesthetic beauty."

_How do you come up with these quotes?_, I pondered privately to the comforting words he always grasped out of thin air like a natural poet and smiled softly in gratitude. My leaf plate was already empty so I simply stuffed it into my pack with a sheepish smile in a vain attempt to hide my frantic devouring of food. _But. . .he said he likes my crazy munching._

His gorgeous eyes connected with mine and this time, he didn't break eye contact as he asserted his words firmly, "You are one of the boldest, if not, the _most _stubborn woman I've met in my life and you will take full rein of that when you achieve rank. However, I _cannot _stand your lack of confidence when it comes to yourself. I should not have to point out what you should already know: beauty, sensibility, intelligence, bravery, wit. You have all of that and you should never doubt yourself. You behave how you want because you deserve to and whoever on Earth taught you otherwise should be hung over a pit of nantang."

I remained silent throughout the stern rant and his tense posture relaxed completely, my eyes watching his shoulders fall at ease as he sighed aloud in relief, "There. I've been meaning to get that off my mind."

To me, he was the perfect mix of what a man should be. To other women, he might be too abrasive or boring, even downright grumpy but to me, he was ideal. He remained collected and reserved in public but privately, he discussed what he could without turning into a drama queen (spats not included in this). I was the emotional one of the two and it wasn't because of my femininity but because my barriers were easily broken into than his own. With my upbringing, I was susceptible to being deceived by others and could be shattered like glass when betrayed while he kept a sturdy hand on his emotional lock in private quarters. In this case, he strengthened my confidence over my strange and less than likeable traits that were pretty normal in reality but my mind kept distorting them into something hideous. My thank you wasn't needed as he resumed to cloud watching and I picked a spot on the opposite side to watch since the previous conversation sent my mind to romantic Joanna's realm.

_There's no harm in asking him_, she squeaked innocently as she drew the old school pink hearts with both initials inside. She was probably naming future children by now.

_He's not a human you can ask out on a date with no harm done_, I berated her with my own logic because such a question could be irreversible in damage. Oh, why couldn't the Na'vi date like normal human people?

_We deserve happiness and he's perfect_, _he could be the one but you're too blind to see it_, she shot back defensively with her high pitched voice as she hugged a Tsu'tey plushie and I wiped my mind clear of that image. What the hell went on in the recesses of my mind nowadays anyway?

Romantic Joanna didn't hesitate to butt in again with, _For all you know, he could be wooing women already and you're blowing it! Blowing it!_

_If he doesn't notice me, then that means I wasn't worthy of it and I'll find somebody else_, I decided easily on the matter and truly wondered if I could place my trust in another man like I had with Tsu'tey. True, trust took years to form but the Na'vi were open without pretension to me unlike mankind. He was aggressive and grumpy like no other but he welcomed me with open arms when I had problems, helping me overcome them just as he did now with his pep talk.

A sudden graze to my shoulder pulled me away from the internal conflict and a small glimpse backwards showed me that he was interested with something on my back. His fingers trailed down my right shoulder blade, his light grazes exciting my bare skin as he outlined the contours. Honestly, all he had to do was touch me and I was a puddle of goo. It wasn't fair. His touch moved the side of my arm and my brain began to assess what the hell was the meaning behind this intoxicating sensation. He was constantly curious about my old world and it could be just about anything! He'd studied my fingers once just to see how different they were from his own but assured me it wasn't to appear condescending since he'd spoken to me about that during my first day in Kelutral after shaving my eyebrows off. Yeah, he also forgot to remind me that they would keep growing back and I had to do it myself with my own knife. When his forehead rested against my shoulders, I knew he was mulling over something important and I suppressed a shudder the second his breath struck my skin.

I let him have his privacy as my back played the therapist's chair but when a minute passed and he didn't do or say anything, I intervened. Angling my neck so I could view the top of his shaved head, I decided to go for verbal comfort since he was hiding back there and asked softly, "What's wrong? You weren't this quiet minutes ago."

"I have a lot on my mind recently" he admitted quietly and briefly glanced at me with half-lidded eyes that betrayed exhaustion before pressing his forehead back to its original spot. My heart went out to him because juggling so many tasks every single day without rest could take a toll on a person. I was nothing compared to him, I was a student who was learning the ropes and had yet to see the broad spectrum of what would be asked of me in the future. A day for me was simply training, remembering that training, watching over the children, and helping the cooks- that was just the average for me. Tsu'tey, on the other hand, had to hunt whether by air or ground, inspect his weapons and craft disposable arrows, teach me which was a whopper of a job due to my stubbornness, keep the hunting groups in check, report to Jake with changes in the clan, and he also had to teach Jake tidbits about being leader (but I think that was almost done since Mo'at helped). I could go on with a full list but the end result was the same- I was a speck in comparison to his job load.

I turned around to face him, disrupting his small moment of solitude and sympathized gently, "Of course you do. There is always a lot expected of you, Tsu'tey, and if you want to talk to me or vent about it to the sky. . .nobody but us will know about it. You have free rein to say whatever you want, even if it's about me."

"You always know what to say, my little eylan" he sighed quietly to my offer but I saw a small twitch in his lips that raised upwards to let me know I did a good job. His words warmed my heart but he needed peace of mind from whatever was bothering him. I leaned forward to show my empathy with a quick spur of the moment hug but my grip on the rock under my other hand slipped and down I went like a sack of potatoes, crashing onto the grass to get a face full of dirt that had me sighing at my awful luck. Eywa must be having a field day with me today and I wiped away the flecks of cakey dirt on my face, brushing off any grass that stuck on while hoping no grass stains were on my clothes. I hated washing those bothersome stubborn stains out.

His hands turned me around within seconds as he observed the damage with a worried face, asking quickly, "Wiya, are you all right?"

"Never been better" I replied with a nervous laugh to my shabby appearance and focused on anything but his hovering face overhead, spitting out flecks of dust that stuck under my lips with humiliation. His thumb grazed over my cheekbone with a featherlike touch that brought back that self-consciousness he argued about and watched him brush away the last remainders of dirt off my face. It was a sweet gesture that soon had me chuckling softly at myself for getting into these peculiar situations and he aimed a modest smile to keep the occurrence lightly humorous. Sighing to myself, I brushed back strands of unkempt hair behind my ears and piped up pleasantly, "This could only happen to me. . .but it keeps life interesting, don't you think?"

Tsu'tey chuckled to my unfazed demeanor as I tried to make light of the situation with a modest crooked smile. He gave my right cheek a light pat with his fingers before taking them away as he agreed, "Only you, Joanna. Only you."

The puffy white clouds caught my attention to an old childhood pastime and I forgot all my awkwardness to pipe up playfully, "I know something that will help you relax. It involves lying on the grass on your back, relaxing to the open environment, staring at the heavens-"

I noticed a light tinting to his cheeks that came out of nowhere and furrowed my brow in curiosity, asking quickly, "I suppose it's my turn to ask if _you're _all right?"

He coughed roughly to clear his throat and evaded on elaborating the question as he spoke hastily, "Of course, what was it exactly. . .that you proposed?"

"Cloud watching" I replied chirpily and his face took on an entirely different expression this time that I couldn't make out and he collapsed onto the grass on his back with a defeated groan. What was wrong with him? I crawled over to his side in the hopes of an answer and asked worriedly, "Tsu'tey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, my thoughts simply. . .never you mind, just explain your game" he sighed tiredly and patted the grass next to him with his right hand as his eyes targeted the sky overhead for unknown enemies.

I already knew he was analyzing each little cloud with his mind and I stroked his braided hair back to break his concentration on them, scolding him gently, "It is a game. I want you to wipe your mind clean, no thoughts about what awaits back home. Just listen to the simple rules and it will all be okay."

I introduced him into the game of deciphering cloud shapes as he laid on the grass with his hands behind his head like surfer catching the sun. He complained it was childish at first because a man like him was suited for more 'sophisticated' hobbies and after threatening to tie his tail to a nearby boulder, he grudgingly obeyed since I wasn't going anywhere or doing anything else until he agreed. Cloud cover was good today so we got to see plenty of fluffy ones and Tsu'tey let a low deep chuckle escape his lips as he commented dryly, "I would hate for it to rain on that couple today."

I rested on my stomach as I watched the western area while he surveyed the center of the sky and batted his shoulder from across to nag him, "When you're passionate about that person, you will mate even when the world's ending. Rain can be quite romantic in itself, you know."

"Your logic is strange" he commented simply as his eyes traced a white clump without form and I could see he was growing bored with the pastime. Only unseen danger could excite this crazy man but I wouldn't let his prissiness spoil my fun.

"Your head is strange" I snapped back but sniggered the next second to my weak comeback and buried my head in my hands in misery to the crappy rebuttal. Breathing deeply to calm myself before I burst into a laughing hysteric, I looked to him and admitted glumly, "I don't think I could handle running out of retorts for you. It's practically our highlight of the day."

His hand patted the top of my head like a child's as he watched the sky lazily and heard him mumble, "I'm sure you'll find inspiration."

I rolled my eyes to his dull robotic tone and tried to lure him into the game by pointing at a cloud with a thin bottom, calling out with glee, _"Palm tree!"_

His line of sight zoned in on my target to scrutinize the cloud and he scoffed at the air, stating confidently with a different answer, "Atokirina."

Nonetheless, I kept my answer because it obviously looked like one and stated simply, _"Palm tree."_

"What's a _palm tree_?" he asked with irritated confusion, his braided hair dangling in the air as he turned to glance at me in explanation, and I slumped against the grass for playing teacher again.

"That! A trunk and pointy looking leaves" I explained simplistically because describing flora was more akin to Cheryl's old job than mine but Tsu'tey didn't seem to buy it anyway.

His large eyes were void of interest to my awful answer and he remained resolute with his answer, calmly enforcing with a slow drawl, "Atokirina."

I wasn't seeing it in the cloud above, which looked _exactly _like a replica of a palm tree, and motioned to the top portion as it passed into his line of sight to insist, "Look, the top is spiky and not soft like atokirina-"

"Only living residents of Pandora qualify, your _palm_ _tree _doesn't so I win" he declared arrogantly with a smirk to win the match and I smacked his shoulder for trying to defeat me at my own game. Lousy cheater; he had to modify the game to suit his tastes _and _without warning? My eyes narrowed into a glower because I wasn't about to lose and he rubbed salt in the wound when he smirked cockily to preen gently, "Do not be a sore loser."

"Says the man who can't handle competition" I snorted dryly to his childish manipulation but grinned perkily the next second to declare excitedly, "Oh, I found new ammunition!"

"Most would not dare to insult me, you know" he spoke casually without threat and I hissed because I wanted to celebrate at taking our friendly spats to the next level. However, I quieted when his fingertips grazed the feathers in my earrings for mild enjoyment and I definitely didn't mind that. . .damn you, lovesick Joanna.

I grinned proudly to my feat because a world without arguing with him just wasn't worth living in. He brightened up my days with his irritating cockiness but he was damn sweet that he had me wrapped around his. . .well, he didn't have a pinkie but his last finger. Shooting him a smug face, I admitted without restraint, "I'm not like most people. That, and we've broken each other down only to build up from that so no, I'll never be afraid of you. I can respect, honor, laugh, cry, yell, care, and fight for or with you but fear's never been instilled. Maybe when I was the height of your leg as a human and feared being sat on or flattened, definitely, but not now."

My index finger poked his feline nose to tickle that fading line between rose and cyan as I jeered playfully, "You lost your chance at filling me with fear like everyone else."

"Yes, I was very preoccupied with planning your demise- I mean, _departure _off my world" he remarked sarcastically to his old evil plans and felt his fingertips raise to trace over the edges of my right ear. Had I mentioned that Na'vi ears were more sensitive than human ears to touching? They truly were; I learned that when he first yanked on one during our old spats which had me nursing my abused purple ear but I got revenge by feeding him sour fruit. I chuckled in remembrance to the hell we made out of each other's lives and a smile brightened up my face when he admitted wistfully, "I'm very glad that old mindset left me, Joanna. I would certainly miss your company and camaraderie if I hadn't. . .I believe Eywa has placed you as a good soul to keep me from. . .well, you know firsthand how I can truly be."

"Ruthless and stubborn like an ikran?" I supplied impishly about his short fuse but the humor in my voice melted into warm sincerity to add in, "But one of the best examples of what a Na'vi warrior should be. Selfless and courageous."

A familiarly shaped cloud passed overhead and I smiled delightfully to call out, _"Cupcake."_

"No English words!" he reprimanded as he twisted the rules of the game to his favor and I punched the side of his shoulder where the joint was located, earning a hiss from his end as I rested in my spot to gaze at the sky. There were indeed many puffy clouds rolling by today and seriously hoped that rain wouldn't put a damper on today's festivities. On the other hand, rain was romantic in itself by cozying up to your loved one on that memorable day; I blamed romantic Joanna for my hopeless romanticism.

"You're just jealous that you didn't think of using languages to your advantage first" I preened airily to his mindset and leaned over to playfully poke his nose again, laughing merrily as it wrinkled to the bothersome sensation. His fingers put an end to my banter when he grasped and placed them facedown on the grass as he gave me a playful yank to order lightly, "Why don't you stop being a little sneaky nantang and lie down? Hmm?"

My mouth offered a small whine of retaliation before shutting up completely and I laid down next to him like a baby sheep would to its fluffy mama sheep. I substituted his arm to play the role of a pillow as his warm skin relaxed my body completely like a good night's sleep would do but flinched in reflex when I felt a tug on my fingers. I'd completely forgotten they'd been wrapped under his hand and tried to hide the fact I'd stiffened like a board because acting affected would only draw attention. . .then again, if I didn't, wouldn't that also light up a warning sign?

_You're over thinking everything, Joanna_, I chastised myself because while my mind was working at light speed, Tsu'tey appeared fresh as a daisy. _Look at him, he doesn't even know my heart rate's through the roof for his stubborn ass- hey!_

This thought process was broken when he took his arm away and I was more than ready to kick my flight-or-fight response into high gear to flee the scene. With my bundle of nerves, I was liable to throw myself off the cliff just to escape any mortification if he became suspicious of my true feelings. Instead, I was taken aback when he wrapped the arm _around _my shoulders in that human way that had me stunned and wondering where the hell he learned that from. I've been in his embrace before and Na'vi definitely embraced. . .but the one armed hug? What the hell was going on?

_Where would he even. . .? Jake!. . .or Norm, but most likely Jake!, _my mind cleared with that epiphany and I'd be cornering that charismatic ex-marine soon enough for answers. I knew the two talked but I never thought Tsu'tey would pick up or want to learn about human stuff.

My large eyes blinked at the sky as if the endless blue horizon held an answer on what to do here but I refused to make any sudden movements in case he had a sudden change of mind. The lack of space between us also put me on edge since facing him was all I could do as I laid on my side and mentally cursed for not choosing to relax on my back or away from him. I must've eyed him a little too much in my nervous state of mind because he caught my gaze with his own golden orbs and I reacted with the stupidest of behaviors: hiding my face on his shoulder.

Yeah, I could hit myself over the head with a shovel at this point and not care.

I expected a scolding about weakness or a brush-off that plopped me back onto my own section on the grass but I received none. His arm encircled my shoulders to draw me closer to his warm body and felt his chin rest on top of my head as he whispered softly to soothe my nerves, "Watch the clouds and relax."

Really? This was my response? A sappy smile covered my face because I was more than glad to do so and scooted closer to the crook of his neck and relaxed on my stomach, inhaling softly as another cluster crossed into our sights. I abided to his customized rules and called out anything resembling an item, person, or thing on Pandora but of course, his extensive knowledge kept beating me. After a score of ten to four (shameful, I know), I gave up on the game and decided to enjoy his company instead as my fingertips traced down the side of his forearm. He'd yet to say anything about our close proximities as I traced the stripes on his cyan skin but I was already content with the soft strokes his fingertips were grazing my left ear with. His steady heartbeat kept me calm as I forgot we were due back at Hometree and our cozy contact made me feel perfectly at home. A sleepy yawn left my lips as I huddled against him and spoke softly to keep the game going, "Call them out."

"Aren't you playing anymore?" he inquired as I gave up the game and felt his fingers stop at the end of my ear. Mentally, I groaned at why he stopped now because I was more than comfortable with it and sulked as I was pulled down from my romantic bliss.

"You should play since you hate being idle more than I do and we still have our hike back" I reasoned with my excuse because I truly was becoming lethargic and smiled like happy kitty when his fingers gently grazed the nape of my neck. The delicate touch was electrifying on my skin due to the close proximity to the queue area and muffled a happy whimper that threatened to escape my lips. Did he know the torment he was causing with his touch? I cleared my throat to shake away the tingles running down my spine and reminded casually, "Everyone will expect the women to dance and I'm sure the idea of a mating union will have their sights set on you for tonight."

A proud smirk crossed over his lips since I knew he basked in knowing the single women fawned for him and I scoffed, unimpressed, to knock him down his pedestal, "You know, sometimes I think you refuse choosing a mate simply because you want the whole flock's attention all to yourself. I should tell them that you pee yourself constantly, that should send them running away to the other available men that live in your shadow."

His nose pressed against my cheek without timidity and I chastised my jackhammer of a heart for soaring at the skin contact as his steady breathing tickled me. His forehead touched my temple and I could smell the sweet fruit juice on his breath as he chuckled deeply, "Why so cruel, Joanna?"

"Me? You're the one leading the women to believe you're the best and attainable when all you really want is the attention" I stated knowingly to his cocky demeanor and turned my face downwards to add a little space between our faces. My temple remained pressed against his forehead because having his lips that close was both torturous and pleasing. In the mood to lighten my present circumstance, I deepened my voice to playfully mimic, "Rawr, I'm Tsu'tey and you can see all you want but not touch. Worship me with sultry looks and I _may _choose one lucky lady to bear my hardheaded children. Heavy emphasis on may."

His free hand poked my forehead like I'd done to his nose and he pointed out matter-of-factly, "Choosing a mate is no easy task, Joanna. You must See a connection to them and despite my vast popularity-"

"Did you just say 'vast'?" I interjected in disbelief to how far he went to be confident with his little ego boost and muffled a snicker behind my hands.

He sighed melodramatically to my interruption and I offered a quick apology for it, squeezing his fingers gently to let him know I meant it since he was talking about a serious subject. His yellow eyes bore into mine and I was easily drawn into those molten pools of gold, even before he began to speak, "You're still a child in the eyes of The People. You don't understand the complex nature of loving or devoting yourself in that manner to someone who will be your lifelong partner. When you pass into womanhood, maybe you'll grasp its meaning as you mature further-"

I tore my hand away from his instantly and bolted from my position next to him, bringing myself to sit down as I absorbed his insensitive words. A child? Mature? Learn to care for another? _Maybe _grasp the meaning of love? _**Maybe**_? Seriously? He was lecturing _me_? Damn it, I was downright furious that I couldn't even say my first sentences in Na'vi.

"_**What the hell were you doing then? This isn't teaching!" **_I shouted furiously like never before in English as anger consumed every fiber of my being and grabbed my satchel for a hasty retreat. I growled scornfully at him when his hand sought out to grab my own and stood up as my muscles strained against beating him down with my things. What the hell was the whole point to his touchy feely behavior when he spouts hypocritical crap like this? I jabbed a finger at his face as I aimed my dirtiest glare at him and snapped angrily, "I may be in a younger body but I've lived far longer than you! I know the steps of courtship, the Sky People court and we can either mate temporarily or permanently. Trust me, pal, I've mated _far _more than you ever have and probably will. Don't tell me I don't know all of this and minimize me like a child after acting like a suave man that will say exactly what I want to hear just to get your own self-confidence at a higher scale for tempting me in such a manner. It's despicable and you should be ashamed of yourself!"

I grit my teeth at his audacity and my own stupidity to think he'd actually-

"I'm returning home- do _not _follow me" I ordered coldly and didn't spare him a glance as I headed towards the downhill portion of the cliff to begin the climb down. My eyes burned to what happened as my emotions took hold to release all the sudden pain but I shoved them down with a few deep meditative breaths because home was Kelutral, not him, and it always brought me comfort and safety.

* * *

"Are men idiots, Cheryl?" I questioned bluntly as we sat on a large warm boulder like a turtle duo, the bright sun hovering over us with its bathing glow. We had decided to spend the afternoon by the river before the festivities were underway and with it being a hot spot due to its close vicinity, many Na'vi wandered the area. Norm was in the large calm river in front of us, attempting who knows what to catch Tarazi's attention as she sat with friends nearby. The woman had yet to notice him as she chatted away and hoped Norm wouldn't be the idiot that Tsu'tey was. No, I doubted Norm's gentle nature would risk that but then again, his nervousness around the fairer sex could put him in a verbal sticky spot easily. Cheryl gave me a knowing look for the question since women throughout time had asked that very same thing and hastily added in, "Yes, I know the question is an old cliché but I'm wondering if it can cross the species barrier."

"Tsu'tey again?" she asked simply as she knew my frustration in the romance department came from him alone. When was it not about him? I was the store customer that was stuck waiting in line day in and day out because nothing I did or said worked. And when I thought it did, everything blew up in my face like it had back at the cliff.

I uttered an aggravated sigh at that damn hunter who kept plaguing my mind and grit out tightly, "Yes, he is driving me insane and I don't mean it like 'he can ravage my temple any day-"

"Joanna!" Cheryl blushed to my choice of words and I rolled my eyes to her conservative nature. Sweet sensitive Cheryl was a stark comparison to Tsu'tey who would laugh at my adulterated words with that charming smirk of his. I rubbed her back in friendly sympathy as she tried to stop her face from shifting to a violet shade but a small shy chuckle told me she was okay.

"What? It's not like he's going to, that whole 'marriage before mating' bit is going to keep me celibate forever" I pointed out wryly to that social norm and she smacked my shoulder for the confession. I leaned over to keep our conversation discreet and whispered with a naughty smile, "It's a good thing my libido is a hibernating bear or I'd be causing a little chaos in my hammock if my interest was caught-"

"But it is" she pointed out subtly with a sneaky smile and I hissed distastefully at the known fact.

"_Only _if it was reciprocated" I finished impetuously because appearing love starved was a bad look for anybody and crossed my arms to splash at the sparkling water below us with my toes. Oh, how I wished I could punch in his stomach for making me feel so stupid. I stuck out my lower lip in a pout as I mumbled weakly with envy, "Otherwise, I'd be like Jake who makes goo goo eyes at Neytiri whenever she walks by. He's practically a cartoon wolf ready to howl at the moon for her. That also brings me as to how they can ward off pregnancy for so long, I mean, we don't have much on contraceptives and they're only used in older age groups to prevent danger for women."

A sudden question dawned on me that I was almost too afraid to voice aloud. Nonetheless, I slowly dared myself to ask slowly with apprehension, _"You don't think. . .I mean, the RDA never said. . .Cheryl, are we sterile?"_

Her large eyes widened to the possibility that suddenly gripped our minds and she stammered to find a decent answer, _"Well, um, oh dear. . ."_

I didn't want to think about it either because many of us wanted to live new lives which included having the ability to reproduce. For Jake, it was crucial to pass on leadership to his child. During the creation of my avatar, I'd wondered if the accelerated growth process would continue indefinitely until death but thankfully, it would not as the process broke during the last weeks before 'birthing'. However, none of the scientists expected us to seek any nookie with the Na'vi species but Jake obviously changed that rule for everybody. I splashed the cold sparkling water with my entire foot, drenching my lower legs in the process as I debated aloud, _"I know I said I never wanted rabid little Joanna's' ripping my limbs off with 'mommy this and momma that' but. . .,"_ my voice lowered into a soft murmur as I smiled at the water, _"I want a little Joanna to bug me one day with a cute lopsided grin that's missing teeth and little skinned knees that need to have boo-boos kissed."_

. . .

"I'm getting soft, aren't I?" I grumbled pitifully to that inner wish of mine and slumped against Cheryl for having babies on the brain when my romance life was a maglev train wreck. She patted my shoulder to simmer my woes and I splashed my foot in the direction of Norm, the water soaking his back in fat droplets as he tried to catch something with a wooden bowl.

"_Hey!"_

"Quiet up there, your future children will thank me," was my sorry excuse as I pondered on this conundrum and shouted indignantly at my friend when he bathed me in water from the bowl he carried. Norm's aiming was perfect because he drenched me completely while Cheryl remained squeaky clean and dry as she tried to hide a small snicker. I spit out the cold water that fell in my mouth, shaking my limbs to throw off excess water to warm my skin under the sun as I glared at Norm through soaked strands of black hair. Crossing my arms in both a defensive position and a way to conserve body heat, I retorted dryly to his retaliation, "That's real mature, Norm. You forget I can slip in hallucinatory mushrooms into your plate with my unlimited access and I'd hate to bring Tarazi to a slobbering you."

Our friend frowned as he tried to come up with a decent argument but gave up, lowering his shoulders in defeat and mumbling flatly, "You're turning into Tsu'tey."

Oh, so the 'Tsu'tey' card was his luck of the draw for today? Okay, I could play that game. My eyes narrowed with slyness hidden within as I turned my gaze towards the right, earning a 'meep' from Norm as he caught onto my idea. He wasn't fast enough to intervene and my lips widened into a big friendly smile as I spoke aloud to beckon, "Tarazi! Have you met Norm? He's a bit sheepish since-"

"I can speak for myself, Joanna!" he interjected firmly and I approved with a nod, pleasantly surprised that he wasn't running from the water at top speed or swimming quickly to the other side of the riverbank to never return again. Maybe my intervention would finally push Norm into introducing himself rather than staying afar and hoping for a sign of acknowledgment. Tarazi watched Norm with mild interest as she sat on a boulder opposite of us, taking in the sun's rays like a proud lioness in her hunting garb (she must've trained today as well) while her friends remained in the shade to chat amongst themselves.

"Normspellman? The one whose arrows bounced off the target?" she asked slowly and Norm scratched the back of his neck in regards to something that occurred between the two. I was actually finding myself amused by this (I blamed Tsu'tey's dark humor for rubbing off on me) and laid down on my stomach to watch the interaction like an imp would of its beautiful destruction. Unlike an imp, however, I wanted this to flow agreeably.

"Yes, but they were blunt tipped and I forgot to check. . .I like to train with different types to see which would be more effective on specific prey" he explained carefully and her friends chatter rose slightly as they turned to watch the modest but honest Norm. Tarazi, however, simply hushed their noise for serving as a disturbance and returned her firm gaze back to poor Norm. For a student, the woman had a hawk like gaze that could paralyze the timid and felt Cheryl grasp my forearm with worry for our friend while I remained unfazed. I suppose all of Tsu'tey's death glares paid of when it came to not fearing people. Hmm, maybe I shouldn't have put him in this dilly of a pickle but yet again, Jake was doing nothing to move Norm's little love wagon so maybe I could be queen matchmaker if I coupled Tarazi with Norm and pried an engagement from Noren to Cheryl.

_Hmm, Jake would have to bow to our greatness_, logical Joanna contemplated at the opportunity to rise in power (well, matchmaking power) while romantic Joanna huffed that Tsu'tey should be our main concern.

Tarazi tilted her round chin upwards, observing Norm like one would a new species or a microscopic specimen and questioned with her neutral tone, "Are you a warrior yet, dreamwalker?"

"Er. . .not yet" he answered with disappointment to the main factor every female looked for and hid the bow he held behind his back as if suddenly ashamed. I was tempted to intervene by either calling him back or actually playing the role of an interested female (since Cheryl wasn't the acting type) but found that I didn't need to. Norm recovered from his hesitation and brought his bow forward again to observe it, feigning sudden interest with it as he remarked casually but with confidence, "Neytiri says I should be ready soon, however. One cannot face danger without a weapon in hand and strategy on the mind. Otherwise, failure is inevitable."

The huntress in training tilted her head to the side to dwell on what he'd said while Norm's eyes practically darted over the place like ping-pong's for an exit. The sudden spike in bravery was apparently wilting but thankfully, Tarazi's friends seemed to want her back in their circle and she waved them away for their impatience. Her long braids swayed over her left shoulder as she leaned her weight onto that side, tilting her head to the side to speak with a softer tone that was laced with intrigue, "I will be ready before the season ends and not a day later. It was. . .interesting to speak with you, Normspellman, you rarely speak when seen I almost thought you were mute. Maybe you could tell me about the arrows you train with, my father has crafted many kinds over the years and could give you tips if you wish."

This automatically turned his cheeks darker and he stuttered to say something but thought better of it, closing his mouth with a small thankful nod. Tarazi's eyes glittered with interest as she observed his politeness and she motioned towards the shore that lay behind us to inform casually, "If you want to catch the tiny anku fish, they gather in droves near the western shore where shallow pools are hidden."

"T-Thank you for telling me" Norm politely replied with a friendly smile and nodded to her respectively before hastily treading through the water to head back towards us. I thought he would head for the anku fish to show off a bit but he stopped in front of me to hiss quietly, _"Joanna, what the hell was that about?"_

"_Consider me your fairy godmother, you finally got to talk to her without fainting on sight so be happy" _I answered proudly to my handiwork and squeezed his shoulders happily while Cheryl sighed to my meddling. I hardly butted into private affairs anyway and Norm desperately needed a shove in the love department. He was like the last item on the clearance rack and despite the repeated mark downs, nobody bought him. He was my unofficial baby brother and I would make sure Tarazi bought her cup of sugar named Norm. . .if not, I'd find him somebody else. Like a coach, I pried open the book to the inner workings of the female mind and explained with a smile, _"Women like their men to be confident-"_

"_Yours is a freakin' thanator, I can't be violent and ruthless" _he shot back anxiously and I hissed angrily at everyone's assumption that I was secretly dating Tsu'tey. I wasn't and even if I was, there was a lot of red tape on the matter.

I slapped the side of his head but unlike Tsu'tey and Jake, he kept his hair how it was so it cushioned the blow somewhat. Norm could never have the personality of Tsu'tey, anyone would tell him that, and I clarified my meaning, "I said confidence, not bloodthirsty brutality. You need to be poised, refined, and cool on any touchy subjects. Look at my hand, steady like the river-"

"You just slapped me with said hand" he muttered flatly as he watched my firm hand as it rested on my lap and I proceeded to do the same thing again. I actually expected his reflexes to stop me but he failed horribly as the whack landed, "Ow!"

"I'm a woman, that's entirely different so _nyeh_!" I argued flippantly to defend my gender and stuck out my tongue to validate my actions as he rubbed his sore head. Norm was the kind of guy you showed off to your parents and they instantly approved so I knew he would do anything to please the one he cared for. However, I didn't want him jumping through hoops for someone who wouldn't appreciate or would take advantage of him. My face softened from its sarcastic façade and I advised him with a warm smile, "Make sure she sees you doing what you like, she has to see you for _you _and not something you aren't. When you pass by, greet her politely with a nice compliment and be on your way. Do not dawdle or blow into a monologue or she'll leave faster than a viperwolf smelling thanator crap-"

"Joanna!" Cheryl gasped at my bold words and I shushed her as Norm groaned to my love advice. This was our private conversation and I didn't want anyone taking interest by her outbursts for later gossip around the hearth.

"_Cheryl and I are here if you have questions on the complex woman mind so. . .hey, you're like our Cinderella" _I joked playfully with a goofy grin that had Norm covering his face with the bowl and Cheryl laughing into her hand. I'm sure he'd rather have guy help on this one but with Jake having his own dealings and trying to mess with my love life, we were all Norm had. As the saying went, 'take what you can get'. I waved my hand to erase the comparison of Cinderella and pursed my lips to reject, _"Nah, that's too girly. You're Aladdin and I'm Genie while Cheryl's. . .um, Abu?"_

Cheryl astounded both of us when she grabbed Norm's bowl and proceeded to fill it with water, splashing me over the head with it for the second time today. This time, I was completely drenched from head to toe and stewed in my spot for being given an unwilling public bath by my friends. I spit out excess water _again _while pushing my drenched strands of hair back to dryly state, _"Okay, you're Carpet."_

"I don't take part in schemes or gossip. . .but I can do diversions" she stated primly about her do's and don'ts (and there were many) in life which caused Norm and I to exchange a placid stare to Cheryl's good nature. She caught our shared glance and frowned to our disapproval on her lack of gumption with schemes and she stated firmly, _"I think Norm will be just fine, he's not at the extent of you and Tsu'tey. You two are the futuristic spitting image of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy from Jane Austen-"_

"_I told you not to bring that selfish brute up!" _I growled heatedly as my good mood plummeted into the sour zone at that man's name and realized a second later that she was purposely lighting the fire on that one. Aha! So my craftiness _was _rubbing off on dear Cheryl, even if it was in slow tiny doses. A sappy proud smile crossed my face and I embraced her tightly to declare with dramatic sniffles of pride, _"Oh, Cheryl, you are a sneaky little Carpet."_

"Joanna!"

Luckily, Eywa spared me from a lecture when Jake's hunting party appeared from behind the dark green bushes that separated the river's shore from the interior of the forest. This is why we liked the spot, it was large enough to fit the clan's numbers but isolated enough from wildlife. Imagine my horror when half of them were splattered with red blood from the waist up and the bold sight of crimson on cyan skin ceased the ongoing conversations at the river. My first thought was that they'd been injured and were seeking any healers relaxing here but Jake raised his palm to subside the hushed whispers. Like the reserved leader he was, he spoke calmly and clearly to us, "The hunt is finished and Eywa granted us a clean fight. We only came for water to refill the bathing area but if anybody wants to help in preparing the Angtsìk, you are more than welcome."

Like a flash of lighting, a crowd of children gathered around Jake's legs to unleash a barrage of questions about the hunt and the high pitched voices only grew as the hunting group gathered water at the shore. The men and women he chose to partake in the hunt appeared strong in body but their eyes showed the hidden exhaustion from bringing down such a creature. Frankly, the Titanothere reminded me of a mutated rhino back in the dinosaur eras so of course, I was intimidated by the sight of the creature alone and did not want that beast lumbering after me with its bellows. I'd already run off from a thanator and escaped but although the incident remained secret between Tsu'tey and I, the memories would never fade.

An endearing smile escaped my lips as I watched the little ones yank Jake back and forth like a yo-yo with questions but unlike Tsu'tey who ran away like he was on fire, our leader stayed to answer their curious inquiries. I truly hoped, for all our sakes, that we weren't unknowingly infertile because I wanted a little pair of hands yanking on my fingers and asking to be picked up one day.

My reverie was broken when Jake called Norm over to help him with preparing the titanothere for cooking and storage. I yawned tiredly into my hand since today would be a day to waste energy with the upcoming celebration and turned to Cheryl as she quietly played with the beads on another bracelet Noren gave her (she had dozens of those things already). Today's bracelet featured a lovely shade of lilac stones with little wooden beads of yellow and I smiled at her sneakily to ask excitedly, _"So, Carpet, what mayhem shall we create today?"_

"I need to get Tsu'tey back with you before you rampage on your own like a wildfire" she sighed depressingly to herself and I hissed in my spot with a pout because I didn't need him to live my life. If so. . .what had become of my unyielding independence?

"I don't need him, I'm fine by myself-" I argued curtly because my days on Pandora, the pre-Tsu'tey days as I called them, were fine on their own without his presence. Sure, back then I was more lonely and cranky and-

"It's not that you need him, Joanna, it's the fact that he's there _without _the need to be" she cut in with that wise voice that had logical Joanna writhing in anger to the philosophical reason while romantic Joanna jumped over the moon in happiness. My fists clenched and struck the boulder underneath us in tantrum mode (the action was stupid of me because I was nursing my hand a second later) but a smack to the middle of my back stopped my fidgeting and she pointed out gently, "You know I'm right."

I muffled the growl settling in my throat because Tsu'tey never hesitated to be at my side when I needed him and most of the time, I'd never asked. Damn that coconut head and his appealing traits, he'd practically created a storage site the size of a house in my mind and heart! Sooner or later, it would have romantic Joanna decorating a yard while a miniature Tsu'tey would be snoozing in a hammock and imaginary kids played with their tapiri pets. . .ugh, my mind was a strange playpen of thoughts sometimes.

"You're supposed to be on my side, not his. . .but I agree" I muttered glumly with disillusion to having to actually acknowledge it but Cheryl was my best friend, my sister, and I could tell her anything. This whole mess to Tsu'tey kept affecting me more with each passing day and part of me felt the need that it was time to put a stop to it. Somehow, I doubted I had the courage to actually admit it aloud to him. With an innocent pout that I knew would melt her helpful nature, I requested meekly with large puppy dog eyes, "Can you help me dress up for today? I don't think beauty and fashion is in me like in most women here."

"Of course" she chuckled warmly to my request and I patted her knee to show my sisterly affection. Dear Cheryl, what would I do without you?

* * *

The union celebration had been the loveliest event I'd encountered since the transformations from body to body at the Tree of Souls many months ago. Everybody had dressed elegantly, using textured cloths, beautiful jewelry, and wearing polished radiant complexions for the occasion that the entire clan celebrated. The shift from being an independent member for the clan to one that would unite with another to create an idyllic match to bring prosperity to the clan was just as important as the passage to adulthood. A shift from being a brother and sister of the clan to being a mate and future parent; new statuses were attained apart from the ascribed to flourish the individual.

I didn't own anything fancy so I dressed in my purple leggings which I didn't use often and a neutral beige blouse that tied at the back to give myself a decent appearance. I wasn't big on style but I knew what made me look crummy or overdressed and with my limited wardrobe, picked the items I rarely used as my best to meet the clan with. Of course, I felt horribly underdressed in comparison to the women who wore layers of multicolored cloth as shawls that descended into short robes of sort or those that wore large and sparkly gem encrusted loincloths and tops. On the bright side, I was the only one with a chignon that had the queue braid weaved into the design so my inner feminine side was pleased to the compliments I received.

The couple uniting complemented each other very well that I almost found it eerie to how alike they truly were. However, I found out from the bride-to-be (a singer named Ninat) that she'd grown up alongside the man she was to marry, a boy that loved to roll in the mud and was now one of the best bow makers in the clan. The women had gossiped that she'd been one of the choices to be Jake's mate, along with Peyral, who objected to ever being tied down because her ikran would slaughter her suitors. That alone brought an onslaught of teasing since Peyral sought healing aid from Max nowadays and she was in the healing alcoves more often than usual for a huntress of her caliber. The huntress, being a private woman in similarity to myself, gracefully objected to such insinuations and changed the subject which nobody protested because having Peyral displeased would have you sparring with her.

Last meal was a feast of different meats rather than the solitary one we usually ate with vegetables so the variety of smoked, broiled, and sun dried meats pleased all taste palates. Titanothere was the delicacy of the night since bringing a beast down was only done during special occasion or when the species was overpopulating in order to stop the disturbance in the balance. Being a messy eater, I took lengthy and careful bites this time because ruining and staining my best clothes (which weren't the best at all to begin with) would bring me shameful embarrassment. I ate among my friends, mingling politely among others in the clan, and complimenting the bashful children on their refined appearances but throughout it all, I cursed myself for feeling lonely without _his _company.

Was he seriously at a loss with what I had in mind back there? I was minutes away from gluing him to the floor with my own body but no, he had to say something completely asinine and enrage me. Why did I even bother? There was no interest and I kept beating myself for trying to find a needle in that haystack he called a brain. Romantic Joanna protested to talk it out with him but I squashed her like a pancake for thinking such a thing. Of course, she was cheery and giddy an hour later when Talen came over to talk as the entertainment portion of the night kicked in with the singers. The beats of their drums and the accompanying flutes created a symphony that warmed anyone's heart to the sweet melodies and I didn't mind dancing with him. He was different than Tsu'tey, polite and kind with a little dash of nervous humor that put me at ease around him. The nice addition to the package was that Leka bounded in to try to rip me away so I could dance with the children which caused the two to bicker about who was in charge: most of the time, it was her. The night's distribution of gossip didn't help me either when I heard that Tsu'tey should pick a mate already instead of charming and dancing with all the single women. Even the herds of harmless tapiri scattered at my boiling rage on that one.

I could still hear the beating of the drums and cheering whoops of the dancing crowds at the base of Kelutral while I spent the rest of the night by the water pools. My mind needed clear calm that only solitude could bring because the upbeat music hadn't lightened it any. That, and I was never the dancing type to begin with so my feet were sore from dancing between the children and Talen. My fingers wedged one a round blue bead between them as I glanced down at the necklace Tsu'tey had given me; ironic that I wore it today of all days but it was beautifully exquisite. My eyes scanned the necklace as if his mother's voice would suddenly pop in and tell me what was running through that damn head of her son's. I admitted to myself that I cared for him, probably more than anyone I've met in my life, but he was bringing more headaches than possible at the same time. My emotional side wasn't faring any better from keeping this secret and I didn't want to be distressed, it was a natural phobia to me. To be hurt and discarded were two things my mind would instinctively avoid to prevent heartache and vulnerability in public.

I wanted to chuck the necklace into the pool next to me to be rid of everything that brought his name to mind but it was his property, an heirloom from his deceased mother, and I knew how much he treasured his parents. I would not stoop down to being cruel because his family was entirely different from my own. Ugh, I didn't even want to think about parents right now either.

My ears picked up faint footsteps and the long stride told me it was either Jake or Tsu'tey. Please be Jake, please be Jake, please-

The footsteps halted and a deeper voice than Jake's called out to me, "Joanna?"

Damn.

"I'd really like to be alone right now" I stated simply and refused to acknowledge him, trying not to hear the gentle clicking of the beads in his hair. Using my fingers, I tapped the rocky floor to deafen any noises the man made behind me and tried to focus on that alone. Tsu'tey, however, was a very persistent man.

"You're upset with me, aren't you?" he asked softly and I bit my tongue from firing back a 'no shit, Sherlock', halting the taps my fingers tried to block his presence with. My eyes narrowed as my peripheral vision caught his feet silently walking up to me and he sat down slowly, gauging my expression with his own inspection on whether or not to continue with his approach.

I'd be lying if I said he looked awful because handsome was an understatement with his decorative garb. His hair was intertwined with bright feathers of yellow with red and taupe colored wooden beads that complemented his rich black hair color nicely as they clicked softly against each other with every movement of his head. My fingers betrayed me as they itched to run through each braid to feel the texture of his thick hair, the smooth beads, and the silky feathers. Two necklaces were interlaced around his chest, one made with black beads and teeth from I don't know what and another with sharp slate colored claws that were probably whittled from one ikran claw to make many miniatures. They accentuated his neckline since I'd never actually seen him without his everyday 'neck cover' as I called it and the ensemble lightened his features considerably. I didn't scan the rest of his body because it would worsen my mood about this whole lovesick phase of mine and he'd think I was checking him out. . .which I obviously _was _but still!

"I believe my words spoke quite clearly for me" I stated coolly on the matter because I wasn't about to explode like I had back there and risk a detonation from him. Today was a day of celebration and I doubted Jake would be particularly happy if he found me drowning Tsu'tey in this pool while he simultaneously strangled me.

He kept trying to initiate eye contact between us; a must that he had to have with everyone he spoke to as a sign of respect. I simply wanted to irk him with a brush off after throwing my emotions in a blender so I kept my gaze to the sparkling water that glowed with the surrounding bioluminescent foliage. Damn water even held his gorgeous reflection and I glared at it for betraying me too. . .great, I was fighting with _water _for Eywa's sake. His fingers hovered over my own as they tapped in frustration over the rocky ledge around the pool before landing on top of them, silencing the sound of my fingers completely. My muscles stiffened instantly because hours ago, they'd been happily grazing over his skin and my mind stupidly oblivious to everything. Hearing his rich low voice beside me didn't help matters any either, "I. . .my mouth tends to get me into arguments with you more often than I'd like. I'm not good at verbalizing my thoughts, I speak through actions-"

"I know you're not vocal on your emotions but I am" I pointed out with a shaky voice, yanking my hand back to my side, and staring at the water that reflected the bioluminescence from above. Oh, how I wanted to open a can of whoop ass and hurt him like he'd done to me but I was a better woman than that. Silence and bottling things up only brought me heartache thus far so taking the honest route seemed to be the last ultimatum left open for me. Clenching my hands, I gathered my courage to stare him directly in the eyes and unleashed my fury on him, "You hurt me with your words today and don't think I haven't noticed the sudden frequency. You make me doubt my self-confidence and today was the worst of them all! I don't like being minimized and you treat me like a child, building up my trust only to chip at it with that dagger of a tongue you have."

I motioned to my body with my right hand because I wanted him to see every damn curve on it and snapped firmly, "This is _not_ the body of a child, I am past being an adolescent and I'm going to be an official adult with Iknimaya. My mind is not innocent nor naïve, I come from a world that discovered yours and where we compete to be the best so don't underestimate me. This body should be eight years older or so to match who I am in mind but it doesn't and I cope with that. However, just because I look like this doesn't mean I know less than you; I have the same capacity to learn just as you do. I thought we were equal when it came to intelligence but apparently, I was wrong."

His gaze shifted to the ground and I grabbed my leather satchel to take my leave. I cared for him, I truly did, but his signals were everywhere with no particular direction. I didn't want to get my heart crushed after having such a good friendship with him so lines had to be drawn on this matter. Clearing my tight throat as I tried to hold back the emotions afflicting my heart, my voice wavered as I admitted softly, "I know all the eligible women fawn over you and you don't deny enjoying the attention. If at all, you thrive on it. I have no rank so I don't know what it is you even feel towards me because from experience, what you did back there wasn't platonic and made me feel like the stupidest person on Pandora."

He caught on to what I implied to the recent behavior, his dark lashes covering his eyes as he glanced at the floor guiltily, and I decided to put everything in the clear. I wasn't doing myself a favor by keeping it private anymore and I greatly needed that peace of mind. If he cared, I would accept that. If not, he would keep a physical distance from me when we traveled. My mind warned me I was being reckless by confessing everything but I didn't care; Joanna was _not _a woman to be trifled with. I jabbed a finger at his face and came clean with a steady voice, "I'll be brave enough to put myself out there and admit I care about you in the most affectionate manner possible. You've grown to being someone I see with the potential of being more than my friend and I've felt that way for longer than I can imagine. However, I won't risk my emotions or our friendship for something that doesn't exist in the first place so gather your thoughts, make up your mind, and talk to me."

"Joanna-"

"Please, Tsu'tey, _not _now" I whispered solemnly to plead with him and clutched my belongings against my chest as if they would shield me from feeling so wretchedly. I broke my gaze away from his and cleared my throat to calm the roaring waves of emotion inside, quietly requesting, "I want you to think on this carefully and tell me on a day when I'm not in emotional shambles."

He nodded quietly to obey my request and I returned it, more to myself to ease the discomfort that seemed to put up a silent wall of tension between us. I turned to leave since my secret place had been discovered and invaded but heard him speak up faintly, "You look beautiful tonight."

My foot faltered in its next step as the words took me aback but I couldn't let them affect me after what I'd just confessed. No, I would not cave in to my resolve. The ball was in his court now and although logic told me to walk away, I replied to his compliment with my own as a shy smile crossed my lips, "You should know I already find you appealing every day, warrior. Good night."

With that said, I blocked my hearing to everything but the beating drums echoing in the air as I headed towards the entrance of my home to be enveloped in its warm awaiting arms.

* * *

**A/N**: And the truth is out! In the original outline, the whole 'I care for you' bit was in later chapters but I figured I put them in the blender far enough that they deserved an early start. The wheels are finally starting to creak into movement for the two and we'll see how Tsu'tey handles the situation in the next chapter. He may be determined and ruthless during hunting or fighting but women is a new ballpark for him. I hope you guys enjoyed the long chapter and maybe one day, Joanna's tapiri will become her little minions of attack. For the time being, she'll make do with her little shoulder devils.

Thank you to all of my readers, we've reached over 50,000 hits worldwide with 300,000+ words and I'm proud of each one because I never thought my story would be this interesting to you guys. To be honest, I was almost afraid of putting it up online when I first started but I'm glad I took that risk. Thanks for all of your reviews (and well wishes, I appreciated them), they keep me writing and extending my ideas; this chapter alone ended at twenty-five pages but by the end of editing, it went over thirty-five.

_Soccer11_: Tsu'tey really wanted to give that gift but as a proud man, he didn't want the sting of rejection in case Joanna refused. Plus, having Talen and Leka there put pressure on the poor guy.

_Sharpie-Marker1101_: Jake is very persistent which is why I had Norm point out what happened last time he interfered in things while Neytiri is ready to yank his ear off for butting in. When it comes to Tsu'tey, nothing is easy for the poor guy but luckily, the readers know he'll snatch the girl in the long run. I love using kids in the story because Joanna treasures them while Tsu'tey runs like a demon which will be hilarious in the ending chapters when their children are running around.

_Deux Ex Machina_: I try to have different points of view in each chapter to give readers a bit of dimension to the inner workings of the characters minds. As for Tsu'tey's feelings, he's new to the deep emotion and knowing how volatile Joanna can be, he obviously needs help. Luckily, Jake is always there to help and I want to keep building that brotherly trust between the two because Cameron killed him in the darn film. With Jake being leader and Tsu'tey his advisor, the two trust each other with secrets and with Neytiri being a female of Tsu'tey's species and Joanna being one of Jake's, the two can share their woes about women. Thanks for the review and I'm glad I had you in hysterics with the last chapter.

_GhibliGirl91_: It's about time he admitted his feelings since Joanna's boggled by all of his signals. He'll admit everything to her in the next chapter so we'll see how that goes. As for rivals, well, Tsu'tey's ready to maul Talen whenever the poor guy's around.

_Mark_: You know, it's actually funny because in my old outline, I had Jake throw in Tsu'tey into Joanna's hammock by faking that she needed him and he sealed the hammock with rope to keep them locked inside until they behaved. Neytiri's more passive on matchmaking as this chapter showed and I think hers won since Joanna blew up at the end of the chapter because of their picnic fiasco.

_Icy Shores_: Yes, it's not fun being ill. For me, it's more like chronic illness I'm trying to diagnose but I don't want a head CT due to radiation so I'm stuck trying to find a healthier and cheaper solution (since I lack insurance being a full time college student) while hoping it's not something sinister.

_Jack Black_: My parents actually forced me to sleep more and with the doctor's orders, I was banned from my laptop and treated like china glass. I felt like an elementary school kid all over again when they did that since I used to go to get hospitalized a lot for my asthma during childhood and all I wanted to do was go back to school. Yeah, I was the kind of kid that got upset at _missing _school. And you're right on the money with Joanna being the answer! I'm almost finished with the sketch, I just have to finish the stripes on Tsu'tey's face and color his hair without messing up the braid patterns.

_Lilmisspurplesunshinee_: Thanks for the well wishes, I'm hanging on to life!

_Na'viBambi_: Oh my goodness, I _loved _your seashell bet. I might just have to use it for the Atykwe clan when they play games and could imagine the winning Na'vi making a necklace out of it. It's all about reuse and recycle, plus you're prettier making a necklace than owning money. Tsu'tey's little idea (from Jake) with the one armed hug went perfectly fine until he called her immature. He'll get his hard earned kiss next chapter!

_Thetwilightsaga64_: I'm glad I can write like that too. Tsu'tey's not a sugary kind of guy so I have to tweak what romance options are suitable for him without having him play a ukelele and sing Elton John tunes.

_Taurean102_: Thank you for the well wishes and for enjoying the chapter.

_1Timberwolf_: It's up to Joanna to help Norm on this problem while Cheryl just doesn't want to be dragged along into the chaos. Yes, the reader is meant to feel sad for Tsu'tey's little lizard gift and I felt the same because I love those little guys. I think that's their motif as a couple since he'll be bringing her a few when she's pregnant and can't walk long distances.

_T0rukMakt0_: Yeah, that innocent chemistry starts things off and it's workable to raise into deeper levels as they become closer (which they obviously have at this point in comparison to the early chapters). I'm glad you love this story so much and I try to update as quickly as I can but I have a lot of health issues that are ongoing (I could rant for hours about my daily discomfort to doctors) so I've had to cut down on my computer time. Luckily, my 30+ pages can keep the reader satisfied for the next mouthful of a chapter and I do work on this every single day (I think it's the only one compared to others) so don't worry about a possible pause or hiatus. I will make sure we all get there to the finish line where Tsu'tey and Joanna live happily ever after.

_Deep blue dragon_: The last chapter was thankfully more than 80% done when I went in to urgent care and after two weeks of bed rest, I got onto my laptop to finish it. I'm not even sure if I edited it thoroughly but I'm glad everyone loved it. I've never been frightened of doctors but when the bad side effects of the meds hit me, I was ready to bolt from the place (of course, my body felt like lead so I couldn't do anything but involuntarily shake from the effects) and spent hours in observation while starving. I have to start school this week so I hope my normal symptoms don't worsen but luckily, none of those nasty meds will make my heart rate go into tachycardia again.

_Kaulitz-Twins-Fangirl_: Thanks for the review and enjoy the chapter!

_LittleBell8_: Thanks for the well wishes and I've been slowly getting better, I'm like a Na'vi so I prefer natural treatments when medicine doesn't do the trick. That and I can be very sensitive to certain pain medication. I'm thankful both my parents are into natural remedies which is funny because their own parents think it's useless but I was hooked when my mom used flax seed, anise, and her native anatto seeds in tea to cure my menstruation pain. It's funny because Cameron invented a plant, the _dapophet_, that matches aloe vera and when I read about it, I was like 'hey, I drink that little guy too to cure my stomach woes and when my scalp is dry in winter months'.

_Thecla_: Yes, everyone should want to smack Tsu'tey or Joanna when they're being idiots but we love them more for it. I'm glad you love the story.

_Restoringthehistory_: You're so right about not clarifying that but the two are now moving forward, hopefully, because their friends are tired of hearing them nag about what should be so obvious to them. Everything will be out in the open in the next chapter but as always, one obstacle cleared leads to another that has to be conquered.

_C2ruis_: Glad you liked the chapter!

_LilMizFireGirl_: And he'll admit the rest to her in person in the next chapter. I'm glad you liked the last chapter.

_Dark Inu Fan_: I actually wanted to write a vignette about the lizard catching because I wanted Jake to almost have his fingers bitten off while Tsu'tey fell down a slope in the dark as he missed grabbing it. As you can see, his varying moods is what have Joanna wondering what the heck is wrong with him which of course, is because he cares for her.

_Mintandtea_: I hope you feel better now, it's just not good being ill. I was practically ridden with boredom for having to be off my feet since standing had me dizzier than a dog chasing its tail. I'm glad you love the characters, even more so the story itself, since it all needs to work well to flow evenly. Tsu'tey is less aggressive when it comes to matters of the heart but when it comes to competing for it, he'll do anything to nab her attention all to himself. Case in point, going to fetch the fruit instead of letting Joanna go with Talen.

_Straychild_: With so many stories and limited time, I can only write for two right now- three at the most. Like I said before, I'd be more than happy to email you the next unedited chapter if you'd like.

_Na'viWolf_: I've been having issues with a stabbing headache for more than a year and without insurance, I've had to pay for all my outpatient exams but I'm pissed that the first was a wrong exam and I got radiation for squat. Fast forward to now where my symptoms have worsened to where my ears ring, my neck muscles ache, and I'm dizzy a lot- I went to visit the nearest urgent care place. Being undiagnosed and sensitive to pain meds, I had horrible side effects where I could barely stand and my heart rate shot into a tachycardia. Ugh, it was so awful and I hate the fact that our health system's so crappy that a fulltime college student who's trying to get into the healthcare field (ironically) cannot find decent insurance. And the worst of it is that my referrals to see specialists- one cardio, one neuro- have to take over one year. Hurrah for my cardiology appointment coming up in May when I scheduled it over one and a half years ago. Thank you for asking, I appreciate it, and thank you for always loving my chapters.

_Mystic Blade's number1 fan_: I've never had that anonymous review name but thanks for loving the story! I feel special at seeing the attached number one.

_TheStabilityProject_: We'll be seeing snippets of Norm and Tarazi throughout the story, they'll be in the next chapter when Tsu'tey takes the students on a group hunt. You already know something will happen there that will have somebody embarrassed. I'll try to get her more in-depth as the story progresses but we're cheering for Norm. Jake came off as a humorous guy in the film when he wasn't in danger or had Tsu'tey beating the crap out of him so I have to work that into this humor filled story. I hope your story is coming along well as you gather your brainstorms into a big fluffy cloud.

_Nekuranekomegami_: If I can brighten up somebody day around the globe, I'm a happy camper. I never stop being delighted to hearing my readers say how much they love the story; it tells me I'm not alone. Thanks for the review!

_PiXiZe_: Trust me, I believe it when you said two weeks, they're pretty long chapters. It's like a track race with this story. I try to put as much different emotions as possible between the characters because simple romance seems a little bland for me and we all need a little laughter and spice in our lives. Yes, Joanna's past will be revealed in the next chapter as the two draw together like we've all been waiting for- well, until their 'wedding' that is. As for the humans, yes, they will come back in this story but not from Earth or neighboring space stations. Humans, after all, are deceptively crafty and adaptable creatures in any environment.

_CrissYami_: Thank you for the review, I appreciate you read my story and I did the very same thing when I saw the film (I saw it late too). I try to keep the story to Cameron's foundation but I love expanding realms so I'll stay up wondering what plants or animals will match so and so while figuring out more character development (thankfully, I'm done on that and have to start with their children). Joanna's just a humorous delight but we catch that glimpse of her loving nature when she's with the children or the tapiri.

_Compa16_: Oh, 'Lor' means beautiful so Tsu'tey was basically finishing his words about how she shouldn't doubt her beauty because he sure doesn't which is why she was teary eyed. I'd like to think it gave him that exoticness that draws him to her and makes the scene just a tad romantic. As for Tsu'tey the romantic, he's subtle, never over the top sugary but not bland enough to repel Joanna away. He doesn't hesitate to voice his thoughts to her in private but remains stoic in public like he's been taught to do. I have a few snippets written down in comparing the pre-marriage Tsu'tey and Joanna and the post-marriage couple which shows a warmer Tsu'tey rather than the wolverine we first met in the early chapters.

_Death magic doom_: Jake gets his love, don't worry, which is why Joanna was freaking out as to why the couple isn't pregnant yet. I'll try to put in more Jaketiri in the story but they will pop out in the next chapter.

_xKallistox_: I get so happy when people think this is one of the best stories and I truly hope my readers don't die from 'Tsu'tey and Joanna' starvation. I'm surprised my OC is loved so well and appreciate it. Thanks for reading the story and I hope you liked this chapter!

_Emmalime_: Nothing describes the two except palulukan love. Thanks for loving my story, chapter by chapter and for the well wishes!

* * *

**Next time**:

"You came" he remarked in acknowledgement but while his face remained calm, his tail took on a mind of its own and swayed behind him. Joanna saw the movement of excitement that was reminiscent in young giddy children and chuckled softly to the rare glimpse in his break of character. Tsu'tey, however, caught the glance and followed her gaze to groan miserably at his involuntary action, "Tsahey."

"Of course I came, I keep my promises" she said with amusement lighting her face as she walked up to him, less apprehensive than before as she saw his relaxed demeanor. The chirping of the fan lizards eased the silence and knowing that they were the only people there calmed her. She eyed the grass bashfully before bringing up cheerfully with a smile, "I made new friends in the Atykwe; one of them is Anaya, she's so friendly and she has all this knowledge about fish. Oh, I can tell this whole week is going to be fantastic."

A flash of reddish neon popped up on their left, jumping right out of the grass, and she giggled joyfully, "Oh look, the fan lizard just clinched it for us!"

She began to trail after the little critter with a 'c'mere' but he held her back by the shoulders, pointing out from behind with an amused smile, "I think you should give them time to relax from the last chase. You don't want to scare them off from the fields with your endless love."

"Oh, but the fan lizards" she complained with a long groan at being denied from her beloved critters (she hoped the tapiri weren't around) and reluctantly obeyed. Her toes skimmed over the grass as the pout on her face faded, being replaced by coy smile as she spoke softly, "I'll listen only because I don't want to ruin the ecosystem. . .and because I can spend time with you."

Turning around to face him, she gulped nervously to voicing her thoughts aloud and bit her bottom lip as her hands fidgeted in the air at finding nothing to do. Her meek voice delighted his ears as she brought up carefully, "So, were you serious about. . .I mean, do you. . .oh, I'm all mixed up!"

"Breathe" he instructed simply since giving directions usually worked with Joanna and waited for her to calm down, gently rubbing her shoulders to soothe her hampered mind. His fingertips touched her chin as he tilted her face upward to meet his and he ordered gently to coax her along, "Now, say the first thing that comes to mind."

"Fan lizard?"

He blinked in bafflement to the unexpected reply since he expected their changing relationship as the topic and slumped his shoulders to try again, "_After _that."

"You?" she murmured sheepishly with a small chuckle to his deflated face but avoided his gaze the next second as she focused on a patch of grass. Her mind chastised her for being so flustered in front of him but this sudden shift in their dynamics was unknown territory. She wringed her hands together nervously, clearing her throat to admit slowly, "I've never been this talkative about attraction since I usually kept to my research and most men didn't last more than three months in a relationship. Also. . .well, there weren't any charming Na'vi on Earth."

"In our culture, you take time building a connection to the one you will court and eventually mate" he pointed out with a scoff to the strange courtship habits of humanity and she batted his shoulder lightly with the back of her hand for the wisecrack. His eyes sought hers as he remembered affection changed between humans with time and unions, whether temporary or permanent, could break apart. He'd spoken to Jake about human relationships to get a deeper focus and found that humans were nothing like his people when it came down to devotion, respecting the human couples that remained together till death and pitying those that ended on the circumstance of disloyalty. Tsu'tey didn't know much on Joanna's romantic attachments either or what she truly wanted from a Na'vi now that she was living a different life. Tentatively, he approached the subject with a hesitant voice, "Do you think my feelings for you are sudden? Are yours sudden?. . .Will they change?"

Tsu'tey knew his voice came off worried at the end since he hoped her actions weren't portraying a sudden change in mindset that could shift completely within the week. He'd learned that humans were prone to change easily, notoriously adaptable to all situations, and accepted that but his ways were different. He hoped Joanna would understand that of him. He took his time developing his unvoiced affection and-

Her arms embraced him with that gentle squeeze of comfort he usually saw toward the children but he didn't care. She was reacting to his opinion with warm care and he returned it as best he could, although awkwardly, as he enveloped her shoulders to draw her close. Hugging wasn't an every day- or yearly- type of occurrence for him but he would try for her.

"Why do you sound lost? The Tsu'tey I know never falters in initiative" she soothed kindly as her heart melted at seeing his modest face and brushed back braids of hair as her thumb brushed his jaw line. The man was practically chiseled with his tall willowy form but despite the sharp perceptiveness behind those eyes, there was a kind soul that sought companionship from one who would understand him.

"The Tsu'tey you know never shows hidden emotion" he sighed softly as he cast away that role everyone expected of him and let a smile crack at his lips to her gentle brushing of his cheek. Her fingertips were so soothingly light, he could barely feel them as she brushed them over his skin. Her eyes no longer tried to hide from his own and the empty field allowed him the safety to divulge his true feelings, "A lot has happened in my life, you know most of what I've shared. I've never had an opportunity to be romantically linked to anyone for a long time. Sylwanin died when my feelings began to surface but they were soon crushed at her death and Neytiri mated to another. . .then again, she never really liked me in that manner in the first place. Needless to say, I've never had the opportunity to court anybody like an average hunter would and can't help but feel a little. . .overwhelmed."

Her gaze softened to the last part to his confession, coaxing him out of his emotional fortress like one would a caught delicate butterfly emerging from its cocoon. His ears betrayed his nervousness as they moved faster than she'd ever seen and she grabbed a hold of his hands to give him that support to get the words out. A small grateful sigh left his lips as he watched the woman in front of him, not as the potential lover she could be but as the dear beloved friend she was, and finished softly, "The point is, I don't want you to leave me. There's a chance this affection we have may not fully blossom but you are my most cherished friend as well as a decent companion on our travels and. . .I don't want anything to happen to you. I don't want to wake up one day and be told you're no longer here with us in body or spirit. Every time I see you with Talen, I feel as if you're driving a dagger into my heart and when you're mad at me, my days are miserable and boring. And when you get into danger unintentionally, which you're highly prone to, I think of what happened to my family and the agonizing pain I went through. . .I don't want to suffer any of that again."

Joanna bit her bottom lip as she tried to keep calm to his outpour of emotion and embraced him again for both their sakes, pressing her cheek to his warm chest to heart his heartbeat. The beating sound calmed the tightness that suddenly clamped her throat as she'd never expected such confessions from him but was honored by it. Shifting her head to angle it upwards, her sparkling eyes met his own half-lidded orbs that lacked his usual confidence and she assured, "I'll always be here and if something does happen to me one day, my memories with you will be in the Tree of Souls so you can laugh to our good times. Our lives take unexpected turns and we have limited time on this world so cherish what we've shared. There's no danger of the Sky People anymore, we will be all right for many years without worry. As for Talen, he's a sweet man but. . .he's not you. I've yet to meet anyone who draws my attention like you do."

Joanna saw that he wasn't truly convinced by her admission and pecked his lips lightly with her own. The small chaste kiss managed to snag his attention and she smiled pleasantly to order, "You leave all the worrying to me, there's no point in both of us being fearful. You're the strong one. . .my rock, if you will. If anyone is going to exaggerate and run off into the woods, it's me."

* * *

The next chapter is inspired by episodes of my favorite shows:  
_I Love Lucy- "Ricky's Life Story"_ (the fake rehearsal because I have Tsu'tey do that to one of the characters and for some reason, I've realized that the smartalecky Joanna and short tempered Tsu'tey are quite similar to Lucy and Ricky). Link to cut section of episode: _.com/watch?v=RoqOh0w0EhY  
King of Queens- "Doug Less, Pt II" _(because leaving students without supervision in a forest is a recipe for disaster) Link:_ .com/watch?v=E7nFaxNyF2o&feature=related_

Thanks again for tuning in to the story and have a great morning, afternoon, or night from wherever my dear readers are!_  
_


	19. I See You, Pt1

CHAPTER 16:

**I See You, Pt.1  
**

* * *

"We are gathered here today- no, that's a marriage speech" Jake groaned miserably as he fumbled through his mental notes since he'd given up on writing things down. Also, because Neytiri constantly scolded him for leaving soot on every surface of their alcove _but _his wooden pencil. He shook his hands in the air to disperse those words from ever being in his speech or in any part of his mind (the shaman job already belonged to his mother-in-law) and grunted with frustration, "No, it's all wrong."

He cleared his throat to begin anew and began with a regal voice, "As Olo'eyktan, I welcome you to my home- _our_ home, no, _your _home. . .damn it!"

Tsu'tey pinched the area between his eyes as he withheld a disgruntled sigh to Jake's constant corrections on an upcoming speech he would address clans with. A feast in Eywa's honor was celebrated on that time every year to thank her for the blessings she bestowed and Jake had invited neighboring clans that fought against the RDA to thank them for their generous aid. Some had politely declined due to the traveling distance but exchanged goods with Jake as a show of good faith. Being new to the celebrations the Na'vi had throughout the year, Tsu'tey had the honor (he'd groaned miserably in his hammock at that) of filling him in with the information as advisor seeing as Neytiri was in training for her skills as future Tsahìk. What Neytiri didn't tell the two was that her training was almost complete and had taken time out for herself to relax from the load of old and new responsibilities. She was expected to be at her mate's side as the spiritual leader of her clan and that required sufficient rest to be ready; interpreting Eywa's will was critical in clan life. Also, dealing with the two men could give her a dull headache since they had a tendency to both argue and incessantly joke about things she knew nothing about or cared for (men gossip was strange to her).

So far, Jake had learned the basics of the celebration and what would be required of him as both a host and Olo'eyktan. He had no problem congregating with people in social settings since he'd done that once already to gather tribes to fight alongside him so speaking to them in peace time would be easy. The part that had him frustrated, however, was the number of speeches he was required to address every day and hoped his mouth wouldn't dry out by the end of the first day or that he wouldn't repeat the same sentence in different speeches. Having a cotton ball mouth would embarrass Jake profoundly and having entire clans stare at him while smacking his lips like a fish out of water could be very unnerving.

"_I can't do this, I'm more of a 'spur of the moment' speech guy" _Jake sighed exasperatedly as he switched to his Earth born language to vent his frustration and the small pit of nerves settling in his stomach. He was a trained marine for most of his life and that uneasy feeling unsettled him since it rarely occurred outside a battlefield. Clenching his fists, he paced nervously around the small enclosed area (he didn't want anyone else seeing this side of him) and looked to the older man to plead with a boyish smile, "Can't you do a few for me to please the crowds? All you have to do is stand and you have people cheering for you."

"I am not your parent, these are _your _responsibilities" the hunter replied simply with his impassive tone as he sat on a tree branch, placidly watching his friend rehearse and tried to pinpoint buzzing insects with his keen hearing. Jake had picked his living area for practice since it would ease his nerves and nobody would overhear them at this height if Tsu'tey decided to snap (and snap he would). His rank no longer demanded him to speak publicly and part of him was very relieved since he was more of a private man but surprisingly, Tsu'tey had a natural knack for it that many would kill for. He found it ironic as he stared at his comrade in arms who seemed more than ready to bolt at this new responsibility of speaking to crowds. Jake did perfectly fine when speaking to their clan or with smaller groups but large crowds put him on edge. Shaking his head, his long braids swept over his shoulders in a pendulum motion as Tsu'tey narrowed his eyes to state sharply, "I will not be here forever to teach you this so either learn- oh wait, that's my 'Joanna, don't do this' speech."

Hearing that, Jake forgot his duties entirely as the subject of his friend's love life (which was great torment material also) became of sudden interest and he grinned curiously to ask with a slow drawl, "_So-o-o-o_. . .how's that going?"

The murderous freezing glare that Tsu'tey sent back summarized it for Jake and the older hunter sighed aloud, staring at the thick canopies overhead as if they held therapeutic help but received nothing but a soft comforting breeze. Well, at least the wind was still happy with him. His stoic mask betrayed him as it broke for a moment and his lips curved upwards, quietly admitting with a faint disbelieving voice, "She cares about me-"

"See? I told you everything would work out fine. . .give me my new hunting knife" Jake praised happily to the welcome news and waved his hand under Tsu'tey's face for the wager the two had bet on after the hunter took on his help. The ex-marine could already imagine himself using the knife to fillet plump fish to roast over the fire after a good day's catch. Tsu'tey bared his teeth in hostility at the possibility of losing a challenge but it disappeared a second later as he reminded himself that his brother was not the problem. No, the problem was between he and Joanna themselves which he needed to get to the bottom of in order to resolve it to spare himself the agony of boredom without her. Jake noticed the sulky expression on his face and crossed his arms, already knowing the answer wouldn't be good and flatly asked, "What happened this time?"

"I tried that strange embrace you talked about and everything was fine. . .until I opened my mouth and everything went horribly awry" he sighed regrettably to his actions of the previous day that had Joanna furious beyond anything. She made a thanator appear like a viperwolf with her vicious tone but he knew now that it wasn't originated from anger but of emotional hurt. Tsu'tey leaned back to rest against a branch that twisted around the one he sat on as it served as a back support, closing his eyes for a brief moment as he recalled everything that occurred, "She was laughing, in my arms, perfectly content and I may have told her humans didn't understand the deep connection of finding a mate like Na'vi-"

Jake slapped his forehead to that painfully obvious blunder, shaking his braided head with dismay, and exclaimed matter-of-factly, "Of course she's _mad_, you practically told her she'd never love or be loved by anyone! I told you not to get competitive and nag about human stuff being below you. . .," stopping in mid rant, he asked with confusion, "wait, if she's furious, how did she tell you that she feels the same?"

"Yesterday night, she was beautiful like an atokirina but fierce like a thanator. . .oh, she is one of a kind" he answered with a small fond smile to his spitfire of a student that claimed his heart and found himself surprised as to why she didn't strike him with her hand. His attention never failed to be captivated by her tenacity and it drew him like a firefly to the nectar in a bladder lantern whenever she was near. He was elated to be the first Na'vi man she cared for and hoped he hadn't ruined what could be a potential mating courtship by his careless thinking. His tail swayed mindlessly on its own over the branch as he tapped his fingers against the wood, slowly admitting part of his inner turmoil to his brother, "The female mind confuses me like no other and having Joanna be of a different species altogether leaves me with nothing to use to my advantage. She wants me to tell her what I feel in return-"

"Please, and I'm telling you this to save Na'vi mankind, do _not _insult her weight, her appearance, her knowledge, and _always _exaggerate all of those with nice compliments" Jake butted in to make sure he wouldn't wreck the upcoming confession and shook his head disappointedly to the recent failure Tsu'tey had encountered. The man could take down a sturmbeest from the sky with a single arrow but couldn't withstand the wrath of Joanna. His friend would've been eaten alive on Earth if he'd been born human because even on Pandora, Tsu'tey was unsure of how to behave around women that could be love interests. Jake hated to admit he was worse than Norm at this point and decided to throw in more helpful advice (having an older sister always gave him an earful of women's dating rules as he grew up. . .that and grabbing his twin brother to spray-paint her date's cars). Giving him the stern parenting eye that children recoiled from, he instructed firmly with a wagging finger, "Be respectfully honest with her and she will listen. . .but do it today. Women _hate _tardiness. Oh, and give her a small present," seeing Tsu'tey's face darken at that, he added in, "a non-living present."

Tsu'tey snorted in remembrance to that accursed fan lizard and picked at the branch's grooves, digging in between them with his fingers for stress relief as he avoided eye contact to admit, "Out of all my clan brothers, I've never shared as much with them as I have with you and I've known them all my life. I thought having you dreamwalkers here would plague us with unseen horrors but I've never found friendlier camaraderie. My tendency to judge all tawtute as evil scourges was wrong this time."

Jake grinned to his words since the hunter was anything but soft around people and laughed merrily to jest, "You're only saying that because you can't keep your eyes off Joanna."

Not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth, Jake returned the kind sentiment with one of his own, "You're a good brother, Tsu'tey, and I never thought I'd get any sort of friendship from you since we were basically at each other's throats all the time. You and Neytiri keep fortifying my knowledge about this world and being an Olo'eyktan so truly, thank you. It's a good thing you weren't born a woman or I might have had to choose between you and Neytiri."

Tsu'tey's eyes widened to their fullest at that strange distorted reality and Jake groaned miserably at his lack of understanding the role reversal joke. There were times Jake had to explain every aspect of a misunderstood joke before he could offend or frighten his friend with his Earth humor. Trying to fix the misinterpretation blunder, he explained hastily, "It's a joke. Besides, you'd make a very ugly woman-"

"I'm not ugly, you skxawng" the hunter shot back immediately because even with that possibility (which thankfully, Eywa did not decide), he would protect his pride whether man or woman. Jake mentally sighed to the warrior's unyielding ego when faced with competition but balked dramatically when Tsu'tey airily boasted with disdain, "And if Eywa _had _made me a woman, I highly doubt my tastes would go for a riffraff like you because I could certainly do better."

"I had _three _mating offers the second I became a man!" Jake exclaimed smugly with a sly grin as he crossed his arms in friendly competition because his pal certainly couldn't beat his number. He remembered that specific week because he'd been surprised that women of the clan were actually interested in a dreamwalker like him and had laughed around the hearth when the men told him Tsu'tey didn't have a choice in the matter of seeking a mate. Of course, Jake had been pining after Neytiri because of that but it didn't stop him from enjoying the warrior's sour face when everyone congratulated him on his courting potential. Even now, Tsu'tey's nose wrinkled lightly with displeasure when Jake jabbed a finger in his direction and exploited with a maniacal cackle, "You only had _one_!"

"I was chosen to lead the entire clan, not father little whelps to pester me" he retorted coldly in regards to the ranking he'd attained instantly at becoming a man and not the amount of women swooning for him (which he was happy to say was many at the moment). Raising his chin arrogantly to show that chasing children was beneath him, Jake snorted dryly at the air since Na'vi marriages always included children in the job description.

Jake laughed evilly to the trap his brother subconsciously set forth and gloated smugly to state matter-of-factly, "You do know you'd have to do the same with whatever woman you choose? I don't think Joanna would like to hear that. Also, _three offers _still beats one in any math game."

Tsu'tey growled under his breath at losing the argument this time and evaded the apparent loss by snapping briskly, "Don't you have a speech to practice? Oh, and did I mention you have a dance to do?"

A muttered curse word from Jake's end had Tsu'tey grinning wickedly at what he had in store for his friend because the master hunter _never _lost to anybody. Well, maybe Joanna since he was trying to impress her but everyone else would crumble into dust in a debate. He couldn't wait to see the look on Neytiri's face soon enough when he unveiled his plan like a sculptor would his masterpiece.

* * *

Tsu'tey stood with several students gathered on a branch as it overlooked a clearing that was bordered by heavy grasses but the tall tree provided them with safety and concealment for the activity that was set to take place. The late morning gave them the best weather with light wind and direct sunlight which is why he took the small group right after their morning meal without a moment for questions. The trek and climb had the boggled students catching their breath as they sat on grooves of the thick branch and Tsu'tey spoke aloud with authority, "All right, we are going to work in a collaborative group hunt. So far, you've learned to hunt alone but a solitary hunter will accomplish nothing without teamwork. When you complete your passage into adulthood, you will work in teams and I expect each of you to help, not hinder, your brothers and sisters to succeed."

He cleared his throat to catch all of their attention before instructing them carefully with a stern gaze, "Our exercise for today is to follow the rules of your group leader, which will be me," Joanna bit back a woeful groan when he pointed to himself with a haughty smirk, "and if you fail to catch me a hexapede, each of your teachers will know."

The students murmured out their reluctant agreements in unison since losing was not an option and Tsu'tey basked in their misery until he caught his student tapping her round chin in thought. Knowing that her mind was working to find an answer to an unknown question, he brought it to light by directing his attention to her with a piercing stare, "Questions, Joanna?"

Her eyes darted all over the place for being put in the spotlight directly (she cursed him in the dark recesses of her mind) and she asked tentatively, "But you're a skilled hunter, there's no way _you _can fail. . .can you?"

"With my skills, _no_, but I am going to behave just as any novice to evaluate your progress" he replied simply with a smug tone that caused her to mimic his voice inside her head as he puffed up his chest like a dominant peacock. Honestly, she questioned her own sanity sometimes for being smitten by that arrogant self-righteous man. He returned his cool calculating gaze to the young students that were nervously eager and informed them simply, "One team will track and cause diversion while the second helps me catch it."

"Can I track?" Joanna piped up with a bright smile since her knack for tracking was decent and Tsu'tey shot her a glare for the constant interruptions. She narrowed her eyes to assert her own dominance over being subdued and crossed her arms to mutter under her breath, "It's just a question, don't get your loincloth in a wrinkle."

Snickers arose over the students in amusement to her rebelliousness of authority since nobody dared to do so. Joanna hid a sheepish smile to her overheard comment and he grit his teeth with a low growl to her audacity before barking at one of the innocent learners, "Normspellman, you are in charge of tracking. Take Joanna and Tarazi. I will take the rest of the group as you signal us to take position. Disperse."

Tsu'tey's team of students waited patiently on the branch for their own instructions while the other three gathered with excitement as Norm planned on what to do now that he was boss of his own group. He'd never been asked for that kind of job and his mind itched at what he could do and how he would show Tsu'tey he was capable of any task. His chest puffed up in happy enthusiasm as Tarazi eyed his sudden joy with a little awkwardness and envy since she wasn't chosen to lead. Joanna, on the other hand, tried to avoid direct eye contact with Tsu'tey after last night's confession and had kept to the group of students rather than by his side when they began the trek. She'd expected him to speak to her before training began due to his nature of being bluntly honest but alas, he remained tightlipped on the whole situation which irked her. Now, she was bitter that his handpicked team would have the advantage with his instructions (and their sizable number) because he certainly wasn't about to lose in anything- even as a 'rookie' actor.

The master hunter didn't waste any time on moving the first team along and huddled the group together to instruct them on their important task. Joanna made sure to wedge herself between Tarazi and Norm for the moment in order to avoid his personal space, which Tsu'tey didn't fail to notice. Regardless of his personal issues, he privately told the trio of what awaited them, "I want you to begin tracking the hexapede that are moving north. Your objective is to track the herd into the first clearing and create a diversion that drives them towards the west, where my group is located. Your time is limited since I've been tracking them myself-"

"Then why can't we _all _be a big hunting group?" Joanna questioned curiously since splitting up divided the equal workload and he silenced her with a stern glare. She frowned in her spot since his recent attitude wasn't working wonders on her own to simmer her rage from yesterday night. Tsu'tey, however, was more focused on his professional life rather than his love life and after years of acting indifferent, it was as easy as breathing for him.

"Because large numbers on one hexapede is unfair and the exercise would be meaningless if I didn't show you teamwork" he answered curtly to quell every verbal nitpicking of his plans since she'd done nothing but that throughout the whole trip. He understood her curiosity to question the unknown and respected it but his student needed to experience it all herself rather than dissect each objective until nothing exciting was left. Otherwise, what would be the point? His little Joanna was a follower in the team, not a leader, and he turned to Norm to clarify carefully, "Do you understand?"

Norm nodded respectfully since this was his chance to impress both Tsu'tey as a future hunter and Tarazi as a potential suitor while Joanna. . .well, Joanna was always proud of him. While Joanna was the calculating type, he preferred to take the route of last minute decisions and would take the exercise in stride to make sure everything was taken care of. Tsu'tey hoped he'd chosen a good team that would communicate well as he studied them with a vigilant eye (he almost sighed to Tarazi's bored expression, almost slapped his forehead to Joanna's attention towards chirping creatures, and mentally groaned at seeing Norm with a desperately eager gleam in his eyes) and finished his instructions by saying, "You will find the tracks north, follow them and use signals to relay directions to us. Do _not _waste time dawdling as the hexapede only wander that spot every few days. Make sure each group member is participating equally and keep communicating to each other unless you want to fail."

Joanna raised her hand like a dutiful Earth student and Tsu'tey sighed exasperatedly to her endless questions today, grumbling mentally when she piped up, "So basically, you want us to do the work while you shoot it down for glory purposes?"

He silenced her with a stony glare, his golden eyes rendering her meek with their restrained ferocity, and Joanna glanced at the ground to avoid Medusa's gaze. She picked at a bioluminescent dot on her right arm in sudden interest rather than face his wrath but muttered under her breath, "Again, just a question."

"Get going" he hissed sharply with gritted teeth that glistened in the sunlight, aiming most of his commanding voice in the direction of Joanna to get her started on the task. They were on shaky ground, they both knew it, but Tsu'tey could keep his calm under stress unlike Joanna who was liable to do something reckless based on her emotions. He prayed to Eywa that no tapirus was near their vicinity or he'd exile _all _of the tapiri from Hometree just to teach her a lesson on emotional boundaries.

_I'm one to talk, she has my mind intoxicated within seconds_, he chastised himself and tore himself away from the emotional problem between them to focus on the important job of preparing the students. Just as the students were depending on each other to succeed, the other teachers were expecting him to train them well on that exercise or he'd fail all of them. He left the trio on their own to fend for themselves as he returned to his own group that he would supervise and Joanna watched him disappear between the large leaves with narrowed incensed eyes. Even while grumpy, he failed to make a sound or track of his existence in the forest.

_What the hell crawled up his ass this early in the morning?_, she thought crossly to his brusque demeanor and focused on her assignment rather than the complicated man and his place in her train wreck of a love life. Working with Norm would be a piece of cake (and a pleasant change of pace) but Tarazi was the unknown variable since she didn't speak to her very much around Kelutral. The woman was a private person and didn't venture near Joanna's clique of friends or usual hangouts so she was a mystery in many aspects. On the other hand, this would allow Norm more time to get to know her better and Joanna wouldn't mind taking a backseat in this task to let them mingle.

"I think-" Norm began to propose his strategy with an enthusiastic gleam in his eyes but Tarazi didn't find his choice of words appealing, shifting her weight onto her left leg as she crossed her arms. Her long hair swayed behind her without a noise (she never used beads during a hunt due to their ability to create noise) as her head cocked to the side, her eyes scrutinizing the man that she was supposed to follow.

"You think? A leader _knows_" she pointed out matter-of-factly, raising her chin in what Joanna called 'Tsu'tey's mighter than thou' pose, and Norm's lips sputtered like a fish out of water as he tried to regain the upper hand. He wasn't the ordering type that simply barked out commands and opted to consider his teammates ideas also since they were part of his group.

Joanna, however, didn't appreciate the snarky comment since he was trying his best to gain cooperation- that, and they'd just started! Taking a sudden interest with a nearby plant at ground level near her knee, she spoke up casually, "Tsu'tey wouldn't have put him in charge if he believed otherwise. Carry on, Norm."

Norm appeared relieved (not to mention thankful) at having somebody root in his corner and cleared his throat to restate his earlier words with a firmer tone, "As I was saying, we'll climb one of the trees overlooking into the clearing to pinpoint their location first. From there, we can put together our strategy to lead them towards the other group."

He surveyed the tall towering trees that provided endless shade around them as small shadows passed by through the thick canopies, depicting the ongoing wildlife in the thriving forest. Norm pinpointed several trunks that grew fussy green moss in patches and remembered a helpful hint that Dr. Augustine had given him on one of their exploration hikes, declaring confidently to the others, "Just like Earth, Pandora has moss growing on the south side so north will be this way. All we have to do is follow and the hexapede will fall right into our path."

Without hesitation, he walked in the pointed direction and both women followed his confident gait without question. Taking the front position as leader, he marched up to the closest open area between the trees and ushered his group closer as he surveyed the area for any ground dangers. Pointing to the branches hovering motionless above them, Norm explained his plan, "I'll climb a tree and scope out the northern area to find signs of the hexapede. You two can search for any tracks nearby that might give us a better idea of where they are headed in case my survey fails."

Tarazi glanced at the tallest tree in their path, the canopies reaching farther than the others around it, and suggested to Norm, "Climb that one, it will give the best view."

Joanna agreed with a peppy nod since the taller the tree, the better it would be for tracking purposes over the landscape and they needed to be fast to catch up to the herd. Norm began to climb the thick rough trunk of tree by digging his fingers into deep but sturdy grooves that gave him decent friction to ascend and his feet followed the same areas afterward. He might not have spectacular leadership qualities that could make others gawk and willingly obey like Tsu'tey or Jake's military experience that would wow others to follow his crazy strategies but Norm certainly could climb like the best of them. Plus, being an avid rock climber back on Earth gave him extra brownie points for tackling Pandora's trees.

Grabbing a few hanging vines that grew from the overhead branches came in handy very well as it quickened his climb and before he knew it, he'd arrived at the first branches. His fingertips were beginning to callous after all of the climbing he'd done since he first started training and he would eventually gain 'hunter hands' to proudly show off his skills. Joanna had been less than eager at knowing that unavoidable fact but Tsu'tey assured only the fingertips would callous and had tried cheering her up by calling her hands too delicate and soft. A bucket of fish on the head later told him that he had not helped things along but a small wooden bottle of aromatic oil worked wonders when he gave it to her to use at night. Norm smiled proudly to himself for not having an embarrassing fall on his way up as he reached the top of the branches and tightened his pectoral muscles to lift himself onto the branch. . .but a new conundrum halted him.

"_Oh, shit!,"_ summed it up to perfection as he stared wild-eyed at a large predatory bird resting on the branch next to him. That was _not _what he expected to find sitting in the shadows of the tree!

The two women were on alert immediately to his surprised exclamation and Joanna ran towards the trunk of the tree, pressing her palms against it as she glanced upwards to see if something had happened to her friend. Quickly, she called out with worry, "What's wrong, Norm?"

"Uh. . .um. . .do birds on Pandora _eat _Na'vi?" he asked slowly with a hesitant stammer as he kept an ongoing staring match with the ominous-looking bird. Its facial characteristics resembled the tetrapteron's with its four intense amber eyes and a sharp black beak that could peck through flesh, which was the main reason for Norm's cautious stillness. He didn't want to accidentally trigger a confrontation and hoped the large maroon feathered bird didn't feel the need to peck his eyes out since he had nothing to defend himself with. Being a larger being of Pandora, it might see him as a threat but Norm couldn't exactly communicate his passive nature to disperse any aggressive behavior.

"It would be a shameful day in Omaticayan history if one did" Tarazi replied sarcastically to his irrational fear but in Norm's mind, if they traded places, she'd definitely understand the paralyzing panic he was facing. Joanna couldn't get a good view on what the bird actually looked like from her spot below the tree (squinting didn't help her worries either) and was a tad curious at nabbing a peek at the foreboding bird. She'd never seen birds on Pandora, grazers or predatory, and always wanted to learn of new creatures to tuck away into memory. Tarazi, on the other hand, saw it as nothing to worry about and grabbed Joanna's attention by sizing up a regular bird with her hands to explain, "Birds are not that big here. Our flying predators are ikran so birds mostly feed on seeds and fruits-"

"It's _staring _at me, what do I do?" Norm yelped shrilly for help since the women could chat about birds later on when he wasn't facing an eagle sized bird with only inches between them for distance. Its yellow eyes merely blinked with calculating curiosity, its head cocking to the left like a terran bird's, while its wings moved slightly over its feathered body with a gentle shake. What was normally seen as an innocent action, Norm saw as intruding its territory and he was weighing the option of either being pecked in the face or falling down the tree. Injuring his tail and the coccyx region of his spine didn't seem so bad in comparison to having his face mutilated by a bird.

"Just nudge it away" Tarazi sighed to his squeamishness against the unknown (which she didn't find appealing in any way) while Joanna hid back a snicker behind her hands. She was trying to remain supportive but Tarazi's facts on Pandora wildlife conjured a humorous image of Norm staring at the equivalence of a dove from Earth.

"What if it bites me?" Norm questioned unsurely as he refused to break eye contact with the animal, who returned an equally intensive stare (not that it had to try very hard).

"It's a bird, it won't bite" she assured with a scoff from below but quietly told Joanna in wavering afterthought, "I _think_."

Joanna deadpanned to Tarazi's slip of the tongue and decided to encourage Norm's faltering courage by calling out, "Don't be scared of a bird Norm, you can do this."

"I was expecting moss on a tree, not an oddly shaped bird!," was his defensive reply back.

Norm inhaled deeply as a sudden flame of courage heartened his spirit and he struck out his hand to bat the bird away but the animal dashed forward with its own ferocity to bite his fingertips. He yelped in surprise at the chance of losing several fingers and absentmindedly released the branches- a last second mistake that brought him plummeting down to the bottom of the ground faster than a rocket.

"Norm!" Joanna shouted frantically and ran to her friend as he landed with a loud thump on the ground, hoping the sturdier Na'vi bones wouldn't fracture. She'd been down that road before and certainly didn't want one of her friends to suffer a torn ligament or a broken bone. Norm, who'd managed to fall facedown in an attempt to protect the back of his skull from hitting the ground on impact, groaned painfully from both the pain and embarrassment at falling from fear of a bird. A bird! Tarazi joined her as well to make sure their tracking leader didn't put himself out of commission prematurely and forced them all to fail.

"You told me it wouldn't bite!" he accused the latter woman as he rubbed the sides of his arms to lessen the stinging pain since he used his forearms as a shield. His confidence as leader was wavering now due to his unforeseen accident and he eyed Tarazi suspiciously since her knowledge of birds backfired horribly on him. That wasn't boding well on his road to gaining her heart.

"I made a mistake" she defended simply with crossed arms (she wasn't an expert on birds, just bows) as Norm sat up to shake away the dizziness floating in his head. As he used his hands for stabilization, they happened to touch upon a few pinecone shaped objects in a forest green shade with taupe mottles and he held them to up for inspection while the two women waited for him to finish. The unwelcome dizziness soon faded as he blinked curiously to his findings and held them up at eye level, drawing mild attention from the two women as they waited for him to recover. When he chuckled to himself and placed them on his chest in a gesture that was lewdly objectifying to women's breasts universally, Tarazi literally kicked them out of his hands with an offended hiss.

"I bet if you two were men, you'd be laughing right along with me" he mumbled with disillusion as his joke failed to win his female audience and without another thought, threw the objects aside where they returned from whence they came. Standing up, he proceeded to stretch (despite the recent long hike) by doing a few leg curls to stretch his hamstring muscles. When he began to roll his shoulders muscles for another type of stretch, Joanna let her growing irritancy show with a sharp hiss and he halted completely. Deciding not to joke any further lest the two decided to beat him down in the middle of a forest, he cleared his throat aloud and beckoned them with a wave over his shoulder, "Let's go."

The second the trio turned around, they witnessed a wild prolemuris making a quick getaway with Norm's satchel (which he'd left on a nearby root for safekeeping- so much for that) and the poor man didn't hesitate to sprint after the mammal. Joanna didn't see his feet touch the floor as he ran after the creature with a threatening yell, "Give that back you!"

Tarazi and Joanna watched him run after the creature with disbelief written across their faces (Tarazi for seeing him forget about their mission and Joanna for watching him run without caution to their surroundings) and reluctantly followed with discreet steps to keep their presence hidden. Norm ruined his covertness completely by chasing after the prolemuris like a madman but they were going to stay alert at all times for his sake. That, and because both of them knew Tsu'tey had to be irritated of waiting at this point and wouldn't be surprised if he burst out of thin air to reprimand them. Their paces hastened when they heard a rabble of angry prolemuris calls and a traditional Na'vi hiss, their hands pushing back large leaves in the way as they hoped the man wasn't about to be attacked by an enraged group. The two women were about to jump over a thick root obscuring the path when fortunately, Norm popped up in front of them with messy hair and a few splatters of fruit on his chest. The hunter trainee impressed their expectations when he held up his retrieved satchel proudly to declare with disbelief, "I can't believe there's _crime _in the forest but I got it back!"

Joanna couldn't help but burst into laughter to his proud beaming face as he caught his breath and she sighed to stifle her giggles, "Norm, you're one of a kind. All right, let's go find another tree without birds or at least with 'normal' shaped birds."

"_Hey!"_

From Tsu'tey's perch, time was running tediously slow and he began to wonder what kept the diversion group. They should have arrived already since the area he left them at was directly in the vicinity of the herd and not a very long walk. He couldn't give them easier prey on a wooden platter! His fingers lightly drummed on the branch he sat on, his calculating gaze carefully surveying the clearing below for any sign of the students. The others in his group mingled quietly with each other to pass the time but Tsu'tey, always a lone wolf, was a stoic stone whose patience was breaking faster than a flame spreading over a forest.

"Do you think something happened to them?," one of the students dared to speak up since their instructor wasn't giving them anymore instructions or details about the other group. With his revered personality known throughout Hometree, nobody approached the man unless it was absolutely important and this was not one of those times for the unlucky student. A piercing glare silenced the poor student to frightened murmurs as Tsu'tey returned to tapping on the branch without a concern for them, his hunched posture displaying silent hostility and bottled fury.

A few minutes of endless tapping broke the last strand of patience since waiting was doing nothing for them and giving everything to the hexapede that had yet to wander into the clearing. Besides, Tsu'tey had never been a 'waiting' type of guy and always took matters into his own hands. Teamwork was a two-way street and despite the fact he was never the kind to depend on others, he wouldn't hesitate to help others who needed him. If anyone dared to call him a father hexapede, he'd punch out their front teeth into dust but he would protect his herd just like the grazers. Grabbing his perfectly crafted bow that laid propped up against the trunk, he departed from the group with a simple instruction, "Do nothing until I return."

Hopping onto the next branches were easy as he used the branch systems to navigate his way around to track the other three from above ground. The leaves barely rustled with his long yet light strides as he ran over the twisted overlapping branches and the animals below were none the wiser to the dangerous hunter above them. Tsu'tey preferred to use that method of travel in comparison to trekking on foot due to the constant danger and camouflage capability. Every time he took Joanna into the forest to train, they rarely walked on foot and he questioned her relentlessly on each different route to make sure she memorized them for both her safety and future reference. His teaching method wasn't to nurture his students (that responsibility was for their parents) but to mold them into independent adults and he didn't hesitate to point out that all of his students had succeeded Iknimaya with his training.

It wasn't hard for him to track down the small group since halfway through a jump to an adjacent branch earned him a rabble of voices from below. So much for using his nose to track down the familiar scent of his clan and his other valuable skills; it was almost a slap to the face after teaching his student what he knew. Crouching down on the branch, his toes curled around the wood for security as his fingers latched on for balance and he watched the three converse without awareness to his sudden arrival. They didn't appear injured in the slightest but their legs were covered knee deep in fresh mud which caused his brow to raise as to where they had previously wandered.

"You know, as a general rule, it's best _not _to venture further into soft dirt that covers you all the way to your ankles and beyond" Joanna piped up wryly as she walked alongside the two in a horizontal formation and Tsu'tey shook his head in disappointment at why they weren't traveling in a single vertical file. They were practically easy pickings to any predator that pounced from behind! By Eywa, he could've shot them dead within seconds if he wanted and yet, they still failed to discover him!

_I leave them alone and this is what they become?_, he thought with disgusted disbelief as he watched every lesson he and the other instructors taught the three get cast off into the wind. _What's next? Trying to tame a thanator cub?_

"So much for a shortcut to the hexapede but good idea nonetheless, Tarazi" Norm encouraged his team member as she sulked for her failed plan of cutting a straight line to reach the grazers rather than walk around them for an ambush. She'd never encountered such sticky and deep mud before and agreed with the dubbed human name 'quick mud'. Her mind would halt her next time she decided to follow an impulsive plan and think it through before she leaped into possible danger.

Tarazi grumbled halfheartedly since perfection was what she sought in her journey to become an adult but the thought faded for a moment as she spent time with the two dreamwalkers. They were more laidback and prone to react with their emotions compared to her friends which intrigued her slightly when it came to Norm's peppiness at thwarting prolemuris and Joanna's quirkiness at pocketing souvenirs from the forest in her satchel. She had always been wary of the dreamwalkers, regardless of her matriarch's assurances, since being directly under the old Hometree as it crashed to the ground in a blaze of fire and ash had been burned into her dreams since the tragic incident. She was one of the lucky ones, along with her parents, to survive the destruction and it was one of the reasons she rarely spoke to the beings that had now been accepted into her clan. This new development pricked her curiosity and she would observe the two dreamwalkers to learn more about them.

Tilting her head to the side, she eyed the forest with a curious eye and spoke up slowly, "Is it just me or does it seem that we're doing most of the work when all the other team has to do is target and shoot an arrow?"

Joanna perked up at this with a huge grin and threw her arms into the air to declare victoriously, "So it's not in _my _mind only!"

Tsu'tey almost slapped his forehead when the woman holding his affection began performing a silly little jig in the middle of the forest. He distinctly told her to never break into a random dance or song in settings that could bring danger. . .actually, he told her to never do any of those things under _any _circumstance! Is this what would happen when he finally left her to her own devices? His whole teachings cast away like a layer of icky dirt on skin?

_That's it, time to intervene_, he decided with a stern crease on his brow as his teeth grit to the point that his jaw muscles ached at the hinge of his mandible. The hunter leapt off the branch, executing a perfect flip that would have any student steaming with jealousy and landed on his feet with a soft thud. He could have chosen a silent method by using the front of his foot to absorb most of the landing force but landing with the entire sole of his foot touching the ground warranted him an easily detectable entrance.

Three pairs of ears perked to the sudden noise behind them and the trio turned around to face it with unyielding valor. . .unless it was a thanator, then the three would run like the wind to save their skin. Norm was the quickest on reaction time and when he caught sight of cyan in his peripheral vision, he yelled out in full alert, "Oh no, they came back for revenge!"

Joanna quickly leaned down to grab small rocks littering the ground and hurled them at the unknown intruder (the less she looked, the faster she could attack). Tsu'tey growled furiously as he dodged the barrage of flying rocks, prompting him to snap at all of them with a ferocious bite, "Stop that, you imbeciles!"

At seeing their clan mate, they calmed down instantly at avoiding a prolemuris fight (and accidentally trying to stone him) but Tarazi let a twig fly before he'd finished and the trio watched it bounce off his head in the silent forest. She decided to lower her head submissively rather than verbally apologize and risk a harsh reprimand but that didn't stop Tsu'tey from growling at her. He dusted himself free from specks of debris since cleanliness was a constant must for him and narrowed his golden eyes at each of them individually to silently stamp them as incompetent. The three students eyed each other warily due to his unexpected appearance and he demanded tightly, "What is taking so long?"

"Um, well, you see-" Joanna tried to explain their day's misfortunes with hand gestures but all Tsu'tey saw were frenzied movements that explained absolutely nothing. Her shoulders slumped at lacking decent hand signals to relay her message and she threw up her hands in defeat to mumble miserably, "Oh, forget it. You wouldn't believe us if we told you."

"I don't care what happened, I need you three to find your target NOW!" he ordered briskly with a scowl, jabbing his index finger in the direction of where his group was stationed. He'd had enough of their childishness since they were acting like first day trainees rather than students at the end of their training. The three quietly walked forward, refusing to make direct eye contact with his blazing stare and like scolded children, scuttled away to make their plan.

All three could feel his piercing stare on their backs as they huddled together near the large protruding roots of a towering tree and didn't dare to glance back at the bristling warrior. Norm and Joanna initiated the old football huddle by draping their arms over each other's shoulders and Tarazi stared at the strange custom, trying to decipher what it meant and its purpose. Luckily, Tsu'tey's surprise arrival came after Norm began devising his strategy aloud with the two and whispered to his team members with a grin, "Good thing we saw the herd before Tsu'tey popped in. Knowing that they're still in the same area, this is what we're going to do. . ."

Tsu'tey's toes quickly became dusty in the dirt from all of his impatient tapping as he watched the small group converse and was about to let loose another order to get them moving but there was no need for a reprimand. Norm released the two women from the group huddle and turned around to inform the hunter with a confident grin, "You can head on back, we got this."

The older hunter would later regret accepting that statement when he saw the trio herding the hexapede into the clearing by chasing them. He refrained from slapping his face at the easy but messy tactic when they literally burst into the area but reminded himself that they were inexperienced at this and their first try wouldn't be perfect. However, the dreamwalker man grabbed his interest in the hunting formation he chose by having the women stick close to the borders to dissuade the grazers from fleeing into the nearby bushes. Sharp hisses and threatening noises from their end kept the docile animals from venturing close to the dangerous 'predators' (Tsu'tey mentally scoffed at that in his mind) and their delicate hoofed legs kicked at the air to seek escape somewhere else.

That's where Norm came in as they used a V formation with the women breaking off escape and he led the animals directly into the clearing where a perfect shot could be clinched without much effort as he cut off all escape routes. Without a word, Tsu'tey directed the students with a flick of his wrist to take their stances without alerting the animals to their presence. His team wouldn't have a problem keeping hidden seeing as Norm's team was creating enough racket to give the poor grazers multiple heart attacks.

"Only the two in the back will go to Eywa, do _not _injure any of the others" he commanded firmly to make it perfectly clear to each of them and kept a careful eye on the students on both sides to make sure no fatal mistakes were made. His fingers grazed the center of his bowstring as he kept the bow in targeting position in case one of the students alongside him made a mistake and he was forced to finish the kill of an innocent hexapede. That, or if one of their arrows accidentally flew toward another hexapede or one of Norm's companions and he had to block it with one of his own.

_Those three are actually doing quite well despite their tardiness_, he thought privately as he switched his field of vision between his group and Norm's to evaluate each student. The young dreamwalker was making sure no hexapede escaped him as he led them in a straight path and the attack formation vaguely reminded Tsu'tey of a viperwolf pack. Their cohesiveness was evident as each yelled out their progress and Norm shouted back the next steps to keep communication ongoing (Tsu'tey would have to correct them to use nonverbal communication next time) while simultaneously representing themselves as a threat to the grazers.

Mistakes, however, could happen in a split second and Tsu'tey noticed one of the young does veering off to the left where Joanna hadn't covered a gap yet. He was ready to deduct points for that since easygoing was not the type of teacher he was but his student had never been one to give up.

_Oh no, you don't!_, Joanna growled mentally as she caught sight of the hexapede's hasty gallop surpassing her strides and knew this moment would make or break her.

She saw the hexapede darting towards an open path that was clear of bushes (providing a perfect getaway) and knew that if one took the detour, all would follow without a second thought. She wasn't about to fail another assignment after her first fiasco and with a frantic yell, leapt off her feet to desperately put an end to it like a football player scoring at the last seconds of the final quarter. Air cut through the area between her toes as she targeted her landing spot and knew it wouldn't be pretty because there was a big patch of fresh mud right in front of the open path. That, and she could underestimate the hexapede and be trampled in their haste to escape. Either way, Joanna was screwed and she'd be worse for wear.

For the first time, Tsu'tey's mouth popped open in astonishment to the clever mind of his student as he watched her last minute jump. She was stubborn like a pa'li but crafty like a viperwolf. . .he was truly proud of her ingenuity.

Tarazi almost faltered in her steps as she watched the other woman fall face first into the fresh mud with a loud splat that scared away any of the hexapede trying to escape as mud flew in all directions. Even Tsu'tey's skin wanted to recoil from the messy scene and he was safely sitting in a tree. Of course, Norm managed to snap Tarazi's focus back to the attack formation with a sharp whistle and she shot off like a cheetah to curtail the herd. He was in awe as he watched her lean legs dash with the speed befitting track runners, her arms tucked safely to her sides as she used them as momentum to propel herself forward. . .what could he ever do to impress her? Joanna, on the other hand, held no elegance whatsoever as her entire body was bathed in mud from the nose down and she groaned miserably into her hands at the sudden unfortunate turn of events.

_Look at the bright side, you weren't trampled with hoof bruises_, logical Joanna pointed out with a perky nod befitting any cold scientist as evil Joanna cackled in her cage to the hilarious scene.

_I don't care, look at me!_, she yelled frantically and prayed to Eywa that she wouldn't be laughed at by the other students later on. On the bright side, she managed to wipe her face clear of mud with the back of her hands (which were miraculously clean) and caught a glimpse of the hexapede running in the direction they were supposed to. With a bright smile lighting up her dirty face, she pumped her fists into the air and sighed in relief, _It worked._

Joanna's impulsive decision allowed Tsu'tey's team to mark two hexapede, making sure to kill the oldest to spare the young ones from an early death. Norm and Tarazi waited from their spots near the clearing's border to stay safe as the arrows cleanly pierced the neck of the targeted animals. The death was instantaneous as the artery was efficiently ruptured and no pain was prolonged in the innocent animal as it keeled over to die. Joanna stood up to wipe the mud off her limbs, grumbling under her breath for missing the whole thing but at the same time, part of her was relieved at not having to see the animals die. It was an unnerving feeling that hadn't settled throughout her exposure to prey on the field and she felt the need to discuss it with her teacher soon.

Her day turned worse when Tsu'tey jumped down from the tree directly above her and avoided giving her a heart attack with his silent entrance. Her hands flew up to the center of her chest to his sudden approach and mentally groaned to her awful appearance in front of him since the man was uptight on cleanliness. If anything, he screamed of the old cleanser commercial 'Mr. Clean'. His brow raised quizzically to her new look since most hunters rarely came out looking that way after a hunt and he tried to keep the corners of his mouth from raising into a smile. Joanna shot him a deadly glare for the wisecrack just ready to slip from between his full lips but instead of insulting her with a joke, he stated simply, "Quick thinking, Joanna. However, you wouldn't have had to do as such if you'd started on time. The other team depended on yours and hesitance can make a hunt fail within seconds-"

"We tried our best, we didn't have you to guide us since you decided to relax on a branch and wait for us to deliver the entire meal right into your laps" she shot back to defend their tardiness and furiously wiped her arms to remove the fresh mud but all it did was spread it in a thinner layer. Great, just great. Her fists clenched at the spreading mud that was beginning to cake around her knuckles and she stomped her foot to hiss, "D'oh!"

"She's right, you'd be surprised how crazy the wildlife can get" Norm popped in with his own opinion because they did pretty fine in his book, considering they were on their own with no guidance. He met up with the two as Tarazi followed from behind with tired pants and he gave Joanna a supportive smile as he explained casually, "I was pecked and robbed by wildlife, I almost thought we were cursed with bad luck for a moment. . .but then you found us."

Tsu'tey directed a flat stare at the chuckling man who tried to make light of the situation (which the hunter took seriously) and Joanna sighed with hopelessness at having 'hardass Tsu'tey' for the day. She was hoping to see 'reasonable Tsu'tey' cut them some slack since they did succeed at their mission but with his stern personality in hunting, that was big no. Surprisingly, Tarazi decided to speak up on their behalf after the shared adventure and pointed out with her low but firm voice, "It's true. It turns out birds _will _attack if you try to make them leave a tree."

The hunter withheld an irritated sigh to their discoveries of the day and motioned toward the two slain hexapede which were being prepared for the hike back home by being tied securely at the legs. Without room for question, Tsu'tey ordered the trio with their new task, "You two, help the other group," jabbing a finger in Joanna's direction, he finished with an icy voice, "You and I are going to have a talk."

"Must we?" she mumbled listlessly but became silent when he shot a reprimanding glare at her. She would laugh like the wicked witch of Oz when one day, his face would freeze that way permanently and scare away all life on Pandora.

Norm and Tarazi obeyed quietly without another word, giving her a sympathetic glance (to Joanna, it looked like the stare owners gave to their soon-to-be euthanized pet) since everybody knew of the older man's temper against rebellious individuals. She just knew her ear was about to be yelled off. Their current area in the forest was safe for the time being due to their short visit (and distance from predator territories) and he ushered her behind a nearby tree where Joanna instantly jumped back in case he decided to trip her as payback for her verbal jabs. The professional part of her wanted to remain neutral to pass all of his tests while her scorned feminine side wanted to rip out all of his nicely beaded braids. However, the idea of possibly failing this exercise put her on edge because so far, she was making a catastrophe of herself with all of her recent emotional decisions and the stress of it.

"Will you at least tell me if I failed?" she asked softly in defeat because he held all the power in that aspect of her life and crossed her mud caked arms to glance at the floor. She'd rather face humiliation with the inanimate ground rather than his accusing eyes.

Tsu'tey had to truly wonder what drove the myriad of emotions in his student because during one moment, she was furious and the next, she was overly modest. Despite her uncanny ability to quickly anger him, he had to admit that her last minute decision sealed the success of the hunt and backup plans would've needed to be made to salvage it if she hadn't done so. Her calculations were always precise but her methods of execution worried him due to the daring streak in her nature that failed to break. His features softened as he spared her a glance and answered without a hint of cynicism, "No, you pass. You worked as a team and devised a decent strategy without my help. I advise you to work on your timing though but other than that, I can see your commitment to see this through."

"Really?" she asked faintly with astonishment since she expected a ten-minute long tongue lashing from him due to his grumpy attitude that morning. She blinked with surprise but collected herself to nod her head respectfully, politely stammering out, "I. . .thank you. Does this mean. . .I mean, do you think I'm ready to claim an ikran?"

At this, his features turned cocky and he burst her bubble by frankly stating with a know-it-all smirk, "Not in the slightest."

"But you said-" she tried to argue but he pinched the top of her left ear to silence her without a single concern. She reeled back immediately from the sharp pain shooting down her neck and slapped his abusive hand away as she hissed painfully, "Ow!"

"You might be decent in a diversion group to hunt but try that slip in the mud with an ikran and it will rip you into two with its mouth" he chastised her misconception of being ready for the test and shook his head to her hastiness, emphasizing her muddy legs with a scoff. Turning away, he failed to see the incensed glimmer in Joanna's eyes and the next thing he knew, she'd kicked him straight in the lumbar region of the spine.

The hunter was caught off guard by the unexpected action since she'd never done such a thing due to their status as friends (and his superior rank) and faltered as he regained his balance quickly. Two more steps would've had him facedown in the dirt but his reflexes were honed to prevent it and he turned around to hiss aggressively to her cowardly move, taking a hostile posture that had his muscles rigid as he moved towards her. What kind of person attacks an unaware man without giving a fair warning?

Norm, who'd been privately watching their interaction as the students finished tying up the Hexapede for transfer, saw it was his time to intervene before something happened and called out, "Tsu'tey, we're-"

"Begin the trek home by using the branch systems" he ordered coldly without a single glance back in their direction to double check their work (like most teachers would) and Norm knew this wouldn't end well for the two. He noticed the growing hostility between them as they left Hometree that morning and had expected it to simmer over the hours but it seemed the pot was ready to explode. Tsu'tey ignored Norm's waving hands for attention as the students raised their brows to his frenzied movements but their hunt leader excused himself by declaring aloud with a nonnegotiable tone, "I have a little business to take care of first."

_Hmm, how am I going to explain this to Jake?_, Norm thought at the possibility of never seeing Joanna again by the crazy look on Tsu'tey's face. Nobody else around him seemed concerned about the impending doom right in front of them and decided to obey orders since getting in the way would probably cause more problems. Resigning to his assigned task, he helped tie a rope around one of Hexapede's front legs while thinking, _'Joanna who? No, I don't remember a Joanna existing and I definitely can't explain why Tsu'tey is covered in blood splatter. I'm just a simple man trying to make a living'. . .yeah, that might work._

Joanna was on her own as she watched everyone but her teacher leave the area and the green field became silent like a graveyard as faint ruffles from the leaves signaled their party's departure. She wasn't about to back down from a fight but did indeed feel her resolve waver as he approached her with his tall impassive form, hearing the taunt in his voice, "You think you can handle an ikran?"

The reply that was on her tongue died when he cut her off with the challenge, "All right, Joanna, since you want to prove me wrong. . .fight me."

Joanna was immediately stunned to his proposal and gawked at the idea of actually having to fight him, blinking rapidly as she tried to think. She wasn't crazy like Jake. . .then again, it would vent her anger and she could show him her ability as a fighter. She hissed when he grinned smugly to her hesitance, spreading his arms open with arrogance to the obvious vulnerability on his body, and rattled evil Joanna's cage when he teased, "Show me your skills and I will reconsider my decision if you best me. Or, will you surrender-"

A patch of dry caked mud was flung at his face in an attempt to cover his mouth and he spat at the ground with revulsion, barking angrily in demand, "Would you let me finish?"

"The longer you talk, the longer you prolong your defeat. . .and I really don't want to hear another chapter from your 'I'm so great' monologue" she replied cheekily since procrastinating wasn't a trait of hers and he laughed at her naïve optimism. Her feistiness was indeed an alluring trait but she was not prepared to tame an ikran with her current skills and he would have to show her the hard way. He would rather have Joanna on the floor with bruises and cuts done by his own hand rather than bloodied and broken at the feet of an ikran.

He took the first shot by aiming at her right clavicle to knock her back but she dodged to the left with fluidity, his fist grazing the edge of her shoulder as she moved. This allowed her to aim a well-rounded kick to his side to harm the organs that weren't protected by his ribs but Tsu'tey's reflexes were faster and he blocked it with a quick grab of her ankle. Both paused in their fighting as Joanna found herself caught by the enemy and Tsu'tey was certain that the next move would hand him the victory. Joanna, being an Earth born homo sapien that was built on survival, decided to improvise when he yanked her foot into the air to pull her off her feet. Her fingers grasped the dirt underneath them with a simple stretch of her torso and without a second thought, threw it into his eyes as her right foot gave way.

"_Arrgh! _You're cheating!" he accused furiously as his eyes stung immediately to the intruding particles and he rubbed them furiously to clear the residue away. He would've preferred a cheap but efficient punch to the eye rather than the bothersome flecks of dirt.

Joanna fell to the ground on her side, watching him with morbid curiosity as he moved erratically and wiped his eyes. Shaking her head, she scoffed to his accusation and quickly defended her actions by snapping back, "You never said anything about _not _using the environment around us. You told me so yourself when you took me to the ikran nest."

_Hmm, I did say that_, he thought regrettably because he enjoyed having his sight immensely and used his irritation to fuel his fighting spirit. He wasn't one to fight women and having to fight the one he cared for did indeed put him in a bind. However, he also needed to protect her and if he had to literally beat her into it, may Eywa forgive him.

Joanna took the opportunity of his vulnerability to devise her next phase of attack. Injuring the joints of his legs would've sufficed but he needed to return back home with her and sacrificed that advantage for his safety. After all, he was her friend and the clan's most revered hunter. . .and the one she cared for. Her second choice was going for a debilitating blow to the crotch but she wasn't _that _cruel just yet. The third option was the most decent and all Tsu'tey saw was a blurry form of blue heading for him with the speed of a pa'li.

Unfortunately, Joanna's surprise tackle wasn't as strong as she hoped for when all her shoulders did was nudge him back a few inches and cursed his muscular strength. The man was like a brick wall despite his lean physique! Tsu'tey, however, took his own advantage at that precise second and she uttered a helpless 'meep' when he grabbed her into a bear hug that lifted her clear off her feet. Her fingers flew down to his forearms to pierce her nails into his flesh to force him to release her but he only tightened his grip, squeezing her midsection in the process to force her defeat. Joanna squirmed in his grasp with angry hisses as his knuckles dug into the curve of her spine, causing her to cry out from the pressure applied, "No fair, I didn't kick you in the crotch and you're trying to break me! _I'm not a tube of cookie dough!_"

"Surrender and I will release you" he demanded roughly because he certainly didn't want to prolong her pain but needed to crush her sudden bravado about fighting an ikran on her own. Her feet kicked at his kneecaps as she desperately sought freedom but he only squeezed tighter and she let a groan escape her lips from the pain he inflicted on her midsection. This was getting her nowhere to 'no pain land' and she thought of any possible moves to get her out of there. Kicking didn't help and striking him-

"Aha!" she declared proudly to her trusty brain and yanked the top of his ears to inflict the same pain down his spinal cord as she clung on with all her might. He growled heatedly to her feeble but effective retaliation as each fought for dominance and tried to tolerate the pain but when she twisted the ends of his ears in the opposite direction, he yielded.

He threw her down on the floor without a care as his ears throbbed painfully and his fingertips gingerly massaged the ends to give them some sweet relief. His golden eyes stared daggers at Joanna as she crouched low to the ground, following him with her eyes as she ignored the stinging in her back. She lunged at him to deliver a punch to his face but he sidestepped to dodge her incoming attack, catching her around the torso with his left arm to bring her down toward the ground. Joanna expected to hit the ground hard but found the finishing move much worse when she felt his kneecap make contact with the same spot he'd bruised on her lower back. She was about to curse Jake to the heavens for teaching the man wrestling of all sports but yelped from the impact as she wondered about calling it quits.

She fell to the ground on her side, kicking her legs against the dirt involuntarily as she tried to relieve the new wave of pain he dealt her. Her fist struck out to punch him in the throat but he simply swatted it away with a careless 'tsk' as he hovered over her. His ruthless nature in fighting irked her to the core as his face remained impassive and she hated laying helpless on the dirt, his cold stare silently stating that she was truly the inferior one. Her left foot shot up for a last attempt at regaining her momentum and she landed a direct hit to his shoulder, knocking him back on his butt as she used up the last of her strength on the short kick. Her arms might not be the best in combat but her legs were toned to the max with the daily excursions she took.

"You think a kick will give you the win?" he scoffed disdainfully as he stood up with a disappointed shake of his head (more to rile her because he was glad she wasn't winning), brushing off dirt from his backside as he privately called the fight in his favor. Joanna bared her teeth as she sat upright, watching him stride off with that cocky gait in his steps and stood up with clenched fists. Her rebellious side took over for the moment and she ran full speed at her teacher to tackle him from behind but her sudden rage blinded her to his acute hearing and that was the mistake that gave him the clear victory. All he had to do was sidestep once more and stuck out his right foot to efficiently trip her and watched her fall face first on the ground for the second time that day. He bit his tongue before any worried questions surfaced because his number one priority was being her instructor instead of the man who cared for her.

It was painful to watch her rub her bruised nose and see the broken skin on her knees as she lifted herself up to sit but it was for the best. He concluded his test by pinning her with a disappointed stare that automatically gave her the medal of incompetence and snapped coldly with an acid tone, "You delude yourself if you think this is what will take an ikran down. If you could not defeat me, you will certainly fail. You are wasting both of our time so stand up, stop your immature behavior, and follow me back to Hometree where you might learn a thing or two."

Joanna didn't appreciate being thrown on the ground so callously just to be told she wasn't ready and stood up with a hostile hiss, not bothering to wipe off the dirt on her legs. Without hesitation, she marched up to her teacher and shoved him back by the chest before he could block her challenge. How dare she touch him like that? The challenge was already complete and there was no need for continuing her hostility; it wasn't his fault she lost. She was brave, he would give her that, but her skills were no match for his regardless of what she herself believed.

His fingers forced her back by the shoulders with a rough push as he kept his dominance over her stubborn form, staring her down with a heated gaze full of threat. Tsu'tey believed she'd had enough when her tail stopped swaying behind her, signaling a calm in her behavior as it brushed her ankles. Turning around, he headed back to meet the other students but what he didn't know about humans was the calm before the storm and a swift kick to the same area on his backside knocked him off his feet. He found himself surprised by this new development and questioned whether this rage was coming from his student or Joanna herself as he used his hand to balance himself on his feet again, facing her with narrowed eyes. He would have to keep a closer eye on her, mainly her troublesome feet.

"You're purposely keeping me away from surpassing my limitations" she hissed angrily because she'd yet to do anything meaningful since he kept butting in. She jabbed a finger at his chest, prodding him between the curve of his sternum as she exclaimed with accusation, "You could've put me with the archers to add my first hexapede kill on my list. Everyone is already on their last except _me_!"

"You will be ready when _I_ say you are and this attitude of yours is not going to help" he shot back frigidly to deny her an answer and she leapt at him once more but he anticipated her attack this time. Her tells were easy to decipher when it came to jumping since she favored the right leg before pouncing and her left served for landing or striking an opponent. Did she really think he didn't know her strengths and weaknesses by now? He caught her by the upper arm to stop her petty strike and slammed her wriggling form against the wide trunk of a nearby tree, pinning her with an arm across the chest and using the side of his hips to keep her locked in place by the stomach. Her teeth bared at him with a defiant hiss but he maintained dominance by ordering sternly, "Stop struggling, you palulukan!"

If anything, she resisted more and he tried another approach by taking the 'nice guy' route. His facial features relaxed, fading away all of the irritation in the contours of his face, and he sighed to plead, "Joanna. Please?"

She had to concede this time, _again_, as she saw no alternative and taking a risk by kneeing him in the groin didn't give her the best chances at a better teacher-student relationship. Oh, how she wanted to gouge his eyes out for tormenting her like this by not saying anything. She'd asked him to tell her how he felt and what did he do? Ignore the subject completely! A simple yes or no after first meal would've sufficed! Her eyes were full of negativity and silent rage for the man as she stilled in her spot, watching him with a calculative gaze in case he tried anything.

"I know that you and I are not in good graces at the moment but you _cannot _let your emotions hinder your training" he stated openly about their turbulent liaison and she frowned to being pinned with that truth. He remained on guard since the woman could strike in a mere second and aimed a scolding frown that matched hers and pointed out, "I have been teaching you to push that to the back of your mind so you will behave or so help me Eywa-"

"You try anything funny and I'll rip your ears off!" she snapped dangerously because she certainly wasn't going to take any of his lip today. He stared her down as he would gauge any enemy, from her scrunched irritated face down to her willowy form and Joanna's cheeks darkened to the silent examination. Her sarcastic wit came back and she spat in English, _"Why don't you take a picture? It lasts longer."_

His hips released her lower form from the tree as he turned his body to face hers and pressed her smaller form against the rough bark with his arm. The woman brought out so many emotions within him that he almost wondered if the human side of her was rubbing off on him. Na'vi were calm and collected most of the time but she kept trying his patience with the passing days; she was almost worse than Jake when he arrived! Releasing his arm to grant her freedom, he blocked her leave with his body and slammed a hand on the rough bark above her left shoulder. She flinched to the sudden action since those hands had literally beaten her to the ground already and felt her bravery withering as she stared at those cold eyes of his that could bring about anyone's demise within minutes.

Instead, Joanna found herself blushing furiously as he closed the distance between them and she tried to fuse herself with the tree in a vain attempt to hide. This was the type of behavior that kept making her uncomfortable and sending mixed signals everywhere! His lips hovered over her right cheek as he uttered, "You are, if not, the _most _infuriating being on this world and I truly have to question my sanity for-"

"Are you two- _oh!_" Norm's voice interrupted the two and he tried to avert his eyes when he accidentally saw the closeness of his two friends against the tree. Tsu'tey stepped away from Joanna as if nothing had occurred between the two but Norm was pretty sure he caught the intimate exchange they tried to hide. Being pinned with a deadly glare from the hunter, Norm backed up to retrace his steps like anyone would when encountering a poisonous snake (he'd only come by to help) and excused himself by lying over his shoulder, "What's that, Tarazi? Yes, I'm coming!"

Joanna decided to bolt at that same exact second that Norm took off into the woods and climbed onto the nearest branches to rejoin the group. She didn't waste time hopping over each branch and grabbing onto the thicker branches overhead that would extend higher to form the branch systems. Norm simply ran to keep extending his life expectancy and partly to enjoy a bit of Tarazi's company while Tsu'tey was left alone in the forest by himself with nobody in sight.

Nobody said love was easy and he found himself muttering flatly at the ground, "Wiya."

* * *

Joanna grumbled under her breath with a sour frown as she scrubbed her skin free of mud using her own hands as she stood inside a pool of water. The trek back home had been easier than the exercise but her backside stung after its multiple beatings and she ignored Norm's questions when it fully bruised by the time they arrived. She refused to acknowledge Tsu'tey throughout the entire journey and had left for a water pool outside of Hometree immediately after arriving. Her shabby appearance had been embarrassing the whole trek home as everyone stared at her and she wanted to scrub off the caked mud before she became the first non-blue Na'vi in Kelutral.

The surrounding trees offered shade throughout the large pool, which deposited into a nearby river, and Joanna enjoyed the tranquility of the wind whistling through the leaves overhead. Her only regret was sullying the water with the mud and hoped it would filtrate somewhere away from other Na'vi and drinking animals. Wiping a stubborn stain on her elbow that wouldn't budge, she muttered flatly, "I don't know why I-"

"Joanna. . .Joanna!," she heard Tsu'tey's voice hollering through the trees and sunk down to groan underwater, blowing air bubbles across the water. If he wanted to give her another 'I'm breaking your spine in two' lesson or a 'why I'm always right' lecture, he could forget it. She didn't want to get her butt handed to her again and ducked close to the rock wall for refuge, pressing against the wall surrounding the pool to hide from him.

"I've checked every pool so I know you're here. . .or at least, I hope you are" he called out uncertainly since running around the bordering water pools of Kelutral was depleting his energy and he'd yet to eat anything. He'd been searching for her (a job he had become accustomed to) after informing Jake of his group's advancement and had asked the children for information due to their wealth of knowledge about Joanna's whereabouts. A piece of candy never failed to bribe the little ones and they became incredibly valuable when he needed to find her. His relationship with Joanna seemed to be deteriorating faster than a human's flying machine on fire and he needed to save it before it sunk like a wooden canoe.

Joanna kept close to the edge of the pool, wedging between grooves to keep out of sight as he walked around the edge in an effort to find her. The man was like a panther with his efficient tracking and his silent refined steps were hard to hear as he walked around the area. She resorted to peeking out from between the rocks and watched him pace for a minute or so before sitting down, his shoulders slumping as he spoke aloud, "In case you are here, I'll repeat what I've been saying for the past 5 pools I stopped at."

Curious to his words, Joanna slid her fingers over the grooves of the rock to quietly swim closer. Biting her lower lip, she kept her treading as quiet as possible and hoped his words would drown out the production of ripples in the water, "I never meant to anger you and my attitude today was as a teacher, not as your friend. Every exercise is meant to show me how ready you are. . .and you're not. You are close, Joanna, but there are certain areas I need to tweak to make sure you succeed. Embarrassment was not my intention, I respect each of my students like I would anyone else, and. . .I want you to talk to me."

Joanna pressed her cheek against the cold rock as she heard his last words and watched as a small pebble flew through the air, striking the water without a sound but creating small ripples. A smile tugged at her lips to his never failing precision, even while under stress. Tsu'tey sighed aloud as he hoped his choice to come there wasn't a mistake and continued, "Our relationship has become very rocky as of late and I need to bring an end to that. You. . .there aren't enough words to describe what you mean to me but frustrating is definitely one."

Her lips pressed into a thin straight line as he poked that particular trait and her crafty mind devised a plan of light comeuppance. They needed to break the ice and Joanna swam away to a shallower area that would easily allow her to leave the pool without a sound and conceal her well behind the various rocks. With nimble movements, she left the water without making a splash and allowed most of the remaining water to slide off her skin in large droplets onto the ground. Her feet were secure on the rock slab, her hands touching the boulders nearby to make sure any sudden accidental slips would be prevented. There was no need for more humiliation today and losing a front tooth wouldn't be pretty.

White teeth glinted as she smiled deviously, surprised that his back wasn't turning to ruin her scheme with a Na'vi version of 'gotcha'. The last and only time she tried had him shifting to the side and her eating the roots of Kelutral as her pounce backfired. Her ears tuned out his words (as much as she hated to do so) and her fingers tingled at knowing what came next as she stared at the back of his shaved head. Oh, he would be furious at being bested (and shown his slip in invincibility) but the water would calm his hotheadedness.

With silent slinky steps, she tiptoed with haste to push him from behind and threw him into the water below with all of her strength. Like a pranking child, she clapped her hands to achieving her goal successfully as his crash sent water splashing everywhere and she sat down on the flat slab of rock to await his surfacing. Her toes dangled above the water as she kicked her legs out, resting her elbows on her knees with a small smile as she watched air bubbles float to the surface. Seconds later, Tsu'tey emerged with an enraged face and thrashing limbs that were reminiscent of every time she'd knocked him into water. She flashed him a Cheshire grin as he scowled at her with blazing eyes of molten gold and Joanna simply preened, "Did my stealth best the master hunter?"

"Not. . .," he breathed dangerously as he approached her spot, "in the slightest."

She offered a hand to help him up but thought better of it when she caught the evil gleam in his eye, shifting to a cross-legged sit in case he tried to pull her inside the water. Each of his movements were scrutinized by Joanna as he climbed onto the flat rock without effort. . .but somehow managed to splash her full of water when he shook his head like a wet dog. A yelp and a smack to the side of his head had the two in a hissing fit as Tsu'tey tried to dry himself and she tried to avoid playing towel. Wiping her face dry of water droplets, she slammed her palms down on the ground and ordered quickly to halt the water onslaught, "Stop it, I already took a bath!"

His teeth literally snapped at her like a feral dog's and her hand struck out to pinch the area connecting his shoulder to his neck. Tsu'tey stiffened to the short twinge of pain to his muscle and stared at her with disbelief to the sudden bravado, allowing her the time to say, "We need peace before we break into another brawl and accidentally drown each other. I only threw you in there to lessen our hostility and to have something to talk about."

Raising her hands in a display of peace, he watched her with narrowed eyes full of skepticism and she pointed out firmly, "Now, we are going to sit and behave like the adults we are. Agreed?"

A disgruntled groan was his reply and the two stared into the pool of water as silence filled the entire area. Both refused to glance at each other, opting to gaze across the water rather than risk another verbal explosion that would have them mad for days. He was a constant explosive and Joanna was his match to light up a firestorm if they stepped over each other's boundaries. . .which from last night, was less than five feet distance.

Tsu'tey broke away from the hypnotic water to quietly peek at her in a side glance, catching only a glimpse of her tail as she quickly turned in his direction. Trying to hide his action, he commented casually like a gentleman, "I see you decided to wash here rather than at home."

"I'd be enough of an eyesore by being the only one covered in mud, don't you think?" she pointed out with a light bitter bite in her voice as she kept her gaze trained on the opposite side of the pool.

"Merely an observation, Joanna" he replied calmly to remain on neutral ground but they were on thin ice already. Tsu'tey was never the type to sit still without doing anything and resorted to tapping his fingers on his kneecaps to occupy the silence but his patience barely lasted over thirty seconds. His mother always told him that tapping his fingers would help pass the time and halt his impatient streak (he'd never stayed still as a child either) but it never seemed to help in the long run. . .but he tried for her. The tapping halted seconds later and he decided to bring everything into the open rather than trying to play a guessing game, "There is a reason for your anger, I know, so I won't dare to risk our friendship over more arguments-"

"Then stop tormenting me and answer my question, that's all I need" she requested softly, glancing at him as she wiped away the droplets from her arms before the cool air struck them cold. Her heart wanted to be free of the 'what if's and focus on the reality of it all so they could move on rather than maintain the constant backtracking they did. It was hard for her to maintain eye contact when she spoke of her feelings and she stared at the ground to speak her mind freely, "I've admitted my most inner feelings to you and watching you carry on in silence is. . .it hurts. I don't want to damage what we have but being left in the dark like this-"

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders to comfort her with a hug, half-expecting to be punched in the stomach for his forwardness but thankful when she didn't recoil. One hand wrapped around his side in reciprocation and the other rested on his neck as her cheek pressed against his shoulder, silently accepting the sympathetic token. Tsu'tey, however, could feel that radiating affection in her body language as she leaned against him for support and couldn't handle keeping his own sentiments private. His cheek rested on the top of her head as he agreed quietly, "You won't be."

His damp lips kissed the apple of her cheek as she brushed back tendrils of wet hair, her eyes widening to the action since she'd distinctly told him not to do such things anymore. It astounded her that he'd actually dared a kiss! Before her hand flew up to slap him silly, Tsu'tey met her bewildered gaze and spoke softly, "I am returning home, seek me when you're ready and I will tell you what you want to know."

Joanna was about to object as to why he couldn't tell her then and there but he placed a finger on her lips to answer that with a small smile, "I'm less liable to say something stupid at home."

She nodded silently as she broke away from the warm inviting embrace and dried one of her cheeks to sigh with reluctance, "I'll see you in a little while then."

He brushed a thumb over the apple of her cheek, comforting her sullen expression with gentle words, "After today's unscheduled spar, you deserve good news and you will receive it."

"Really? You're not teasing me?" she reiterated to make sure she didn't set her expectations too high for a downfall and eyed him suspiciously for any shifty behavior. He'd already kicked her around the forest and didn't want the same treatment to her heart as well.

"Not with your emotions and I do apologize for hurting you yesterday with my words. . .there is no right way to mend that but I will certainly try my best" he assured softly as he eyed the bruises on her kneecaps with guilt to what he'd done since all he wanted to do was protect what was precious to him. Joanna caught his lingering gaze and he was satisfied when he saw a tiny hitch on the corner of her lips. Yes, Joanna would indeed hear every word he had to say and would pour his heart out to make her See that she was everything to him.

* * *

**A/N**: I know I've been undoubtedly late with this story but life has been hectic from college life to my personal health. Never in my life, will I ever take science courses like anatomy and microbiology together; throwing in pharmacology killed it for me so now, I'm stuck with all of that till the end of May. As if that wasn't bad enough, my health has turned worse and I'm still trying to find a doctor that will listen and try to take exams rather than pumping me full of medicine that doesn't help my respiration very much (I've been to 3 docs in the past two weeks, ugh). Anywho, I decided to cut this chapter in half because this one turned out to be more than 50 pages in length- which I've never done in all of my fanfic writing life- and I wanted you guys to take a breather before I put up the next one in a few days (yay for spring break but I'll be stuck in bed trying to lower my muscle inflammation and wondering why I'm getting asthma issues when it's been controlled for almost a decade and why it's not a possibility it could be the heart).

I've appreciated each of your reviews and pm's (I tried to reply back to as many as I could but since the start of March, I was just too exhausted to focus on anything but school- I still love your feedback though). I can't believe how popular this story is and how each of you have delved into the story I've weaved (with the foundation work done by Mr. Cameron, of course) which amazes me every time I read a review or a private note with your ideas and questions. I want all of you to know that I love your respectful words and your pokes to keep me going on this story because this is undoubtedly one of my longest works in fanfiction.

Due to my feeling under the weather, I won't be able to answer all the 2+ months worth of reviews but I thank each of you immensely for taking the time out to write my story a few words. In the second part, we will _finally_ hear of Joanna's past, Tsu'tey's confession, Jake's awesome dancing skills, and territorial pa'li. That part is definitely longer than this one and it's actually the one I used for this chapter's preview last time (that was before my editing produced +50 pages) so I can't use it again. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this update!

P.S. I _finally_ posted the finished picture of Joanna and Tsu'tey.

* * *

**Next time on pt. 2** (I wasn't about to leave you guys with nothing!):

Our walk into Hometree was filled with the longest uncomfortable silence that rivaled our first days as student and teacher when he refused to speak with me. It was almost eerie with this sense of déjà vu after everything we endured and could see why he had been seeking conversation from me during the morning. Giving him a side glance, I addressed the topic with a smile, "Are you purposely keeping quiet to build up suspense?"

"No, after everything that's happened so far, I'm afraid I will say something that will insult you" he answered easily but the light backwards flick of his ears betrayed his modesty. I smiled at that delicate movement and watched his brow crease with thought as he admitted slowly, "I am new to such affectionate admissions and the fact that the culture you grew up with was very different from mine can also have effects on interpretation."

"Not when you call me a woman with the emotional immaturity of a prepubescent girl" I pointed out wryly to yesterday's comment and his face scrunched to being put on the spot with the reminder. I paused in my steps as we approached the spiral staircase, taking the lead on the first uplifted grooves, and gazed at him to preen cheekily, "Although, it was. . .fun to cool my anger by sparring with you. Maybe we should do that next time you step in pa'li crap, fighting is a good stress reliever for the mind and body."

_I can think of another activity that's good for the body-_, romantic Joanna butted in but I shut her up by locking her in a mute bubble. I've had enough of my flirty side to last a lifetime when it came to dealing with Tsu'tey because all it gave me was catastrophe.

Continuing onwards, I didn't expect his agreeable reply, "I will hold you to that then. I think you're my only student to ever propose as such since most either obeyed me on every order or whimpered at my wrath."

I wasn't surprised by that but burst into laughter when he asked an out of the blue question, his voice filled with a humorous but disheartened tone, "Why don't you fear my wrath?"

"Isn't it obvious?" I muttered flatly in regards to my true sentiments and gave him a deadpan look to get my point across. In the past, yes, I feared him due to his unyielding aggressive nature towards me but all of that passed when he tended to me like a mother bear. He stared at me for a moment as we walked and a simple 'huh' of acknowledgement left his lips before we carried on in silence again. His one letter words could fill pages if one could probe into the private vault and maze that was his mind.

We passed by both of our hammock areas and headed to the top levels to have our little chat. With the excitement of the clans that would soon be arriving, everyone was chatty and conversations could be heard anywhere from dawn till dusk nowadays. I liked the noise due to its happy tune that mixed in with the sounds of wildlife around us but Tsu'tey always wore a scowl like the people themselves were gouging his eyes out. I halted in my steps when I noticed Jake nearby, he was studying the branches with a hand on his chin like an architect and I called out in greeting, _"Watcha doing, Jake?"_

He became aware of our presence and smiled widely to answer excitedly, "I'm thinking of adding swings to the branches to make it more leisurely for all ages."

"Children have a tendency to fall a lot" I pointed out humorously to the increase of injuries that would bring to the healers and flicked my thumb towards Tsu'tey, "Just look at him. A total catastrophe."

"Skxawng" he shot back with a light push to my shoulder as I laughed but warned Jake with a wagging finger, "Whatever contraption you're imagining, forget it. We already have enough excitement with Norm."

He waved us away with both hands to be left alone with his brainstorming and I tugged on Tsu'tey's arm to keep heading upwards to reach the top canopies.

* * *

_Once again, thank you for continuing to read my story and I wish you all good health (boy, how I miss it) from my little home in the city to all my worldwide readers._


	20. I See You, Pt2

CHAPTER 16:

**I See You, Pt.2**

* * *

_(Joanna's POV)_

"How's my baby boy?" I squealed with delight as I wrapped my arms around Peke's thick neck, kissing him above the eyes without a care to who saw my doting affection. My Peke had hit a pretty nice growth spurt recently so he was well on his way to adulthood as he trotted around the fields with a growing adolescent body. The upside to this was that he no longer shied away from the older stallions and stood his ground during confrontations (I was certain that my pep talks helped). I slept easier at night knowing he could hold his own in the pen rather than worrying if he would find a safe sleeping area since the stallions stole his spots many times due to his small appearance. On the downside, he still enjoyed spending time with the colts despite dwarfing all of them with his new height but I loved that he stuck around to guide the little ones. To me, he was the big brother of the pa'li colts as they followed after him for protection whenever he grazed.

I presented him with an orange flower that was bursting with sweet pastel orange nectar and held a few drowned insects inside. Peke neighed happily at his treat since I spoiled him constantly without shame and he lapped up the nectar with his thin long tongue as I held the flower. His blue eyes glittered with appreciative joy and I couldn't help but laugh at his haste to feed. Yep, he definitely had my appetite.

"Good, you keep eating and you'll be a strong stallion in no time" I encouraged my gentle pa'li and rubbed the side of his neck affectionately as he ate his snack. I wanted him to have all of the nutrients needed to grow into a gorgeous stallion and live his full lifespan beside me. The pa'li species had a life expectancy similar to Earth's horses, around 27-32 years (Eywa added a few more years to the helpful species). My mind had reached a decision when it came to riding a pa'li: Peke would be my one and only. A pa'li didn't have a specific rider but I wanted Peke to be my partner, we both started in this world as bright eyed individuals and I wanted to see where it would take us. And to think that I refused to ride him when Tsu'tey purposely forced me. . .I could be an idiot sometimes and Tsu'tey certainly was a skxawng back then.

Peke actually finished the snack quicker than I anticipated and I was left staring at the hollow inside of the flower's petals that served as a bowl. He even licked it dry! My Peke was definitely a teenager with endless energy and a large appetite that kept growing as the days passed. His thin navy tongue lapped at my cheek to show his endless appreciation for my love of him and while my mind groaned at having a sticky cheek full of translucent goo, my lips broke into a peppy grin as I chided playfully, "Oh, Peke."

A pa'li snort caught my attention from behind and since I didn't want to be accidentally knocked down by an untamed stallion, I turned to find the intimidating form of Aci staring directly at me. I've _never_, in my life, met such a perceptive creature like her and she put thanators to shame with her cold intensive stare. Pa'li eyes might be a cute shade of baby blue to fawn over but Aci's were like glacier ice and it made me wonder how the hell Tsu'tey trained this mare. I managed a meek gulp because I worried she would suddenly charge and head butt me across the field but Peke intercepted the staring match (which I was quickly losing) by issuing a warning. Aci merely stood there with the same blood freezing stare that basically told me 'I could kill you with my hoof' and I was about to pull my beloved pa'li away before she chased us off but we received no physical hostility from her. The mare simply returned to drinking from the pool of water she was at, her stiff posture clearly stating who was boss, and I patted my pa'li's neck to calm him with a caring smile, "You're a good boy, you know that? Nevertheless, _never _pick a fight with her. She scares me more than all of the untamed stallions put together."

Peke's antennae drooped but this was for his own good because if one inch of skin was hurt on him, I'd be raising hell to Tsu'tey about it. His bravery was growing but I didn't want him getting into scuffles he wasn't ready for and reminded with a bright smile, "Remember, Peke, our motto is 'don't go looking for trouble'."

He pawed at the ground in disagreement as he tried to nonverbally negotiate and I raised a brow because I certainly didn't want my stubbornness rubbing off on him during tsaheylu. Nobody said parenting your pa'li would be easy.

"Ma seykxel Aci," I froze to that low timbre voice since hearing it turned me into the syrupy goo Peke had just drank and tried to hide behind him to prevent being spotted. Unfortunately, you could still see my feet underneath Peke's stomach and Tsu'tey pointed it out with a sarcastic sigh, "I can see you, Joanna."

"It was worthy a try" I mumbled under my breath to my embarrassing lack of stealth and tried to lead Peke away but he decided to send Tsu'tey Aci's previous stare. Months ago, he had been sweet as candy to Tsu'tey as he hoped for similar attention but the stoic hunter's attitude didn't lessen toward him so he'd given up. Now, Peke competed solely for my attention since he noticed how my dynamics with Tsu'tey bordered on infuriation and affection. My Peke was notoriously stubborn when he didn't have my undivided attention after being snubbed so many times by the hunter and had chewed Tsu'tey's hair on more than one occasion to get his point across.

Little Peke was no longer a meek pushover.

Tsu'tey jabbed his finger at my Peke in warning to dissuade him from any territoriality displays and ordered sternly, "I'awn."

I rolled my eyes because his domineering attitude certainly wouldn't help Peke to obey (that's what started the conflict in the first place!) and could see that I would have to side with one party. Tsu'tey held my heart while Peke was my little baby; a tough choice. Placing my hands on my hips to show I meant business on this matter, I glanced at Tsu'tey and stated calmly with request to this constant problem, "I'd appreciate a little friendliness towards my pa'li. He's done nothing but try to be nice and now you've turned him hostile so you can't complain. You don't see me treating your mare this way."

"Opinion noted. . .also, you fear my Aci" he stated simply with a small smirk as he patted the side of that formidable creature and I almost fell from shock when she gently nudged his right shoulder for a treat. Where had the ruthless cold mare gone? She looked more than ready to pounce a minute ago! The hunter obliged her by giving her a crimson gelatinous object that I'd no idea on and she swallowed it with her aardvark-like tongue, taking the little cube into the dark depths of her mouth. Both Peke and I became transfixed with the strange food treat until we were broken out of our curious stupor when he explained simply, "I make them for her. She is picky when it comes to sugar so I use solidifying nectar with a mix of squashed insects to fit her diet."

He held out one for Peke and shushed Aci when she tried to bite it out of his hand, leading her to eye my Peke with a suspicious gleam in her eye for being rebuffed. It almost looked like she was jealous. Ironically, Peke held the same cautious stare toward Tsu'tey but I patted his hindquarters so he could take the small olive branch of peace. His blue eyes didn't stray from Tsu'tey's face as he lapped up the cube with his tongue and quickly retreated back to my side to show his preference.

"Since he can't talk, I will say thank you for him" I chuckled amusingly to his pawing at the dirt as he tried to hide his liking of the snack by nudging my back with his nose, snorting warm air against my bare skin. If hunting wasn't Tsu'tey's forte already, cooking definitely would be his next skill since he could apparently cater to different species. I was beginning to wonder just how many skills he hid from everyone, there was so much that dwelled in his brilliant mind but he was very private about his socializing ways and admitting tidbits about himself. Many women were drawn to his physical traits, fighting skills, and clan ranking but what drew me like a moth to a flame was his endless taste for adventure, for knowledge, and his loyalty to protect rather than be protected.

"I was hoping that we could talk" he brought up carefully with a cautious eye aimed at me (yes, I had been nothing but volatile today) and I nodded slowly; it was time to put this behind us once and for all. He seemed placated by my reply and Peke snorted to being denied my full attention for the day but I stroked his backside to let him know that he was my one and only pa'li. Of course, my fingers halted their gentle caress on my content pa'li when Tsu'tey spoke up slowly with hesitance, "I do have one request, however, if you would be so kind to oblige."

My face crinkled since the last time I did a favor for him, I tested his homemade slingshot and accidentally shot Norm in the eye from two stories up in Hometree. Don't ask me how it happened but Jake's instructions on helping Tsu'tey build it worked efficiently and I took the blame for giving poor Norm a purple eye. To this day, Tsu'tey never let me touch it since he trusted me enough to test it but not use it. I frowned with distrust because I didn't want to do anything outrageous that would have the entire clan talking for weeks about 'did you hear about crazy Joanna. . .' and tapped my fingers together, joking nervously with a half smile on my lips, "I'm not going to have to do something embarrassing, am I?"

"All I ask is that you tell me of your family, what causes you so much pain when I approach the subject-" he asked slowly as he treaded into the hot water topic and my legs began to automatically walk away as my subconscious told me to bolt from the scene to protect myself. Peke proceeded to follow me like a faithful steed as he blinked with innocent curiosity to my sudden retreat but Tsu'tey was quick to grab me by the arm to halt my movements, "Joanna, you need to release that burden. I care about you-"

"How much?" I cut in to see if he'd back off with that bold question because I certainly hadn't expected my past to be his request and never thought he'd ask. . .okay, part of me did (I dodged it more than a kid at dodge ball) but not _now _of all times. My hands shook involuntarily as I felt caged in at having those memories resurface at a time when I was finally happy but-

He grasped my shoulders with his hands, squeezing gently as he broke me away from my turbulent thoughts and he answered faintly with a small smile, "Very, very much."

His fingertips tapped my forehead like I'd seen children display to their close friends and he stated playfully with a witty grin, "But I am not about to reveal all without asking for the same honesty. I've told you about my past, I-"

I placed my fingertips on his soft lips to silence him, reluctantly agreeing to the proposal to show him the same respect and trust he'd given me over the past months. We had both been rebellious about divulging our private pasts but he had been incredibly lenient, confessing his history to a dreamwalker like me after what my people had done to him. Releasing a shaky breath, I met his gaze with a hint of uncertainty and whispered softly to make a request of my own, "All right, but you won't judge me in any way or ever use it as arguing material?"

"Of course not, you should have more faith in me" he stated sharply with offense to my misconception and it struck me with guilt since we were supposed to be friends despite this dilemma. I nodded quietly in agreement, squeezing his shoulders in the same comforting support he'd given me seconds ago, and felt at ease when his eyes lost their hardened look. His hands moved to cover mine but he stopped halfway, his gaze shifting above us toward the swaying leaves and he stated with a boyish smirk, "I'd rather speak overhead in the safety and privacy of the canopies rather than here where innocent ears can easily overhear everything."

As soon as he said this, Peke snorted indignantly and Aci pawed at the ground in objection to his comment. This caused me to laugh at their perceptive behavior since they didn't like to share their riders and Tsu'tey lectured them with a parental tone, "You two will be just fine on your own. Aci, I trust you to be on your best behavior so don't leave this area and make sure Peke doesn't either."

Peke studied the older mare with his adorable baby blue eyes and I gripped Tsu'tey's arm because I expected her to take a bite out of my dear pa'li just for staring at her (she'd kicked stallions for doing less than that). Aci scrutinized my Peke in the same manner her rider regarded new hunters and inexperienced students but luckily, she decided to listen and trotted to a nearby bush of flowers for a snack. Peke glanced at me for further instruction since Aci was out of the equation and I rubbed the side of his neck affectionately, smiling warmly as I cooed, "You be a good boy like always and listen to the young hunter that's in charge of pa'li today. . .and make sure Aci doesn't eat them-"

"My pa'li doesn't eat Na'vi!" Tsu'tey cut in primly to defend his steed but I ignored him, giving Peke a gentle pat on the hindquarters to let him have his free time. His blue eyes gazed at mine with uncertainty at leaving me alone (I truly loved my Peke at this point) and Tsu'tey assured quickly with a dismissive wave of his hand, "She will be fine, Peke. I will be with her the whole time."

Peke snorted indifferently at this, raising his head proudly, and trotted off in the direction of the young colts to join them. I shook my head to the animosity that had grown between the two but Tsu'tey was cranky and he wasn't about to change that fact. . .unfortunately. With time, maybe the two would figure out how to coexist but for now, I watched Peke rally the young colts for a play session around the clearing and heard Tsu'tey speak up, "Shall we?"

Our walk into Hometree was filled with the longest uncomfortable silence that rivaled our first days as student and teacher when he refused to speak with me due to our antagonism. It was almost eerie with this sense of déjà vu after everything we endured and could see why he had been seeking conversation from me during the morning. He was accustomed to snuffing others without a speck of concern but when I did it to him, it drove him bonkers and I liked knowing that it did; it proved to me that I meant something to him. Giving him a side glance, I addressed the topic with a carefree smile to lighten the mood, "Are you purposely keeping quiet to build up suspense?"

"No, after everything that's happened so far, I'm afraid I will say something that will insult you" he answered easily but the light backward flick of his ears betrayed his modesty. I smiled at that delicate movement since the warrior was anything but the word fragile and knew he was growing sincere with his words. I loved that subtle ambiance about him since it was a rarity and enjoyed watching his sensitive side peek out like a baby bird from its cozy nest. His brow creased in thought as he admitted slowly without glancing at me, "I am new to such affectionate admissions and the fact that the culture you grew up with was very different from mine can also have effects on interpretation."

"Not when you call me a woman with the emotional immaturity of a prepubescent girl" I pointed out wryly to yesterday's comment and his face scrunched to being put on the spot with the reminder. I paused in my steps as we approached the spiral staircase, taking the lead on the first uplifted grooves, and gazed at him to preen cheekily, "Although, it was. . .fun to cool my anger by sparring with you. Maybe we should do that next time you step in pa'li crap, fighting is a good stress reliever for the mind and body."

_I can think of another activity that's good for the body-_, romantic Joanna butted in but I shut her up by locking her in a mute bubble. I've had enough of my flirty side to last a lifetime when it came to dealing with Tsu'tey because all it gave me was catastrophe.

"You suffered more than I did and although it was for your best interest, I apologize for the bruises" he spoke softly and climbed up the stairs separating us to reach for my hands but once again, stopped when he saw passerby's around our vicinity. I was tempted to call him an old-fashioned gentleman as he nodded politely to any resident passing by but the norms on social life in the clan put affectionate displays or lingering touches between non-relatives away from the public eye. If we were kids, sure, we could scuffle and hug each other to death but we were grown adults that were of mating age and Tsu'tey had everyone's eye locked on him. Instead, he settled with a sympathetic glance toward my scuffed limbs and offered a light joke, "It is conflicting to fight you when I regard you as one of my closest friends and yet, I must throw you into the dirt like any aspiring student to teach you."

I chuckled to his honesty as our public social setting put him on the spot and even I had to resist from touching him like I'd done back at the empty clearing with our pa'li. The open area practically banned us from touching and I wished we could go back to weeks ago when we slept in my hammock like children without a worry to what people thought of us. Letting an impish smile cross my lips, I returned his playful tone with, "True but pulling on your ears allowed me to release my anger and kicking you around felt invigorating. We were holding back on injuring each other because I'm certain you could've broken my spine if you'd wanted to but even so, we still managed to rough each other up."

Flashing him an mischievous wink of the eye, I smiled widely to coax an answer from him, "What do you say?"

Continuing onwards, I ascended the staircase with Tsu'tey trailing along behind me but I didn't expect his agreeable reply, "I will hold you to that then. I think you're my only student to ever propose as such since most either obeyed me on every order or whimpered at suffering my wrath."

I wasn't surprised by that but burst into laughter when he asked an out of the blue question, his voice filled with a humorous but disheartened tone, "Why don't _you _fear my wrath?"

"Isn't it obvious?" I muttered flatly in regards to my true sentiments and gave him a deadpan look to get my point across. In the past, yes, I feared him due to his unyielding aggressive nature towards me as he tried to flatten me into the ground but all of that passed when he tended to me like a mother bear. He stared at me for a moment as we walked and a simple 'huh' of acknowledgement left his lips before we carried on in silence again. His one letter words could fill pages if one could probe into the private vault and maze that was his mind.

We passed by both of our hammock areas and headed to the top levels to have our little chat, which caused a flutter of nerves to erupt in my stomach every few minutes. With the excitement of the clans that would soon be arriving, everyone was chatty and conversations could be heard anywhere from dawn till dusk nowadays. I liked the noise due to its happy tune that mixed in with the sounds of wildlife around us but Tsu'tey always wore a scowl like the people themselves were gouging his eyes out. I halted in my steps when I noticed Jake nearby; he was studying the branches with a hand on his chin like an architect at work for inspiration and I called out in greeting, _"Watcha doing, Jake?"_

He became aware of our presence and smiled widely to answer excitedly, "I'm thinking of adding swings to the branches to make it more leisurely for all ages."

"Children have a tendency to fall a lot" I pointed out humorously to the increase of injuries that his idea could bring to the healers and flicked my thumb towards Tsu'tey to grin wickedly, "Just look at him. A total catastrophe."

"Skxawng" he shot back with a light push to my shoulder as I laughed evilly like a tiny imp at his side (with his height, I probably matched the image) and enjoyed watching his lips fight back a smile. He defeated it easily by darting his eyes away from mine to block me out of his view completely and turned his small annoyance about me towards Jake, warning him with a wagging finger and a parental voice, "Whatever contraption you're imagining, forget it. We already have enough excitement with Norm."

Jake waved us away with both hands to be left alone with his brainstorming schemes and I tugged on Tsu'tey's arm to keep heading upwards to reach the top canopies. He followed behind me with graceful precision in his steps while I made sure to plan out each exact move beforehand to prevent last second mistakes. With a whistle aimed in the direction I was headed, I let him know my target before I grasped one of the branches overhead to lift the trunk of my body onto it in one pull-up. My legs latched on next and I used the strength in my arms to pull myself up safely, crouching down on the rough bark as I calculated which branch was safe enough for the next grab. Without proper calculations, failure probability doubled- especially for clumsy old me. My movements were smooth but firm as I landed on each branch without the need of having to correct my footing but I knew that in case I did miss, Tsu'tey would rectify that by any means necessary. Whenever I tripped on one of the branch systems, he was there to catch me by the wrist; whenever I slipped during rock climbing, he pulled on the vine wrapped around my waist to make sure I didn't go splat; whenever I cooked, he made sure my long hair was kept away from the hearth to prevent a fire hazard. . .Tsu'tey was always there for me without hesitation. What he did, whether I liked it or not, was for my best interest and protection only; he was my grumpy but endearing guardian angel.

When I reached the spot where I fell from so many months ago, I was confident enough in my abilities to keep going but the incident never left my mind. It was imprinted on my brain like those degrading MNU stamps that marked crates of unobtanium and it would serve as a dire reminder to keep me on my toes. My mistake back then had been a mix of my paralyzing fears, Tsu'tey's high demands, and a lack of calculation but with the training he instilled in me, I was going to conquer that branch this time.

"I can do this" I assured him with a confident smile as he kept a vigilant eye on me in case I slipped but I was determined to reach the top. There was no room for hesitation and I didn't feel the need for it; I was the acrobat and that branch was going to be my partner whether it liked it or not. My feet jumped into the air with enough force to propel me forward and my hands grasped the overhead branches with fluid ease, my fingers instantly latching onto the securing grooves as my right leg hooked over the branch to lock in my position. My confident grin faltered in surreal shock that I finally made it up here without a problem and thanked Eywa for giving me the hardass warrior as my teacher. Tsu'tey landed next to me as I raised my entire body over the branch with the strength of my limbs and he remained on edge until I was safely on top of the branch. I didn't have enough experience to perform his graceful moves, which provided him a feet first landing on every branch but I'd definitely work on it. With a smile of accomplishment, I found myself a perfect perch for sightseeing that overlooked the landscape surrounding our Hometree and settled myself onto the thick start of the branch to relax against the cozy trunk.

_I did it_, I thought happily with success to the newest accomplishment on my belt and caught my breath since the worst part was over. Well, until I had to climb back down anyway.

Tsu'tey gazed at the pastel lilac-pink sunset sweeping over the horizon as he remained perched on the branch like a watchful eagle. Even at this height, he was on guard for enemies on land or in the sky and I watched him with a curious eye, tucking my hands behind my head to relax. He was indeed the perfect example of a Na'vi warrior from the children's history tales and it brought me melancholy at knowing that a man with skills to lead, would never do so. A few swishes of his tail and a sweep of the land with his scrutinizing eyes later, he sat down on the branch (still in the same outlook position) with satisfaction to his inspection and I grinned to prod cheekily, "Not bad, huh? A good view and I didn't splatter myself down there."

"I promised to watch over you" he reminded me with a faint tone as he turned away from the horizon and I waved my hand to dismiss it. Months ago, I would've climbed the highest mountain just to hear him say that but now, it was daily routine for him. . .but my heart warmed whenever he said it. His eyes met mine with a playful glimmer, which the dimming sunlight beautifully accentuated, and he pondered aloud, "You did very well although I do not see why you climb rocks better than trees."

"On my old planet, people could climb mountains for fun- we had a lot but they destroyed all our forests for lumber so no tree climbing" I explained simply with the history fact but smiled somberly at the sight before me. Colorful trees full of vibrant life covered the landscape in a beautiful display of what Earth used to be, of what it could have been if humanity had not grown so materialistic and greedy. There were very few acres of forests left now and the only trees I saw in my lifetime were sparse trees throughout the high society ends of metropolitan cities to 'pretty' up the elites sophistication. My fingertips touched the rough bark that scratched me, enjoying its silent claim that it was a thriving being and not an inanimate object you could trash like a computer. Hmm, I didn't even miss my old laptop anymore and barely reminisced about it. With a long sigh, I threw my head back to breathe in the sweet fresh air before admitting, "You are so lucky to have such beauty here and you keep it untouched, understanding the delicate balance to an extent I'd never seen. Earth is nothing but polluted dirt and metal housing with people wearing those masks you saw. We can't even breathe our own air anymore."

"You do not miss your planet in any way, do you?" he asked softly with a hint of pride to the loyalty his world had produced within me and I shook my head without an ounce of regret. No, I didn't miss it in the slightest. Humans fought for everything with money and the politics of the world kept making leaders worse. In history books, humans fought for freedom and civil rights, men and women who would've died for their country and rights. . .but none of that existed anymore. Now, it was a fight for property rights (whether food, oil, or land) and people in the military would die just so countries could own those goods and allow corporations to hike the prices for civilians who had dear relatives die for that. Those who sought change were small in number and many of us were laughed at for being weak or mocked because we weren't cold blooded as they were. The days of humanity helping each other like good neighbors was over; all that was left was a somber requiem of what our forefathers were.

"My society made me ashamed for ever believing I could coexist with your people, I wanted to learn how you kept your land thriving without disturbing a single thing and showing people on Earth how. . ._but they only wanted an ore that would bring in profit_" I spat bitterly to what profit had done to old humble values and clenched my hands at everything humankind stood for now. I wasn't the best public speaker but oh, if I could've been allowed some kind of say before a UN committee while working with the RDA, I would've bashed them good with the damage they'd done to Pandora and another foreign people. In the end, all I could do was hope they never returned to my precious world of Pandora or hurt the people I'd come to love.

His head tilted to the side, allowing me to flick the red beaded braids on the left side of his head with a smile as he tried out the new syllables with confusion, _"Prah-feet?"_

"I never talked to you about that, did I?" I said embarrassedly since corporate profit is what brought humans to Pandora (aside from nonprofit scientific research) and pulled out a few of my collected rocks from my satchel. I laid the multicolored rocks between us on the branch and explained as simply as I could, "Clans trade items for other items," I pointed to our satchels as examples and he nodded, allowing me to continue, _"On my world, we trade items with currency, money, little coins or scraps of paper that tell their worth and we must give those coins to pay for that item or we cannot have it."_

Taking off my satchel, I took the small rocks and gave him the satchel. He moved to give me his own but I shook my head and pointed to the rocks in my hand, showing him that this was the exchange. When I asked for his satchel, he slumped dejectedly since he didn't have the 'coins' needed for the exchange and I shrugged disappointedly as I pocketed my gain. I think he understood the concept somewhat since it was the best I could do on short notice and explained with distaste, "Our civilization is built on that concept to prosper and those who cannot afford to make enough will be the lowest in class."

"That is not good judgment, what our kinsmen need, we will provide-" he remarked irritably to my world's way of life and I shook my head quietly, brushing the pad of my thumb against his cheek to calm him somewhat. I could already imagine the culture shock if he tried to trade his arrows for a soda bottle in Earth's supermarkets.

"_Not on Earth, if you do not have money, you have nothing. . .you __**are **__nothing. . .you become a blemish to society. . .I should know, I was one of them" _I admitted halfheartedly as I tried to make a light joke of that past situation and grabbed one of the colorful rocks. His eyes sought mine for clarification but I purposely kept my gaze away and sighed deeply to delve into my past, _"When I wanted to learn my profession, my master skill, I went against my parents wishes and because of it, they took away the money I would need which was my only support to gain that education on Earth. They would only let me have it if I agreed to their decision, to what they wanted me to be. . .but I didn't. I found other temporary professions which paid me enough to stay in school and I saved whatever I could to make sure I had enough to keep my studies going until I finished but study costs were very high for me. I wanted to study Pandora, your people, and bring something back to help my own world from deteriorating further. . .but people didn't believe in me very much."_

My fingers nervously tapped the little rocks against the branch as I chuckled mirthlessly, "I mean, my parents didn't so why should my people have?"

I smiled at the irony that I was now living with the Na'vi and my own people would rot on their world for their ignorance. My fingers closed around the small rocks and I avoided his gaze (I felt ashamed whenever I spoke of it, Cheryl had been sympathetic and burst into tears for me while Grace had told me to hold my head high or they would win) as I cleared my throat uncomfortably to admit softly, "I didn't tell you this before because I thought you would laugh at me and I don't appreciate being degraded that way-"

His fingers brushed against my cheek with a delicate touch that squeezed my heart and my eyes slowly met his as he stated firmly, "I promised I wouldn't, you can be honest with me about anything. I'll _never _judge you."

"I know and I trust you, more than I ever would my own family" I whispered weakly with a faltering smile and gave his hand a friendly squeeze, sighing nervously to release the tightness growing in my chest. I think I might've squeezed too tight because I heard him bite back a hiss and I instantly released my hold, earning a light graze to my cheek with his victimized fingers as he smiled to dismiss my screw-up. He was a sweetheart in his own way. My fearful shell opened at seeing his trusting smile and I mustered my courage to continue, _"So while I studied, I didn't have enough money to keep decent clothing or buy food most of the time but I kept learning. That was the most important thing to me and all of my hard-earned money went to that. When I calculated the remainder, I barely had enough to eat so I couldn't afford a temporary home."_

I almost had to stop when I saw the shocked expression in regards to having to 'buy' food and returned the delicate stroke of the cheek to his which had comforted me seconds prior. It appeased him for the moment as I watched his eyes close slightly and I cracked a small smile at him as I went on, _"When I finally received credibility in my skill, I sought people that would have need of me but my time there lasted very little. I was either found inexperienced or nobody had any more need of me. Most professions were for people directly in contact with money, which is what my parents wanted of me, but I wasn't one of them. Throughout those years, I slept in common houses in the winter- a place for those that had no home or permanent shelter to spend the night- or my old car during warm seasons."_

Sighing deeply, I wringed my fingers anxiously in remembrance to those chilly winters in the east and admitted my most personal details, "I remember crying myself to sleep several nights because I knew I had a family out there that had shelter but denied it unless I became what they wanted me to be. . .and there were times I wanted to go back and face them. I felt so stupid and weak for even considering to surrender to their wishes but they were all I had in the world. I didn't have anybody else to turn to and humankind rarely helps strangers who cannot support themselves. It's a world of survival and I endured things that I'd never wish on anybody else. Being poor and homeless was the least of my pain in comparison to what they did, casting me aside like. . .like I was trash."

Tears stung my eyes but I forced them back down by blinking as I recounted every thought that went on during those grueling years, "I didn't want to tell them I was wrong and be filled with self-disappointment so I kept telling myself I could attain what I wanted if I kept going. I was alone on my own, I had to accept it, and I would survive to prove them wrong. I promised myself that I would succeed without their help, no matter the cost."

My ears lowered miserably in remembrance to those awful times spent in loneliness against nature's elements in the city and swallowed the painful lump that formed in my throat. My childhood hadn't been the best nor the worst but in my youth, I never expected to be disowned by the ones I loved and still remembered their last words (except my father, he refused to speak to me) as I left home for the last time on that hot summer in 2144. Those old wounds felt fresh like yesterday as I unearthed them from the recesses of my mind and I whispered shamefully, _"I did not have many belongings because I moved around hour by hour trying to locate someone who could use my skills and searched everywhere since professions were lacking due to economic depression in those years. Nonetheless, I always kept a few good pieces of clothing that would make me appear competently professional despite my poor financial status. Whenever I didn't have food, I found whatever discarded food I could find in diners- no matter who had eaten it- I didn't care. If people left money for the food server to keep, I would quickly swipe half and buy what I could with it to keep my energy up. Coffee and bread sticks were pretty much breakfast and dinner for me when I did not have enough to buy food for the week."_

At this point, Tsu'tey's face seemed frozen in shock to my revelations (and had a little frown of confusion due to some words that couldn't be translated) and I cleared my throat quietly to point out modestly_, "That's why my tawtute body had thin hair, I lost a lot of nutrients when I had to scavenge for food due to my lack of work and so in turn, it thinned out from the loss of good protein and some of it never returned," _my fingers automatically touched the temple areas which held thin hair back on my deceased human self_, "I always kept it tied to make sure nobody saw the thin areas and used makeup- artificial color- to mask what wasn't there."_

My fingers touched the braids framing my face, full of vibrancy and health, and I smiled forlornly, _"I tried and tried until I finally received a low level position with the RDA that studied your culture, those were years before the disaster with Grace's school. I stayed there, happy to do what I loved and being able to support myself. . .and soon, I became somebody in my field that qualified for travel to Pandora for research and gain knowledge that would benefit others. The RDA saw my determination every time I worked and because of it, they offered me a position here. Once I arrived, Dr. Augustine saw the ambition in me to succeed past my limits and I thank her every day for allowing me to be part of her team."_

I wiped my eyes at surfacing all of those bottled emotions from that stormy sea in my heart and hoped I wouldn't look a crying mess before him. He meant a lot to me which is why I allowed myself to be so open with him and let him see the origins of my vulnerabilities so he could understand some of my fears. My hand grabbed the three pebbles on the branch and replaced them back inside the satchel for safekeeping until I could sort them in my hammock later on tonight for the children's crafts. I smiled softly at him, preparing myself for his reaction, and chuckled weakly, "And that's my bleak life story up until this point and why I never, _never _speak of them. I know it's not much compared to what you have been through but you shared your life with me and I am too. Like you said on my first day here on Kelutral, no secrets between clan members, and I aim to uphold that rule. I know I should've told you when you kept asking about my family but I was. . .," lowering my head with shame, I mumbled faintly, "weak to admit it."

"Everyone has obstacles in their life but it will be better now" he assured gently as he peered at me, trying to coax my gaze toward anything but the branch serving as our seat, and I slowly nodded in agreement. His hand clasped my shoulder with a soft squeeze and my spine straightened to the physical gesture, sensing the unyielding support in his grip. I stared at him with a small 'o' forming on my lips as I felt like that lost teenager in the world again except this time, _he _was there for me. He and everybody else in this clan were the type of people I sought for compassion when I was alone on Earth and I hoped to never be torn from them. His thumb traced over my jaw delicately as his fingers remained on my shoulder and he whispered with promise, "You will not worry for food, shelter, or family as long as you are one of The People. _I_ will never forsake you like they did and you mean more to me than your skills ever will. I care for _you_, not what you can give me."

"I know" I whispered thankfully to his short but touching words and placed my hand over his with a loving smile, pressing my cheek against it to express my gratitude. The warmth of his hand seeped through my skin, bathing it with endless security, and I murmured quietly to request, "I don't want to talk about this gloomy subject anymore, my family is dead to me and all they are is a bad memory. I just want to spend my time here with you and watch the landscape."

And that's what we did.

We spoke on the best way to cook the fish in our current season, finding leftover wood the ikran scratched off so the children could whittle their ikran toy, the best length for a bow (he was adamant on long bows being superior), his new venture at trying to create crepes by using harvested grains, how Jake's plan to make swings would backfire horribly- a multitude of subjects. I should mention that Tsu'tey and I could talk about any random subject, veering completely off topic when we spoke and often delved into anything _but _the main point to our original conversation. I loved that we could speak freely about any idea that popped into mind, regardless of how we each felt about it, and finish without breaking into a long-term fight (an hour was the most our heated debates lasted and we were napping during half of that time). Before I realized it, the sun had almost set with its lingering light of farewell and the blue gas giant was becoming predominantly visible on the lilac horizon.

I grabbed my satchel to sling it over my side to signal that our chat had come to an end for today and patted the cloth bag to tell him eagerly, "I should go sort these so the kids can pick which ones they want tomorrow. We're going to decorate flutes! "

"Joanna, they will grow accustomed to your coddling" he scolded lightly with a pleased smile to my pampering of the clan's children and I scoffed to the idea of spoiling them. Okay, I obviously _was _but they were kids, they would grow up eventually and realize that childhood was the best part of their lives due to the careless freedom. He shook his head with a small baring of his teeth, his brow wrinkling as he nagged irritably, "They already cling to you in hordes."

My hand dug into the bag as I let him rant about the woes of childrearing (I would laugh one day when he actually had a child to scamper after him) because he could go on endlessly about that. Part of me wondered if he'd be saying the same if his parents were alive today and poking him with a stick to have a child; somehow, I believe he'd charm his way out of that one. Despite his nagging, Tsu'tey respected my caretaking of the clan's children and he often brought me bags of feathers from the delicate fan of a hunted Hexapede's head to use or pieces of wood that his Swizav cut up in the canopies to make into toys or decorate. I pulled out a crafted necklace of mahogany toned thread, neutral colored feathers, sharpened fanged teeth, and a pearly white stone adorned at the center. I fixed the silky feathers gently with my fingers to fix them neatly and handed it to him with a smile, watching his ears perk with curiosity as I presented, "Here. I made it for you a few days ago while the children worked on theirs."

His expression of surprise was priceless since his usual face was either a grumpy scowl or a cocky smirk causing me to laugh into my hand. He cradled the necklace in his hands and studied it carefully between his fingers as I explained bashfully with tinted cheeks, "You gave me your most treasured necklace so the least I could do is give you one for your generosity. I. . .I planned to give it to you yesterday but seeing as the day turned our attitudes sour. . .I hope you like it."

His golden eyes darted from me to the pale necklace in his hands and I froze in my spot expectantly, hoping he'd appreciate my effort on this. My lips twitched in anxiousness to his intense stare, which he couldn't help with his natural born features, and waited with twiddling thumbs until he finally murmured, "Thank you, Joanna."

"It will fit you well" I smiled pleasantly to his acceptance (I'd tie it on him if he didn't- after all, he slept with his hammock open sometimes) and scorched the sappy butterflies in my stomach with acid when he politely dipped his head in thanks. Tentatively, I placed my hand over his covered neck, lightly grazing the start of his throat that was bare from the brown necklace with my fingertips. I didn't dodge his gaze when he turned my way and didn't withdraw my hand as I traced it over his smooth skin, suggesting with a coy smile, "You should show your neck once in a while."

Tsu'tey smiled that cocky little smile of his and my fingers reached up to trace the edges of his flattened ear, delicately outlining the small missing part whose origins he told me about. It was strange to imagine this courageous warrior as a little boy with fears of what his future would bring as he clung to his mother for protection at night. A small innocent boy who ate handfuls of berries until his lower face was stained purple, frolicked in the mud because he didn't like his hair style, tried to keep his little foal in his parents alcove when he heard nantang howls, and wanted to fish with his bare hands only to slip in the water where his father immediately picked him up to quiet his sobs at bruising his knee. Their youngster had grown into an independent honorable man that stirred courage in others and breathed his clan's teachings, fiercely loyal to his people against any enemy.

My lips broke into a sheepish smile when his hand cupped the side of my neck and my whole body practically warmed up to his touch, raising my right shoulder to cradle his hand between my clavicle and cheek. My thumb outlined the darker blue stripes on his cheek, lightly grazing the uppermost one under his left eye as I reached the end, and his ears perked up causing me to smile widely to that nimble movement. I never tired of my fascination with Na'vi ears and their different shifting positions. They were so. . .Na'vi-ish. Yeah, they are _that _awesome that I have to make up a word for it. His hand tugged me forward with a simple but tender pull to the back of my neck and my forehead pressed to his, his golden eyes staring directly into mine as my heart suddenly pumped twice its normal blood flow. I remained where I was since I had no inclination to move away from his tantalizing touch as his fingertips tickled my skin, and rested my hands on the center of his chest to feel the faint thumping of his heartbeat. I found it oddly comforting ever since he kept visiting my hammock to work our problems out and often fell asleep to the calming rhythm. There was no longer any apprehension of months past and every gesture on his part caused my heartbeat to skyrocket whenever he brushed against my skin like delicate silk.

"Tsu'tey. . .I See you" I whispered gingerly as I kept my gaze locked with his to bear out everything I felt for him since this was our private sanctuary for the time being. I wanted him to know everything to just let it be out in the open instead of being sweetly tormented by my emotions. He was a being like no other and if it took an alien to render me coy and feminine, then consider me conquered and traitorous to my species (not that I cared what they thought). My emotions allowed me to speak my mind freely without fear for my boldness and I admitted with a warm smile, "And I mean that in the most spiritual and emotional sense possible. I might not be able to convey the meaning since I'm a dreamwalker-"

"I See you as well, Joanna" he returned faintly with a sincere smile that softened his sharp features and I closed my eyes, leaning in to brush my lips timidly against his to express my heartfelt affection. I really hoped this bold rush in courage wouldn't wither. . .and that I wouldn't accidentally fall off the branch.

My stomach knotted when his own pressed against mine gently with a chaste touch and my fingers trailed over his heart. Was this a response of reciprocation or natural instinct? I could only repeat the affectionate gesture to double check, lingering the kiss for a few seconds longer before leaning back in my seat to await his response. I knew for a fact that Na'vi kissed (so he couldn't lie his way out of that) from Neytiri since I nabbed that answer on one balmy afternoon when we fixed healing herbs to dry in the sun and my curiosity got the better of me. Of course, she thought I'd overheard Jake bragging to Tsu'tey and the other men but after reassuring her it was for my own knowledge, she abandoned the idea of ripping off his hair and pleasantly obliged me to the information.

I couldn't help but feel like a shy teenager again due to the fact that Tsu'tey was not human and kissing could be restricted only to mated couples like our clan leaders. For all I knew, 17th century England courtship was their version of modern dating! His golden gaze met mine as I tried to avert it to calm the raging maelstrom of emotions within me, blushing heavily as I hoped to Eywa this wouldn't turn our friendship awkward (as if it wasn't already, I just kissed the guy!). His hand cupped my cheek, giving it a gentle squeeze as he traced his thumb over the apple of it and I offered a sheepish smile to his caress. If this was his attempt to reciprocate rather than engage in a lip lock, I would make due with that. His eyes followed mine at every angle as I tried to shy away (the silence was killing me) and he froze me on the spot when his voice spoke with mirth, "Do you need a teacher in this as well?"

"W-What?" I stuttered to his flirtatious question as every shift in his eyes warmed every inch of my body in a way I had never experienced. . .and I was loving it. The way his eyes lit up caused me to smile like I'd won the lottery, his smile caused my heart to beat faster, and the closer he came, my skin prickled at the thought of touching him.

His fingers tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear before his lips touched the start of it to deliver a chaste kiss. And here I thought he was an old-fashioned suitor rather than an amorous man. I shivered to the hair-raising touch as my throat muffled a tiny whimper to the warm tickling breath dancing on my skin and practically melted into a puddle when he whispered huskily, "I would be more than delighted to oblige you in learning such a _stimulating_ endeavor."

What was this man doing to me? He was a cool and collected hunter one second and the next, he was trying to be a regular prince charming. Thoughts swirled in my mind about his feelings regarding me but right now, I had him where I wanted. Rule 1 in hunting: never take your eyes off your prey, and I would follow that through. I could see every focused move of his eyes as his fingers trailed down my neckline to settle at the base of my clavicle, his fingers curling behind the nape of my neck as he kept me close to his face. I gave him a bashful smile as I brushed my nose against his, tilting my head to the side to draw him closer and replied with a silky whisper, "No, I'm more than capable but I wouldn't mind a review of it."

That cocky grin of his would be the death of my boldness around him but I met him halfway when his lips crushed onto mine for a firm but slow kiss. My fingers cupped his chin as I returned the same fervor but after everything I'd admitted, he knew better than to guess my feelings for him. From all of my past interactions with him, I had expected him to be dominant in his show of affection but found myself rather surprised that he was the exact opposite. His lips were strong with their grip but gentle in their physical expression as they covered my own and I didn't hide my victorious smile at finally receiving an answer to that plaguing question of whether he cared.

The cool wind tickled my lips in between our kiss and after a few more chaste kisses, I ended it with a fond peck to the side of his lips. My fingers traced over his right cheek with a light touch to once again outline his unique stripes and my eyes glittered happily when his lips widened into a modest smile aimed right at me. If he kept smiling like this, he'd lose the grumpy man image in a minute within the clan. The silent moment swept in a change to our dynamics as we sat side by side in privacy from the entire clan and I allowed my romantic side to hope for a future where we could be together.

His fingertips grasped the ends of mine with a tentative hold and he brought up casually with a curious gleam in his eye, "There is a nearby meadow, would you like to visit it with Swizav and I?"

"Hmm, couldn't I take Swizav alone?" I joked lightheartedly with a squeeze to his hand, trying not to appear overly modest or that I didn't agree to his idea. He gave a small chuckle to my light jest and I leaned in to plant a soft kiss to the corner of his lips causing his grin to widen dramatically. I muffled a laugh behind my free hand to the comical like smile on his usually stern face and pressed my forehead to his cheek to agree cheerfully, "I'd love to."

"Good-" he started but sudden noise below us interrupted our next move, both of our gazes meeting with uncertainty to the high pitch voices below us. My hand touched his forearm involuntarily to the growing rabble of noise but as I tried to decipher it, noise overhead accompanied it with the sound of ikran cries. With everything humanity had done to this world, my mind went directly to them as the culprit but I was way off on this one.

Tsu'tey was on guard immediately and I tugged on his arm from fear he'd actually try to jump off the branch like Spiderman to try to play hero. He'd already tried that once on a Valkyrie and it didn't end well, I might not have known him then but I definitely wouldn't let the man I cared for do anything reckless now to endanger his life. Jake, however, thankfully gave us the answer to calm us as he hollered up to us from below, "One of the clans is here!"

My fingers loosened around his wrist, my cheek resting on his shoulder in relief that there was no imminent danger and realized just how unprepared I was for any kind of attack. I mean, what if humanity actually came back and shot us right out of Kelutral with an air strike? For all I knew, they were lulling us into a false sense of security before dealing the final blow. Tsu'tey brought me out of my gloomy ruminations with a soft kiss to my temple and I blinked rapidly since I didn't want him to think I was dozing off at a time like this. My ears lowered to the stroke of bad luck our private moment had received when Tsu'tey suggested softly with a whisper, "We should go greet them, Joanna."

Reluctantly, I nodded because we were finally getting somewhere in this emotional tug of war but a sudden thought erupted in my mind. He didn't tell me how he felt! I was about to demand the same respect like anyone with a double x chromosome would want after pouring my heart out onto a silver platter but he beat me with a kiss to my cheek. My brow furrowed because he certainly wasn't charming his way out of this easily with his manly wiles but he smiled earnestly to explain, "I will take you for a walk after last meal and I will tell you-"

His hands cupped my face as he kissed my forehead to finish, "Just how much I care for you, I promise. . .although you should already know by our recent behavior. You are the only one in my heart, Joanna."

I leaned forward to kiss him once more to make sure this wasn't a wonderful hallucination I'd be prematurely snatched out from and my tail curled on end when he returned it. Oh yeah, definitely real. There was no mistaking that softness from those full lips of his.

At this moment, I was on cloud nine and remained a temporary resident there until we approached the base entrance of Kelutral that was full of excited people. And by full, I meant _everyone _in the clan was located there. Adults greeting others with helpful hands to their belongings, kids running around with playful laughter, the elderly happily chatting with friends of old as if rejuvenated by the meeting to a younger time- everything around us was alive and cheerful. The moment I took in the familiar sky blue shade and golden bronze cloths decorating a few random members, my heart rate rose into my throat instantly as I walked alongside Tsu'tey. The new arrivals, were they. . .? My expectations were answered with a huge yes when I saw the Tsahìk of the Atykwe emerge from the moving crowds as the people parted respectfully to their leader with a bow of their head and my eyes went wide to her appearance. She returned. . .just like she promised.

I was taken aback by her presence, almost as if she were a wonderful mirage ready to be swiped away from my field of vision. Her head tilted to the side with intrigue as she stared directly at me with perceptive eyes and I wondered if I was being disrespectful by meeting her eyes directly. Did she remember me? Had she come at Jake's request only? I had a sudden change of heart because I didn't want to come off as rude or needy for her attention and hid behind Tsu'tey, silently enjoying the safety his tall body provided for me. I always felt safest when he was near. I felt his toned muscles moving under his skin as he tried to glance back at my sudden bolting but I kept myself pressed against him like a barnacle. I'm certain this looked humorous to passerby's since I was invading his personal space to the limit but I needed to protect my dwindling courage.

"Joanna? Are you hiding from me?" came Nitari's soft-spoken voice as she approached us with graceful steps and I peeked my head out from Tsu'tey's side to offer a sheepish smile. Well, at least she remembered me; inwardly, I beamed proudly at that. The bone white shells in her hair clicked together with a chime that brought back memories of our old conversations as the sky blue tribal markings decorating her arms nabbed my mind's interest to what their lands looked like. Oh, how I longed to smell the clean salty air of the sea and taste its pure water on my lips.

"I thought you forgot about me" I replied timidly and stepped out from behind Tsu'tey, lightly grazing my fingers over his wrist with a silent request for him to stay. During my first meetings with the matriarch, I knew nothing about how to behave among one or how honored I should be which is why my nerves were now getting the best of me with my new knowledge. I couldn't embarrass myself and have her think I was utterly naïve after spending so much time among her people. Tsu'tey, thankfully, returned my request with a light bat of his tail to the back of my leg in agreement and I hid my apprehension as I spoke up politely, "How have you been, Tsahìk?"

"In good health and that is good enough for me" she informed with a bright smile and walked closer to inspect me with shining eyes that made her seem much younger than she truly was. I'd forgotten how much I missed her since she left because of the impact she had on me during our days at the Tree of Souls and wished I could tell her so but as a student, I had to be reserved toward my elders. She placed her hands on my shoulders with a gentle touch (reminding me of how my dear grandmother would do the same before enveloping me in a hug of welcome) as she finished her observation, gazing at me with cheerful eyes to proudly state, "Look at you, little Joanna, no longer dressing as a tawtute nor a mind shifting dreamwalker. You have come far since the day I departed and I see Tsu'tey is no longer arguing with you. May I ask if you two have set aside your differences?"

"Oh, the story's too long to tell" I chuckled embarrassedly to all the craziness we flung at each other back then (seriously, we were like toruks with territoriality issues) and smiled widely at him because all of it was completely gone. . .well, most of the time. All I saw when I stared at him was a strong faithful hunter to our clan and a mighty handsome one I cared for with each passing day. He returned my smile with his own respectful version as he maintained his stoical appearance and I delightfully answered the matriarch with a happy smile, "But yes, we are on very good terms. He is my teacher for Iknimaya and a very dear friend to me."

"Marvelous" Nitari remarked with a pleased smile to our improved relationship and motioned me forward with a flick of her hand. I twiddled my fingers like a shy kid on picture day as I wondered what a matriarch would want of me since she just arrived and had to be exhausted from the trip or at least, would convene the clan leaders first. Her gaze intercepted Tsu'tey's as she caught him peeking a glance at me and calmly asked him with a kind smile, "Do you mind if I borrow young Joanna to show me around the new Kelutral, Tsu'tey?"

"I, um, no?" he replied politely with a stammer as he averted his gaze and I muffled a chuckle to his modest face, amused by his speechless expression. Obviously, he couldn't refuse a Tsahìk's request and he bowed his head respectfully to take his leave, my eyes never straying from his perfect posture and I couldn't wait to see him later on. Our updated status as 'more than friends' brought instant happiness to me and I flashed him a toothy smile to assure him I'd be fine. His eyes met mine with a softness I'd only seen in private, sparkling beautifully like polished amber stone, and he asked hopefully with a kind tone, "I will see you after last meal?"

_There's another side to this man that I've yet to see_, I thought warmly as I noticed the subtle changes to his character since our conversation in the canopies. He was a library, each book holding a different aspect to who he was and what he represented. One minute he could be the helpful cook, another would bring the merciless hunter, another would bring the stoic advisor to the clan, and my personal favorite, the lazy resident in my hammock.

"Of course she will, I won't keep two friends apart for _too _long" Nitari answered pleasantly for both of us and I chuckled to her friendly nature among others, one of the reasons I trusted her so easily. Tsu'tey left with a sheepish smile that was trying to break the surface of his lips but unlike him, I didn't bother to hide my emotions as I glanced happily at the Atykwe matriarch. For a moment, it felt as if I was being received with the comforting embrace of my dead grandmother as I stood before her and thanked Eywa for bringing us back together on this day. With a motherly gaze, she laid a smooth hand on my cheek that filled me with tranquility and the matriarch smiled serenely to reflect on my similar thoughts, "I can see you are joyous to my return and I feel the same way, young one. I have missed our daily talks and aim to collect my lost share while I am here once more among the Omaticaya. We have a lot to reminisce about and I am eager to know of your adventures."

* * *

_(Third person POV)_

"You came" Tsu'tey remarked in acknowledgement but while his face remained calm, his tail took on a mind of its own and swayed behind him with joy. Joanna saw the movement of excitement that was reminiscent in young giddy children and chuckled softly to the rare glimpse in his break of character. Tsu'tey, however, caught the glance and followed her gaze to groan miserably at his involuntary action, "Tsahey."

"Of course I came, I keep my promises" she said with amusement lighting her face as she walked up to him, less apprehensive than before as she saw his relaxed demeanor. The chirping of the fan lizards eased the silence and knowing that they were the only people there calmed her. She eyed the grass bashfully since their setting was as private as it could get on such short notice and brought up the day's events cheerfully with a smile, "Nitari and I spoke for hours to catch up, I forgot how much I truly missed her until we walked around Kelutral. I took her to see Peke and they get along perfectly, he even strutted around the pen for her to show off. She introduced me to a huntress named Anaya, she's so friendly and she has all this knowledge about fish. We talked for quite a bit, I almost forgot to come here but that would've been incredibly rude to you," with a sigh of contentment, she admitted breathlessly, "Oh, I can tell this whole week is going to be fantastic, Tsu'tey."

A flash of reddish neon popped up on their left, leaping right out of the grass, and she giggled joyfully to point in its direction with a zesty grin, "Oh look, the fan lizard just clinched it for us!"

She began to trail after the little critter with a giddy 'c'mere you' but he held her back by the shoulders, clutching her close to his body as he pointed out from behind with a warm smile, "I think you should give them time to relax from the last chase. You don't want to scare them off from the fields with your endless love."

"Oh, but the fan lizards" she complained with a long groan at being denied her beloved critters (she hoped the tapiri weren't around to hear of her adoration and feel betrayed) and reluctantly obeyed to Tsu'tey's relief since he'd had enough excitement for the day. Her toes skimmed over the grass as the pout on her face faded, being replaced by a coy smile as she spoke softly, "I'll listen only because I don't want to ruin the ecosystem. . .and because I can spend time with you."

Turning around to face him, she gulped nervously to voicing her thoughts aloud and bit her bottom lip as her hands fidgeted in the air at finding nothing to do. Mentally cursing at herself for not bringing her handy satchel, she clasped her hands together behind her back to get them out of the way before they caused trouble. She always worried her quirks would embarrass him but Tsu'tey felt the complete opposite, intrigued by her fretful movements as she opened up to him. Her meek voice delighted his ears once more as she brought up carefully with a dainty batting of her eyelashes, "So, were you serious about. . .I mean, do you. . .oh, I'm all mixed up!"

"Breathe" he instructed simply since giving directions usually worked with Joanna due to her scientific mind and waited for her to calm down, gently rubbing her shoulders to soothe her hampered mind. Her nose inhaled air slowly to soothe her frazzled nerves and she focused her eyes on his collarbone since her line of sight met at that area with her height, comforted by counting the white bioluminescent dots on his chest. His thumbs touched her chin as he tilted her face upward to meet his gaze and he ordered gently to coax her along, "Now, say the first thing that comes to mind."

"Fan lizard?"

He blinked in bafflement to the unexpected reply since he anticipated their changing relationship as the main topic and slumped his shoulders to try again with a flat tone, "_After _that, Joanna."

"You?" she murmured sheepishly with a small chuckle to his deflated face but avoided his new pleased expression the next second as she focused on a patch of grass. Her mind chastised her for being so flustered in front of him but the sudden shift in their dynamics was unknown territory and without specific knowledge on that field, she was lost in the dark. She wringed her hands together nervously as she hoped for guidance on his part like a drifting boat to a welcoming lighthouse, clearing her throat to admit slowly, "I've never been this talkative about attraction since I usually kept to my research and most men didn't last more than three months in a relationship. Also. . .well, there weren't any charming Na'vi on Earth so you'll have to forgive my lack of knowledge on Pandoran courtship."

"In our culture, you take time building a connection to the one you will court and eventually mate" he pointed out with a mocking scoff to the strange courtship habits of humanity and she batted his shoulder lightly with the back of her hand for the wisecrack. His eyes sought hers as he remembered affection changed between humans with time and unions, whether temporary or permanent, could break apart without proper tending. He'd spoken to Jake about human relationships to get a deeper focus to their inner workings and found that humans were nothing like his people when it came down to devotion, respecting the human couples that remained together till death with unyielding devotion and pitying those that ended on the circumstance of disloyalty. Tsu'tey didn't know much on Joanna's past romantic attachments either (this fact irked his jealous side) and what she truly wanted or expected from a Na'vi man now that she was living a different life. What if he wasn't what she sought? Could he part from her without feeling heartbroken? What if she found solace in another man's arms, like Talen? Tentatively, he outlined the smooth skin of her chin with the pads of his thumbs and approached the subject with a hesitant voice, "Do you think my feelings for you are sudden? Are yours sudden?. . .Will they change?"

Tsu'tey knew his voice came off worried at the end since he hoped her actions weren't portraying a sudden change in mindset that could shift completely within the week or short months. He'd learned that humans were prone to change easily, notoriously adaptable to all situations, and accepted that but his ways were different. He hoped Joanna would understand that of him. He took his time developing his unvoiced affection as one would tend to a delicate garden and-

Her arms embraced him with that gentle squeeze of comfort he usually saw toward the children but he didn't care, it was a welcome touch to his heart. She was reacting to his opinion with warm care and he returned it as best he could, although awkwardly, by enveloping her shoulders to draw her close to his chest. Hugging wasn't an every day- or yearly- type of occurrence for him since touching anyone was a rarity for him (outside a sparring area) but he would try his best for her.

"Why do you sound lost? The Tsu'tey I know never falters in initiative" she soothed kindly as her heart melted at seeing his humble face and brushed back braids of hair as her thumb brushed his jaw line. The man was practically chiseled from stone with his tall willowy form but despite the sharp perceptiveness behind those eyes, there was a kind soul that sought companionship from one who would understand him.

"The Tsu'tey you know never shows hidden emotion" he sighed softly as he cast away the role everyone expected of him since childhood and let a smile crack at his lips to her gentle brushing of his cheek. Her fingertips were so soothingly light, he could barely feel the tender caress as she brushed them over his skin. Her eyes no longer tried to hide from his own as she reached a plateau of mutual comfort and the empty field with chirping insects allowed him the safety to divulge his true feelings, "A lot has happened in my life, you know most of what I've shared. I've never had an opportunity to be romantically linked to anyone for a long time. Sylwanin died when my feelings began to surface but they were soon crushed at her unfortunate death and Neytiri mated to another. . .then again, she never really liked me in that manner in the first place. Needless to say, I've never had the opportunity to court anybody like an average hunter would and can't help but feel a little. . .overwhelmed."

Her gaze softened to the last part to his confession, coaxing him out of his emotional fortress like one would a caught delicate butterfly emerging from its cocoon. His ears betrayed his nervousness as they moved faster than she'd ever seen and she grabbed a hold of his hands to give him that support to get the words out. A small grateful sigh left his lips as he watched the woman in front of him, not as the potential lover she could be but as the dear beloved friend she was, and finished earnestly, "The point is, I don't want you to leave me. There's a chance this affection we have may not fully blossom but you are my most cherished friend as well as a decent companion on our travels and. . .I don't want anything to happen to you. I don't want to wake up one day and be told you're no longer here with us in body or spirit. Every time I see you with Talen, I feel as if you're driving a knife into my heart and when you're mad at me, my days are miserable and dreary. And when you get into danger unintentionally, which you're highly prone to, I think of what happened to my family and the agonizing pain I went through. . .I don't want to suffer any of that again."

Joanna bit her bottom lip as she tried to keep calm to his outpour of emotion and embraced him again for both their sakes, pressing her cheek to his warm chest to hear his heartbeat. The beating sound calmed the tightness that suddenly clamped down on her throat since she'd never expected such confessions from him but was honored by it. Shifting her head to angle it upwards, her sparkling eyes met his own half-lidded orbs that lacked their usual confidence and she assured firmly, "I'll always be here and if something does happen to me one day, my memories with you will be in the Tree of Souls so you can laugh to our good times. Our lives take unexpected turns and we have limited time on this world so cherish what we've shared. There's no danger of the Sky People anymore, we will be all right for many years without worry. As for Talen, he's a sweet man but. . .he's not _you_. I've yet to meet anyone who draws my attention like you do."

Joanna saw that he wasn't truly convinced by her admission and pecked his lips lightly with her own. The small chaste kiss managed to snag his attention and she smiled pleasantly to order, "You leave all the worrying to me, there's no point in both of us being fearful. You're the strong one. . .my rock, if you will. If anyone is going to exaggerate and run off into the woods seeking answers, it's me."

His forehead touched hers as her kind words plucked his heartstrings and thanked Eywa for bringing the spitfire human that had at first irked him but had now become his endearing dreamwalker. There was no other that could compare to her and Tsu'tey doubted anyone could. Her hands roamed over his chest with nimble dexterity toward his shoulders as his breathing tickled her cheeks and he admitted quietly, "I didn't think Eywa had anything else planned for me after I had to relinquish leadership. I cherish my ranking, I do, but after seeing everyone I grew up with pair off with their intendeds, I thought. . ."

She encouraged his falter with a small squeeze to his shoulders and Tsu'tey gazed at the grass shamefully to whisper solemnly, "That. . .that perhaps Eywa didn't make the other half to my soul."

"Oh, Tsu'tey, you can't think that" she soothed quietly since conversations this deep never took place before and her heart went out to him as she saw the concern etched on his face. The two had talked about anything but romantic viewpoints since meeting so everything was uncharted territory but Joanna saw it as an opportunity to delve deeper into who he was and heal whatever emotional wounds lingered. The side of her palm stroked his cheek to comfort that sullen thought because she wanted it cast away from his mind and whispered gently, "Finding that other person takes time, decades even. As a tawtute, I was older than you and I hadn't found my partner nor was I looking."

"Human and Na'vi ways are different, Joanna" he reminded simply with a soft clearing of his throat, glancing at the ground somberly to dissipate the feeling of vulnerability, and found himself squeezed again in another hug.

"True, and despite that, I find myself caring for you" she admitted fondly with a small smile on her lips, holding him tightly to make sure everything was real. She wanted to save that private moment between them from time itself (maybe it would survive in the Tree of Souls one day) and sighed contently as she felt his fingertips firmly encasing her shoulder blades to keep her close. Her own fingers trailed over the curve of his spine to memorize the silky warmth of his skin, the herby and woodsy scent of his skin as her nose ran the length of his neck to keep his unique scent on her olfactory system. Her breath tickled the side of his neck as she whispered faintly against his skin, "I care for you, so very very much."

He never felt at home unless he was by her side and admonished himself for waiting so long to admit what he kept hidden from everyone. Yes, he was deliberately going against traditional courting procedures by meeting with her but he cherished Joanna with all of his heart and would not give up on pursuing something that felt genuinely right. His chin brushed against her temple as he glanced down at her content form, smiling to how calm and free she could be at his side, and asked lightly with an attempt to joke, "Even with my infuriating behavior?"

"A dash of spice never hurt anyone" she answered with a delightful smile to coax him into relaxation since she was perfectly at ease with him now that everything was in the open and they had thoroughly talked it out. Her guess was that talking to a romantic potential was new to him due to his upbringing but he had nothing to fear from her, she would be nothing short of supportive. If anything, it felt eerie for Joanna to be the one with power at that precise moment since he usually kept everything in order while she listened without question (most of the time, unless he ordered something completely asinine).

Meeting his uncertain gaze, she leaned in to brush her lips against his to test the water because having him bolt like a shy schoolboy would not break the silence tomorrow morning at first meal. A smile lit her face when he returned it with a gentle peck, watching with amusement as he angled his head to the side to accomplish it. Yep, he was definitely one of a kind on Pandora and Joanna found that sudden delicate air about him completely endearing as she ran her fingers through his raven hair to smooth out his braids. For once in her Pandoran life, she had the experience on this certain subject (her ego received a gratified boost from this after lying dormant in the negative field since training) and cupped his cheek with her right hand, brushing her thumb against his cheekbone as she planted a firm kiss on his lips to taste him again.

"This is very different than your earlier performance" she mused playfully with a light blush to her cheeks in regards to earlier in the evening and grinned with amusement when his ears flicked in different directions, his eyes darting to the tree line when she tried to initiate eye contact. He'd been a suave flirt without falter back in Kelutral and she found the change interesting as the layers in his emotional safe house peeled away.

"At home, I have no fear as is expected of me but in private, with you, I am a normal man with fears and hopes like any other" he confessed quietly with a sincere smile to show his awkwardness on the new subject which was a feat for the private man since strength was the only quality he wanted others to see in him. He'd been trying his best to gain her attention despite his inexperience and would continue to do so until she said otherwise. Her easygoing nature rendered his emotional defenses useless whenever they spoke in private, a stark difference when they were training and used all possible shields to block internal conflicting emotions. He might call her softhearted to annoy her but without that gentle temperament, she wouldn't be able to balance him and he depended on it with his public brusque attitude. He was the wooden canoe and she was his commanding water current to keep him in restraint or to let him sail rampantly.

"I want you to be yourself. . .but I wouldn't mind a repeat of that incident" she teased gently with a flick to one of his sideswept braids to remind him of their playful friendship and he obliged the request, kissing her in return with satisfaction to her approval of him. Joanna was different from both his previous intendeds but he loved each of her quirky traits because she certainly wouldn't be the same woman without them. Meek Joanna had him treading sharp rocks when he nursed her back to health and with the new knowledge he gained today, he wouldn't dare to hurt her emotionally again. He would protect her far better than her own family or anyone else in the clan and embraced her close to deepen their kiss, his ears flattening as he tried to convey his entire affection through one physical gesture. When her tongue ran across his bottom lip to seek entrance, he did a double take to the sensation and his ears perked to their fullest.

This was certainly new.

Joanna sensed the hesitation behind his kiss and her lips left his to give him space when her flirtatious move didn't land an invite. After all, he wasn't a human male or privy to the whole mechanics of human romance. She wasn't about to throw her entire knowledge of kissing at the poor man before he was ready to handle it but personally, her heart was already hammering away so he was doing splendidly for a beginner. Adding one last fond peck to his chin, her fingertips roamed over his sculpted chest to draw circles over his sternum and sighed softly when the tip of his nose touched her cheek. His slow breaths were almost therapeutic in the silent field as she clung to him and leaned closer to his touch with a joyful smile, suggesting brightly with enthusiasm, "Why don't we sit and watch the fan lizards? I promise I won't run off into the night."

"I was hoping you wouldn't, sunset increases my laziness" he replied with a low chuckle as he watched her nimble movements, a content smile appearing on his face to his new relationship with Joanna. He sat down neatly on the grass in one single movement while she was the total opposite, sitting anywhere that had a cushiony patch of grass and without an ounce of his grace. He was about to playfully remind her to practice her movements to increase her precision but as the bioluminescent dots added allure to her smiling face, he dismissed it. He was there as the man who cared for her, not her strict unyielding teacher.

"I would hardly use the word 'lazy' to describe you" she joked dryly with a flat expression since the man was all work and no play whenever she encountered him, even their private evenings were filled with him creating something (whether for leisure or hunting). Scooting closer, she linked her right arm through his left as he scoffed to her accurate words since he still saw himself as a man with flaws. To Joanna, however, he was immaculate and the type of man she could see herself with for many years. Despite only a day had passed since their argument, she'd missed the skin contact shared between them whenever they spoke and caught the curious gleam in his eye as he stared at their intertwined arms. Her index finger flicked the apple of his right cheek affectionately and she explained the new action with a modest tone in her voice, "I hope my tendency to touch won't scare you off. Old habits are hard to kill and. . .are you _laughing _at me?"

She feigned a glare of contempt as he laughed with amusement but managed to speak through his laughter, "This new development is going to keep life interesting."

"How so?" she asked curiously to his sudden fascination and hoped he wasn't about to make a Na'vi experiment out of her. Just as she'd been a scientist, Tsu'tey had a knack for testing just about anything he encountered from inanimate objects to living people to obtain an answer to his questions and satiate his mind. She liked the fact that they could reach either consensus or disagreement when they posed a question to solve and attained such a trust that neither would criticize the other, always opting to find answers peacefully. Joanna was humbled whenever he brought a question that plagued his mind, whether rhetorical or not (sometimes, it was clan business and she carefully explained all the possibilities to help him), and tried to answer it to the best of her knowledge.

"We will be learning more about each other on a deeper level that neither has been to" he explained easily with an honest smile and ran his thumb over the top of her hand to feel the grooves of her knuckles, etching the contours for the first time since brief touches of the hand were all he'd ever done as her friend. He truly hoped he could make her happy because deep in his heart, he wanted the same for himself like any emotional being and knew it was time to find his lifelong companion; time didn't stop for anybody and he definitely wasn't getting any younger. His gaze flickered to the grass for a moment before meeting hers and he admitted slowly with a kind voice she rarely heard from his mouth, "I may not be as affectionate as a human but I do care for you, Joanna. Truly. Will you join me by the river tomorrow for a walk?"

She nodded contently with a serene smile as her head nuzzled the crook of his neck to settle there and he smiled to himself for receiving her affection (and silent agreement), leaning closer to envelop her with his warmth and protection. Frankly, Joanna could spend an entire evening sitting with him doing absolutely nothing and she'd be satisfied. Her fingers intertwined through his and she frowned with distaste at having a leftover finger reach for the air due to her five digits. Thinning her lips in determination, she decided to wrap it over his last finger to settle the matter and smiled impishly with satisfaction to fixing that problem, "There we go."

The fact that her anatomy appeared slightly different to his due to the DNA tweaking brought on the next question that constantly popped into mind. Would he truly accept her like this? He'd accepted her as she was during her first months there, regardless of his dislike of her origins, but she was nothing to him then. If he sought a future with her, would he be satisfied with the fact that she wasn't a perfect Na'vi? Her body huddled closer to his involuntarily at the idea of future rejection, her breath tickling his neck as she murmured weakly, "You don't mind that I'm. . .I mean, I look. . .I have extra fingers, toes, smaller eyes-"

"Why would being a dreamwalker affect me? I see you as a clan sister, nothing less" he replied honestly and glanced down to see her gazing solemnly at their entwined hands as her confidence waned. His fingertips traced over her cheek with a feathery stroke as he watched her ears flatten, prompting him to kiss her smooth forehead to enforce his loyal affection and attempt to cheer her up from any hurt she was experiencing. Her eyes closed to his silent gesture and he eased away her worries by stating matter-of-factly, "You are attractive, Joanna. Do you want to know how I've come to this answer?"

"It better not be because of my rear" she mumbled sarcastically to lessen the tension she felt internally and he chuckled softly to the smart-alecky reply, gaining a small smile on her part. She sought defense through humor while he used anger, another trait he liked about her but not himself due to its destructiveness. However, he didn't want her to hide internal conflicts that he could chase away from her mind because her wellbeing came first and emotional masks never suited his Joanna in any setting. He'd already grown accustomed to such but she was a free spirit and he wanted her to remain unrestrained without fear of judgment.

"Others in the clan noticed you far before I did. . .but I consider myself lucky for gaining your affection" he admitted with remembrance to past arguments about Joanna being nothing but an alien and later on, arguments about her not courting any man as he hid his own attraction. Oh, how he argued vainly about her alien origins and appearance but it never dissuaded anyone. He truly was thankful that he hadn't pushed her away towards another with his nasty tongue before he realized his hidden feelings and that out of everyone, she picked him. Tilting his head to the side, he watched her meek figure with intrigue as he pondered aloud, "I've never met anyone like you and no, it's not because you came from an alien planet nor your human traits that remain with you now."

His smile widened into a smug grin as she nudged his shoulder with hers in chastisement, enjoying her little rebellion, and he complimented, "You're not afraid to stand up to me and you gave me a second chance- _multiple _chances actually, which is something that even I can't give. Most of all, you've been nothing but honest to me and you care for me. . .which is something I've lacked for many years."

"I'll always care for you, platonic or not" she whispered kindly and squeezed his hand, kissing his left cheek with a loving smile for everything he'd helped her overcome since arriving on Pandora. He was perceived as an invincible force to the clan but he was mortal like her and prone to obstacles, which she wouldn't hesitate to lend a hand on. His heart warmed with comfort fitted to the clan's hearth as her voice betrayed nothing but loyalty when she promised with a helpful smile, "Everybody needs a confidante and if you need one, I'm here for you. Frankly, I'd stick to Jake because I'm at a loss with manly questions but for everything else, I'm your lady."

His nose pressed against her cheek to show his gratitude but felt his movements were clumsy and slow compared to hers which were fluidly natural. He wanted to prove he was worthier than any human she'd courted on her world but at the same time, not ruin his own chances by doing something stupid and arrogant. Joanna, however, cherished each gesture made (she couldn't distinguish his 'perfect' dexterity from his 'awful' because both were exceptional) and brushed her nose against his as he admitted slowly with a faint voice, "Even if you remained as a human. . .I'd care for you. It would be very ironic due to our conflicting races and clashing personalities but I'd still pursue you. Obviously, we would have a _lot _of work on progressing such a connection but luck is with us because you're not. You are one of us."

She smiled in response as his face nuzzled her neck, leaving chaste kisses on her skin. She never would've imagined hearing those kind of words from him due to his indifference to humankind and the fact he irked her more when she was still human. Part of her believed that if she hadn't undertaken the body switching transformation, they would be fighting to this day due to their differences and his prejudice against humankind. Their forced partnership had indeed changed them for the better towards coexisting once they overcame their misguided misconceptions and helped Tsu'tey build trust with the dreamwalkers rather than hate them. Joanna wouldn't hesitate to agree that she needed him in her life for security and stability while Tsu'tey would wholeheartedly deny it in public. . .but admit it without a second thought to her in private (he maintained the rule that he was meant to think, not feel, in social settings). Her lips pressed against the start of his ear as she wrapped her arms around his neck to envelop him with her floral scent, her silky voice teasing his skin, "Are you sure you've never done this before?"

"Positive, I'm not afraid to admit to you that kissing is all I've done" he answered easily but she heard the tiniest sheepish undertone in his voice that betrayed his uneasiness in new situations. Tsu'tey hoped he wasn't doing an awful job at everything and Joanna was close to biting the end of his ear in an effort to get him to relax. He wanted to express a small amount of his affection because mating was completely out of the question as long as she held no rank. . .but that didn't mean he'd sacrifice his entire sense of touch. Traditions dictated that his decision was wrong as only publicly courting couples could hold hands or kiss on the cheek but he was willing to break the rules for her. Each held their own principles on affection but with his conservative discipline and her liberal outlook, compromises would have to be made to please both parties.

He didn't contain the small groan that left his lips when she nipped the edges of his ear, her fingertips digging into the bottom portion of his hair where the sensitive queue tendrils were located. This was definitely new but very welcome territory for him as she sent shivers down his spine, his closed eyes witnessing the magnificent white bolts of light he saw during raging storms in the summer season as she caressed his scalp. Every little nip and dab from her vivacious lips had him waging a battle within his body as the new stimuli warmed him to the core. Apparently, his partner wasn't kidding when she stated human physical relations were entirely different than his people's during courtship.

His lips traced down the side of her neck to reciprocate her actions, soft pecks trailing down her neck as he learned the new technique which he didn't mind practicing. Joanna wasn't about to complain about his amorous kisses after seeking his sole romantic attention for the past weeks and a small smile lit his face when her lips eagerly sought his. He didn't deny her entrance this time and allowed her tongue to seek his with a welcome invite, smiling as he decided to play coy to her tentative touch. Joanna believed his shy façade as he dodged her attempts but when she felt the corners of his mouth lifting in amusement, she realized he'd been teasing her the whole time. Her eyes shined against the bioluminescence as she pulled away to whisper with a mischievous smile as he was caught red handed, "For an innocent man, you definitely aren't playing the role of a pure untainted one."

"What can I say? Hunters are endlessly adaptable to new situations" he chuckled with an arrogant smirk to his gifted skills and weaved his fingers through her braided tresses to keep her close, breaching the walls of personal space as she leaned into his embrace. His molten gold orbs bore into hers as her smooth fingertips outlined the contours of his angular face, his lips kissing the corner of hers as he admitted in a low whisper, "You make me feel alive when we're together. You give me strength with words when I falter, you break me when you're upset, and you captivate me with the simplest of movements."

Joanna found herself speechless to his confession but her body spoke for her by capturing his lips with hers. This time, he didn't hold himself back and immersed himself in enjoying everything his partner wanted to indulge him with. After all, he _did _admit he was a fast learner.

Within minutes, the two were deaf to the world and engaged in a compromising position to anyone who accidentally wandered into the field. Joanna wasn't letting him wander more than half a foot away and her lips made sure his own were occupied while he played cat and mouse to rile her from his position above her. His lips brushed against her cheek as he delivered hot kisses to mark her warm skin and she caught her lips with his to pin him in place for another liplock tango that would pry the air out of his lungs. The two engrossed themselves in another searing kiss but faint sounds of rustling broke the silence of the fan lizard field, causing Tsu'tey to stop immediately like a deer caught in the headlights. Joanna blushed lightly to what they'd just done in public and quietly unhooked her leg from his waist before someone managed to catch them in the act and blabbed it all over Hometree. She did not need gossip spreading the already growing rumors about them (except now, they were actually true) and making them the newest talk of the clan. If anything, she and Tsu'tey made the news at least once a month with their training mishaps or dramatic antics at the base of Hometree and didn't need an unsavory rise in popularity.

"It seems with our new visitors, the clearings will want to be explored" Tsu'tey stated simply with a small frown of distaste since he wasn't the most sociable type, especially during popular celebrations, and sat up to brush off flecks of dirt on his knees. His ears tingled from Joanna's small love bites and he tried to shove the warm feeling in his chest aside to listen for intruders with his sharp hearing to stay on guard in case of anything. His fingers sought hers to help her sit up as any gentleman would but she squeezed his hand only, releasing it as she chose to remain on the grass.

"Well, I'm not moving, I finally managed to get comfortable" she mumbled sluggishly as she watched the stars flicker between thin cloud cover, their true intensity lessened by the bioluminescent of Pandora's night. Nonetheless, it didn't take away any of their beauty and she smiled happily at the sky, enjoying one of her favorite pastimes. Tsu'tey never really understood her fascination when they sat on a branch to watch them at night and stuck to whittling arrows (or trying to figure out Jake's devious finger trap), muttering out half-hearted agreements to her excitement about the glittering jewels in the sky. Joanna yawned tiredly into one hand and waved the other to offer a humorous suggestion to keeping inconspicuous, "Just walk around the field and look handsome, it shouldn't be too hard for the 'phenomenal cosmic hunter'. I'm sure they'll pay attention to you and forget all about my existence- I can hide in the grass like a sneaky fan lizard!"

"Joanna" he warned gently to the pokes at her own self-esteem, trying not to smile at her humorous descriptions as she tried to feign sleep from her spot on the grass. Only Joanna could make him laugh without reserve. He leaned down to cup the side of her face, tracing a thumb over the round apple of her cheek as her delicate appearance called out to him like a clear sky fit for ikran flying. Her gaze softened to his light touch as she leaned into his hand, kissing the palm of it to show her deepest appreciation, and he asserted firmly, "You're beautiful. . .so do not nag."

_Only Tsu'tey can sound marvelously loving and hilariously witty at the same time to knock a woman off her feet_, she thought humorously about the man that rendered her powerless with the simplest of caresses and the faintest of low timbre tones.

A chaste kiss to the lips brought a smile to her face and he suggested with an enthusiastic voice, "I have a warm blanket in my living area and you have a large hammock. We could exchange stories? I don't believe I've told you about my first months with Aci," leaning in as if to tell a great secret of importance, he whispered sneakily in her ear, "She hated me, you know."

"Impossible! She protects you like an ikran" she disagreed with the uttermost skepticism to his claim because the proud mare let nobody touch her except for her rider. The minute he was there, she behaved delicately like a sweet foal without the terrifying temperament as she listened to his orders without question. This short story interested Joanna as the new steps in their relationship were now being paved and honesty was the cement to bind them just as their bridge of friendship had been founded. If he was willing to open the fortress gates about the most private moments of his life, she would return the respect with the same enthusiasm. With a wide grin, she sat up immediately with renewed energy and agreed with a perky nod, "My handsome hunter, I do believe I will accept."

He grabbed her hands to help her stand up, relishing her compliments as any romantic counterpart would, and leaned down to kiss her left cheek. Joanna couldn't help but smile back to the sudden shift in his personality, endeared by the delight written across his face as he smiled earnestly, "I haven't been happy in a very long time but with you around to brighten up my days, I might have to break façade and smile."

Joanna chuckled to his affectionate joke and intertwined her hand with his, leaning against him as he led them away from the fan lizard field to return to the coziness of their home. Tsu'tey truly hoped nothing would ruin his newfound happiness and after many years, his heart beat like the giddy child he'd once been when she squeezed his hand.

_Eywa, I am happy_, he thought peacefully with a serene smile that was hidden by the leaves he carefully pushed aside to begin the trek back home but he knew that Eywa's eyes were always watching.

* * *

Tsu'tey practically sauntered up the stairwell of Kelutral after leaving Joanna to sleep away the day's excitement when she'd accidentally fallen asleep in his arms during one of his tales. He'd tucked a blanket around her like a dutiful mate would do and as he'd watched her, wondered how a life built with Joanna would be like. He'd never felt so. . .complete. . .in his life until he spent the last hour in her hammock, curled inside a large blanket (one of her earlier works that also ended up a size too large but he found it rather convenient now) as they traded stories and kissed under the glow of the bladder lanterns to make up for the time lost- or sexual tension as Joanna had blatantly called it. He had never been a supporter of change but she kept improving his life- along with her own- for the better as time passed and he didn't mind one bit. He was looking forward to tomorrow since spending time together would no longer be between platonic friends and pondered whether giving her a gift would be too soon or seen as a respectful token of affection. She always had a trinket to give him and there were times he felt guilty for not having one to give her, especially since her gifts took up most of his shelf space now.

_She did teach me how to make bracelets during her recuperation, maybe I could use that_, he thought to himself as he glided over the spiral stairway like a graceful ballet dancer but soon spotted his clan leaders watching over the lower levels as the protective guardians that they were. That stopped his waltzing feet fast. He wiped the lovesick smile off his face before anyone noticed that dramatic change in his persona but his mind would remain floored with disbelief at finally settling his Joanna dilemma.

His clan leaders, however, paid him no mind as they spoke quietly amongst each other as Jake sought last minute support from his mate about the celebration. He'd already shown his clan that he was taking his new title by the reins to fulfill every responsibility asked of him but what if the invited clans didn't think the same? Neytiri often found herself calming those uncertainties within him for the past few nights and ran her fingers through his beaded braids to allow the soft clicks of the tapping beads to soothe him.

"Last time they were in our company, Tsu'tey was leader" he reminded with a faint voice since he'd been on shaky ground with them during the attack on the RDA and hoped they saw him in a different light. He'd been doing his best to repair the damage the humans had unleashed on his people since his first day after the battle and hoped they would see his months worth of progress as he tried to restore Eywa's balance. Neytiri was about to remind that his leadership was made public while all the clans had been gathered and nobody protested directly but Jake hastily added in with afterthought, "All right, so they _do _know but what if they think I bring shame as a clan leader or comment against something I've done? What if they have questions I can't answer? What-"

"What if you release all this worry and take each hour step-by-step?" his mate suggested lightheartedly and patted his cheek to lift his mood somewhat since endless rhetorical questions would only afflict his mind. She didn't want him succumbing to his nerves since her mate was nothing but a fearless warrior that now served her people and laid a soft kiss to his right temple, "Your nerves are simply uneasy to this new situation and you will adapt to it just as you always do, my Jake. Mother and I are here to help-"

He sighed to the endless sympathetic help he was always provided with but Jake did not want to be enabled to depend on them throughout his life as olo'eyktan. There was a reason he was chosen to lead over Tsu'tey and he crossed his arms to point out gently, "A true leader must be able to carry himself without constant aid because there will be important decisions one day that you and I might not agree on. I appreciate everything you do for me, Neytiri, but I have to learn by myself also or I will not be the leader you all expect."

His hands cupped her face with a delicate touch befitting precious glass as he smiled softly, "You will be a great Tsahìk and behind a strong matriarch that defends, there must be a knowledgeable and wise Olo'eyktan that can fight. You've told me this many times during my training, remember?"

"Yes, but. . ." she tried to argue his point but he was correct on every aspect regarding the heavy responsibilities that weighed on a clan leader. Her mate was unlike any man she'd met but she treasured all of his qualities, even if they weren't perfect. She knew his leadership skills would come from the warrior he'd been throughout his adult life on Earth rather than a Pandoran clan leader who received years worth of training about all aspects of life. She was certain the other clans would see his determination to make their clan flourish from all the destruction that had plagued them (he'd even collected tree seedlings to plant in burnt areas of the forest to one day fade away the memories of the destroyed land) and would stand beside him for good or worse. She relented her stand as she saw the yearning insistence in his eyes to prove himself without help and Neytiri squeezed his forearms to agree with a fond smile, "I trust your judgment, my mate. I will point you in the right direction and you will walk the path. . .but I will be behind you in case of anything."

"Thank you" Jake whispered sincerely since he needed his own room to grow and kissed her forehead with doting love, closing his eyes as he felt the smile on his mate's lips on his thumbs.

"You will do just fine, Nitari's clan has always been close to ours due to clan matings and she's very kind so you will have no problem" Neytiri assured her mate without a doubt and he returned a favorable smile to her optimism because he definitely hoped so. He'd yet to truly speak to a clan leader in a one-on-one setting during peacetime (he didn't count the Tree of Souls due to the high tension and aftermath) and if Nitari was the friendliest, he'd approach her first. Her golden eyes glittered as she informed cheerfully with a proud tilt of her chin, "She's taken a strong liking to Joanna so I'm certain she will like you as well. You're a lot more sociable than Tsu'tey so the leaders will enjoy a charismatic man like yourself to speak with."

This brought a dopey grin to his face and he brushed a thumb across her chin to tease playfully, "I'm charismatic, eh?"

"You're also cocky" she added in to knock his boyish ego down a bit but smiled at seeing the happier shift in his mood. She wanted her other half to be calm and at peace during the celebration, not in a fretful worry over what others would think of him and his capabilities. He was a new leader, mistakes would naturally happen to him like any normal person but he would learn from them as time went on. Neytiri had no worry that her clan wasn't in capable hands.

Tsu'tey had decided to keep his presence hidden during their private talk but when the couple decided to partake in the activity he'd shared with Joanna only a few minutes prior, a cough and intentionally heavy footsteps were inevitable to put a stop to it. Since affection was shared in privacy, he found their reactions intriguing as Neytiri blushed embarrassedly like any female but Jake merely smiled as if he'd killed the biggest game of the season. Joanna had shared the similar reaction to Neytiri while he himself had been ready to growl at anybody that dared to pass him by for disrupting their time alone. His brusque personality did make Tsu'tey wonder as to why a cheerful woman like Joanna would find him attractive of all the males in Kelutral but he placed that thought in his mind pool of universal mysteries.

"I don't mean to interrupt but I wanted to make sure no changes have been made for tomorrow before I retire to sleep" Tsu'tey spoke up with his classic stoic expression, politely bowing to both to show his never-ending respect. Jake had told him numerous times to stop that habit and groaned aloud to his respectful way of speaking while Neytiri chuckled, batting her mate's arm lightly to remind him of their ways. He didn't mind Tsu'tey's polite nature to his superiors and elders (although he did intentionally grind on the man's nerves to try to crack that shell) but in private, Jake wanted him to behave normally with all his faults. That's how brothers were and with the Omaticaya being his new family, he wanted to create new memories with his closest Na'vi friend just as he'd done with Tom when he was alive. If he had to steal a marker from Hell's Gate and scribble on Tsu'tey's face during sleep to have him break out of his frosty shell, then he'd do so. Nonetheless, the two still had fun together when they joked and intentionally pranked one another to see who was the best in that particular week.

Jake shooed Neytiri away before clearing his throat and replying calmly like a clan leader, "Nothing has been changed so don't worry about a thing," raising a finger into the air, his face changed into a proud grin and he added in brightly , "Oh, and I practiced my dance. _Check this out_."

Neytiri's eyes widened with panic to what she was witnessing when her mate began a frenzy of uncoordinated movements, arms waving wildly through the air as his legs kicked upwards as if he was trying to fight off an invisible viperwolf pack. Just when she thought he would pass out from exhaustion or a possible contracted illness, he completed several consecutive flips without stop and she had to intervene quickly by grasping one of his arms tightly. The last thing she wanted was to see her mate losing control of his body and teetering over the edge of Kelutral to his doom below since they were gathered at the edge. All she could do was question worriedly as to what in Eywa's name he was doing! Tsu'tey, however, betrayed his stoic façade and burst into laughter that grew in volume as he watched his clan leader dance like a maniac that was waving away invisible demons.

"What were you doing? And at this height?" Neytiri snapped fearfully with alarm as she prodded her mate's arms for possible involuntary causes to his sudden action. Had his body failed him for a moment due to his dreamwalker nature? She would've yelled at him with her loudest voice for the stupid behavior but having her clan overhear a quarrel from up above was not in their best interests now that the Atykwe was visiting.

Jake merely blinked with confusion to her startled questions and rubbed her shoulders to calm her down, placing a hand on her neck with empathy since hugging was out of the question for the moment. Hadn't he done it right? He'd done the flips in the correct order after kicking at the air five times and twirling imaginary sticks he'd put on fire for the real routine. Looking from his scared mate to Tsu'tey, he tried explaining to her, "I was doing the dance that I have to show the leaders tomorrow-"

"There's _no _dance to be performed! Especially by an olo'eyktan" she informed crisply to his misguided notion that it was his duty to do so and wondered who put that in his head. Only singers were to have performances during the first hours of the dancing after the celebratory meal was served at night and Neytiri wondered why her mate thought differently. She knew for a fact that she hadn't told him so who did?

Of course, her answer came from the laughing man off to the side who was now holding his aching sides from the spectacle he'd just witnessed and trying not to go into hysterics. Her eyes narrowed dangerously towards the guffawing hunter (why he chose to break out of his stoic shell _now _than all of his previous years was beyond her) and she grit her teeth to hiss tightly, _"Tsu'tey!"_

The older hunter brought his rare laughing fit to a halt, coughing to clear up air in his lungs, and calmly stared at Jake straight in the eye to admit without shame, "I lied."

Now, it was Jake's turn to gape in horror and he turned to his advisor with wide shocked eyes as big as an owl's as he tried to absorb the truth. He'd been _lying _the whole time? All those crazy practice drills were for nothing? He'd wasted hours for nothing? He jabbed a finger at him for a few seconds but he remained speechless from the unexpected surprise, gulping a few times until his voice came back in full force with indignant exclamation, "You're telling me I _never _had to do this?"

Tsu'tey couldn't stop the evil smirk from surfacing on his lips as he watched his leader's limbs twitch in a humorous mix of anger and surprise. Jake was definitely his leader, a man to be respected. . .but he couldn't do bring himself to do so at that specific moment. Not after seeing him flail his limbs like a blind prolemuris trying to fly from a tree. For a moment, it reminded Tsu'tey of how awful both Jake and Joanna were during the start of their training as they held on to human concepts which only led them to downfall and utter humiliation (his sadistic side rather liked it when it had happened at his feet).

"Well, you shouldn't have called me ugly" Tsu'tey justified casually with an airy tone as he appeased his bruised ego with that win and didn't show any hints of remorse for Jake's misconceptions. He found the irony interesting since the younger man constantly prodded him to leave his professional attitude aside and when he did, it was to blindly fool him with their built trust. Neytiri ran a hand down her face to their silly antics because ever since the two became joined at the hip as brothers, the pranks kept rising to mortifying proportions since they weren't going at each other's throats anymore. She almost missed seeing Tsu'tey cackle evilly at Jake's muddy face rather than seeing them bet as to who could hold onto a branch for the longest time while only using their tail. Of course, seeing the two nursing bruises and their broken pride in the healer's alcoves made it worse as her mother looked to her to watch over the two grown men like a mother ikran.

_I wonder if banning the two from each other for a month will work because I do not want to see the two trying to ride a tapirus like a pa'li_, she thought dryly to what their crafty minds could concoct to torment each other (and inadvertently, her).

"You had me practicing like crazy! Why would you have me killing myself like that?" Jake demanded as he tried to catch his breath and not laugh at the genius of the man for getting the best of him. He'd actually believed every single word when Tsu'tey told him what dance was expected and every minute detail- even historical significance! If they weren't in the middle of a celebration, he would've declared a prank war to see the limits of Tsu'tey's conniving mind because he seemed to pull false realities out of thin air with his mere fingertips.

Tsu'tey tilted his head to the side and glanced at the canopies for a second with a pondering glance before replying slowly, "Strange, it sounds _exactly _like something I would do."

Neytiri didn't get to scold them about keeping their voices down as Jake decided to lunge at Tsu'tey for brotherly retaliation and the older hunter ran like the wind down the spiral stairway with mocking laugh of farewell. She merely watched them run after each other like little boys heading out to play without a care that it was nighttime and shook her head, deciding to turn a deaf ear and letting someone else deal with them for the night.

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**A/N**: Isn't Tsu'tey a stinker? He can be a suave heartthrob to Joanna and an honest friend to Jake but he'll bury them both alive to save his pride (well, he'd probably dig up Joanna eventually). So this part wasn't so much action packed but focused on finalizing the 'I care for you' crisis both Tsu'tey and Joanna were experiencing. Now we have the Atykwe in the picture as well so we'll see if Tsu'tey likes sharing Joanna during their stay. Does anybody love Peke as much as I do? It's funny because I wasn't going to keep him for more than one chapter but for some reason, he got to me and when my mother brought me a stuffed animal of a horse (I don't like stuffed animals due to the dust and its aggravation on my asthma- that and I'm way too old for those things), I had to keep it and named it Peke. One of the neighbors had given them away perfectly new and my ma was going to take them to the church's donation to give away but I kept my horse next to my beauty hutch and Peke in the story. Aci's just crazy but then again, so is her rider.

Finally, we solved the mystery of mysteries of Joanna's past so I hope you guys liked that as well. There are all kinds of families out there but I didn't want to go too extreme with Joanna because then, she'll be borderline Mary Sue and I can't have that! So, instead, I mixed personal experiences with other accounts I've heard to make Joanna's family. Most of it comes from my father's side of the family because as a kid, I was oblivious to the world but as I became independent, I noticed that they're very authoritarian and controlling and treat anyone who's not family with an upturned nose (a reason my mother never liked them- still doesn't like most of them- but loved my father because he was nothing but kind and generous). As I edited this chapter, my father's family had a crisis in which my great-aunt who's seen as the matriarch of their family suffered a stroke and my grandfather was practically forcing my father to travel out of the country to go. Of course, I was sympathetic but very questioning as to why the family over there didn't take her to an ER because stroke cases are as delicate as heart attacks and left her at a clinic. Family's supposed to stick together, right? So now, as always with this family, personal possessions and estate property comes into question and I'm like 'wow, this is all they can think of? what about, will she recover and does she need anything?' because two parts of my family have been going at it over property limits (half are first generation cousins that are ambitious as hell and want to grab the property because the only one standing in their way legally is another cousin with a mental disability- she was always sweet to me). For the most part, I used some of my family background because I've also been snubbed for being independent and not keeping them alert as to what I do because to me, the only people who need to know my whereabouts are my parents and siblings, nobody else. So when I made my first trip to my parents country alone in 2006, all of my father's family was in an uproar because I didn't tell them (I had decided to stay with my more amicable maternal side of the family) and they snubbed my father because of it which I found totally *ucked up. I didn't care what they thought or saw how they truly could be until my own grandfather and aunt (my dad's only sis) ignored us. So much for love, right? I won't even go into details of how crazy my father's younger life was or the way my mother was treated for being an 'outsider' or even my own accounts in recent times but wanted you readers to know where some of my muse for Joanna's background came from. Quirky and sweet Joanna overcame her family issues and she'll be conquering more obstacles as she grows into 'adulthood'.

Thank you for the new favs and story alerts, I'm glad this story's lovable to new readers and love every little fav and alert I see in my inbox. As always, I thank my reviewers with the deepest gratitude because you guys keep this story alive and kicking! We're over 65,000 hits so thanks a million!

_Azure83_: Yes, that past chapter was raging with pent up energy and we saw that the storm calm down between the two. Now, we just have to see what happens during the celebration.

_Compa16_: Thank you for the well-wishing and patience with the chapter, I'm glad you liked it.

_Na'viwolf_: I know, my mind has the story in there but my hands have a lot of joint issues so it's annoying (not to mention painful) when I can't write anything down that's itching to be written- it's a hassle during lecture in class. I was sitting on the couch reading microbiology when I had a mind fart about having Tsu'tey teach his children the alphabet by making letters from dough to make alphabet soup since he's a good cook. I could already imagine his children nibbling on the food rather than listening which made me laugh aloud.

_LilMizFiregirl_: I'm glad you like it! Humorous entertainment is what I bring.

_Mouse56_: Thanks, I have to start somewhere with a hunter's mind since that's what Joanna wants to be and she'll be doing a lot as the story progresses. Both of them always go in circles, either due to misunderstandings or Tsu'tey's private personality, which is why Jake and pretty much everyone goes bonkers to set them straight.

_1Timberwolf_: It's funny because for two guys who hated each other at the start of the film (mostly it was just Tsu'tey), they're the happiest of friends now. For a man that can rally a crowd in seconds, Tsu'tey has the worst ways in speaking to attract the ladies but at least he admits it to Joanna. Of course, he chooses to remain apathetic in public to keep up appearances.

_Soccer11_: Thanks for the well-wishes, I need all I can get! :)

_Taurean102_: I'm hoping I can get better too so I can keep writing without stop but nonetheless, I'm glad to be back.

_T0rukMakt0_: I love writing humor, there's so many types which I love using like Tsu'tey's dry know-it-all wit (like his ability to trick people into doing stuff- poor Jake), Joanna's crafty but curious tone (calling him dirty and trying to go into business together by creating body scrubs), Jake's boyish and energetic tone (drinking mysterious sugary nectar and defying gravity without recollecting it), Neytiri's scolding yet lax attitude (nagging Jake about his matchmaking skills but letting him carry on), and Norm's innocent but bubbly tone (getting mugged by prolemuris and still finding it interesting to know). Thank you so much for the kind review and I like your pm's, they keep pushing me to write because there's some stories I gave up on to conserve whatever joint fluid I still have left. As a fellow writer, I wish you the same luck on your story because I know how hard it is to pull the strings out of your brain to make a story work (I hate writer's block which is why I like outlining everything first and then make whatever changes are needed without disrupting too much).

_The Stability Project_: Yeah, separately the parts were shorter but together, they were a whopping 56 pages which is something I'd never done before. I wish I could write as fast as I think- I might have to use my Windows Speech Recognition but it gets slow sometimes. There's always a bunch of rambles in my head, just last week I imagined a bunch of settings for Tsu'tey's future family from his kids learning the alphabet by making alphabet soup, his daughter keeping a pet tapirus, being corrected in archery by his youngest, seeing his kids hang upside down like possums, and worse- seeing his youngest playing chemistry in a lab coat like Joanna used to wear. One thing I can't wait for is for my semester to end, spring break just wasn't long enough for me and with California's education cuts (our state is beyond horrible now), I can only take an online class for the summer so yay! I read on your profile that your story's coming along pretty well, I can't wait to read it when it's out.

_Nekuranekomegami_: I'm glad you loved the first part and I'm trying my best to get better.

_Luv4Uncas_: I didn't realize I'd used a cliffhanger- I should nag my subconscious. lol. I outlined everything for this story but I'm always making a few changes here and there. The part with Jake and Tsu'tey was supposed to be more serious but somehow, I turned it into an embarrassing prank war that gave Tsu'tey the win. When I feel the rough draft is a bit empty, I add in more stuff to liven it up and I'm glad it's paid off in grabbing your attention rather than having the readers yawn. Thanks for loving my story, I appreciate it immensely.

_GhibliGirl91_: I'm not much of an action writer and I need to brush up on it because Avatar did have action in it and wherever there's humans, conflicts will arise. Thanks for not zoning out, Joanna and Tsu'tey thank you (well, maybe not him because he's a grumpy Gus).

_Kudokuchan69_: You are very welcome, I enjoy making people's days with this story. I truly wish I had the stamina to create chapters quickly but long pages and descriptions take time- if only I could be nocturnal. lol.

_Claycarole_: I've tried to make our version of slang into theirs but I can't find the words to do so. I've gone to the Na'vi online dictionary and phrases page (both the official and wiki) and can't find squat, it's irritating since there's a bunch of words that I don't need. I try to make his thinking process as intelligent but simplistic as I can, especially with speech because some words just don't have a translation, so yeah, like you said, it doesn't matter anymore at that point. I don't mind hearing ideas, I can always squeeze something in throughout this long tale and if not, who says one-shot vignettes are out of the question? Thanks for the review and the well-wishes, I'm trying my hardest to find answers.

_C2ruis_: You waited patiently and I hope you loved it, I'm sure Joanna did after throwing Tsu'tey in the pool.

_Aninn_: I'm glad you liked it, as things couldn't get worse, I got both tendonitis and a sinus infection last week- it was agonizing but thankfully, I was on break. Now, I just have to find answers for my other problems.

_CrissYami_: I know how you feel, I love getting the 'new chapter' update in my inbox (I never get tired of Mass Effect and Avatar). I miss my readers and their feedback when I don't write, it's like a symbiosis. lol. I hope you liked the second part of the chapter too.

Taokiomi93: Thanks for the review, I'm pleased you liked it and for the get better wishes.

_Jack Black_: Yeah, the two needed to release the tension somehow and since we're not up to the point where they can mate the tension out, that suited them nicely. Wow, four brothers; I'm the only girl with two younger brothers. Unfortunately, I can't do squat since I'm a mere 4'9 and they're 5'5 (the younger one just passed me since he hit puberty) but I have the last laugh when people think I'm younger and I'm the only one with a credit card to buy M-rated action games. Luckily, they beat out the aggression on each other in sports or video games. I'm glad you liked the drawing, I finally finished it after the poor thing was sitting there for more than a month (darn classes).

_PiXiZe_: I prefer bed rest to hospitals, they treat you like a queen if you have great insurance and throw you outside if you don't. I was in the ER for shortness of breath (they blamed it on asthma, still don't believe it) and watched a woman who was in severe pain who couldn't stand anymore be told to wait in the waiting room where waiting was hours long- I was discharged for a simple medication after 10 hours- and heard the nurses brush it off while I'm thinking 'this woman could have an aortic aneurysm or severe inflammation of the intestines and yet they turn a crying woman away'. It shook me a bit since I want to go into nursing and to see a daughter pleading for help for her mother was just heart-wrenching for me. On a happier matter, Tsu'tey will always whoop anyone's butt, even if it's Joanna, to teach them a lesson; I actually want to write a scene where they're sparring and one of their toddlers see it and think they're doing it on purpose. Ha, maybe I should have Jake teach Tsu'tey the running man and play it off as a wooing dance in revenge for the crazy dance he had to do.

_Dark Inu Fan_: I think Jake will tease the two regardless if they're together or not. He was on the two since the beginning and I had to have him use the role-play insinuation when Tsu'tey got shot in the butt. I love Jake, I can make him serious yet humorously charming.

* * *

**Next time:**

Her eyes gazed up at him with a doe-like expression that he found endearing and heard her murmur faintly, "I should return to the children-"

"I want to spend time with you, we rarely have any after training" he cut in as his fingers traced over the braid on the side of her head, enjoying the light tint to her cheeks as she held the satchel of her foraging to her chest. "I never showed you the mountain I'd like to climb. We can walk the bottom and it's only a short flying distance."

She bit her bottom lip nervously since the Atykwe enjoyed spending time with her now that hunting was on hiatus. "But the clans-"

"Will be there when we return and if we were needed, Jakesully would tell me beforehand" he pointed out to cut off her escape routes and truly wanted to spend time with the one woman who interested him to no end. His lips pecked her nose lightly and he stated, "I won't take no for an answer."

She chuckled at his insistence and delivered a light kiss to his lips in agreement, causing him to grin at the affection. His hands raised to cup her face, tilting it upwards to observe every stripe and bioluminescent dot that Eywa graced her with to etch it into his memory. Her lips parted to whisper sheepishly, "Tsu'tey?"

"You've ensnared me, Joanna" he accused fondly and her cheeks darkened to the admission. His lips grazed her left cheek, golden eyes closing as his nose touched her skin. His breath tickled her cheek when he spoke softly, "May I ask if I'd done the same?"

Her breath hitched lightly as her entire being warmed to his words, faintly returning an answer of, "Yes."

A smile stretched over his lips at her admission. Of course, he'd assumed as such but to hear it from her firsthand sealed his belief. If someone would've told him that the same dreamwalker he'd abhorred since day one would be the same he'd be endeared with one day, he would've shot himself. Now, he couldn't hold himself back from pressing his lips against hers to show his affection.

She returned the chaste kiss and glanced at the floor afterwards, something Tsu'tey wasn't too keen on. His fingers tilted her chin up and he asked playfully, "Why do you shy away from me? There's nothing intimidating about me- well, there is but not towards you."

His thumb passed over her bottom lip as her cheeks darkened again and he asked softly, "Don't you want to be with me?"

"I have no rank, remember? I'm not available to be courted" she reminded with a knowing smile and her fingers trailed over his chest in walking motions. "You're breaking tradition by being secretive, especially for a man of your rank."

"Not if I plan to carry out my wooing to the final result" he replied slyly and gazed into her eyes to ask, "You must allow yourself to be emotionally vulnerable with me so we can See each other as only two people can. Don't hide what you feel, I won't judge you in any way."

"Even with all the crazy stuff I do?" she asked meekly since past experiences of doing so only ended in heartbreak and she wanted to keep Tsu'tey out of that list. He was the one she relied on but she was afraid of venturing too deeply into something that could end up badly. On the other hand, she was sure this chance wouldn't come up again and she wanted to share that trust that only life partners could. True, her body was of a post-adolescent's or early adult but her mindset was still engaged at twenty eight. Tsu'tey was highly intelligent, especially when compared to humans his age.

He grinned to her softspoken question as her hands clasped over her chest nervously and happily admitted, "It keeps life interesting. Otherwise, you wouldn't catch my eye every time you walk by."

"So. . .I mean- oh, I don't-" she stammered nervously as she tried to find the words to ask him if they were truly an exclusive couple. Tsu'tey took the matter into his own hands and kissed her before the poor woman had a breakdown.

Joanna knew she had a dopey grin on her face and sighed, "Okay, we're definitely exploring this area now."

* * *

_The next chapter review hasn't been edited since I first slapped in onto my word processor but I'll be working on this chapter this week since I'm caught up on schoolwork (although tests are always every week- darn Anatomy). I love animals but it sucked having to break open a cat's sternum (my partner is a natural with the scalpel) while I broke all the ribs to reveal the chest cavity- I'm happier working with pathogenic bacteria in micro. Thanks to all my worldwide readers, it's amazing to see my traffic pour in with so many countries and despite I'll probably never travel to all of them, I always read tidbits on each to familiarize myself. Have a good day or night, depending where each of you live, my dearies!_


	21. An Idyllic Afternoon  For A Hunt

CHAPTER 17:

**An Idyllic Afternoon. . .For A Hunt  
**

* * *

I brushed the clinging dirt off a plump violet colored berry with my fingertips as one would polish delicate porcelain and gently blew away the rest of the particles. The cool wind brushed over my skin with a gentle caress as the sun provided warmth with its decent cloud cover while I comfortably sat in one of the clan's fruit gardens to pick the bushes for ripe berries for last meal later on tonight. I'd have brought the children with me to help but with all the excitement of having extra playmates, they were frolicking around Hometree together to enjoy their new friends and learn new games. The morning meal had been bright and cheerful with conversations throughout Hometree as the Atykwe and Omaticaya clans continued to mingle to catch up- if anything, the two chattiest partners were the Tsahìks Mo'at and Nitari since they were old friends. On Pandora, there were certain clans that didn't get along due to past histories or different leadership tactics but the Atykwe behaved very amicably with the Omaticaya and it showed how much both clans appreciated each other. Other clans from the east (mostly Ikran clans) and from the west would be arriving throughout the day which made me wonder how we'd house so many but Tsu'tey reminded me during first meal that the Horse clans preferred sleeping on the ground due to life on the plains while the others could find spaces in the abundant branches.

Dropping the ripe berry into my basket (handcrafted from river reeds), I resisted from biting into it to please my taste buds as I'd seen other children do and assured myself I'd eat them soon enough. This appeased my inner child for the moment but she nagged at my mind to remember my promise as I eyed the tantalizing fruit.

"I remember when I eyed berries in that manner" the Atykwe matriarch mused beside me as she'd met me on the path towards the garden on my morning stroll and requested my company. Knowing that a refusal was downright rude, I accepted graciously because I truly enjoyed her calm and sweet company but part of me wondered if she held foresight in order to find me so easily. Kelutral was a large area to explore for a new visitor and how she managed to bump into me more often than I did to her was rather puzzling. . .but endearingly humorous in its own way. Or maybe it was all pure coincidence. Regardless, we had found a plump green bush full of ripe violet fruit that was ready for the picking and conversation was not lacking as we sat in the shade to make a daily harvest. A dainty smile lit her mature face, the sun highlighting the apple of her cheeks with renewed youth, and I couldn't help but return it wholeheartedly when she spoke cheerfully, "I do believe it was yesterday morning."

Nitari gently plucked another berry near the bottom of the bush and cupped it between both hands delicately as she admitted fondly in remembrance, "My Akan adored eating from the first crop of the season so I always gathered a few from the first harvests to make him a pastry to enjoy for last meal. Sometimes, I baked a few more for morning meal to delight him," her smile widened with affection as she sighed, "Oh, how his face lit up when he saw them. A Tsahìk isn't expected to cook very much once she becomes matriarch, only healing poultices and meals for the ill. . .but my mate deserved each pastry I baked. For him, I would do anything asked of me, not as a matriarch but as the woman who loved him."

Her hands placed the small berry in the basket with tender care as I was deeply moved by her sentimental words and the fact she admitted such private information to me of all people. Me! A little non-hunting dreamwalker. It was an honor to be in her presence, nonetheless to hear such personal recounts of a highly esteemed woman and I could picture the gentle matriarch before me as a younger woman (not that she didn't appeared old in the present- far from it) who dreamed of a peaceful future without the invading human race. A carefree adult that wouldn't have had to lose a child, a mate, and a leader to her clan and forced to undertake all leadership responsibilities on her shoulders alone as she aged into what should've been her retirement. Nitari always held a regal ambiance around her when she spoke to people of all ages, even now during our fruit picking her posture remained immaculately straight and her fingers applied the perfect pinch to snap the berries free from their stems without impairing further growth for another crop.

Her fingers touched the underside of my chin to lift it as I turned away from my basket and she met my gaze to advise kindly, "When you find your mate, cherish him like the world because he will give it to you in a heartbeat if you ask it of him. You are a young soul, Joanna, but as you travel on your path of life, treasure those that reach out to you just as you do now. You will make lifelong friendships with kind grace and humility. . .and with one, you will find your other half to complement who you are."

"I thank Eywa for each person I've befriended, especially for being able to speak with such a respected matriarch like you" I replied softly with unrestrained honesty because she reached out to me during uncertain moments when I wondered what my future held on a moon where my species was hated by the entire population. She embraced me with kindness and assured me that one day I would join her clan to be under her guidance despite what my people had done. I furrowed my brow as I tried to keep my emotions neutral but she stirred something within me that rendered me vulnerable and earnest in my tone, "You were my first Na'vi acquaintance on this world and I cherish that immensely due to all of the conflict that accompanied my people but you approached me. You didn't cast me aside, I-"

A sudden noise entered my hearing and I halted my voice due to the hastiness of the incoming steps. My ears tried to stamp a name to the noise because they weren't short in stride like a child's or loud like an inexperienced hunter, meaning it was an adult. I was on guard in case there were any predators that had breached our boundaries yet Nitari seemed calm about the noise, permissive even, which puzzled me since I expected a tsahìk to be on full alert. However, when Tsu'tey burst into our shady spot the next second like a bat out of hell, I yelped in surprise since hunters exploding out of bushes was not an everyday occurrence for me.

My mouth opened to gape at him in shock and embarrassment (oh, how I hated my frightened girlish squeal too) as the matriarch sat next to me, completely unperturbed to what just happened around us. The woman definitely had nerves of steel. A little tilt of the head in acknowledgement was all she gave before returning to pick the berries on the bushes once more. I could only admire her strength and resilience to situations that would scare the living daylights out of me and could only shoot a heated glare at my adored hunter for pointing that out to her.

_But he could be in trouble!_, romantic Joanna squeaked worriedly as she held a self-made portrait of a proud smirking Tsu'tey and frowned sadly, her comically large golden eyes watering at the idea. . .ugh, I wanted to punch myself.

_He's Tsu'tey, it's practically impossible_, logical Joanna argued stiffly with her impartial attitude to keep me balanced but it seemed that even the icy queen side of me was softening. Romantic Joanna beamed happily at this with squeaky cheers but she was pushed aside as the other added in offhandedly, _Not that I have calculated or anything._

"Are we alone?" he panted hastily with a rough whisper as his eyes surveyed the path we were sitting on and I raised my brow to his hostile but fleeing disposition. Either: A) the children were around, B) the women were flocking him, C) Jake was on the loose, or D) all of the above. If the man had any fur, it would've been standing on end with the stiff posture clenching his shoulder and back muscles as he looked south to the dirt path. My fingers subconsciously tingled at knowing this was the type of situation I usually calmed him down from by stroking his hair and assuring that everyone, but _he_, was wrong (it was better to have his ego teetering on the edge rather than flailing into ice water).

"Tsu'tey, I keep telling you the children aren't going to eat you alive" I chastised sharply to his evasive nature towards them, poor things were treated like a plague while I adored them. Oh, how I wanted to see him squirm with one of his own in the future. . .hmm, did that mean I had a possibility of being in that picture? My brain came close to having a crisis but I averted meltdown because I didn't want my child's father to run from them starting at birth. Wait, why was I thinking about bringing Tsu'tey's spawn into the world in the first place?

"It's not the children I'm running from, it's a female that doesn't seem to understand I have no interest" he snapped back with an irritated hiss to another one of his dislikes and I sighed depressingly under my breath, automatically giving myself a point for getting the answer right. Part of me wanted to be snarky and tease him that he loved the endless attention he was receiving nowadays (really, he's like a peacock strutting around the females) but I kept silent due to present important company. Also, the man was chased around like he was the prince of Pandora and I was the pauper, which would bring an outcry from the women to our private behind the doors (well, hammock) liaison. He stepped back with subtle surprise as he took notice of my fellow companion, a hint of embarrassment flickering over his sharp features, and instantly greeted her with respect, "Tsahìk Nitari."

"I See you, Tsu'tey" she spoke up amicably with a kind smile to the polite hunter and dropped another berry into her basket with a delicate touch. I saw the tuft of his tail lift at the sight of the plump berries and smiled to myself at his affinity for them, remembering his childhood tales of stuffing his face full of his grandmother's batch. He caught my smile and my cheeks darkened when I saw the left corner of his lips lift in a charming smile, thanking Eywa that Nitari had been focused on arranging her berry basket. Our private moment was short-lived when Nitari glanced up to point a motherly finger at him and lectured lightheartedly about his bachelorhood, "At your age young man, you should be happily mated already and expecting your first little one. I thought that your new single status would've brought many eager courting invitations. Do _none_ of the women catch your interest?"

Like a pesky imp, I raised my head from cleaning my berries and placed the task aside to grin widely to await his answer. I didn't expect him to admit our last night secret rendezvous (he better not) but I loved seeing him squirm a little as he was knocked off his stoic pedestal to answer the revered matriarch. I watched the expression on his face falter as he struggled to regain his calm demeanor (I think the escape run ruined that for him in the first place) but it didn't seem to work this time and he sighed dismally to admit, "No, I am very finicky when choosing and I enjoy my unattached status. My main concern is keeping the Omaticaya clan safe from all threats."

"Spoken like a true warrior. . .but you deserve to care and be cared for by another" Nitari chucked softly with a proud smile toward the quiet hunter and patted the bare ground next to her on the right to beckon, "Come, sit next to us."

His expression turned glum to her friendly request, his posture slumping from its confident position, and he informed tentatively with a sheepish disappointed face, "It is with regret on my behalf but I must respectfully decline, Jakesully has asked my presence and I am on my way to meet with him. I must also train Joanna afterwards, could we perhaps speak later on?"

"Always polite in all settings, just like your parents" she complimented fondly in remembrance and his feet shuffled over the loose dirt in modesty to his deceased family as the topic was very private to him. I would never know them but with my past glimpses at the Tree of Souls, his childhood tales, and other personal encounters told me that they were very well respected people in the clan during their time among the living. They both came from humble beginnings and were not in association to the monarch-like clan family of the Omaticaya but proved their worth to the clan by hunting and healing to the best of their abilities. When baby Tsu'tey came into the picture, his attention-grabbing personality brought them into the spotlight as prominent members as the child showed skill in his early age. Now, Tsu'tey was the only reminder of their existence, a living memento of who they were and the strength they instilled into their only child to keep their clan thriving.

I fetched a few berries from my basket as the topic lowered his defenses among individuals his parents (and he himself) knew and wrapped them inside a brown cloth to keep them safe for the time being. I didn't want to see him ruminating about his past and knew a few sweet berries would do the trick to cheer him up. Although he was now an adult, he still ate berries in the same manner by pinching the stem between his fingers and eating the berry from the bottom up like a chipmunk as he tried to savor every bite. He may not stuff his face until it was stained completely anymore but I'd been hit by flying stem projectiles on my head more than once by his forgetful fingers. Holding the small package out to him with a smile, I presented amicably, "Here, you can wash them at Hometree to eat before we leave for training. I know you like these best due to their sweeter taste and holding the stem won't stain your fingers like other berries do."

"My thanks, Joanna" he replied graciously as he took the tiny bundle to place it inside his satchel and I forced my smile not to falter when his fingers brushed against mine since Nitari was watching our every move. My own eyes were fixated on his movements with small inconspicuous peeks through my lashes, taking in the details of his face and the dexterous movement of his fingers. He took care of me when I needed help and I wouldn't hesitate to return the same aid, especially now that I'd admitted my true sentiments for him. Inwardly, I beamed with appreciation when he met my gaze and playfully stated with a witty smile that hid affection, "I never go hungry with you by my side."

Nitari's brow rose at the end of his words and I tried to hide the fact that I'd lingered my gaze longer than normal for one that is supposed to be in the 'friend' category. I expected her to ask us about our true relationship like a parent would of their blossoming teenager but instead, she cocked her head to the side and spoke with a low voice to advise, "I can see you two hold each other in high regard, I am very proud of how well you improved your rocky beginning. Keep true to each other with the passage of time, friendship is a very delicate bond that must be tended to with the utmost care."

"I will oblige gladly to your words, Tsahìk" Tsu'tey stated respectfully with a small incline of his head, unyieldingly obedient to his elder's words but we would have no problem fulfilling her request. I could see the same thought floating in his mind as his eyes glimmered in the sunlight with a happy glint and he nodded towards me in farewell, "Joanna, I will see you soon."

"Take care" I smiled sincerely to signify my enthusiasm to see him for both training and to spend time with him. With our new dynamics, today brought a multitude of options on what to do as either friends or more. I almost had to stuff romantic Joanna into a vault from the gutter ideas my mind conjured up with the words 'free time' and knew that in order to make this work, I would have to keep physical affection to a minimum or risk having him run off into the forest to preserve his innocent mind. Hah, just knowing that fact brought a sly smirk to my face.

"Nothing can happen, I'm home" he replied matter-of-factly with a bewildered expression to my parting words and I groaned miserably to his misunderstanding of my Earth quotes. I could've written a book from all of the phrases he'd interpreted wrong but decided against correcting him like always. It was better to lose the battle than hear twenty minutes worth of why Earth phrases should be banned from Na'vi speech.

"It's a figure of speech" I shot back between clenched teeth because I wasn't about to blow my fuse with the matriarch in front of us as she watched our interaction with a curious gleam in her eyes. In any other circumstance, I would've dragged out the conversation to gain the upper hand in our playful competition of dominance but that would appear rude to the wise matriarch. I shooed him away with a dainty wave of the hand and sighed reluctantly to get him moving, "Run along now."

He glared at me with annoyance riddling his face for being told the same words mothers used on their rambunctious little ones and I smiled amusingly when he turned away swiftly, his tail elevated to show he was hostile towards anyone that came near. Oh, how that man both infuriated and endeared me to care for him like no other. I heard a noise from Nitari's side and gazed at her to see that she was hiding a soft chuckle behind her hand, her feline eyes shining with hidden knowledge as she watched Tsu'tey disappear into the foliage. Her expression was anything but stoic as she reminisced warmly, "He has always been very independent since childhood with the freedom his parents granted him. He would chatter endlessly to whoever would listen to him and followed everyone to learn a skill. Without siblings to share time with, he ran around helping whoever had need of him, whizzing by on his feet as he ran back and forth to find a new adventures to keep him busy. He wasn't particularly fond of his parents' rules with his stubborn nature and yet, he now follows his clan's principles without falter. His heart is strong, beating sturdier with each obstacle that he conquers but at the same time, he freezes his emotions for the benefit of the clan."

Her reflections brought on a question but the wise matriarch had already read my mind, satiating my brain when she answered simply, "He visited my clan many times with his family but with the growing danger of the sky people, many clans stopped visiting for safety reasons. The last time I saw him with them, he was barely past my hip and missing two of his front teeth. . .and now, he towers over most Na'vi."

Her hand patted mine with a kind maternal touch as she spoke gingerly to request, "Take care of Tsu'tey, Joanna, he needs a friend like you. Eywa brought me to you for many reasons and one of them was for you to help him become that levelheaded and wise person I mentioned back at the Tree of Souls. I can see that your company changed you both for the better as a team and I want it to continue because both your paths haven't finished."

"I will try my best" I vowed with a polite nod because I planned to develop whatever Tsu'tey and I had to its full potential. I didn't know what the future held in store for us but I wanted him in my life for as long as I could have him. He may bring out the worst in me at times with his stubborn arrogant attitude but he also brought out the best in me as a student and a woman.

"I expect no less from you, young one" she smiled agreeably with a soft chuckle and motioned to the berries in our baskets with a flick of her wrist to declare enthusiastically, "Now then, I will teach you how to preserve these delicious berries for later seasons. . .that is, if you will oblige this old woman?"

"Tsahìk, there is nothing but vibrant life inside you" I objected to her self-portrayal with a wide smile since she did not have any of the physical characteristics of the elderly. She was certainly wise in knowledge and serene in emotions but her cheerful nature depicted anything but frailty. It was my turn to wave a lecturing finger because she was more of a motherly figure than a grandmotherly type and gently chastised with a fond smile, "I enjoy any stories, advice, or ideas you will entrust me with as a guide in life. You are Tsahìk and I am. . .an unranked child that is eager for tales."

"Your gentle humor warms my heart, Joanna" she laughed with a melodious voice that brought a pleased grin to my face and despite matriarchs had you behaving like they were a queen, she had me completely at ease in her company. Hell, even if she would've been a queen, I would've been a happy loyal subject just to spend time with her; she was just that approachable which made me wonder if she'd been her clan heiress by blood or by marriage.

* * *

My tail had a mind of its own as it swayed with evil delight behind me as I left the pa'li clearings with a playful Peke at my side and Tsu'tey with his own intimidating mare. We were leaving Kelutral to journey to a secluded area inhabited by hexapede and the rocky terrain made our pa'li perfect for the ride and boy, were they happy to explore as they trotted by our sides. Even Aci seemed peppier with her proud posture. Our trek started from the western main path that led away from Kelutral into the awaiting forest teeming with wild life and it would branch out into smaller trails which we would take to find Tsu'tey's target area. He had agreed that I needed to have one kill down (I had stressed the topic by using other student statistics until he relented) and we would use today since hunting, including training hunts, would cease during the celebration in respect to Eywa. Both Tsu'tey and I had nagged about it to each other yesterday night in my hammock to appease our disappointment but quieted down when he gave my bruised elbows a small massage. I had taught him the basics well and purred like a kitten in his arms for the kind gesture, learning just how affectionate he could be in private in comparison to his aloof persona in public.

The reason I was grinning from ear-to-ear like the Cheshire cat behind Tsu'tey, who wore an expressionless face, was due to the fact he'd been struck by a green eyed monster moment back at Kelutral. The occurrence happened when I'd been mindlessly cleaning Peke's pelt to prepare him for the ride and while he happily swiped at buzzing insects with his tongue for entertainment, I was approached by one of the new guests. The hunter belonged to one of the Horse Clans in the west and there was a reason they were named that way because their pa'li were the envy of all clans in the area. They were obedient, bred well, groomed beautifully- everything about them was flawless. So when the man offered me advice on how to make my Peke's skin shine, I jumped on it. . .especially when seeing his mare that gleamed like a pristine diamond. I'm sure Peke's jaw hit the floor when he saw the pretty mare strutting around the field.

By the end of my learning experience, I was exuberant for the new knowledge but didn't realize Tsu'tey had overheard a lot of it with his silent ninja entrance. Of course, he intervened by calling attention to our upcoming training session just as I was learning about different brush types and he remained aloof with politeness to our guest until they left to explore Kelutral. I was tempted to follow the man just to get more tips to make my Peke look like a million bucks but Tsu'tey's glare pinned me in place. Honestly, I didn't know whether he had been struck jealous as a teacher or as a man but I didn't get to ask because a sharp whistle from his end unnerved me and brought Aci galloping into the clearing with an awaiting neigh. A few of the nearby hunters murmured impressively to his skill (when did they not?) while I performed the crappier version and complimented my Peke for just being there with an affectionate pat to his neck. Yeah, I've yet to train him like that and sulked in my spot when a mere flick of his fingers is all Aci required to follow obediently.

I waited patiently until we were on an isolated path away from both the main trail and people to pipe up with a slow cocky drawl, "You were _jealous_."

"Absolutely not, I was merely being watchful over my student as guests finished arriving" he disagreed snippily with a cold tone that would've scared away any normal person but not me. With his head held high, he took the lead with Aci following behind dutifully but his tail was a dead giveaway to his emotions as it rose to knee level. Oh yeah, he was in denial, big time.

Was he hardheaded to admit defeat to anyone or what? I shook my head with amusement to his rebuff (and prideful nature), kicking tiny rocks with my toes as Peke trotted behind me with a happy sway of his tail. I wanted to kick the man square in the butt to knock sense into him to be fair and admit the truth but my crazy beloved was as stubborn as a mule. . .hmm, he might even be _more_ stubborn than a mule! Sighing aloud to his uncaring attitude, I kept a calm and innocent voice as I tried to negotiate with him, "Tsu'tey, just admit it. It won't make you any less of a man."

He stopped dead in his tracks at once and turned around to hiss defensively with a demanding scowl on his face, "And what are you implying?"

Oh my. . .really?

"That you don't like other people giving me attention" I answered easily as I fought back a smug grin to his souring mood that would've had others quaking in fear by now. His forehead creased to my words as if they'd bitten him and I slowly walked towards him, hoping the sway of my hips would change his mind with my womanly wiles as I suggested innocently to coax the words from him, "I'll admit it if you do."

I should've stuffed my foot in my mouth for saying that and for lacking the female charisma needed to convince him. I realized my error at the last second when his ears perked like a damn raccoon's during a meal spree and he walked towards me to close the gap between us within four simple steps, each one dwindling my confidence down to nothing. He grinned mischievously with hidden glee in his eyes and preened with a sickly sweet tone, "Do you now?"

Being pinned in the spotlight didn't feel all that great and I narrowed my eyes at being trapped by my own request, disliking that toothy grin he was aiming at me. Eywa, it looked like the type of grin a thanator would give its meal before devouring it! I wasn't about to let him get to me and didn't really have a problem admitting the truth; it was the _gloating_ that irked me. I decided to point out that little quirk of his without sounding critical as I calmly admitted, "You know very well that my confidence wanes with all the female attention you get, mine is a rare occurrence- like a solar eclipse compared to your daily sunlight of 'let me bear your child' choruses," furrowing my brow, I warned firmly with a hiss, "With that said, if you _dare_ to gloat like you took down a toruk with your bare hands, I'll stuff your tail down your throat and your queue will make tsaheylu with your butt."

My teeth clenched as I saw the tiniest smirk twisting at the corner of his lips and I was unloading the second round of verbal ammunition from the brain to my lips when he spoke with silky delight, "You're very attractive when you're angry, Joanna."

I jabbed a wild accusatory finger since I expected anything but that from his mouth and gaped like a fish as my mind tried to grasp a decent rebuttal. My cheeks puffed out like a hamster's as I collected my thoughts, prodding his chest with my fingertip in silence as he stared at me with amusement flickering in his eyes. He probably thought I'd gone mute until I finally retorted with an exclamation of surprise, "How does anger turn you on? Sometimes, I think you are a little off in the head with those tastes."

His head tilted to the side with confusion to my outburst and he asked slowly with uncertainty, "'Turn me on'? What does that mean?"

"I- You- well. . .," I sputtered out with a sheepish fade of my voice because I wasn't about to teach him human phrases and meanings that would have him lecturing me for hours on end about my indecent mind. . .that and turning him amorous this early in the day was not my intention. I simmered down when I noticed both Aci and Peke were staring at me with curiosity in their pretty blue eyes and if the pa'li thought I was crazy, then I had to be acting crazy. I wasn't about to blow my top off since I hadn't been bitten by the jealously bug in the first place and stomped my foot in frustration for being led astray, reminding him with a wagging finger aiming for the truth, "I admitted it, now uphold your promise."

"I _never_ promised such" was his smug rebuttal and he turned around to keep walking with that cocky gait of his without a single concern to my agape mouth and stunned expression. Seriously? I didn't care about the possibility of bugs trying to make a nest there as I watched him strut away like he owned the place and a defiant growl settled in my throat to being denied an honest answer. The same rage I'd felt yesterday in the forest during the hexapede hunt washed over me and without a sound in my quickening steps, I ran at the man with full speed. Aci issued a call to alert her rider of impending danger (I was honored that she deemed me worthy of it rather than be marked as 'pest') and I thought she'd knock him aside to protect him from me but I managed to latch onto his back before she could do so. My legs wrapped around his waist from behind to latch on tightly as my arms encircled his neck and I hung on for a forced piggyback ride while he tried to wiggle me off, his voice demanding sharply, "Joanna, what are you-"

"Tell me or I'll hang on until you do!" I interjected furiously and clutched onto him like a bloodsucking leech to make my stand that I was there to stay. This wasn't our first physical standoff so he really should've come to expect this of me, I was liable to do anything crazy and impulsive to gain his attention during arguing.

Unfortunately, my idea went down the drain horribly when he stopped thrashing wildly and his intrigued voice pondered aloud, "You know, I really wouldn't mind carrying you. Your smooth skin feels wonderful against mine-"

"Tsu'tey!" I shrieked to his flirtatious words as my cheeks darkened and batted his hands with my tail in protest when he tried to place them under my thighs to secure my position. I didn't even want to think of how his strong grip felt against my limbs as his calloused fingers created sweet friction against my skin and shoved it into the back of my mind where it belonged. I was never more mortified about having an innocent piggyback ride than now; I would've preferred it if he threw me off like he used to. I leaned down to bite him on his left shoulder to see if it would change his attitude from the amorous corner of the mind to the realistic side, smiling impishly when he flinched to my unexpected attack.

"_Ow_! Joanna!" he yelled painfully to my small (and petty) attack and placed his palm on my forehead to push me off his person. I decided to release him from my toothy grip when he rotated his shoulder joint in an attempt to dislodge me with quick jerky movements. My teeth left his sore shoulder (leaving a salivary trail on my imprinted teeth mark that I found myself proud of) since I wasn't about to injure him intentionally and giggled deviously to myself as I watched the deep scowl on his face, his eyes pinning me with offended irritation in a side-glance. However, my smirk fell flat when I noticed a trio of residents walking up to us with puzzled glances aimed in my direction as they took full view of our squabbling.

Tsu'tey was about to release what I would assume to be curse words but I patted the center of his chest with my palm, whispering in his ear to alert him of their presence and stop him before he blurted out something vulgar. The only reason we were acting this crazy was because we thought the path was going to be void of people but apparently, that wasn't the case. They already thought I was crazy but I wasn't about to let them think the same about him.

He froze immediately when he came face-to-face with them, clearing his throat roughly to swallow the unsaid words on his tongue, and I felt him secure my piggyback position with locked wrists under my butt (I shoved the dirty thoughts into romantic Joanna's vault where she remained entombed and left them both to rot there). This time, I said nothing smart-alecky since entering another gossip chat was not on my to-do list and we were still circulating the chatter with our morning meal fiasco today when I accidentally sneezed on him due to a few hot spices in my meal. I knew we couldn't take away the spectacle they'd just witnessed and slapped on an amicable smile on my face as Tsu'tey spoke politely as if nothing had happened, "Morning."

The residents returned the greeting with a confused blink of the eyes and an unsure drawl but he seemed to win them over with a charismatic smile. Hmm, he could've been a suave politician with his ability to sway the masses to look the other way. With that said, he whistled for the pa'li to follow obediently and walked down the path with hasty steps to leave the poor people behind to decipher what they'd just seen and I muffled a chuckle full of embarrassment against his warm neck at getting caught. Settling my chin on the crook between his shoulder and neck, I grinned wittily to bring our previous conversation to an end and pointed out innocently, "See, this is what happens when you don't listen to me."

"I'm not the one _biting_ people, I told you those children would teach you bad conduct" he snapped sourly to maintain his dignity about being correct and I smacked the center of his chest for insulting the children of our clan. Would he ever compliment the little wonders? I was ready to nag him that they were special and admired him in their eyes but his tone silenced me as it changed from dryly sarcastic to grimly honest, "But yes, I become jealous when any man stares at you. Is that what you want to hear? My petty emotion for worrying that another can swipe your feelings away-"

I kissed his cheek firmly, lingering the kiss with a few pecks to the area I'd previously bitten as I cut in to wash away his insecurities, "My eyes are on _you_, nobody else. . .and I think you should put me down, we did bring our pa'li for a reason."

I nuzzled his neck to show my appreciation, delighted when I caught the glimpse of a smile on his lips and scored myself a point for reinforcing my affection for him. There was no need for him to question it; as crazy as we each were, our imperfections completed us and I wasn't going to have him second guessing me. Otherwise, I'd have to pull out the sultry side of romantic Joanna and show him things that would leave him purple in the face for a week.

"No, I think they enjoy seeing me play their role and I want to lessen their burden of carrying us" he spoke calmly with a happier hitch in his voice as our argument was settled and I nodded with a content smile to this sweet turn of events. I wrapped my arms snugly around his neck for added security and rested my head against it as he decided to play chauffeur for me, delighted by his display of generous care toward our steeds.

"Also, I _wasn't_ lying about the skin contact."

"Tsu'tey!"

* * *

There was no interference as the flimsy bushes and sharp boulders littering the rocky terrain provided decent, not great, camouflage as my arrow aimed at the vulnerable area of a hexapede's chest where it met the neck. The frontal area was softer in comparison to the dorsal counterpart due to the vertebral column that ran along the back and striking the arteries that supplied rich blood was necessary for a clean and quick kill.

Tsu'tey crouched behind me like a phantom, blending in seamlessly with the rocks, and would wordlessly reposition my arms to make sure my archer's pose was correct. I'd only had him do so once but that was due to a gust of wind that I had no control over as the higher elevation cooled the mountainous area. The adult grazer was innocently oblivious to my presence and I was stricken with guilt for having to end its life like the grim reaper, my index finger quivering for a second to the brief flicker of uncertainty just as I had during my first attempt.

_No_, I had to do this in order to keep my clan fed and to achieve adulthood in their eyes for full acceptance. All of the hexapede I killed could gang up on me in the afterlife one day and take turns punching in my kidneys but for now, I had to serve a greater purpose. Hesitation would hand me the loser's trophy automatically and with the upcoming cessation of both hunting and training, this was my last shot since I was already behind. Sentimentality had no room in hunting despite my undying respect for nature and with a hopeful prayer for success, I released the arrow between my fingers and held my breath to see my actions play out.

The fingers that had been holding the arrow fell on Tsu'tey's shoulder as I instinctively grasped him for support since he was my rock through all of this and I followed his guidance without question. Never in my life was I expectant for an animal to die and although I felt guilty and a little sick to my stomach for thinking it, I wanted to hear the silent strike and the resounding call of fatality. Thankfully, all my careful planning paid off this time and I watched the arrow pierce the targeted area of the chest with a clean puncture as the poor animal immediately flailed its limbs to the unexpected (and painful) attack. I forced myself to watch everything because this was done by my hand alone and the hexapede deserved that full attention for giving its life to me.

I didn't want to prolong their suffering in any way and sprinted out of my hiding spot as the hexapede collapsed on its side from the internal hemorrhage to weakly call out to any of its brethren nearby. My fingers reached for the knife tied at my waist and I kneeled down to the wailing animal, rubbing its flank in an effort to ease its passing and relieve my guilty conscience for what I'd done. With the sharp knife securely in my hand, my fingers tightened over the leather hilt as I quickly uttered the traditional words breathlessly with a shaky breath, "I See you, uh. . ."

Perfect, just fan-freakin' perfect! The animal is bleeding out on me and I don't know whether it's a boy or girl! Hexapede are tricky creatures for figuring out their gender because they appear exactly the same in anatomy from the elaborate head fan down to their delicate hoof, even their heights aligned perfectly unlike other Pandoran animals. I wasn't about to lift the poor thing's hind leg to check whether it was Mr. or Ms. Hexapede but Tsu'tey saved me from a mental crisis by hastily informing with a sharp hiss to speed things along, "It's a male."

"Brother, it is!" I exclaimed shrilly from the tense moment as I fought my hands from visibly shaking due to the hurt animal wailing for help. My free hand stroked its flank and I cleared my throat to continue quickly, "Your spirit goes with Eywa, your body stays behind to become part of the People. I thank you, brother."

I breathed in disbelief as I whispered the last words of prayer to the dying hexapede and drove my knife into the skin above its heart to make their death instant and painless. It was the least the animal deserved as my blade pierced that strong but fragile cardiac muscle to sever their lifeline to this world. I could only hope they fulfilled the best of their hexapede life and clenched my teeth when I felt warm liquid blood trickling onto my hands, their rich blood staining my knife in reminder that I'd done this to them. Their dying gasp didn't make it better for me as they wheezed out their last breath, big brown eyes becoming dull and glassy as they departed from the world of the living, and I closed its eyes with bloody fingertips to finish my kill. My pride as a student was gone as I felt numb throughout my body instead of excited for this and barely heard Tsu'tey's approving voice, "Very good."

It certainly didn't feel 'good' and that wouldn't have been my own choice of words on how to describe this moment as my hands were covered in blood. To me, it was a melancholy victory but the Na'vi saw it as balance. My brow furrowed with sorrow as I ran my fingers over the soft navy hide of its back and quietly, I looked to Tsu'tey to confess my recent uncertainties with hunting to seek guidance from him, "Do you ever feel. . .is it okay- I mean, normal, to keep doing this and feel guilty?"

He gave me a confused stare which didn't surprise me since he was taught differently from childhood and despite I felt inadequate- and a little ashamed- for admitting it, I only trusted him because he was both my friend and teacher. However, my emotional shortcomings kept me from meeting his gaze directly as I feared he'd either laugh or scold me for my attitude and I focused on the dead animal to admit faintly, "I know we have to eat but. . .it hurts me to have to kill something that couldn't fight me back, it probably had little hexapede friends, neighbors, or maybe a family. I've been taught to protect and conserve, never end a life-"

"We hunt because we have to and we do not cause them more pain than necessary, their sacrifice is not in vain" he stated firmly to instill that ideal in me and grasped my hands into his as they trembled lightly, my fingertips coating his with crimson blood and I broke away to wipe them on the grass. I didn't want to smear anyone else with the sacred fluid of life I'd taken from an unwilling animal but he brushed a thumb over my cheek to continue, "I have seen sky people do worse to our wildlife, we only take what we must and never disturb the balance. It is with Eywa, it no longer suffers and neither should you, Joanna."

"But it suffered when _I_ killed it" I pointed out weakly and he sighed to my sentimentality, huddling next to me and placed my hands over its head. My fingertips felt its smooth dark hide growing colder as the minutes ticked away but Tsu'tey kept my hands steady.

"Its hide will be used in textiles," he informed with a softer tone than before and moved them toward its plump belly as I kept my eyes locked on each area. He smiled brightly in an attempt to lure one from my own lips as he continued to explain, "Its stomach to create lanterns," lowering our hands to the haunches, "The meat will feed our clan, mainly for the children who like this meat in little pieces, remember?"

I managed a weak nod to the good taste of hexapede since I'd done many meals with it for the children and the man next to me, who was undoubtedly one of the biggest carnivores I'd met. All of the uses on his list seemed to help my mood somewhat as the number increased and he held my hands over its bottom leg to add in, "Bones will be carved into hunting weapons and used in attire or jewelry," and back again to the head where we began, "Leftover organs that aren't needed will feed our ikran. Nothing will go to waste. Everything is balanced, Joanna, as each life is precious."

My fingers curled around his to hold them for support as he soothed away my worries with his calm voice and appreciated that he took my opinions into consideration rather than lecture me about what was right. I met his gaze as he peered down at me with an approachable stare and I asked softly for one last tidbit of help, "Will the feeling go away with time?"

"I will help you with it- just remember how much this one being will benefit many and with our care over the forest, many will continue to thrive" he promised with a warm smile that quelled my fears of possibly failing the rest of my kills and he gave my hands a tender squeeze before letting go. His eyes sought mine as I stroked the animal's head with gratitude and the relaxed expression on his features grabbed my attention as he admitted quietly, "I was scared during my first hunts also so you are not alone. I didn't like hearing the wails of an animal that would unfortunately die because it naively stumbled into my hunting field and tried to make up an excuse that it was either too young or old but I could only prolong it for so long. It took many tries to overcome that feeling but death is an endless cycle that every living being will endure, even us, Joanna."

I nodded silently to his reasoning but appreciated his own private account of his training days and patted his cheek in thanks for his kind words. I didn't regret bringing it into the open since it was to improve my skills in the long run and managed a meek smile as I opened my satchel to grab binding twine to tie up my catch but it widened when he tucked stray strands of hair behind my ear. Hmm, he was getting good at this. Leaning into his touch for his never-ending support of my inner conflicts, he assured wholeheartedly with a low voice, "You are a good and strong soul, Joanna."

His lips closed the gap between us and I savored the feel of his mouth against mine as he gave me an innocent peck that was both sweet and satisfying with its feathery touch. Inside, my girlish side went 'squee' for the public gesture as romantic Joanna twirled like a happy ballerina. . .but we were alone in the middle of a forest so it probably didn't count as openly sentimental. Either way, I couldn't help the big sappy smile lighting my face as I stared up at him with nothing but raw affection radiating from my eyes and the warm sentimentality of our small moment replaced the melancholy of my kill. He smiled in return, no hints of smugness or amusement, just a simple honest smile that lightened his features considerably with energetic youth and it pleased me to see him carefree (still, the wild areas of Pandora were not where one lets down their guard for the tiniest of seconds).

"I like this better than your old 'get up or I'll kick you up' attitude" I murmured softly with a light joke to his old taskmaster attitude and met his lips with mine to deliver a few chaste kisses, smiling as he leaned forward to deepen them eagerly. I was about to remind him we were practically in the middle of the forest with a dead hexapede next to us (not the most idealistic romantic scene) but he cut off my words along with my air supply when his tongue met mine to begin that delicious tango of passion. His arms enveloped my waist tightly and tugged me forward to meet him chest-to-chest, prompting me to drop the hunting items in my hands as I buried them into his thick braided hair to bathe myself in his warmth. The feel of his supple smooth skin against mine shot tingles of electricity down my spine while my mind reeled to his dominating kiss but I tried to remain alert to the area around us because this was practically the premise of an alien horror film scene where the stupid lovebirds got mauled to death. I wasn't planning on becoming animal chow anytime soon but the man was indeed very hard to resist when his body was pressed against mine in an intimate manner.

I managed to escape from his tantalizing touch as his lips repeatedly sought mine by nabbing an air pocket at the side of his mouth and romantic Joanna thrashed wildly with fury for being denied his alluring invitation. I wasn't having any of that because I valued life greater than I did having my hormones pleased and placed my thumbs under his chin to create distance between us. You know how I've constantly mentioned he never gives up his target? Yeah, apparently, I was it. His cheek touched mine affectionately in which I smiled to his gesture because I knew he was trying to aim for my lips once more but when butterfly kisses trailed down my neck, I reminded softly, "There could be danger nearby-"

"I am keeping my ears open to our surroundings and this field lacks predators due to the rocky terrain, only grazers of the trees wander here" he pointed out easily with a confident voice as I tried not to look embarrassed for questioning his seasoned skills but I did have the right to care over our well-being. Blush crept onto my cheeks as his raven colored hair tickled them, my fingertips reaching to caress the tips of his ears since they turned out to be one of his erogenous spots (he'd sheepishly admitted it to me yesterday night as I nipped at them in my hammock) as he nibbled on the side of my neck with gentle love bites that turned my limbs into gooey jello.

Out of natural instinct, I remained wary of our surroundings as the tiniest noise put me on instant alert and whispered, "But Tsu'tey-"

His eyes pierced mine as he brushed back a few of my stray braids behind my flattened ear, his lips curling in an amused smile as he saw my skeptical expression and he planted a chaste kiss on my lips to reassure, "Trust me, tanhí. I will protect you from any dangers."

"But who'll protect you?" I blurted out my worries but my voice came out sounding more comical than concerning causing me to frown disappointedly at myself, mainly my vocal chords. He laughed gently at my words, tapping the underside of my chin with his index finger and I melted against his lips when he assaulted them once again with his inviting warmth. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders as I yearned to keep him close, especially after that doting nickname . . . nickname! I remembered Eywa herself revealed to me that my future mate would call me by that, did that mean . . .? No, I'm pretty sure Na'vi men used that name all the time, right? _Right?_

"I can handle myself just fine" he murmured against my jaw in a faint whisper as my fingers weaved through his long braids and nudged my nose against his cheek as I dotted his cheekbone with kisses. I wanted to believe him but I doubted his seasoned skills could bring down a thanator without careful planning or I'd be inclined to believe he held supernatural powers at that point. His head tilted to the side, golden eyes observing every inch of my face with an intense stare that caused me to blush until he asked quietly, "Are you truly worried, Joanna?"

With a light blush on my cheeks, I nodded like a shy girl afraid of those imaginary monsters under the bed (except now, they were real razor-sharp toothed predators that could rip the flesh from bones) and admitted easily, "Yes, I feel safer with you at Kelutral."

I expected him to brush off my concern with justifiable facts about his vast knowledge on this area but with a small kiss to my temple, he ordered gently to appease my fear, "Let us return home and you will see firsthand how much your catch will help our clan."

"Really? No complaints or ravaging me in the field?," I dared to ask without a hint of shame for my boldness and bit my bottom lip in amusement when he burst into boisterous laughter, coughing to hold back his uncharacteristic behavior. His laugh was contagious enough to tempt me to join him but increasing the noise in the previously silent area wouldn't help to maintain our stealth.

His thumb flicked across my chin and he smiled sincerely to answer, "I wouldn't dare risk your wrath, Joanna. If you don't feel safe, I will not force you to stay in a place you're uncomfortable in."

"Hmm, my teacher would say to stand tough" I chuckled softly and grabbed my hunting weapons off the grass to place them safely in my satchel, slinging my bow over my neck to secure it. The sound of rope falling onto the grass had me glancing down to see my correct guess thrown there by Tsu'tey and the direction of his gaze brought me to the dead hexapede. I felt bad for the poor thing having to witness our small smooching fest even in death and promised myself never to let others see that (both for their respect and my safety). My face fell flat at what he was silently implying with the rope and I muttered dryly with distaste, "I'm going to take a leap of a guess here and say that I'm going to carry that all the way to Peke."

His smirk didn't make it any less frustrating and I grabbed the rope off the floor with a sharp yank, twirling the string around my wrist to secure it from becoming lost or tangled on its own. Standing up, I scuttled over to the animal to get this over with and kneeled down to get started on the third pair of legs since tying them to the second anterior pair would make it easier because the front legs would be left alone for carrying purposes.

My fingers grabbed their delicate hoofed feet to carefully wrap the rope around its dark legs, looping the rope twice before tying a secure knot on top. I could feel Tsu'tey's eyes watching me from behind the whole time as he evaluated my handiwork and I brought the first pair of hind legs backwards to meet at a center point with the second pair to finish tying their little hooves together. With that task finished, I drummed my fingers over my knees as I tried to figure out how to lift this animal without injuring both of us, piping up to Tsu'tey for much needed help, "I've only carried an unconscious tapirus and wriggling infants. Instruct me, oh great teacher."

"Hoist it one shoulder at a time, do _not_ try to lift the entire animal onto your shoulders- I've had a few students strain their backs due to it so please listen" he informed carefully as he used his sternest face on me to have my undivided attention and I nodded with a determined smile because I wasn't about to screw up again. I was on a good streak today and wasn't about to ruin it so with a determined face, I used the old 'lift with your legs' rule to hoist the hexapede onto my shoulders as I kneeled beside it. My right hand took hold of its front legs while the left took on the heavier portion of the other two pairs and I won't lie by saying the animal was light. The damn thing weighed like a sack of bricks against my shoulders which instantly betrayed their delicate frame that gave the illusion of being lightweight. The heavier weight was new to me since I never lifted anything that size, nor trained for it, and it took a while to find a decent balance and adjusting to handling it before lifting it into the air as I stood upright under my own strength. I beamed with pride at my teacher because many months ago, I couldn't lift a bowl to feed myself after that dangerous fall and yet, here I was lifting this adult animal that was fifty times heavier than a wooden soup bowl!

"I- oomph- whoa!," I called out with alarm as the heavy weight swayed me to the sides and my eyes widened fearfully since I didn't want to accidentally fall and have the creature crush me. Tsu'tey came to my aid immediately to steady me by pressing his hand against my upper back and using the other on my shoulder to expertly maneuver my body into the correct posture. Panting heavily as it bordered between wary hyperventilation, I sighed with relief when my face didn't meet the ground and looked to him to state gratefully, "Thank you. . .can I have you do this the whole hike down to Peke?"

"No, but I will be next to you in case of anything" he answered simply as he gave away no freebies, disappointing my hopes of a helping hand but I began to walk slowly with baby steps. I'd managed to prevent falling but that didn't mean fracturing a leg or spraining an ankle with a misstep was unavoidable as I carried my catch and dug my fingers fiercely into my catch's legs to keep him from loosening up on the hike down to our pa'li. With my current speed, I practically mimicked the waddling of a grazing tapirus and hoped Tsu'tey wasn't privately laughing at me from behind.

Despite the heavy weight sitting uncomfortably on my shoulders, I managed to brighten up my own mood by suggesting lightly with a joke, "When I pass Iknimaya, can I have _you_ carry my catches then?"

A split second later, I suddenly found myself in the lonely silence of the mountainous rugged terrain and without the sound of his 'loyal' footsteps, causing me to exclaim indignantly to his abrupt leave, "Traitor!"

* * *

"Tsu'tey, this isn't filling me with joy and confidence-"

"No complaints. Keep going-"

"But look at all the blood- no, no, you're going to have to give me a minute" I declared instantly with revulsion as crimson blood from the hexapede dripped all the way down to my elbows. Yeah, I was that messy at cutting the creature open and the ruby red rivulets didn't make the situation any easier for a newbie like me. Tsu'tey was trying to teach me my first lesson at harvesting the meat of caught prey but I was sure my portion was being ruined with my cautious and inexperienced hands. I didn't want the animal to be spoiled by hands like mine but Tsu'tey refused to touch the animal because I had to learn it on my own. He cut his animals starting from the base of spinal cord and working the knife down towards the center of the body in order to prevent piercing the internal organs while I'd been led to believe that gutting it by the torso was the way to start. A reprimanding whack to my shoulder had quickly modified my wrong belief and my ears were listening for every instruction like a sponge.

"I'm not the one that tore out the arrow from its jugular and caused an external hemorrhage" he shot back sarcastically to what I'd done when we first arrived and I hissed defiantly, tempted to playfully bite him on the nose to shut him up but other hunters were around us. He caught my last second dodge of a social faux pas, golden eyes alight with silent mischief, and blush tinted my cheeks when he dared to lean closer to close the gap between us but I moved to the side to avert a crisis. The cocky little smile he aimed in my direction caused me to playfully smack his leg with my tail since my hands were bloodied enough.

"This won't be useful to anyone- can't I watch you?" I tried to appeal to his nice guy side since he was smiling like a regular Romeo who'd just won the lottery but I received no such luck.

He smacked the top of my bloody hand with his own, wiping off my charming little smile, and barked out his order, "It is not difficult once you master it, Joanna. All you need to do is separate the skin from the fatty tissue and then remove that fat from the muscles themselves, which you've already done," I smiled pleasantly at this because the animal had been full of it, "Now, you see all the separate routes each superficial and deep muscle takes, I want you cut through each carefully at their point of origin _without_ damaging anymore arteries or veins-"

I shot him a glare because as a rookie, it was a miracle I hadn't accidentally stabbed it in the heart with my knife when I began. He directed his own frown to dominate mine into submission as I rebelled to protect my amateur skills and wrinkled my feline nose to show I meant business, which ironically, seemed to amuse him when he smirked with intrigue. His hand hovered over the open back of the animal as he backed down from his macho man attitude and stated calmly with a satisfied smile, "Take all the time you need."

"It'd go faster if you helped" I piped up cheekily with a humorous wiggle of my brow as I focused on the back muscles, following each different path with the blunt end of my knife until I found the start of the muscle. Hoping I wouldn't screw up the entire muscle itself, I began cutting one of the back muscles at the tough white tendon to pull it apart from the glistening white bone. The cooks would have to wash my cut pieces well because I was all over the place with bloody hands, a sharp knife, and slippery wet muscles that didn't want to budge under my fingertips. Every once in a while, I snuck a peek at my teacher through my lashes to gauge his reaction and it calmed my hammering heart to see no hints of disappointment or wincing as I stabbed at the dead animal to keep working. When I finished separating the first back muscle which was huge in comparison to our largest superficial one, I had to motion for him to help me remove it due to pesky connective tissue that clung on. Nonetheless, with yellow fatty tissue and blood on my hands, I was still proud of myself for not ruining the consumable meat.

"Whenever you finish cutting a clean muscle, place it on the large leaf here and cover it with another to make sure no insects land on it" he informed carefully as he took the meat into both his hands and I quickly picked up one of the large green leaves that reminded me of Earth's banana leafs since Grace had a sweet tooth for tamales. I snatched the meat back from his hands and set it down carefully on the leaf, smiling to myself at completing one percent of the task, and grabbed another from the big pile next to us to use as a protective shield against pesky bugs looking for food. Wiping my hands on a brown cloth I'd set down on my lap, I got rid of some of the slippery and caking blood as I wiped the hilt of my blade clean as well to continue. Tsu'tey saw my readiness and carried on with his next set of helpful instructions, "For the legs and feet, don't bother separating each because they will be far thinner and longer than those around the abdomen."

"Gotcha" I grinned to get this underway and traced the next muscle to begin the cutting process all over again. I decided to hum to myself to pass the time while Tsu'tey decided to do of all things, eat next to me. At first, I had dismissed the faint rustling of leaf plates from behind as random wildlife noise but when I heard quiet chewing, I turned around to find him sitting on a log with a content expression. He was leisurely enjoying the berries I'd picked this morning and my face deadpanned to the neat little bread roll stuffed with meat and colorful veggies in a clean little leaf plate. I was covered elbow deep in blood and he was as fresh as a daisy eating back there without a care? I'm certain I caught everyone's attention when my shoulders squared in confrontation mode and I demanded incredulously, "Are you kidding me? How can you possibly have an appetite when there's a carcass no more than a foot away from you?"

I felt a little guilty when I almost made him choke to my sudden outburst but thankfully, he managed to gulp down his bite before twisting his alarmed features into raw irritability to my boldness for questioning him. Our lax attitudes toward each other caused me to forget that we were still in a learning relationship and he was my superior in public, not the man I'd been locking lips with eagerly only an hour prior. His chin tilted upwards in that haughty stance of his that irked my own pride and he snapped back defensively, "Because I _can_. What is your tawtute phrase?. . .oh, 'nerves of steel'."

His cocky smirk didn't lessen my sulky mood as I was covered elbow deep in blood and other bodily fluids, grumbling miserably under my breath to return to my task. Where was my little sandwich for performing a good job? My inner child was tempted to rob his sliced meat pieces and run off into the forest to indulge like a sneaky scavenger but I quieted her down. . .mostly because there was no way I was stealing food with bloodstained hands.

Tsu'tey wasn't kidding when he said harvesting the meat was anything but a quick job. I lasted more than an hour on the damn animal and my poor arm joints were crying for a cease of movement by the end of it. My fingers gingerly massaged the wrist joint of my right hand to release some of the tension gathered there and reminded myself to request some analgesic salve from the healers because I was certainly going to be sore tomorrow. Tsu'tey, however, decided to prolong my pain- probably because of his near choking incident- and proceeded to instruct me with my next task without granting a break.

"Excellent, now we can begin removing each of the organs and you can watch the other hunters for help" he explained with a satisfied nod to my gloomy pout (which only increased his resolve) and motioned with his fingers toward the other hunters who were already at that step. . .and they'd just arrived a short while ago! I felt exactly like a child for being so slow (they were probably faster too) and frowned grumpily to my beginner skills, aiming an evil eye of irritation at Tsu'tey for his smug grin as he waited for me to start.

I bit my bottom lip anxiously since perforating an organ was not in the 'excellent' work category nor would it look good and he leaned over to tease with an intimate whisper next to my ear, "The sooner you finish, the sooner I can taste your lips and be alone with you."

I nudged his side with my elbow for his boldness to say such a thing with people around us and just knew danger excited this crazy man. Nonetheless, he still made me grin like a naughty schoolgirl as he moved aside as if nothing transpired between us and I scolded lightly to quiet him, "I should take _all_ day just to teach you a lesson for leaving me back there with the hexapede on my shoulders."

He grumbled inaudibly under his breath and I chuckled for hitting my mark on his pride but skimmed the side of my tail against the outside of his thigh as he sat next to me, a concealed act that hid my affection and dismissed any threat to my words. Competition was fun as friends but as a romantic companion, I was there to understand and appreciate him and vice versa- never to undermine or make him feel inferior. His crinkled features disappeared instantly like magic to my handiwork and I hid my own cocky grin at my success, glancing over to see what the men were doing with their catches. When I spotted clear and pinkish bodily fluids dripping out from all of the carcasses, my mouth became dry within milliseconds and the smell of death didn't help from causing my turbulent stomach to pump food up my esophagus. Dropping my tools, I ran like the wind as I bolted from the area for a hurling spot while yelling frantically, "First meal's making a reappearance!"

* * *

_(Third person POV)_

After losing her morning meal to an unfortunate nearby bush, Joanna eventually returned to finish the task of separating the organ systems from the body until nothing but bones were left. Tsu'tey chastised her for a few minutes about abandoning food (mostly because he had to stop his snack short to continue her work before the animal started decomposing) and instructed her on what to do as he enforced his taskmaster role without fault. This time, she listened like a meek mouse as he taught her about the functions each would perform for their society because suffering his wrath in public was not a good way to begin loving the man. By the end of it all, she'd scampered off for a long thorough shower but not before he'd pulled her into a private alcove to deliver an ardent kiss as he'd asked if her spirit suffered through the lesson. After assuring him she'd adjust, she'd smacked him clear on his bare derrière in comeuppance to his flirty whisperings in the field. Joanna could still remember the surprised widening of his eyes to her bold move as his entire body had stiffened but she'd caught the fascinated smirk forming on his lips as she exited to find the showers.

For the next hours, she managed to mingle with just about everyone from the Atykwe clan as her new friend, Anaya, cheerfully introduced her and told many stories about their clan. Several members already knew of the matriarch's interest in the young dreamwalker and as they interacted with the friendly Joanna, they found her nothing short but helpful which settled any worries that she wouldn't be approachable. The Na'vi outside of the Omaticaya clan still held lingering worries about the dreamwalkers but with the charming personality of Jake and the ever helpful Max, the gnawing anxiety lessened as they assured they weren't going to impose any kind of cultural changes as other previous visitors had attempted.

She'd walked away with uplifted spirits afterwards to have a little time to herself since she didn't do so well in large crowds over long periods and with so many people wandering the vicinity of Hometree, it was safer to travel. Her small trek would be around the outskirts of Hometree where danger was very rare as only Na'vi and harmless tapiri traveled the small concealed paths. She'd been running out of materials to build crafts with the children and had decided this was a good time as any to forage for items in case her schedule filled up with socializing. Plus, gathering a few herbs always cheered up Mo'at since the rainy season would be arriving soon and food preservation would start in the coming weeks. She'd never been around for that and wanted to learn the precise techniques for storage, especially for the delicious berries she adored.

A small rock decorated with white mottles caught her attention as it laid between two thorny roots attached to a flower bush and she picked it up with eager fingers, holding it above her head with a triumphant smile, "Aha! Today _is_ my lucky day."

Her foraging had been very successful as pretty rocks of all colors and lost beads from somebody's hair found their way to Joanna's meticulous eye and into her satchel. She knew her youngsters would be excited to glue the collected materials onto their toys, especially the boys who liked to use speckled rocks on their fake bows while the girls plastered gemstones all over their necklaces. Sometimes, even vice versa; gender roles were nonexistent with the children and they could decorate to their heart's content because she never instilled restrictions on them.

The sound of a rustling bush caused Joanna's ears to stand and she pressed herself against the trunk of the tree in case danger suddenly decided to rear its ugly head near Kelutral. However, the sound of footsteps accompanied by the crunch of dead leaves told her it was a bipedal being and the only ones that matched the criteria were the Na'vi. Peeking over the side of the tree with hesitance, she wondered if Eywa was playing the role of a trickster with her today by having Tsu'tey burst out of every corner within a fifty foot radius.

She walked out of her hiding spot with a determined kick in her footsteps and placed her hands on her hips, shoulders arching forward in demand as she questioned sharply, "Tsu'tey te Rongloa Ateyitan, are you follo-"

An arm around the waist cut her off in midword as he pushed her behind the tree, obscuring them both from sight as he pressed her against the trunk with his body. Her eyes widened to his recent flighty behavior (the man was nothing _but_ confrontational) as she was pinned between two objects and watched him survey the area around them, ears twitching to the smallest sounds as his eyes narrowed into slits. She didn't know what had gotten into him this time since she wasn't keen on having the rough bark of the tree scratching her back and pressed her palms against his chest, noticing the faster heartbeat pulsating under her fingers. Her concern for him won over her discomfort and with gentle fingertips running down the center of his chest, she asked softly, "What's wrong?"

"It is becoming frustrating to run from women who want to bear my child" he muttered grumpily with a distasteful frown and released her slender form since striking fear into Joanna was not what he intended. At first, he'd assumed his pursuer had somehow managed to outrun him with a shortcut (as if anyone could) but was pleasantly surprised to see Joanna in the area; a very welcome sight to his eyes. Her hands held her small satchel against her chest in a classic defensive position and he squeezed her shoulders gently, whispering quietly to stop his voice from being overheard, "Did I startle you?"

"Having you appear out of nowhere like a thanator's chasing you can frighten anyone" she hissed back in response to the short scare he'd given her and avoided his gaze, glancing to to the side as her demeanor shifted to play the victim. With words that were laced in both humor and honesty, she motioned to her chest with one hand and murmured weakly with an airy breath, "You need to keep your popularity away from my faint heart."

"Your heart is anything _but_ weak" he argued with an amused smile to her feigned woe and kissed her cheek firmly, drawn to her meek disposition immediately. Whether she was happy, furious, or upset, she twisted his emotions like a master seamstress plucking the strings on a loom and he bent to her will with every touch. He'd no idea if she knew this by now but for her, he'd do anything asked of him without hesitation. His nose ran along her smooth skin as he cupped her face in both hands and Joanna smiled warmly to the delicate touch, his breath tickling her skin as he murmured faintly, "Regardless, I apologize, dear one."

Joanna was about to reply that it was nothing but footsteps entered the area from the south, ceasing any words on her lips. The noise was not too far to be undetected but not too close for making sudden contact which didn't sit well with Joanna at all. She stared at Tsu'tey with an expression that distinctly transcended all language barriers as it read 'look at what you get me into' but he grinned boyishly like he'd done no wrong, charmingly bumping his nose against hers with a light touch. Hmm, he was suave, she'd give him that. Her thumb grazed over his chin affectionately as he appeared nonchalant to the messes he brought her into (a difference in comparison to her face of coy denial or true sympathy when she was the culprit) and Joanna hoped they weren't discovered because fighting off one of his admirers was not appealing. Drama was not was she wanted to face on this idyllic afternoon.

The close proximity of shuffling feet turned Joanna's day worse when Tsu'tey pressed her tighter between himself and the tree, constricting her airflow as she was smothered against her will. She wriggled defiantly to find freedom against his brick wall of a body, nudging his legs with her knees and her palms pushed against his chest as she hissed lowly with the anger of a wet cat, _"I'm not a marshmallow, you-!"_

His warm lips covered hers to silence the sound and she was tempted to stomp on his foot deliberately to make his presence known to every animal in the entire western side of the forest but thought better of it. Her romantic side had been in deep cryogenic hibernation for years since she stepped foot on the ship headed for Pandora and she wanted to indulge to make up for lost time. That, and she preferred kissing to arguing due to its ability to doom a couple if it became the norm, but began to wonder if Tsu'tey fancied dangerous situations for romantic appeal since both a hunting area and hiding from people struck that atmosphere.

_If so, I better get used to it because he's definitely addicting,_ she thought with pleasant resignation since he was anything but the average Na'vi guy with his short fuse and stoic indifference. Hunters were naturally curious and amicable to people as they carried themselves proudly but Tsu'tey was like a gift basket, he had all the best qualities but the annoying ones they packed inside for filler purposes only drew Joanna closer rather than repelling her away. Her fingers cupped his face due to his taller height to keep him close but when the movement picked up again, she stopped their passionate kiss abruptly and berated herself for behaving in such an unrestricted manner where she could be seen. She wanted her personal life to be privately tucked away from prying eyes and knew he'd agree due to his reclusive nature. . .or she'd nag and force him to.

She eyed him with a firm expression that clearly depicted her disapproval of having to hide and Tsu'tey leaned over, brushing his soft lips against the edge of her ear that delivered a ticklish sensation when he whispered faintly, "It will be over very soon."

Her eyes narrowed with a bright gleam of skepticism within her orbs to his assumption but she was taken aback when the footsteps faded away into nothing but a simple shake of a nearby bush in goodbye. Joanna tried not to appear affected by his precise guess but the arrogant smirk on his face told her he knew exactly what she was thinking and discreetly trying to hide. His fingers trailed down her cheeks as he outlined her face by following the stripes and delivered a soft kiss to her left temple, whispering with fond amusement, "You are a feisty little being, Joanna. It is rather. . .intoxicating."

His lips found hers with a hungry kiss as her temper attracted him like a tapirus to a fallen fruit and she tasted as sweet as any when his lips touched hers. Her arms wrapped around his neck to keep hold on his passionate kiss since being pinned between a rough tree and a tall warrior was a tough spot to maintaining a decent balance. . .and a scratch free back. As her tail tried to maintain stability, it kept smacking him on the legs and to be rid of the bothersome (and ticklish) batting, he lifted her smaller form with one arm around the waist and the other underneath her thighs for leverage between their heights. He wasn't about to insinuate anything sexual as her lean legs wrapped around his waist and raised her a bit higher, allowing Joanna to appreciate his traditional mannerisms. Oh, how she would enjoy teaching him things that would make reserved crowds gasp. Her index finger outlined his full lips as she grinned with mirth filling her voice, "For the first time, I'm taller."

With that said, her lips descended on his for a firm kiss that brought reserved passion and grace to her ardent companion to quell the fire coursing through his bloodstream. She wouldn't hesitate to return an unbridled searing kiss but they were in the open and what they shared, she wanted it to be in a place of both safety and privacy. Letting go of her handsome warrior, who was now staring at her with confusion riddling his angular features, she tapped his lips with her fingers and stated sneakily with a mischievous smile, "The rest will await you at home."

"You offer no option for negotiation, do you?" he chuckled softly as he listened with an eager grin to her slyness, gently placing her back on the ground but lingered his touch on the curve of her lower back. A sneaky smile broke on her lips to his tone as she could clearly see an opening for taking advantage on any topic she desired as long as kissing was involved. As a woman, she wasn't about to objectify herself by using such measures but laughed when he joked playfully, "I will kneel at your feet just as you once sarcastically offered to me and admire you from an inferior spot."

"I'm not one who prefers admirers- _your_ newest one, however, is really fixated on you as of late" Joanna stated softly with dry amusement lighting her face and relaxed against the trunk of the tree as the silence bathed them both in peace. Tilting her head to the side as she watched him hiss under his breath, she shot him a flat stare for the grumpy Gus expression on his face and stated sarcastically, "I'm sure the attention is _killing_ you."

Tsu'tey wanted to point out that he didn't find all the female attention that self-satisfying nowadays and knew it was a test of vanity on her part. His forehead touched the rough bark, the hand around her waist slacking as his shoulders slumped to being the victim in an unrequited romance (his eyes were focused on one woman alone and she stood before him) and automatically being in trouble with Joanna. Didn't she know that the only woman he wanted to stare at and follow loyally was her? He angled his head to glance down at her, privately enjoying the feathery strokes she was leaving on his forearms as she drew random shapes with her fingertips and he held her close to sigh regretfully with a low voice, "I try not to encourage anyone so I blame myself for helping her fish that day, I was only being generous," she rolled her eyes with humor to what she'd witnessed that particular day on the strutting peacock and laughed when he grinned attractively, "I should've just watched you wash clothes- at least you enticed me."

"Oh, the irony" she teased playfully to his whine about being Mr. Popular but smiled with delight when his lips pressed against her temple (he was rather fond of it as an easy access kissing point). She did indeed feel lucky for gaining his affection compared to all the women who tried- and still attempted it- and wrapped her arms around his lean waist, embracing him to reciprocate his affection. Her eyes gazed up at him with a doe-like expression that he found instantly endearing, compelling him to immediately draw her closer but heard her murmur faintly, "I should return to the children-"

"I want to spend time with you, we rarely have any after training and cutting a hexapede open doesn't count" he cut in matter-of-factly as his fingers traced over the braid on the side of her head, enjoying the light tint to her cheeks as she held the satchel of her foraging to her chest. Lately, Joanna had a tendency to be coy whenever they weren't in private and Tsu'tey didn't want her to give away their true feelings in public which was why he needed her to express them freely elsewhere rather than contain them. When he'd had her training, her mind was occupied completely with each task he assigned but walking with her around Kelutral had him noticing a closer distance between them which put him on alert. They needed to dedicate a few hours to themselves, away from the public's eyes and everybody's expectations, and he suggested pleasantly with a small smile, "I never showed you the mountain I'd like to climb. We can walk the bottom and it's only a short flying distance."

She bit her bottom lip nervously since the Atykwe enjoyed spending time with her now that hunting was on hiatus and their time among the Omaticaya was short. Also, she didn't want Nitari to see her as ungrateful or pretentious if she heard she'd run off to spend time with a man that was always going to be at Kelutral. Out of nervousness, her fingers brushed through tendrils of free hair on her shoulder since turning down Tsu'tey or keeping others waiting wasn't a good choice for either party. Hesitantly, she avoided his gaze by glancing at her satchel and began, "But the clans-"

"Will be there when we return and if we were needed, Jakesully would have told me beforehand" he pointed out to cut off her verbal escape routes and hoped she could understand how much he truly wanted to spend time with her, the only woman who interested him to no end. Her lips moved to reply to his words but his own pecked her nose lightly, cutting off the voice forming in her throat as he stated quietly with resolve, "I won't take no for an answer."

She chuckled softly at his insistence to sway her decision and delivered a light kiss to his lips in agreement, causing him to grin with satisfaction to her choice. Joanna decided to blindly hope that nobody would miss her and anybody that thought of her would find somebody else to talk with; as for the children, their attention span was occupied easily. It was time that she indulged in herself after how hard she worked and that was how she would justify her brief disappearance if anyone asked. As for Tsu'tey, a single glare would send anyone skittering away in fear as they abandoned their curiosity. His hands rose to cup her face as she smiled to his gentle touch, his fingertips tilting it upwards to observe every stripe and bioluminescent dot that Eywa graced her with to etch it into his memory. His lack of words and the deep stare rushed blood down her stomach in a warm soothing wave and her fingers touched his, her pouty lips parting to whisper sheepishly, "Tsu'tey?"

"You've ensnared me, Joanna" he accused fondly to how she'd intertwined herself into his life and her cheeks darkened to his soft-spoken admission. His lips grazed her left cheek in light pecks to emphasize the profound effect she had on him, golden eyes closing in appreciation to the bashful dreamwalker as his nose touched her skin. His warm breath tickled her cheek as she leaned into him to be enveloped in his arms, smiling happily like the hopeless romantic she was at heart when he spoke softly, "May I ask if I'd done the same?"

Her breath hitched lightly as her entire being warmed to his words, caught in the delightful updraft of sentimentality she'd felt yesterday night and faintly returned a breathless answer of, "Yes."

A wide sincere smile stretched over his lips at her admission as she embraced him tightly, pressing her cheek to his chest with closed eyes and he stroked her smooth hair with a gentle hand. Of course, he'd assumed as such by her ardent kisses in the hammock yesterday night but to hear it from her firsthand sealed his belief into fact. If someone would've told him that the same dreamwalker he'd abhorred since day one would be the same he'd become endeared with in the future, he would've stabbed himself in the jugular to save himself the trouble. Now, he couldn't hold himself back from pressing his lips against hers to show his unyielding affection for the vivacious woman.

She returned the chaste kiss and glanced at the floor afterwards with a shy expression, something Tsu'tey wasn't too keen on as he noticed that growing tendency after her displays of affection. He knew Joanna was a passionate being, probably more so than himself, in private and wanted to unravel the cause of her meek demeanor before it worsened. He'd rather have her stare at him with a deep sultry look after a passionate kiss session rather than seeing the top of her forehead as she dodged eye contact. His fingers tilted her chin up to initiate it, watching her golden eyes blinking at him from underneath full dark lashes, and he leaned closer to question playfully with a comforting smile, "Why do you shy away from me? There's nothing intimidating about me- well, there _is_ but not towards _you_."

His thumb passed over her bottom lip as her cheeks darkened into a lilac hue and before she could imitate the color of a banana fruit, he asked gently with a low voice, "Don't you want to be with me?"

Her ears flattened to the soft pitch in his voice and remembered it from last night when he'd admitted the fear of losing her to another. She wanted more than anything to be with him but there were factors against them to think about, mainly that she wasn't of courting status. Her own perceived conflict was their different upbringings, she could appear too dominant with her Terran origins and he may not appreciate it- even more, dislike it. What if she pushed him away unknowingly? He wasn't a delicate flower to be tended to with tender hands but she didn't want to become overbearing and suffocate him with emotion either.

"I have no rank, remember? I'm not available to be courted" she reminded with a hushed whisper and a knowing smile to what they'd entwined themselves into, her fingers trailing over his chest in walking motions. Round tipped fingernails outlined the contour of his sternum as she realized what he would hide from their clan just to be with her. He was never one to lie as he maintained his honor and despite she cared deeply for him, she wasn't selfish enough to get him into trouble by having him risk all that he loved. Her own moral principles would automatically correct any misdeeds and found it split between 50/50 on pushing him away. A soft sigh left her lips as she tried one last time to give him a way out before they delved too deeply into their affection and pointed out firmly, "You're breaking tradition by being secretive, especially for a man of your rank, Tsu'tey."

"Not if I plan to carry out my wooing to the final result" he replied slyly with a determined smile to show her that he had no doubt on what he was doing (he was a capable adult, after all) and gazed into her uncertain eyes to request gently, "You must allow yourself to be emotionally vulnerable with me so we can See each other as only two people can, Joanna. Don't hide what you feel or think, I won't judge you in any way."

"Even with all the crazy stuff I do?" she asked meekly since past experiences of doing so only ended in heartbreak with people she'd loved and she wanted to keep Tsu'tey out of that list. He was the one constant she relied on for never-ending support but she was afraid of venturing too emotionally into something that could end badly. Their arguments over her screw ups or unfortunate misadventures were easily remedied with a talk and a time out but if either heart was broken with a serious matter, how would it be fixed? Or would it even be possible? On the other hand, she was sure this chance wouldn't come up again and she wanted to share the trust that only life partners could. True, her body was of an early adult's but her mindset was still engaged at twenty eight and she was ready to define her permanent future on Pandora. Tsu'tey was highly intelligent, especially when compared to humans his age, and knew from their interactions as friends that he sought the other soul whom he would share his life with. She didn't know if they would truly be compatible in the long run but it was worth trying.

He grinned to her soft-spoken question as her hands clasped over her chest nervously as he'd become accustomed to seeing that every time she put him in an unpleasant situation. There weren't many people that would retain a friendship after being shot in the butt, kicked in the back by a pa'li, hit on the head with multiple vines during a climb, chased by a thanator, losing a day's catch of fish, and receiving a face full of porridge but Joanna had him coming back for more of her quirkiness. Men would probably call him crazy for surviving all of that and still wanting to spend time with the woman but he was a sturdy man and she challenged him like nobody else which allured him. His boyish grin turned into a witty smirk as he happily admitted with a hint of charm in his voice, "It keeps life interesting and I've found myself without boredom since your arrival, a problem I am glad to have remedied with you in my life. Otherwise, you wouldn't catch my eye every time you walk by with those swaying hips."

"So. . .I mean- oh, I don't-" she stammered nervously as she tried to find the words to ask him if they were truly an exclusive couple rather than two people sneaking off to kiss each other breathless. Tsu'tey took the matter into his own hands and kissed her gaping lips before the poor woman had a breakdown and resisted from laughing in their kiss when he heard the tiniest 'hmm' of delight from her parted mouth. Joanna would never bore him with her personality and as he tasted her soft lips, he hoped she wouldn't tire of him either.

Joanna knew she had a dopey grin splattered on her face when he let her go, still caught in the whirlwind of emotions he stirred within her, and sighed blissfully with an enthusiastic voice, "Okay, we're definitely exploring this area now."

"Indeed we are" he chuckled to the joyful smile on her face and knew there would be no other to rival Joanna for his heart and frankly, doubted anyone could. She brought out the best and worst of him (he'd yet to meet a man that would beat down his loved one in order to protect them) but she was always there, loyal and determined to be by his side regardless of his say. Grabbing her smaller hands into his, he pulled her forward to lead her to their next adventure and grinned excitedly to declare, "Let us be off and we can watch the sunset."

Her lips matched his grin as she followed his footsteps, their hands loosely intertwined but her eyes glittered curiously and she asked, "Is that your way of being romantic?"

Not being the romantic type, his mind had been on something entirely different: food. To him, the more time he spent with Joanna cut away excess socializing and would bring forth the delicious feast to his awaiting hands. Joanna's expectant face had him swallowing the truth as her sweet face rendered him weak and he supplied slowly, "Um, yes?"

Joanna deadpanned to his inability to lie decently and for the fact that he was already trying within one minute of officially making themselves a couple. She could read those large golden eyes like a book and raising her brow in question, flatly asked, "You were thinking about last meal, weren't you?"

. . . "Yes."

Tsu'tey shared more similarities with human men than he gave himself credit for and Joanna squeezed his cheek lightly with affection to let him know it was all right. With a bright smile, she spoke gently as she sympathized with her own appetite, "_I know, baby_. By the time we finish the hike, food will be in both our minds."

The two continued walking hand in hand but Tsu'tey tilted his head to the side as confusion nibbled at his mind, his steps slowing down as he turned to ask Joanna curiously, "Why did you call me a child?"

The question alone brought the hunter more knowledge than he cared for as his significant other explained the common human courting custom of doting nicknames. He learned something new about himself: he _hated_ being called anything relating to children or food but he took pleasure in showering Joanna with that affection. She was his tanhí, after all.

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**A/N**: I edited this chapter more than four times, two in May and three in June so I ended up at the point where I split the large chapter into two and decided that I'll extend the story chapter numbers that I first outlined to cut them into shorter ones. Alone, the chapter would've been 40+ pages but I think this works better. The crazy things Joanna and Tsu'tey can do can fill a vault but the two truly care for each other, crazy pa'li kicks and all. I'd write more but after playing nonstop on my game console for a week straight, my fingers feel like glass ready to shatter.

Thank you for the continuing alerts and fav's from my readers, I appreciate each one I see in my inbox. And my reviewers, thanks so much for your feedback and nudges to keep me writing this whopper of a long story!

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**Next time**:

The lack of doing anything tired me easily and exhausting myself with an unscheduled second hike had me walking with the brain of a zombie. Without training, adventuring was all I had for now but even so, there was a time limit due to the celebration and the shortening daylight as the new season approached. I found the Atykwe people a conversational bunch that I felt instantly at home with while the other clans had me remaining polite and courteous as etiquette requested. I'd already made two friends named Anaya and Arat, both were hunters for the sea clan and had the friendliest of personalities which attracted me like a happy bee to a hive. Of course, I had the two meet Cheryl to merge my small group of friends and the three hit it off splendidly as I listened to them chat on with a content smile; there was no need for words on my part. Tsu'tey, however, seemed to be cautious of every man that neared my vicinity but I assured him in private that he was the one I cared for and that he would blow our cover with every hiss he shot towards people. I wanted him to stay as the honorable composed warrior that he was, not a territorial lion that was trying to defend what was his.

I found myself relaxing in my hammock as the mingling had exhausted my smiling muscles from laughing any further and told the clans I'd be napping quickly to regain my energy. The day had been truly exhausting since my morning forage with Nitari all the way to the recent hike I'd done with Tsu'tey; any more activity would've had me snoring next to my friends. My body lay within the white hammock like a lazy lioness, my feet sprawled in one direction while my arms followed in a parallel fashion as I tried to doze off. Even my tail batted my side sluggishly. After the windy ride with a speed loving Swizav and the incoming early wind of the afternoon (meaning it would be cold tonight), I had tucked a brown blanket around my shoulders for comfort but it was a tad short which left my legs bare. To remedy this problem, I rubbed my toes against the hammock to create warm friction but gave up soon to save energy. . .that and a continually rocking hammock might give passerby's the wrong idea.

"What're you doing in there?"

I shrieked in surprise to the blue form that suddenly popped out from the branch overhead and pressed a hand to my heart when I realized it was Tsu'tey. Honestly, my unofficial boyfriend was more liable to kill me with fear than a thanator with his ninja skills. I clenched my fists to being frightened so easily within my home and frowned at him to retort shrilly, "Stop doing that! It scares me."

He tilted his head to the side with a puzzled blink, his orange beads clinking against each other in the air like a bell chime and he remarked casually with an innocent voice, "I thought you were used to it."

My face fell into a deadpan expression for his misconception and I pointed out matter-of-factly with sarcasm lacing my voice, "You make _no_ sound. How can I expect to hear you if the wind is practically louder than you?"

Having my say on his undetectable stealth, I slumped in my sleeping spot because seeing him pop out from another direction would probably have me faint. He was like that pesky whack-a-mole game in family restaurants that I couldn't figure out and I'd already seen Tsu'tey pop out of bushes, trees, the air itself, and that was enough to last me a lifetime. The hammock swayed as I felt his feet indent the material in announcement to his presence and I automatically groaned to protest weakly, "No, I don't want to mingle anymore. My face is tired from smiling, I didn't think it was possible but it is. I just need to relax for a bit, please."

"Oh" was his soft reply and I cracked one tired eye open when I heard a disappointed note in that rich voice of his, "I will see you for last meal then."

Did he think I included him in the category of socializing?

Outstretching a hand, I waved it hastily for his undivided attention because I didn't want him to feel rejected at all and beckoned, "Not _you_. You can always stay. . .just close the hammock so nobody else finds me."

He shot me a warning glare from his spot at the end of the hammock, kneeling back down on the fabric as he abided to my request, and I pointed out smartly with a smirk, "_You _found me, didn't you? I need to feign the look of sleep until I'm back into energized Joanna."

"You actually run out of energy?" he joked lightly to my endless peppy energy as he pulled the hammock closed with two easy tugs from the material to conceal us completely from sight. I nudged his lower back with my toes for the wisecrack as I watched his toned muscles shift under his beautiful cyan skin with a curious eye and his fast reflexes seized my ankle (I should've stopped the prodding but he was too enticing as a view) which led me to give up the fight. This time, I didn't mind losing. He turned around with my captured foot in hand and his fingers gave my ankle a gentle squeeze before lifting it to his lips, touching them against my ankle bone in a light kiss.

My eyes to widened when he traced more along my inner leg and my cheeks burned shyly to the romantic display as he continued. His lips were soft and feathery on my skin, delivering light pecks in the style of an invisible route until he reached my knee and my mind pulled off an alarm at the thought of him traveling further north. Thankfully, he stopped there, releasing my pampered leg back to its counterpart (who had now grown a little jealous for being left out) and I tucked them close to my body as I tried not to blush. What had happened to my innocent virgin hunter and who was this suave charmer?

He laid down next to me in close distance, a different change in comparison to when he laid down wherever there was ample space. There had always been space between us or one was either lying down or sitting up but I rather liked this new position as we ventured forth into new territory with eagerness to learn.

"The Atykwe like you already" he commented proudly with a laidback smile and I smiled in return as my hands rearranged the blanket to wrap it around both of us instead. I wasn't about to be selfish with my small blanket that couldn't cover anything past the knee and wanted to keep him comfortable as well since he kept me safe and sound like a mother bear on this world. His amber eyes were half-lidded with intrigue as he watched me and I knew that particular facial change meant he was all ears in attention and appreciative toward the speaker. How did I know this? He only gave that specific glance to his adored Aci and Swizav, nobody else, which humbled me.

"I've always liked them since we met after the battle, that's where Nitari told me to give a certain tenacious warrior a chance at friendship" I reminisced fondly to how insistent the matriarch had been despite my growing dislike towards the irritatingly gruff man and privately laughed at the irony of it all. I remember not being able to stand his arrogant voice as I helped him eat during my nursemaid days and his second guessing of my actions during the search for a new Kelutral drove me insane. All of it seemed like a surreal dream lived out by different characters with our bodies and voices- but not our souls. My thumb gently outlined the bottom of his lower lip and I leaned forward to peck his lips with mine, silently accepting the Na'vi man for everything he'd been, was, and would be one day. He pushed me, tested me, taught me, guarded me, cared over me, befriended me- the layers of his onion heart were peeling away to reveal the last translucent and delicate layers as I learned something new about him every day. Today had been his adolescent guilt over killing prey and each daily tidbit would be locked away safely in my mind for future reference.

Releasing his lips from mine, I smiled affectionately at him so he could read every single emotion written across my face as I whispered, "I'm very glad I listened to her because I would be regretting it at this very moment if I hadn't."


	22. My Love, My Sorrow

CHAPTER 18:

**My Love, My Sorrow  
**

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Golden eyes watched an azure ikran soar above the sky towards the canopies of Kelutral to rejoin the rest of its brethren gathered there. It could've passed for any other ikran due to the similar hints of blue that were common to Omaticaya's ikran but two passengers on the ikran confirmed suspicion. The two could've easily passed for any couple out for a sunset ride but the feast kept most at home with the many events that promoted togetherness – that and Mo'at was still waiting for her herbs (not that she'd had to say anything for her to know) while Tsu'tey was nowhere to be found when the men asked for him. Knowing the two were punctual individuals, it wasn't hard to conclude the two were in each other's company outside Kelutral.

Tsahìk Nitari tilted her head to the side as she watched the little blue dot fly overhead, her nimble fingers threading brown colored thread through a gold cloth to leave a perfect stitch in its wake as she filled in an outlined figure of a tapirus. The mated couples in her clan had created a baby boom to balance the numbers of fallen brothers and sisters in the battle and Nitari was always joyous to see new life flourishing in her lands. In her spare time, she knitted pieces of clothing to fit the newborns that entered the world as a show of never-ending support of the clan. She may not have had offspring to carry on her name but the clan itself was her child and she would protect each individual as her own, whether the oldest needed to have their food softened for mastication or a newborn needed a blanket to keep warm. She was their clan mother and she would live on through them.

"Must you take Joanna now, Nitari?" the Omaticaya matriarch asked softly as she noticed the pause in her old friend's gaze, her hands picking a mix of herbs to deposit into a weaved tea bag (from the helpful mori worms that produced usable silky webbing). Similar to Nitari, she cared for her own people by keeping them healthy with delicious teas that were derived from herbs, leaves, seeds, flowers, and fruits.

The Atykwe leader placed her sewing on her lap to pause for a moment and smiled somberly at her companion, "Have you all become endeared with Joanna?"

"She is a spry young woman, the children love her" the matriarch admitted neutrally as she tried to remain impartial on the matter but the dreamwalker never hesitated to help her clan. She'd promised to bring back herbs from her short walk and after teaching her herbalism privately (she didn't want to embarrass the young woman by having her sit in with the children- not that Joanna would've minded), Mo'at trusted her enough to fill the urns with their respective batches. She'd yet to find any mistakes when she evaluated each urn for the right contents and if anything, Joanna kept them full for her when Neytiri wasn't able to. The matriarch was almost inclined to tell her to discard clothes making and allow the seamstresses to do it in order to study herbalism in her spare time because she definitely had a natural ability for it. The young woman had made friends with many but one in particular concerned her and Mo'at confided in her friend without hesitation, "And Tsu'tey, never have I seen him so enraged towards one person. . .and yet, he cares very deeply for her, Nitari. His eyes light up whenever she is next to him, there is nothing but adoration for her within them."

"Tradition bans a man from courting one who hasn't completed passage" the other reminded gently as the two women could see clear as day how the two truly cared for each other. The Atykwe matriarch resumed her stitching, eyes intensely focused on filling in the tapirus with colored thread, and tried to disassociate her emotions from the work as a clan leader. She wasn't one to stand in the way of love but her decision would ultimately benefit Joanna as she already saw her straggling behind the other students. Iknimaya would be within three days after the celebration ended and Nitari knew Tsu'tey had said nothing of it to Joanna out of need to protect her. A solemn sigh left her lips to what she would do to the two and softly stated with finality, "Friends is all they must be. . .it will be easier on his heart."

Mo'at disagreed on that aspect because Tsu'tey would protect his dear ones to the death and as the woman who had unofficially adopted him into her family, knew Joanna's leave would hurt and scar him deeply. Her fingers crumbled the dry herbs with a harder pinch that was normally needed to crush the leaves because she certainly didn't want to be the bearer of bad news to the young man. Out of all the clan residents, she'd been keeping a watchful eye on Tsu'tey as she hoped he would find coexistence with the feisty Joanna and later on, have the two bond for life as she witnessed their growing affection from afar. The two were strong when they were united and gloomy when apart, and Mo'at tried to negotiate with her friend, "His heart has healed greatly with Joanna beside him, he is happier and stronger-"

"Joanna is the one I need, her progress here has reached its limit and it is time for her to join her rightful clan" Nitari interjected since the two had reached the decision at the Tree of Souls when she'd first meditated on the matter and Mo'at had agreed since she believed Tsu'tey's character would grow at Joanna's side. If she'd known the hunter would care for the woman so deeply, she'd never have agreed in order to create the idyllic life she wanted for him. It was too late for that now as the Atykwe matriarch was determined to have Joanna among her clan and Nitari insisted with a firm glance, "If she is to be ready, she _must _leave soon. The path of Eywa cannot be diverted and yes, I am deliberately moving them both like pieces on a children's game but it is done with the best of intentions. Believe me, Mo'at."

"If it is the will of Eywa, I concede but only if Joanna agrees on her own accord because I cannot force her" she relented with a small morose sigh as she tied a tea bag with a lemony scented strand of tough grass to seal it. Knowing Joanna's leave was imminent, she made a mental reminder to put together a nice batch of variety teas to remind her of the Omaticaya. Dropping the small bag into a clean wicker basket full of prepared tea bags, she gave her companion a side glance and pointed out her concern, not as a matriarch, but a fellow woman, "My worry comes as a mother because Tsu'tey will be hurt if he's parted from her. He has lost much in his young life and after regaining new happiness and stability, I cannot bear to pull it from under him. He deserves to be happy, Nitari, just _once_."

Nitari switched her thread for a gold color to sew in tiny button eyes, a pang of guilt striking her heart for having to separate the two after intentionally causing them to unwillingly unite in friendship on the day they met. Everything had been planned with precision under Eywa's guidance and she truly did want a good future for the two but first, Joanna needed to succeed with her rite in order to rise in status. Tsu'tey was a well-respected member among his own while Joanna had nothing under her name which was a reason for the focus on her. There were other factors too but Nitari could only read them with obscurity during meditation but knew that eventually, the All-Mother would make it quite clear. Filling in the second golden eye of the little tapirus caricature with pinpoint precision, Nitari advised softly in an attempt to soothe Mo'at's worry, "Eywa has defined a path for him as well, you've already started to interpret it, Mo'at. He will look to you for guidance when I leave with Joanna and you must point him in the right direction."

The Omaticaya matriarch managed a small smile despite the conflict plaguing her heart and stated kindly, "Despite my many years as Tsahìk, you astound me with your accurate interpretations of Eywa's will. You plan for the future beforehand with subtlety that nobody realizes unless they are a fellow matriarch. . .you are an impressive force, my friend."

Nitari chuckled to the compliment, the lines of concentration creasing her face disappearing with her laughter as the other woman joined her like she always had for the past four decades. Nitari remembered the shy girl that hid behind young Eytukan as she visited the clan during her first year as the mate to the Atykwe heir- she never did like the rule of not visiting nearby clans and her dear Akon obliged her. After helping a young Mo'at find her basket (which she'd lost after chasing a baby tapirus that delighted her), she found the girl quite perceptive for one her age and began a lifelong friendship that endured throughout hard times. With a fond smile, she assured her younger friend warmly, "I can say the same of you, Mo'at. Not many can allow multiple dreamwalkers to successfully pass under Eywa's eye within one day."

"I have missed our meetings since long distance travel ceased due to the tawtute- I am glad to have it renewed" Mo'at smiled serenely to the peace that now bathed their lands and inhaled the air that peacefully surrounded their world.

* * *

_(Joanna's POV)_

The lack of doing anything tired me easily and exhausting myself with an unscheduled second hike had me walking with the brain of a zombie. Without training, adventuring was all I had for now but even so, there was a time limit due to the celebration and the shortening daylight as the new season approached. I found the Atykwe people a conversational bunch that I felt instantly at home with while the other clans had me remaining polite and courteous as etiquette requested. I'd already made two friends named Anaya and Arat, both were hunters for the sea clan and had the friendliest of personalities which attracted me like a happy honey bee to a hive. Of course, I had the two meet Cheryl to merge my small group of friends and the three hit it off splendidly as I listened to them chat on with a content smile; there was no need for words on my part. Tsu'tey, however, seemed to be cautious of every man that neared my vicinity but I assured him in private that he was the one I cared for and that he would blow our cover with every hiss he shot towards people. I wanted him to stay as the honorable composed warrior that he was, not a territorial lion that was trying to defend what was his.

I found myself relaxing in my hammock as the mingling had exhausted my smiling muscles from laughing any further and told the clans I'd be napping quickly to regain my energy. The day had been truly exhausting since my morning forage with Nitari all the way to the recent hike I'd done with Tsu'tey; any more activity would've had me snoring next to my friends. My body lay within the white hammock like a lazy lioness, my feet sprawled in one direction while my arms followed in a parallel fashion as I tried to doze off. Even my tail batted my side sluggishly. After the windy ride with a speed loving Swizav and the incoming early wind of the afternoon (meaning it would be cold tonight), I had tucked a brown blanket around my shoulders for comfort but it was a tad short which left my legs bare. To remedy this problem, I rubbed my toes against the hammock to create warm friction but gave up soon to save energy. . .that and a continually rocking hammock might give passerby's the wrong idea.

"What're you doing in there?"

I shrieked in surprise to the blue form that suddenly popped out from the branch overhead and pressed a hand to my heart when I realized it was Tsu'tey. Honestly, my unofficial boyfriend was more liable to kill me with fear using his ninja skills than a thanator. I clenched my fists to being frightened so easily within my own home, especially in my own bed, and frowned at him to retort shrilly, "Stop doing that! It scares me."

He tilted his head to the side with a puzzled blink, his orange beads clinking against each other in the air like a bell chime and he remarked casually with an innocent voice, "I thought you were used to it."

My face fell into a deadpan expression for his misconception and I pointed out matter-of-factly with sarcasm lacing my voice, "You make _no_ sound. How can I expect to hear you if the wind is practically louder than you?"

Having my say on his undetectable stealth, I slumped in my sleeping spot because seeing him pop out from another direction would probably have me faint. He was like that pesky whack-a-mole game in family restaurants that I couldn't figure out and I'd already seen Tsu'tey pop out of bushes, trees, the air itself, and that was enough to last me a lifetime. The hammock swayed as I felt his feet indent the material in announcement to his presence and I automatically groaned to protest weakly, "No, I don't want to mingle anymore. My face is tired from smiling, I didn't think it was possible but it is. I just need to relax for a bit, please."

"Oh" was his soft reply and I cracked one tired eye open when I heard a disappointed note in that rich voice of his, "I will see you for last meal then."

Did he think I included him in the category of socializing?

Outstretching a hand, I waved it hastily for his undivided attention because I didn't want him to feel rejected at all and beckoned, "Not _you_. You can always stay. . .just close the hammock so nobody else finds me."

He shot me a warning glare from his spot at the end of the hammock, kneeling back down on the fabric as he abided to my request, and I pointed out smartly with a smirk, "_You _found me, didn't you? I need to feign the look of sleep until I'm back into energized Joanna."

"You actually run out of energy?" he joked lightly to my endless peppy energy as he pulled the hammock closed with two easy tugs from the material to conceal us completely from sight. I nudged his lower back with my toes for the wisecrack as I watched his toned muscles shift under his beautiful cyan skin with a curious eye and his fast reflexes seized my ankle (I should've stopped the prodding but he was too enticing as a view) which led me to give up the fight. This time, I didn't mind losing. He turned around with my captured foot in hand and his fingers gave my ankle a gentle squeeze before lifting it to his lips, touching them against my ankle bone in a light kiss.

My eyes to widened when he traced more along my inner leg and my cheeks burned shyly to the romantic display as he continued. His lips were soft and feathery on my skin, delivering light pecks in the style of an invisible route until he reached my knee and my mind pulled off an alarm at the thought of him traveling further north. Thankfully, he stopped there, releasing my pampered leg back to its counterpart (who had now grown a little jealous for being left out) and I tucked them close to my body as I tried not to blush. What had happened to my innocent virgin hunter and who was this suave charmer?

He laid down next to me in close distance, a different change in comparison to when he laid down wherever there was ample space. There had always been space between us or one was either lying down or sitting up but I rather liked this new position as we ventured forth into new territory with eagerness to learn.

"The Atykwe like you already" he commented proudly with a laidback smile and I smiled in return as my hands rearranged the blanket to wrap it around both of us instead. I wasn't about to be selfish with my small blanket that couldn't cover anything past the knee and wanted to keep him comfortable as well since he kept me safe and sound like a mother bear on this world. His amber eyes were half-lidded with intrigue as he watched me and I knew that particular facial change meant he was all ears in attention and appreciative toward the speaker. How did I know this? He only gave that specific glance to his adored Aci and Swizav, nobody else, which humbled me.

"I've always liked them since we met after the battle, that's where Nitari told me to give a certain tenacious warrior a chance at friendship" I reminisced fondly to how insistent the matriarch had been despite my growing dislike towards the irritatingly gruff man and privately laughed at the irony of it all. I remember not being able to stand his arrogant voice as I helped him eat during my nursemaid days and his second guessing of my actions during the search for a new Kelutral drove me insane. All of it seemed like a surreal dream lived out by different characters with our bodies and voices- but not our souls. My thumb gently outlined the bottom of his lower lip and I leaned forward to peck his lips with mine, silently accepting the Na'vi man for everything he'd been, was, and would be one day. He pushed me, tested me, taught me, guarded me, cared over me, befriended me- the layers of his onion heart were peeling away to reveal the last translucent and delicate layers as I learned something new about him every day. Today had been his adolescent guilt over killing prey and each daily tidbit would be locked away safely in my mind for future reference.

Releasing his lips from mine, I smiled affectionately at him so he could read every single emotion written across my face as I whispered, "I'm very glad I listened to her because I would be regretting it at this very moment if I hadn't."

His eyes pierced mine with their beautiful glimmer before swiftly evading to the side to dodge eye contact and I let him muse over his thoughts because disturbing or prodding him for answers would immediately disintegrate his ponderings like a lit match to paper. Instead, I remained silent and coaxed him along by tracing repetitive circles over his bicep since touch stimulated the brain anyway and privately smiled in success when he brought up hesitantly, "Do you. . .I mean, you repeatedly told me that she wanted you for her clan. If she asks-"

"I don't know, Tsu'tey" I sighed softly to the old goals I'd wanted in the past when I first started living here. I couldn't stand him or his training style but my dear friends were what kept me sane as I constantly reminded myself that Nitari would come back for me and I would have a home among her people. That was what I had originally been fighting for as Tsu'tey and I competed for dominance over the other. Now, everything had changed drastically between us and I didn't know what I would choose if the question arose. The Atykwe opened their arms to accept me as one of their own and the Omaticaya was teaching me about life and survival. . .and I had Tsu'tey as a bonus in their package.

My arms wrapped around his sides to seek comfort from his familiar warmth, pressing my cheek to his chest as part of me feared that he would be ripped away from me because of my past decisions. Nitari had yet to bring up the matter and I hated to appear ungrateful to her generosity. . .but I hoped she wouldn't ask because I'd rather not hurt her or Tsu'tey. They were both dear to me and like a frightened turtle seeking refuge, I buried myself against his chest and murmured weakly, "I really can't answer that."

"You're happy here with us, aren't you?" he questioned gently, his ears rising slightly before flattening against his head to clearly depict the sincere hope that I was and he was absolutely correct in that aspect. There was no other place I'd rather be but in his strong arms, in my large hammock, in our safe Hometree, and I smiled to that dead giveaway in his body language as I felt his lean body awkwardly fidget next to me. Discomfort and shyness were no longer welcomed between us in private and I soothed his back with my palm, caressing his right shoulder blade as he peered down at me to whisper uncertainly, "With me? I-"

I pressed a finger to his lips to halt his words, tracing it over his cheekbone with a fond smile to assure warmly, "I'm pretty sure I'm happy with you. Nothing will change that."

My lips touched his cheek to shower him with light affection, smiling when I felt him return the same action to my own along with a tighter squeeze to my person from the arm around me. Embraces were still fresh and unknown territory to him as I taught him the various types and like an average Earth guy, he stuck with the one armed hug. My nose brushed against his jaw line, trailing up to the start of his ear and I whispered softly to him with request, "Let's not talk about gloomy subjects. Hmm? Tell me what you plan to do now that work has been postponed to observe the celebration."

A sheepish smile broke over his face as his composed façade faded away and he hesitated, "I. . .don't really know. In the past, I had to maintain my presence with Neytiri and her family due to our betrothing so I couldn't accompany the hunters on patrol since the sky people were unpredictable. All I could think of was whether they would destroy our land or kill more of my people and didn't really have time to enjoy the festivities but I made sure my people did," he blinked with a modest glint in his eyes and a small smile appeared on his lips as he stated, "Now, I suppose, I truly can. . .although, I'm not very entertaining company."

"Nonsense, your hunting strategies will impress the men and uh. . .well, it's not a secret that the female populations swoon for you" I pointed out supportively with a peppy smile that eventually turned into a slight frown to accompany my dry tone at the end because there were far prettier women out there than me. The back of my mind, however, pointed out that despite all of that, he chose me: a stubborn and witty woman that was prone to clumsiness and unscheduled adventures.

His warm lips pressed against my forehead and he stated slyly with a voice that brushed away my temporary worries, "But I swoon for _you_."

I chuckled softly to his little joke, nuzzling the side of his neck that rested against the hammock to feel his warmth against my skin. He was better than any burning fire or electric heater as I lay curled against him and leaned my head back with a pleased whimper when his fingers weaved through my loose hair to stroke my scalp. I sighed softly to the relaxing touch as my skin receptors lit up excitedly to the external stimuli his dexterous fingers delivered and kissed the side of the arm pampering my head. My nervous system wanted him to continue because in all honesty, he was basically giving me the equivalence of foreplay due to the sensitive queue. Obviously, we weren't trying any of that in the near future and by the relaxed expression on his face, he had no idea what he was doing to me as he was unintentionally rendering me conquered for mating.

Thankfully, I found an opening when he stopped for a moment and I quickly disentangled myself by lying down on my back, efficiently cutting off access to my head with his free hand as I grasped it with mine. Intertwining our fingers, I laid his arm across my stomach to keep it there and flashed him an alluring smile to cover up what I'd intentionally done. My sweet hunter didn't notice anything amiss with my actions and I proposed softly with a casual tone, "You know, with the lack of training and chores, you and I can spend more time together. We can explore, watch the clouds pass by, or relax in my hammock- just the two of us with nothing to bother us."

"That does sound delightful" he agreed with a tranquil low tone that told me he was as relaxed as I was and that was a feat with his active lifestyle. With the emotional turbulence that occurred between us in the past two days, I'm certain he'd been stressed somewhat since the quiet made him restless when alone and he only went to his hammock for sleep so that narrowed any methods for relaxation. I was the type to be at peace in any quiet setting but he came to depend on me when purging out his emotional anger, worries, and happiness or he'd keep it to himself to tick away like an implosive bomb.

The tips of my thumbs gently pressed against his brow bone to relax the tightened muscles of his face and increase the circulation there, continuing the light pats towards his temple to calm those pressure points and hold back any premature wrinkling (because let's face it, my hunter was the man of a thousand glares). His golden eyes lidded slightly to the gentle touches but the hue retained its piercing intensity as he leaned forward to comment with a soft whisper from his lips, "You are a treasure, Joanna."

"So are you, always" I whispered fondly to let him know that he mattered greatly to me and not because of what he brought to the clan in skills or his affection for me but for who he was. Words came wonderfully in handy for me when it came to describing him or my feelings but as I allowed my heart to open more each day for him befitting a potential mate, I knew that they would become obsolete for explaining indescribable deep emotion. With a kind smile, I traced eyebrows over the areas where he would've had them as a human as I spoke warmly, "You are a wonderful man, a beloved child of Eywa, and I care deeply for you. My words are for you, Tsu'tey, for the ordinary man that you are; not the noble warrior or the clan advisor everyone sees you as."

My lips gently grazed the small bite I'd delivered hours ago and actually noticed that my teeth marks had left an outlined bruise on his shoulder with a dark purple color due to the skin tone and broken capillaries. Hmm, I'd forgotten Na'vi teeth were sharper and a little proud that they were perfectly aligned in shape (take that human genetics that forced me to wear braces during torturous high school!). Luckily for us, you could only see the bruising up close but I didn't want anyone catching an accidental glimpse and gossiping it was a love bite when it most definitely _wasn't_. If anything, it was a display for dominance and he'd lost. Nonetheless, I didn't want to bring injury to him or act that I didn't care for his well-being when I most certainly did and kissed the small area on his shoulder, whispering faintly against his smooth skin in apology, "I'm sorry for biting you, Tsu'tey."

"_I'm_ not, I'm receiving quite a nice apology" he murmured faintly as his warm breath tickled my ear and I shot him a coy glance for his silky voice, noticing the close distance between our lips as I turned away from him to plant one on his bruise for the second time. My lips remained gentle yet firm on his skin but they were called away prematurely when he leaned down to press a single kiss to the side of my neck, sending a pleasurable tingle down my spine when his tongue touched my skin and I relished the sensation.

His lips caught my own when he saw they were no longer occupied and I muffled a delighted squeal when his teeth nipped on my bottom lip, treating it as candy as his tongue dabbed at my lip. My own sought his upper lip as my hands roamed over his back, outlining the moving bones of his shoulder blades as I pulled his body over mine and gently raked my fingernails down his smooth skin. The man was a painter's dream with his chiseled muscles, willowy figure, and beautiful skin tone that shamed any human male in comparison; even I was a little jealous and I was a woman. The tip of his tongue pressed against my teeth to seek entrance and I teased him by leaning back every time he moved forward until my head pressed against the hammock. Nice, defeated by my own creation.

"I don't think you're escaping now" he mocked playfully as he saw I was trapped at a dead end and I chuckled to the delight shining in his eyes as he 'caught' me. The hunter did indeed enjoy a challenge and I wouldn't deny him one, smiling mischievously with agreeable defeat as I let him reap his reward by parting my lips to taste his own in a slow kiss that caused my tail to happily move on its own. I didn't mind being the captured prey in this situation as his taller form enveloped mine with cozy warmth and his weight pinning me down created lovely friction from our skin contact, my nails raking down the center of his back to send pleasurable tingles down his spine. He wasn't the type to enjoy gentle and cuddly affection for too long and adding a little spice into our life would keep him wanting more as time progressed.

I loved being smothered into the hammock by his body and although my hormones wanted my body to continue being ravaged by his kisses, another hormone called melatonin wanted me to sleep. I agreed with the latter since that was my original intent as my throat uttered a small moan to the hot kisses trailing down my neck and I showered his cheek with light kisses, requesting sweetly against his ear, "Take a nap with me?"

His face creased as I brought our kiss session to a sudden stop and the disappointed look on his face had me brushing a hand over his cheek with sympathetic affection. Being a perfect gentleman, he abided to my wish and with the lethargic energy of a sunbathing seal on the sand, plopped himself back down on the hammock to lie next to me. I chuckled amusingly to his lazy but efficient action, my smile widening into a grin when he kissed my shoulder and drawled out slowly, "I'm not the slothful type. . ."

Sticking my tongue out in rebuttal for being called lazy by the Na'vi version of the Energizer Bunny, I curled into my blanket to prepare for my nap whether he was going to join me or not and snuggled into it. Adding a content smile and a tiny peaceful 'mmm' from my mouth helped sway his decision as he ultimately agreed with a small groan, "But I will agree _this_ time."

I chuckled softly to his 'reluctant' decision because he looked pretty damn comfortable wrapping an arm around me and settling in next to me for sleep as he closed his eyes. My thumb outlined his clavicle and shoulder as I followed the trail of bioluminescent dots nestled there, my head resting on his chest as I murmured faintly, "I hate this, you know."

"Hate what?" he asked with confusion to my words since we never used negative words when being together and I smiled when a gentle finger tucked strands of stray hair behind my ear. If anything, this was our happiest time of the day as nobody bothered us and the world left us alone.

"How complete you make my life when you sleep next to me like this- I never did tell you that" I whispered tenderly because at the end of a long day, we would talk endlessly into the night and take random naps to melt our stress away. As friends, I could never admit that to him and used the word 'home' to obscure the true feeling but after yesterday night when I'd fallen asleep, woken up groggily to kiss him goodbye as he left (he nagged that I should've just slept on), and waking in the morning with a warm blanket wrapped around me- he was the one. Knowing a playful pout imitating sadness would tickle his funny bone, I looked at him with the classic puppy-eye expression and stated forlornly, "I miss it when you leave, I have to substitute holding my blanket in your place."

Tsu'tey kissed my forehead with an amused chuckle to my dramatic display and my fingertips touched his chin with appreciation, his voice taking on my own humorous quality as he admitted, "If it makes you feel any better, my hammock isn't as soft and welcoming as yours when I have to sleep."

"You're right, it does" I smiled impishly with a quiet snicker that turned into a surprised squeal when he lightly nipped my nose with his pearly teeth. His trademark smirk stirred laughter from me and my hand smoothed over his chest as I nestled there for sleep, adding a last minute poke to his sternum as I lightly scolded, "Bad Tsu'tey."

* * *

_(Third person POV)_

Joanna sat on a root as she tucked away her newly polished knives into her satchel after spending an hour cleaning her weapons and training with Norm to pass the time until last meal. Her shared nap had indeed rejuvenated her energy and she'd awoken earlier than her partner, snuggling up to him to wait but when he kept sleeping. . .she tucked him into her blanket like an overgrown baby and left for her next adventure. She knew that eventually they would cross paths since fate never left them apart for too long and by nighttime, they would share their day's stresses under the stars.

She glanced at Norm, who had decided to practice his slinging instead of polishing his knives, which struck Joanna odd because Tsu'tey had yet to focus most of her training on the boa. Her eyes watched the leather sling swing in precise directions as Norm controlled everything from the angle, speed, and length. Her mind made a mental note to ask her teacher about it just to keep up with everyone else.

A second later, she recoiled when Norm struck the inner portion of his upper arm when he miscalculated and a painful 'ouch!' echoed through the area. He halted his training immediately and grumbled inaudibly under his breath as he massaged the dark blue area that had formed where he'd hit himself. Joanna clapped her hands once and encouraged with a friendly smile, "Good try, Norm. You keep at it."

"I hate slinging, I think I'll play with that cup and ball I made" he piped up cheerfully as he threw the sling on the floor and proceeded to rummage through his satchel. Joanna gave a brief glance at the discarded item and turned to gaze at Norm just as he fell back on the root he was sitting on and landed on the dusty ground below on his back with an 'oomph'. Didn't he know never to raise his legs up in the air lest he lose his balance on a thin branch? Joanna shook her head to his forgetfulness on the small lessons in life and jogged over to help her friend as he dusted himself off. Grabbing him by the arm to lift him up, Norm stood up on his feet as he held out his handmade toy and smiled crookedly to inform her halfheartedly, "I saved it."

"I don't know what you see in that game, Norm" she sighed with a thoughtful glance at the wooden creation that seemed to entrance many into its mysterious clutches, even Tsu'tey. There had been an evening where he'd done nothing but try to catch the ball into the cup, ignoring her attempts for conversation and she'd taken up knitting herself a new pair of socks. The rough texture of wooden bark and the dusty earth gave socks a short lifespan, even if the area she walked was less than twenty feet. In the end, Joanna owned a new pair of yellow socks while Tsu'tey ended up hurling the toy into the dead of night. By the next morning, her tracking exercise for the day was to find that damn cup and ball toy for him. . .and spent another night watching him do the same thing _all_ over again.

"It's like a Rubik cube, very hard to crack" he replied with a witty smile and patted her back in thanks before jumping back onto the root like Spiderman to return to his seat.

Joanna was about to remind him to be careful and mind his footing but a rabble of nearby voices caught her attention. Nowadays, everywhere she wandered, there was conversation but this one contained a certain tone she'd come to recognize. Her ears caught sound of the familiar rich voice of her handsome hunter and with eager steps, followed the echo to find his position. It didn't take more than ten steps and she was pressed against a gnarled root that arched over her head, making way for a path behind that was littered with flat rocks and hanging vines that obscured the area. Her toes were ready to take the first step to drop in with a friendly hello and a quick exit just so he'd know that she'd sought him after his nap so he wouldn't feel like a discarded pillow.

"Ziar, by next season, you'll have a pregnant mate" Tsu'tey's voice dryly stated before he laughed with the small group of men gathered at the archery fields. No practice was taking place but that didn't mean hunters couldn't stop and socialize there. He claimed that men never gossiped but to Joanna, whenever rumors were spread, it was automatically gossip in her mind. She could hear the hunter's laugh echo through the field they were gathered in and heard him say, "With all the praying you've done, She might bless you with twins to shut you up."

"From the rumors I've heard, you might have yourself a mate very soon" the man Joanna assumed to be Ziar, replied cockily, and her fingernails dug into the root of the tree involuntarily. She wasn't the secretive type, nor the nosy one, but her true relationship with Tsu'tey could not be brought to light. If so, she would be separated from him as his student and he would undoubtedly damage his high ranking position, something she would not allow to happen- even if she had to pierce him in the butt again with an arrow.

A unison of agreement echoed through the area and she heard another voice add in, "Joanna has been one, if not the majority, of the most rumored women to be seen with-"

"She is my student and I don't appreciate the young woman being tied to me because of it" Tsu'tey intervened coldly and Joanna grinned the Cheshire cat grin to having her name wiped out of the gossip loops. The less they knew of her, the better, and she nodded with pride to his words, "There is nothing romantic about us. . . . . .well, not on my part, anyway."

"You have to admit she isn't ugly for a dreamwalker-" another voice piped up and Joanna's feminine side allowed her cheeks to lightly blush at the compliment. Well, wasn't that nice of them to think that.

Of course, the next words out of Tsu'tey's mouth shifted the blush of coyness into flat out embarrassment, "True, but she's also clumsy when distracted, which also brings me to the fact that she's easily distracted, she has a childish curiosity that I fear will one day kill her, she's more stubborn than a pa'li and won't hesitate to smack you upside the head- do I really want a woman like _that_ in my life?"

Joanna's lips thinned since he was throwing the men off the trail but a simple 'no' and respectful words would've sufficed. No matter, she knew Tsu'tey was not the type to play nice in the first place and would use every advantage to win. She was about to leave to rejoin Norm when she heard his voice add in, "She's not very attractive. Her lips are thinner than ours, she has to cut hair that grows on her brow bone, her hair is rarely braided throughout her entire head, and her form is a bit too curvaceous for my taste."

Too curvaceous? What the hell did he mean by that?

Her lips gaped like a puffer fish's as logical Joanna thrashed wildly since he wasn't complaining a few hours ago when he was being kissed and grabbing said curves! She rampaged through Joanna's mind, hurling books as she declared, _It's not our fault the scientists couldn't take out the eyebrow gene! And what man in his right mind hates curves?_

Her romantic side was taking a slump as romantic Joanna began marking parts on her hips with a bright colored marker as she squeaked with her bubbly high-pitch voice, _Maybe a few leg exercises-_

Joanna pushed all of her thoughts aside as she instilled, _Damn it, I look good and if he doesn't like that, he'll learn to adapt. . .wait, he's convincing them to look elsewhere, not me. Oh dear, I almost fell for it._

Satisfied with her proactive thinking, she gave herself a mental pat on the back for not falling for the ploy but it was cut short when his voice echoed with contemplation, "I am expected to mate a woman of worth that compares to Neytiri and Sylwanin. Joanna, nor any other woman, has come close to that and I certainly won't choose a dreamwalker. Do not misinterpret my words for our Olo'eyktan, he was a tawtute warrior so he understands how dangerous our lives have been but this woman has to learn everything from survival to home life which is not easy. I don't have time to deal with questions nor childish behavior that will constantly contradict my own which is why my mate will be a pureblood Omaticaya."

Joanna's ears angled in all directions as she tried to make sense of that but Tsu'tey added another piece to that puzzle, "I've received more than enough proposals to make a decision on who will suit me the best."

At this point, Joanna's ears were burning hotter than the wood on the hearth as she played a fly on the wall and was pleased when she heard the men ruckus, "Who?"

"Sahì," the familiar name had Joanna's green eyed monster fantasizing on throwing the woman into the nearest active volcano. Aside from that, the fact that the woman that name belonged to was also the same whom had been following Tsu'tey recently. Had he picked that specific woman because of her persistence to follow him everywhere or was it more than that? Joanna's gut instinct told her something was amiss and the two couldn't be simple coincidence.

"I've heard she's a very good seamstress, my mate had a beautiful garment sewn for our little Anya" one of the hunter complimented and Joanna couldn't help but grit her teeth in frustration because she couldn't be the perfect fit of what all the Na'vi women were. Was it so bad that she couldn't sew? She could see why Tsu'tey would hesitate in making his interest in her public but Joanna truly was trying her best to master the Omaticayan skills everyone held. From her hiding spot, she could see Tsu'tey grinning proudly like a male lion at his small group as they kept sharpening their tools and she wanted to wipe it off his face. Where was the line between truth and fiction now?

Her confidence had suffered from hearing all of that from both parties but her heart was dealt the worst blow when Tsu'tey admitted casually, "I found myself saying the same thing when she weaved a gift for me, I've never received such in my life. You should see Joanna's trinkets if you want to compare, it is plainly obvious who the better woman is when you gaze upon them. Sahì's parents came to me with the proposal and knowing she's a modest woman-"

_What? I'm not modest?_, Joanna thought as her emotional wall took the beating. _I never chased him through the forest like a stalker! Just because I'll knock him into a whole different species for pissing me off takes my name off for the 'modesty' award? Arrgh!_

"I found her rather interesting. . .her smile allured me instantly," he finished with an intrigued voice that had Joanna ready to grab a barf bag, beat Tsu'tey's head into a tree, and command her horde of tapiri to chase Sahì out of the clan. She was having a hard time deciphering whether he was truly lying or admitting the truth to his little gang of friends as they merrily laughed while she was truly conflicted.

_He has to be lying, why else would he be droning on and on. . .then again, he likes to show off when he's proud of something_, she thought worriedly as every piece of what he was saying seemed to fit with things she'd witnessed recently and tried to calm her racing heart.

"So men, I ask you, why would I settle for a dreamwalker when I have my share of women to pick from as a mate?" he boasted arrogantly as Joanna caught his smirk through the curtain of vines and her ears flattened against her head to his proud stance as he answered his own question, "You will see, by the end of this upcoming season, I will have a worthy woman by my side and nobody will need to assume anything anymore. I assure you, though, it will not be Joanna. If I ever chose such a woman like her, she would only be a temporary conquest as I search for my true mate- truly, do any of you dare see a man like me with the likes of her?"

"So you intend to agree to Sahì's mother's proposal?," one of the men asked curiously and Joanna wanted that answer as well as her eyes narrowed into slits of fury. Why had he not told her any of it or boasted another woman to the men, rather than showing off this seamstress that already boiled Joanna's blood at knowing she pursued him.

She couldn't believe her ears when he answered, "Yes. Being a seamstress, she will be a good mate to watch over our home and her humble origins will keep her away from trouble. Huntresses are indeed alluring but I would rather protect mine given the circumstances to our previous tawtute neighbors and what happened to Sylwanin. I don't want to lose another loved one like so many have."

A sympathetic murmur of agreement broke over the groups as Joanna's fingers clamped onto the branch to support her weak feet as her stomach sank to his answer, a feeling of abandonment and betrayal stabbing her in the chest. Her mouth opened to hyperventilate as she blocked out the rest of his words since her mind decided to shut down the emotional explosion that went off in her heart. Everything he'd said. . .was a lie?

_When. . .he never told me any of this_, she thought painfully as she heard endless tidbits of the women fawning over him but he never went into specifics of any kind of proposal. Yes, he received them but he never told her he thought about one in particular or reciprocated!

"So. . .you have no quarrel with someone courting Joanna?"

Tsu'tey kept a calm face as he chuckled to answer easily without hesitation, "Absolutely not, Talen has come close but I don't want to waste his potential by saddling him with a learner when he could pick from a new huntress which is why I am keeping the two apart. Joanna is a good student and what you perceive as a possible romantic connection is simply her need to follow me everywhere and as her instructor, I oblige. If that need does border on one-sided affection, I will let her indulge since my ties with her are not permanent. She is quite dependent on me and like I said, she can be child-like sometimes. . .it bothers Sahì that I must always go to her, she actually chases me when jealous but I won't have my student bothered. Despite her shortcomings, Joanna is a good soul."

The conversation delved deeper with congratulations before the men switched to talk about a friendly archery competition tomorrow morning between clans. As interesting as that topic was, Joanna couldn't process what she'd just heard and how it all fit together like a piece puzzle. Her heart was hammering away with emotional anguish, her entire body stiffening as she tried to avoid trembling after discovering an entirely different story than what Tsu'tey had blindfolded her to believe. Norm, who'd paused his cup and ball game to see what she'd found so interesting, watched Joanna's face turn distraught as she pushed away from the green vines and he asked worriedly, "What's wrong, Joanna?"

"Nothing, I just. . .I have to go" she stammered weakly as her throat constricted like a boa's around prey and held back tears that stung her eyes like acid. What kind of person would lead her on and hide the truth from her? Is that why the young woman kept following him recently? Because she was ready to reveal everything he'd been hiding? She had suddenly popped into Joanna's life to burst her dream bubble of happiness into nothing but cascading tears down her cheeks.

_I can't believe he kept this, from me_, she thought miserably as she ran away to seek solace with her new wounds and didn't care for once at who saw her run like the wind.

Norm scratched the side of his head to his friend's abrupt and startled leave, wondering what had happened to cause such a change in her cheerful demeanor. Hearing a sudden rabble of laughter echo, he hopped off his branch and walked over to Joanna's previous hiding spot to strain his hearing for anything suspicious. The most prevalent voice in conversation gave him the answer and Norm shook his head with a dry smile before calling out, "Tsu'tey, you really have to stop scaring people off."

"Norm, what are you doing here?" his voice echoed back with curiosity since the young man was usually trying to woo Tarazi or helping Max in the healing alcoves. He'd heard voices outside but assumed they were youngsters when he heard one fall. . .he should've remembered that the man had a tendency to do that on branches. Apparently, his dreamwalker friend had become uneasy with climbing them after a peculiar incident with a bird within the forest. Tsu'tey didn't know the exact details but that was what Joanna had told him. . .or at least, managed to say last night when he was eagerly kissing her lips and turning them a sweet lilac shade.

"Um, practicing my slinging?" he supplied hesitantly since Tsu'tey could smell a lie a mile away and Norm pushed back the green vines serving as a curtain to see the entire hunting group staring directly at him. The Na'vi hunter raised his brow with curious suspicion and before he could ask the man, Norm's shoulders slumped in defeat and he admitted flatly, "I was playing with my cup and ball toy."

"That's the worst toy ever" the youngest man in the team huffed curtly, crossing his lean arms to glare at the floor with his delicate features. His bare toes kicked at the ground in frustration as Norm and Tsu'tey shared a look that told each other that the man was yet another victim of that puzzling game's clutches. The hunter's head shot up, glancing at each of the six men gathered there on the log benches, and he stated firmly, "Nobody in their right mind enjoys the ball and cup game."

Tsu'tey smirked to the man's scorned tone since he'd been on that same mindset many weeks ago and asked with a sly grin, "Then you won't mind if I take it?"

The man blinked at Tsu'tey with suspicion for his offer before finally muttering protectively, "It's mine."

"My score is five" another piped up proudly and Norm was about to ask for tips to help his aim but Tsu'tey snorted with a dismissive raise of his nose, directing all attention to him.

"I've had eight in one sitting" the master hunter declared pompously to his total but grinned good-naturedly to his clan brothers since he knew what a headache that contraption could be. Grabbing his satchel, he held it up in front of his chest to dangle in midair as he asked casually, "Is anyone interested in a friendly competition?"

A round of agreement echoed through the archery fields and the grown men who carried themselves with high confidence and collected calm transformed into cocky name calling children who gladly took on the competition to see who would reign supreme.

* * *

_(Joanna's POV)_

The happy singing quartet was doing nothing to soothe my frazzled nerves and an involuntary twitch of my fingers sent the colorful beads I'd been holding clattering around the wooden platform. I let a small morose sigh leave my lips for my crappy mood and slowly picked them off the floor before they rolled away to fall off the edge into the dark abyss of night. Each little bead reminded me of every argument and problem Tsu'tey and I had encountered since meeting and I truly wondered if the bowl of simmering conflicts had finally filled and shattered with a destructive flood. Was this the last straw? Should I forget all of those warm bubbly feelings he elicited within me which now felt like acid burning in my chest?

Yes, I believed it be so.

My mind was conflicted to what I'd witnessed because throughout the months, I'd managed to break through his emotional masks to find the real meaning to his words and today. . .I couldn't. The logical part of me was thrashing within my mind that I couldn't ignore the facts he'd brazenly announced and despite we'd agreed to dissuade any kind of relationship in public, his admissions were practically for one living a double life without a care for the consequences. He'd already painted me as the one who followed him obediently like a loyal puppy! I threw the beads into my satchel for safekeeping and tied dark twine around my left wrist as a temporary band since I knew I wouldn't be able to get any crafts done with this raging storm brewing within me. Just as I growled under my breath about strangling the warrior, I heard nimble footsteps heading towards me and mentally groaned at my stroke of luck. For once, I prayed it wasn't Tsu'tey because I wasn't ready to face the truth and was thankfully blessed when Cheryl happily bounded up to me with a big smile, _"Jo, what're you doing up here? Everyone's below-"_

"_I'm fine, I like the solitude"_ I replied with a forced smile as I tried to keep up my casual appearance and managed to as curiosity nabbed my interest. Cheryl rarely wandered to our hammock area until it was time for bed since she enjoyed seeing all of the performances with Noren and I tilted my head to ask, _"What're you up to?"_

A coy smile was my answer as her cheeks darkened and I knew Noren had to be involved since he always brought that faint blush to her face whenever a question regarding him popped up. My sweet little friend was indeed head over heels with her new suitor and I couldn't be happier for the two as they matched perfectly with their friendly temperaments. Cheryl waved her hands dismissively with a shy smile that betrayed her true happiness and replied, "Oh, it's nothing. I just wanted to show Noren my newest. . ."

I chuckled to her obvious affection towards the amicable singer, who was now properly and officially courting my dear friend, and chided her gently with a grin, _"Cheryl, I'm sure he wants to talk to you rather than see your things. Spend time talking with him instead of running back and forth because you want to show that your attention is on him. He's really sweet, you know, and I'm sure whatever you say or do, he will love you."_

Her hands wringed together as her nervousness peeked through and her breath quickened, her steps turning into paces behind me as she rambled, _"I'm not good at these things, I get clumsy and say all the wrong things-"_

"_That's love, hun"_ I smiled warmly to the classic signs that proved she was bitten by the love bug and though Cheryl deserved her man, I wanted to crush that love bug into mush under my palm for ruining what I thought was the start of a great relationship. Nonetheless, I patted the spot next to me to beckon her to sit down and lay down all her woes to me to see if I could help. Of course, that was easier said than done with the kindhearted Cheryl who turned the tables on me.

She sat down with an eager smile, nudging my shoulder with hers as her brow innocently raised, and she asked perkily, _"What about you and Tsu'tey? He was looking for you since last meal is soon and you should've seen him, Joanna, he was actually smiling a little! I think he wants to sit with you-"_

This brought the boiling tea kettle in my mind to a deafening whistle and I couldn't take any more of the kind well wishes from her, Norm, Jake- practically everyone I conversed with because my feelings were so blatantly obvious to the rest of the world. Is that why Tsu'tey had said that aloud? Because he knew and wanted it flattened like an ant? Was I such an embarrassment to be tied to his name? Was there a fine line between the lies or was it all true?

"I don't want to hear about him anymore" I cut in bluntly with a vehement shake of my head and wrung the straps of my satchel angrily as my heart was incensed once more. I wanted to thrash everything in sight to console my inward turmoil but I didn't think it'd be enough and the fact that training was cancelled put a damper on my emotional catharsis since it was a good stress reliever. I felt as if he'd unknowingly torn something from me but I couldn't put my finger on it as my entire body ached and wished I could speak to a more experienced woman about this problem since I was a newbie at this. Tsu'tey had stirred deep emotions within me that I'd never felt in my life, they weren't fleeting like infatuation or desire for physical pleasure, but sturdier with a metamorphic allure that retained a delicate quality. Despite all of those feelings, I held my head high and kept my voice steady as I grimly lied through my teeth, "My life doesn't revolve around his."

Her brow furrowed to my stiff words, incredulity written on her gentle features and she leaned in to double-check what I'd claimed, "But you sounded so happy yesterday-"

"That was then, before he. . .before. . ." I snapped curtly to prove otherwise but lost the fiery fuse and everything from the prior hour hit me like a ton of bricks when her kind eyes gazed into mine for understanding and clarification. My flaming match of scorned fury dwindled down to nothing, my erect posture slumping in shame and I sighed weakly with vulnerability, "I thought he cared about me."

"He does. . .oh, Joanna, what's wrong?" she asked worriedly and I clutched her shoulder for support as my throat betrayed me, spilling all of my emotions like a broken damn as a small cry escaped. Cheryl was the only person I felt comfortable with when it came to expelling my true emotions and I openly cried as the wounds reopened again with a rusty knife, comforted when her arms embraced me. We were sisters, I would maul whoever hurt her and she would be passive-aggressive to those who did the same to me due to her gentle nature but we were there to support each other whether we were in physical, emotional, or mental pain.

"He never wanted to be with me" I whimpered as it hurt to be thought of as a clumsy girl with a crush, a pity date, especially by him after everything I'd admitted to him two days ago. After everything I'd done with him while being stupidly oblivious to the truth. He was shrewdly intelligent, of course he'd use my trust to render me gullible to his words and charm me. And what the hell was wrong with me that I allowed him to do so? Where had strong independent Joanna gone? I needed her back to lock away these rampant emotions and kick the crap out of Tsu'tey. I rubbed my nose to sniffle, wiping off any gross clear residue that decided to fall down my nose since my crying was anything but pretty like in romantic movies. Cheryl already knew everything happening between he and I as she was my secret keeper and I grit out coldly, "I was practically a pit stop to his next conquest of finding a mate, I. . .I can't believe I was an idiot to believe his words, I. . ."

I wiped my eyes with the back of my hands to clear them away because he didn't deserve any of them. If at all, I should be hurling arrows of fire at him! I hated to trust others only to have them betray or cast me aside; he knew the fear of abandonment rendered me vulnerable and he'd used it against me. Were there two faces to that man I didn't know? I removed the necklace he'd given me because his mother would be ashamed of his behavior and stuffed it into my satchel, crying out the pain he'd caused, "He's just like my parents. Seeing me as an embarrassment and trying to shuffle me away with crafty subtlety once he had what he wanted. He told me he didn't like Talen too but it turns out he was trying to make him find somebody better who wasn't me. I'm so stupid for believing him but I'm 'a modest mess that doesn't know any better' and 'totally dependent that he lets me indulge', I ought to. . ."

"It's normal to be heartbroken but oh, Joanna, are you sure?" she asked softly as she squeezed me tightly like a mother hen and I nodded morosely because I highly doubted he was lying through it all. I would also be double checking his boastful rants tonight by subtly eavesdropping on Sahì's group during last meal in case his name was brought up. The large crowds and gnarled roots would grant me perfect concealment as I operated as stealthily as a nantang during nighttime.

"I heard everything, it wasn't hard to avoid when I was the centerpiece of the conversation" I murmured flatly with disdain and huddled next to her like an upset child who'd lost her favorite toy. I would gratefully accept whatever comfort I could receive from her since she could always see me at my weakest and Cheryl was always there for me. She also didn't badmouth me once since meeting and even after I called her soft because I'd expected her to grate my nerves with her meek personality, she was the closest person to family that I had. I hugged her arm like a life preserver as I gazed into the ethereal glowing forest surrounding Hometree and stated simply, "I don't want to see him anymore, Cheryl. I'm done with him, especially after this."

Cheryl brushed back strands of hair that obscured my face and I grumbled to literally being fussed over despite my inner child fancied it for never having received it. She wagged a motherly finger before gently pointing out with a smile, "You _always_ say that about him, Joanna."

"But this time, I mean it" I mumbled weakly as I sniffed to open my heavily congested nose and wiped my eyes with the back of my hand to clear away the salty tears. She was right; there had been many arguments with him before that led me to say that during my destructive rage but as the saying went 'the straw that broke the camel's back', and this was it. If I was overreacting, then he would set me straight but at the same time, I was truly hesitant to believe him in case he would craftily lie and I'd be a dunce for falling for it again. Shaking my head, I wanted the tight feeling in my throat to leave as I whispered shamefully, "And the things he said. . ."

And I proceeded to tell her everything I'd heard from the start of that echoing laugh all the way until I left Norm's company, whom I had to apologize to for running off without a warning.

"Oh dear" she sighed with a disappointed frown to the end of my tale and I shot her a dry look that read 'I told you so' as I used her shoulder as a pillow. Cheryl patted the hand that was latched onto her arm with a kind hand and tried to cheer me up by suggesting perkily, "Why don't we find a sitting spot for last meal? You need food to keep up your strength and the smell is delightful down there as it is being prepared."

I chuckled softly to her worried nature as she unknowingly got me out of my depressive funk with her personality alone and was completely grateful for having her in my life. Otherwise, I'd be alone and cranky like a badger while talking to plants for companionship. I managed a small smile for her since she was trying her best to find a resolution that would make me happy and thanked her with honest appreciation, "I'm not physically hurt, Cheryl. . .but thank you for your kindness."

With last meal being an extremely social setting, I didn't want to meet Tsu'tey because I was no longer blind to his actions and my heart would shatter at the sight of him. Even now, the memory of his dimpled white smile filled me with longing and melancholy. If I could blend in elsewhere during mealtime, I'd do fine because I needed time to process my rampant emotions and reach a stable level to ward off blowing up on somebody innocent. Also, the delectable smell of the food was intoxicating and the thought of it picked up my appetite out of the negative zone, my brow lifting with eager curiosity as I piped up casually with twinkling eyes, "A little food will do me good. . .do you _know_ what we're having?"

She laughed to my sudden peak in interest toward food since it was an instant mood lifter and my innocent coaxing was plainly obvious to her. The figurative windows in my eyes practically showed her a hungry puppy eager for a dangling bone and she hugged me with a bright smile as she declared merrily, "Tsu'tey or not, you'll always have me."

"And I'm grateful. . .so Noren better take good care of you" I ordered gently and returned her kind embrace because with the way things were moving between her and the singer, my best friend would find herself being his mate in no time flat. I would treasure her constant companionship for the time we had left on this level of Kelutral because life was anything but static. Grabbing my handy satchel off the floor, I aimed a firm gaze towards the illuminating night surrounding our home and declared firmly with zest, "I'm not going to sit here and sulk the night away, food is my ambrosia and my stomach demands it!"

"That a girl!" Cheryl agreed wholeheartedly and clapped my back enthusiastically, squeezing my shoulder once before standing up and offering her hand to me. Her infectious friendly smile faded away my worries about being the newest gossip or being found by Tsu'tey because if I couldn't protect myself, she would.

We weren't sisters by blood, but in profound bond.

* * *

I wasn't kidding when I said I was starving and once my leaf plate was full, I chowed down everything on my plate like a lawnmower. There was a variety of food since Jake had asked the guest clans to pitch food ideas to the cooks to make them feel more at home in the forest (the Horse clans were claustrophobic from so much vegetation at this point) and I was happy to try new foods to broaden my palate's horizons. The entire base of Kelutral was jam-packed with people and this suited my camouflaging needs perfectly to avoid detection by Tsu'tey. I couldn't erase the things he said out of my mind and as I tried to avoid thinking about the whole ordeal, seeing him stop to chat with the woman and her friends before last meal started basically kicked in my heart like a heartless person would to a helpless homeless puppy.

I wanted to sit with Cheryl this evening but Tsu'tey would undoubtedly be searching for me since he wasn't keeping his masses of fans company and she'd be the first he'd seek so that was out of the question. Instead, I sat with the seafaring Atykwe as they generously asked me to join them and enjoyed their amicable company as they chatted about their likes about our Hometree. I learned that their own Hometree overlooked the sea as the large tree grew its roots deep into a large cavern that served as their base during the windy seasons while the tree itself was used for healing alcoves, storage, and for residence during the rainy season. For the rest of the seasons, the Atykwe lived next to the sea in teepee-like temporary homes for easier access to their food sources. It was a good thing the Atykwe were marvelous at uplifting people's spirits with their friendly nature or I would've been in tears throughout my meal.

Heartbroken or not, I'd eaten till my stomach couldn't take any more and to stop myself from picking up a last scrumptious piece of bread, I reminded myself of the hexapede I'd killed earlier today. He was gone now into Eywa's awaiting arms but the animal would remind me to take my equal share and not become greedy or I'd be straight on the path to hunting more animals just to stuff my stomach which was exactly the type of human behavior I wanted to eradicate. This train of thought allowed me to politely excuse myself from the kind Atykwe, in which I left a crestfallen Anaya (whom I promised to meet tomorrow to make up for the lost time), and track down Sahì and her little group of friends. The dark base of Kelutral was my friend as I kept close to the overlapping roots and found a decent spot in the dark behind a curtain of vines to make it my vantage point for eavesdropping. A group of tapiri had been grazing their last minute snack of the night but luckily, with my ongoing presence around them, they'd simply sniffed me and kept waddling by without a care.

My suspicions proved correct with patient surveillance when one of the women brought up his name and like the domino effect, it spurred an entire conversation about the warrior. I was bored to tears about hearing how honorable and great looking he was. . .like I didn't know that already. By the time they got to the good stuff, I had been laying down next to the sleeping tapirus named Albert and just about ready to join them in dreamland. My heart was shot into multiple pieces when I heard Sahì herself admit that Tsu'tey kept visiting her looming area personally within the last weeks and just as I'd heard from him, she happily stated that they'd be mated before the end of the season. A round of cheerful giggles erupted around the area as they asked her what kind of person he was in private and I was thrown aback to hear that he was a confident delight with an easygoing nature. He'd been easygoing with me but I didn't get a man 'beaming with confidence' during our talks, I got the grumpy 'I hate everyone but me' rants with a side dish of gentle tidbits about his life. Had he been gruff because he'd grown tired of my friendly questions and indulged her because she'd been nicer than I was? I. . .I just didn't know anymore.

Apparently, this man was hiding another different life while I was the temporary horderve that kept his lips occupied until then. There was no perfect word to describe how used, cheap, and ashamed I felt when I'd heard the women start chatting about mating ceremonies and the perfect jewelry that would match with this fabric and that tree (which looked like a shriveled candy cane to me). With my tail between my legs, I'd left the sleeping tapiri alone to return back to the gathered crowds getting ready to start the entertainment portion of the night. Cheryl and Noren found me near one of the cozy fires away from the clan's hearth and invited me to join the festivities with me but I respectfully declined. I didn't want to ruin her night with the misfortune's the entire day had bestowed upon me and told her I would explain everything later tonight when Noren dropped her off for bedtime.

The entertainment for tonight included theatrical dances narrating the creation of Pandora by Eywa, choirs singing the First Songs that all clans shared, normal dancing for everyone to dance the night away, and hearty drinking but I decided to sit out on all that loveliness due to my depressive mood. Out of all the days to blow my happiness away, it had to be during this wonderful celebration rather than a boring day. Recently, I felt as if I was caught in a constant roller coaster with the way the wind seemed to sway my dealings with Tsu'tey but enough was enough. The bioluminescence of the night brought calm to my conflicted heart while I strolled through the lowest residential level of the first floor of Kelutral as the energetic beating of drums and upbeat singing added in the cozy ethereal feel that told me this was home. At this height, I was far away to be noticed yet close enough to appear that I was still enjoying the festivities to any curious onlookers. Yet, despite all the beautiful singing and peaceful surroundings that would make a perfect picturesque view. . .my mind remained plagued.

_I can't believe he painted me as needy and the instigator of affection_, I thought shamefully because I didn't think he'd use such words that could circulate throughout Kelutral. Although, he was right about me being the one that sought him as I revealed my affection for him but that still didn't give him the right to blab it aloud! Out of everything he'd uttered, the one word that hurt the most was 'temporary'. Is that what I truly was for him?

A grasp to the back of my arm startled me out of my reverie and I jumped fearfully as my muscles tensed defensively, turning around with stiff shoulders to the unexpected touch as my survival instinct kicked in. Na'vi called each other to seize attention rather than touched but I received my answer to the unknown grabber when I saw the man I least wanted to see today. Why, Eywa? You make me happy by having him pop up nonstop today since morning to brighten my day but by the evening when he's stabbed me in the heart, you bring him back to torment me.

"I've been looking for you since last meal, where have you been?" he informed me with a dejected frown of disappointment that would've had me cupping his chin to wash it away with a kiss but not tonight. As handsome as he was in my eyes, he would no longer deceive me with his manly charms as my heart was locked in an impenetrable vault with scorching flamethrowers protecting the outside. I would not serve the temporary purpose of being a squeeze toy or a damnable second woman to him.

"With the Atykwe, they've been very kind to me since arriving" I explained simply on my whereabouts to point out that my daily wanderings didn't have to be by his side permanently. Of course, when I was lovesick (part of me still is), I wouldn't have hesitated tagging along beside him but that loyal action put things in perspective for me since I wasn't the one to follow blindly. On my own, I had been independent on Pandora as I focused on achieving my goals but when Tsu'tey joined the picture as my friend, my self-reliant nature flew out the window as I spiraled down to dependency. He truly was everything I wanted in a partner but the many faces of this warrior puzzled me because I wanted to know who he was. I needed to know what was the truth from all the gossip spreading. . .but part of me was frightened of having my heart ripped apart if what happened between us was all a sham.

"There is a large group of fan lizards to the south of Hometree, they like the recent weather" Tsu'tey informed me cheerfully with a small smile and felt his hand brush the small of my back as he tried to draw me close. I tried not to stiffen to his gentle touch, hiding my gaze from his because I would undoubtedly fall prey to his charisma, as he suggested sneakily with a smirk on his lips, "We should go after the singers take their first rest."

"No, no, I don't feel like exploring today" I declined softly as I feigned disinterest and took a few steps to keep away at arm's length where I'd be safe from any tantalizing touches. His head tilted to the side with a curious lift of his brow since I never refused to see a fan lizard since I first arrived on the moon. If anything, _I_ dragged _him_ by the arm unwillingly as I ran to the little critters while he wailed like a lost child. Mentally, I groaned because he would pick up on that particular fact and I marched my neurons to their battle stations to create a decent lie. I forced a smile onto my lips as I shifted my face into a coy glance, faking a voice of exhaustion as I excused myself, "I think I will head to sleep early so I can help tomorrow morning."

"But you're always eager to see-" he tried to negotiate in an attempt to snatch a 'yes' from my lips but not tonight.

"Not today" I cut him off quickly with a shake of my head and crossed my arms to avoid being touched altogether. After what he'd said, I didn't even want to talk or be in his company and resisted my impulsive side from smacking the truth out of him right here and now. This was not the time to make a scene, especially at this hour when everyone was gathered below us and I didn't have the strength in me to fight. Tomorrow would work marvelously when I wasn't lethargic over stuffing my stomach to the brink of explosion and my energy would be renewed to open up a can of whoop-ass on him. Bringing my hands together in front of me in Christian prayer mode, I shook them in emphasis to request quietly, "Please, could you just let me be for tonight?"

I avoided his intense gaze, already knowing his eyes were searching for an answer but he knew the words he'd uttered mere hours ago and shouldn't have been surprised if the rumors got back to me. Oh, how I wondered how he'd try to slide out of that one like he'd done with all the previous romantic entanglements I'd heard about but he'd squashed the suspicions in my mind with his convincing words. Had those been true as he kept his romantic escapades a secret? My eyes stung to the possibility since we'd shared so much in the past months and flinched when his hands encased my shoulders, my skin tingling to the light graze his calloused fingers delivered as they smoothed towards the base of my neck. My ears flattened against my head when he leaned down to meet my gaze, bright orbs of gold peering into mine with paralyzing intensity as his lips hovered inches over mine and he murmured faintly with worry, "Joanna. . ."

"I. . .I don't want to go anywhere right now" I whispered quietly as I tried to keep my voice steady and gazed at the canopies above us to prevent any tears from surfacing. I swallowed the hard lump forming in my throat and my hands rose to rest over his, giving them a quick gentle squeeze on the wrist before unhooking them from my shoulders and stepping back. My action surprised him since I'd never refused any physical touches of sympathy and as his confused eyes stared at me for an answer; I slowly walked backwards as I made my leave obvious and meekly told him, "I have to go."

His hand grasped my wrist before I could scamper off into the night in perfect example of a heartbroken damsel in those romantic novels Cheryl always read at Hell's Gate (whereas mad libs tickled my funny bone, especially when Jake joined in to make them dirty) and my lips shook as I tried to think of more convincing lies to exit with. However, his worried tone was almost believable when he squeezed my hand and leaned over me protectively to question firmly, "Did somebody upset you?"

"I'd be worried over your own words than other's loose lips" I whispered simply with hidden bitterness and pulled my hand free from his, my heart caught in a battle as part of it wanted to wipe away the concern on his face and the other wanted to prolong it to give him a taste of his own medicine. He truly was perplexed to the meaning in my words as he looked to me for further information but I divulged none, turning towards the spiral staircase as I wanted to be away from the festivities now at knowing he was within this area. My hand motioned towards the higher levels where my hammock was located and I explained quietly, "I'm going to sleep so please don't follow me, I'm very tired."

He opened his mouth to speak but closed it a moment later, licking his lips in second thought and he tapped my chin delicately with a finger, optimistically asking, "I. . .will I see you tomorrow?"

I faked a smile because as much as he hurt me, I couldn't find the will to unleash that same pain and decided to depend upon keeping him blissfully ignorant. Besides, in time, he would forget me as he kept to his carefully laid out plans on mating Sahì and I would be nothing but a distant memory in his mind. I blinked rapidly to that thought because he would certainly remain wedged in mine as time passed and I cleared my dry throat to answer calmly, "Of course you will. Sleep well."

He grasped my chin in his right hand and despite anyone could waltz right in and see us, he touched his forehead to mine as he whispered serenely, "Eywa watch over you, Joanna. If there is something weighing on your heart, I am here for you."

A tender kiss to the right temple almost broke my indifferent emotional mask as that light graze shattered it with the strength of a hammer. My lips parted to the alluring sensation as his smooth lips slowly trailed down the side of my face, warm breath tickling my damp skin as he deliberately exhaled a puff of air between each kiss, and the action would've had me in excited shudders for more but not today or any other day for hereon. I placed my hand on his warm cheek, using my thumb to gently push him away before he tried to sneak in a last minute kiss that would either break my resolve or cause a scene for the truth.

My fingertips brushed against his cheek and my gaze lingered there, my heart heavy as I remembered each promise that had caused my love for him to grow since that day he gave me those earrings. I couldn't force someone's affections but they would be a memento of friendship and what could've been but I would find out the truth to stamp a case closed print on his name tomorrow. Letting go of the hunter, my legs took a few steps backwards and I nodded to him with a small smile of farewell, "Sleep well, Tsu'tey."

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**A/N**: Dun-dun-dun! And here we have the new suspense weighing on poor Joanna's heart. This new conflict will play a part in Joanna's leave with Atykwe because I did say from the start- along with Nitari- that she'd be there. We'll get the matriarch to make her appearance and the offer to whisk her away in the next chapter as everything Tsu'tey now does weighs in on the end of the first volume. Will they stay lovers, friends, or dare I say, enemies?. . .Hmm, I sound like a soap opera announcer.

I'm still getting new story alerts & fav's to this story, I'm so happy! Thank you all for your never-ending support to this story, Joanna and all my OC's take a bow to all of their readers, as I speak from the heart to my reviewers:

_Na'viRabbit:_'Loveshack', I love it. Joanna and Tsu'tey are just comical with their romance as one tries to win that 'I'm always right' card but they keep tying for the win.

_1Timberwolf_: They bicker like an old married couple deep in love, it's funny fitting the two together as they transition from their old ticking time bomb selves to wiser individuals as the matriarchs watch over them like fairy godmothers.

_mintandtea_: Fanfiction always makes my day better too. :)

_compa16_: Thanks for loving it!

_GhibliGirl91_: There's a reason for all the love because it's never stagnant with those two and the new conflict is just around the corner as this chapter starts it off with the snowball effect so they had to have some love before tragedy strikes.

_Emmalime_: I'm glad you're so happy for the updates. I wish I could draw cartoons because I'd definitely love to draw them in tiny child-like formats hugging each other.

_claycarole_: I don't actually know anything on harvesting a kill, the entire description was taken from my own experience in dissecting a cat in anatomy which was anything but pretty (the smell was awful when I first started working on it). The only thing I do remember about preparing food (which is from my grandmother) is that you hang a hen upside down to drain it of the blood- it horrified me, especially when I had to eat it as soup later that evening. Anatomy made me look at food, especially meat, very differently. lol

_jaguar_: Thank you so much, I try to avoid as many mistakes as possible.

_CrissYami_: I'm glad my story makes you so happy, I appreciate it when readers delve into it as much as I do so I know the story's worth all the time and effort put into it. Plus, I can never deny my joannaxtsu'tey coupling their happy ending.

_restoringthehistory_: I'm stuck with my health problems due to the health care system and tired of getting my appointments switched. I'm glad the time between updates wasn't disheartening. It's a while until the baby milestone hits the couple, seeing as Nitari is luring Joanna to her clan (with good intentions, of course).

_piXiZe_: Yeah, I edit the heck out of my chapters until they're perfect but I'm liable to miss a space (I'm working between my laptop and iPad to update my stories faster). Thanks so much for loving every aspect of the story, my fingers and brain bow gratefully.

_Judilee_: I appreciate your words because I've given my all into this story and love how much everyone has managed to visualize and basically See the characters that I've tried to mold with words. Our dear Cheryl has already been accepted into society and as we glimpsed into today's chapter, has already begun courting Noren. As for Norm, our friendly ex-anthropologist will have trouble securing the attention of Tarazi as he tries to woo her but love isn't easy in the slightest because she doesn't find him interesting. Obviously, Cheryl got the easiest romance with her sweet nature. As for Max, I'm shamefully guilty of neglecting him but he'll have a focus in the second volume (hint: he does play doctor- meaning gynecology) as I'll be shifting focus between clans since I don't want Joanna stealing all the show in her new life.

_Dalonega Noquisi_: I'm glad you loved getting the Joanna/Tsu'tey fix. The two can be quite addicting when arguing and licking their wounds together to make their fans squee.

_Soccer11_: Don't worry, there will always be an update for the story. This is my best work yet so I'm seeing it through to the end.

_Luv4Uncas_: Being trained to handle all situations, he tries to prove he's not jealous when he obviously is and with her human experience in reading flustered reactions, she picks up on it. The poor guy is a newbie with affection and with so much emotion locked within him, Joanna steps in to help him understand and express it but he only does it in private (he's a shy but passionate man). The whole 'we're going to be mates' reveal is what volume 2 will be about as Joanna shifts from one stage in life to prepare towards another. First volume: becoming an adult. Second volume: becoming a mate. Third volume: becoming a mother and warrior for her people.

_RJRRAA_: From what I researched online (love the online dictionary: .org/navi-vocabulary/#vocab), '_Kìyevame_' means 'Goodbye/I will see you soon' (basically, a temporary farewell) and '_yawne_' means 'beloved'. Hope it helps!

_kudokuchan69_: I know, that last update took so long due to the immense length I had to cut in half and my tough semester (my friend and I still talk about it since we're perfectionists in academics, especially him) but I'm so happy to be back writing my stories! I want to finish the first volume before I have to return to school so Joanna can finally do her dance at attaining adulthood.

_Jack Black_: The worst kind of flu to get is the one during summertime, I feel for you because I hate being stuck in my bed with nothing to do when I'm sick and wish you a speedy recovery. I love having Joanna and Tsu'tey as a romantic starter couple as they can't help but express their affection but they need their little dash of spice in life as their stubbornness is number one in their personalities. My two star players will keep evolving until they're juggling children as a family; because Cameron shouldn't have killed him off the film.

_camelotprincess1_: Thank you so much for all the love, I appreciate all of it as I continue to write the next chapter which has Joanna doing something incredibly dangerous.

* * *

**Next time**:

We reached the private alcoves reserved especially for meetings with the clan's leaders and the area was silent in comparison to the lower areas thriving with life but you could hear the murmurs from one that clearly had Jake inside with another leader. We began walking away before anyone realized we were wandering the area since the level was usually kept clear of residents to lower noise that could disturb conferences. I kept quiet like a mouse traveling through cat territory, both in respect to Jake and to avoid any talking with Tsu'tey, but he spoke softly, "I will appreciate the privacy up in the mountains seeing as I can't even touch you without revealing our relationship."

_You mean getting caught by Sah__ì__?_, I thought angrily to his lies as my heart became instantly jealous of what he was sharing with the other woman and froze when his hand cupped my shoulder with a small squeeze to bring our walk to a halt. _I bet he does this with her too._

"You told me humans are physical beings with affection but you will have to excuse my actions due to my upbringing" he explained carefully with a modest smile as his thumb brushed against my cheek, outlining the stripe there just as I'd done to him yesterday. I glanced away because meeting his gaze would render me useless to his charms and my body stiffened automatically when he leaned close to whisper gently, "I do treasure you, Joanna."

He leaned down to kiss my lips but I moved my face to the side, successfully blocking the gesture completely with a small gasp because I could no longer bear knowing he would be with another by the next season. It hurt me almost as much as knowing he'd intentionally set out to see me fail his training and I pressed my palms against his chest to create distance between us, feeling the prickling of tears forming in my tear ducts. He was all I'd ever wanted as I allowed myself to believe there was a future in store for us but he shattered that dream in the blink of an eye.

I avoided his questioning gaze as I felt his eyes seeking mine for an explanation to my flighty behavior, his voice breathing against my ear with confusion, "What-"

"Joanna," I heard the Atykwe matriarch intercept his voice out of nowhere and like the wind in a hurricane, Tsu'tey parted from me to finish settling in that personal space I'd tried to create seconds prior. Part of me was thankful for the sudden intervention of Nitari but wary in case she saw through my lie of simple camaraderie with Tsu'tey. I didn't want to be branded a liar for falling for his charms and I'd fight tooth and nail to make sure she saw my side rather than his in case she asked.

I blinked rapidly to push back the arising tears in my eyes to regain my calm composure and faced her with a polite bow as a show of respect. Tsu'tey quickly followed my lead as he didn't allow her sudden appearance to frazzle his suave charisma and we transformed from confused lovers to faithful subjects before our superior. Nitari simply blinked with surprise and a little awe to our swift reactions, our posture practically matching each other's, and we returned to our upright positions as her eyes softened. For a moment, I thought she would gently chastise us by ousting our little romance with a small smile due to her friendly nature but I spotted something else dwelling in her bright orbs: concern laced with affection. She smiled kindly to us as she greeted us with courtesy befitting her rank, "Kaltxì to you both, I am glad to have found you, Joanna. I was about to send one of my hunters to fetch you but fate seems to be on my side today. There is something I must discuss with you, young one, and time is of the essence on this matter."

I was taken aback by the sudden request since the clan had been here for three days but nonetheless, agreed with a wholehearted, "Of course, I will oblige."

Turning to Tsu'tey, I could see disappointment shining in his eyes as our planned trip came to a halt before it began and it troubled me to the entire mess he'd brought me into with his overheard confession. Why couldn't he have kept his mouth shut until they left so I could have been blissfully ignorant for a few days longer? There was so much I needed to say, yell, demand, but the matriarch had need of me and I would not deny her. I directed a friendly smile to cheer him up somewhat but my voice carried urgency when I stated simply, "We need to talk later on when you have time."

I expected a short reply but he merely nodded silently and bid farewell to the matriarch with a gracious dip of his head, retreating back toward the path we'd taken up here. My eyes lingered on his retreating blue back, wishing I could've kept him wrapped in my arms in proof that I could provide what he sought in the perfect mate and it truly hurt me knowing that I wasn't. As to the other matter at hand, I was nervous as to what was so important that she deemed it necessary to find me because it certainly wasn't berry picking.

I turned to her with both apprehension and curiosity befitting a child that worried whether she was about to get a lecture or a compliment. I hoped for the latter. Her fingers pointed to an empty alcove behind her and beckoned me to follow into the covered entrance, parting the maroon cloth obscuring the inside from public view. Quietly, I followed obediently as I detected the faint scent of incense from a morning meeting from where I stood and the smell calmed my nerves somewhat since business meant Nitari might not be so friendly as she separated her personal life from being a matriarch. I wondered if the Tsahìk's had more work to do during the celebrations than they did during normal days since interpreting Eywa's will took a slower process and the festivities were _all _about Eywa.

The inside of the alcove was warmer since Kelutral was nicely toasted by the sunlight and it gave the small area a cozy atmoshphere with its makeshift incense bowl on the floor. Nitari sat down gracefully in one motion on the ground, sitting cross-legged rather than the squatting sit that most Omaticaya used. Despite the Na'vi were identical in physical hues, their cultures and viewpoints spoke volumes on their different variations. For example, the Omaticayan diet consisted of grazers and fruit while the Atykwe were more akin to fish and marine plants whereas the Ozeka (one of the horse clans) hunted small grazers like fowls but mostly ate farmed grains. I wouldn't be lying if I said the Ozeka ruled the world of hot cereal and combined with our clan's delicious fruit syrup, I had found my favorite breakfast of all time.

Of course, living with the Omaticaya prompted me to sit like them with my knees parallel to my chest but decided to tuck them next to my sides to appear more lady-like. It was a crappy attempt to please her that would probably have my left leg suffering a charley horse for using such a strange angle but I didn't care. My palms tingled in anxiety to why she summoned me and I slowed my breathing to calm my fluttering heart as to what awaited me because it couldn't be that bad, right? I wasn't a slab of granite like Tsu'tey who could play in a masquerade party using his face alone and my eyes snapped from the floor towards the matriarch when I spotted movement. Nitari leaned down to fix the incense with her fingertips, a faint smoke trail emanating from the little pile of burned herbs and ashes as her soft voice carried throughout the alcove, "Calm your young heart, Joanna. I do not bring you ill news, simply a proposition."

* * *

_I failed to mention last time that I've written a spinoff of oneshots to this story in case some of my readers are linked to my tale by story alerts alone. Anywho, have a great day or night, dear readers!_


	23. Idyll's End

CHAPTER 19:

**Idyll's End  
**

* * *

Strong hands holding a fishing net steadied its angle against the water as Tsu'tey held the landline in one hand since the river was extremely calm today. He rarely saw need to tie the landline with rope to a nearby stump unless he was in one of his lethargic moods but the early morning brought him the most energy as the day barely began. Fishing was his best pastime, more so than hunting since Eywa only demanded it when they were hungry to prevent upsetting the balance of their world and Tsu'tey always obeyed the All-Mother. The gentle current of the river brought tranquility to his heart and the small moment of peace allowed him sanctuary from all of the noise back at Kelutral.

It wasn't that he hated socializing or loud rabble but as a child, he kept to himself since he found wisdom by following adults and as an adolescent, he kept his concentration on passing his rite to adulthood rather than gallivanting in the latest gossip. If he spoke during those days, it was short and concise to the point because he didn't see the importance of droning on in matters that he didn't know or care much about. When he was chosen to lead his clan, his ears were only open to clan matters as he was trained to be stoic since his time was spent mainly with Eytukan's family and the hunters under his command. He'd never learned to socialize flawlessly like young children who piped up any question of intrigue, adolescents who traded secrets of all topics and had a tendency to laugh at anything, adults who could talk to their heart's content about life's lessons, and even the dreamwalkers who could illustrate an entire story in their sentences since they were talkative to begin with. Since meeting the dreamwalkers and entering his new stage in life, Tsu'tey found himself being more conversational towards others (except children, they unnerved him no matter what) as he wandered Kelutral in comparison to his old manner of simply uttering quick and short sentences to have his say and leaving the scene.

He had his old and new friends to thank for that. His Tsahìk advised him on any qualms his heart was plagued with as he saw her as his mother figure, Neytiri improved their relationship by being more of a sisterly figure as she chided him about lightening his cynical attitude, and Norm played the test subject as he helped improve his demeanor in socializing environments as he assured him there was nothing to be defensive about. . .but the two he held most important were Jake and Joanna. She helped him gain control of his emotions as well as releasing past conflicts that improved his interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships whereas Jake became the trusted brother he shared issues he couldn't divulge Joanna with as they learned to keep public and private life apart from each other as leader and advisor.

A piece of fishing twine tied to a big toe in a quick attempt to create a fishing rod had Tsu'tey staring at his trusted companion with both humor and dismay. He'd never seen such shoddy fishing tactics in his life and despite the ridiculousness of it, he couldn't help but grin as he chided, "Are you seriously going to fish like this for the rest of the morning?"

Laying on his back against the smooth rocks of the riverbed, Jake used the fishing net he'd original brought as a makeshift pillow under his neck as he sought the same piece of mind his brother did. A lazy grin spread over his sleepy face as he gazed at the clear blue-gray sky of early morning as hints of lavender lingered from the night before and Jake replied cheekily with casual flair, "Yes, yes, I am."

Tsu'tey shook his head but understood the need for time away from the responsibilities of the clan because eventually, they added up weight on one's shoulders and it was best to have a refreshed leader rather than a weary man. They were due for a meeting soon and after seeing his friend growing exhausted from talking to all of the clan leaders temporarily residing with them, it had taken its toll on his sleeping patterns and Tsu'tey had suggested they fish the next morning. Jake didn't see the relaxing nature of fishing, maybe it was meant to be more akin to Tsu'tey, but laying on the dirt without a care in the world to everything else was enough for him. He'd enlisted in the marines to help protect people from danger but leadership in the military was different than governing and he was beginning to see the difference as he spoke to the clan leaders. There were alliances to be made, trade listings to be continued or stopped, clan boundaries to be updated, and many more things he'd yet to fully grasp.

Neytiri took care of business with the matriarchs since she'd been trained to deal with them by her mother so Jake was on his own to learn his own way to experienced leadership. Nitari, being both matriarch and clan leader, was kind enough to give him tips to guide his way since she'd had leadership thrust upon her just as he had and instant camaraderie was born between them. She had gently joked that as long as she had Omaticayan textile goods traded for her clan's variety of fish, their relations were good until the next Atykwe heir took leadership. Jake hoped it wouldn't be in the next two decades because he wanted to be better by then in case conflict ever arose with other clans. Tsu'tey was nothing but a spectacular advisor as he put the others in the neighboring clans to shame in negotiation tactics since he'd been trained for leadership himself and the way he spoke with a neutral face that betrayed none of his thoughts or emotions had Jake envious for that face. He was thankful for such loyalty and friendship as the two learned from each other throughout the festival.

"Feel better?" Tsu'tey asked simply as he sat cross-legged on a flat but comfortable rock, his posture immaculately straight as he gazed across the river to the surrounding forest. The cold morning air livened his energy rather than draining it as his skin tingled to the invigorating sensation and heard a content 'mm-hmm' of agreement from his friend. The hunter smiled with pride to the relaxing hobby and confessed easily as he gave the net a gentle tug, "I find myself fishing whenever I am troubled or in dire need of peace. I almost emptied the river at the old Kelutral when you first arrived that I might as well have incurred Eywa's wrath for my raging carelessness."

Jake laughed with amusement to his humorous admission and Tsu'tey joined him as well, remembering his old self that would've slit the man's throat if given the chance (he would have had Neytiri not intervened). That stern warrior was but an image of what he'd been and the new man he now was blew the old hunter away from his mind with a simple exhale between his lips because his heart no longer weighed heavily with problems of the past. He accepted what had happened in his life and learned how to overcome it rather than remaining stagnant with rage. Jake jiggled his foot to lure a fish somehow and broke him from his small reverie by asking hesitantly, "Can I ask you something?"

"Asking that is a question in itself, isn't it?" Tsu'tey joked with a witty smirk and it widened into a cocky grin when his leader- no, his brother- hissed sluggishly to being corrected. The hunter found it amusing that he played the older brother in their relationship when Jake was the elder in his years by Earth birth and waved his hand toward his chest to relay acceptance as he told him, "Of course you can."

"You're my most trusted as leader but as your brother, I feel you deserve more with the skills you possess" Jake confessed as he let his thoughts roam free since they could argue or laugh without consequences as their bond allowed it without harming them. If they did get mad at each other, which happened sometimes with their egos, they took out their aggression in the sparring fields and called it a day as they regained their stable ground. His golden eyes traced a whimsy cloud that trailed through the blue sky as if painted on with its delicateness and he spoke with frank honesty, "You trained endlessly to be leader and you know it like the back of your hand but I don't. I've yet to grasp it all and as your friend, I want to know if you're content with what Eywa has chosen for you. Do you agree with how life has turned out?"

Tsu'tey contemplated his words because he'd been more than ready to rule when Eytukan returned to Eywa despite his sorrow that leadership had been passed down with the tragic death of his secondary father figure. He'd been adamant to keep his rank when Jake threatened it by his mating to Neytiri but relinquished it graciously to Eywa's will when Mo'at spoke her choice and for his personal vow that he'd keep the clan safe. There were times he wondered of how life would've turned out if he'd remained leader but there were certain aspects Jake brought to the title that he couldn't.

Under his rule, he would've kept the dreamwalkers ostracized rather than assimilating them and knew his hate for them would've increased to the point that he might've exiled them all as Neytiri would no longer hold leverage with her old title to protect them. His new friendships would never have formed, he'd have never found his love, his past would continue to haunt him, his harsh outlook of the world wouldn't have lessened, and he would be a bitter man holding onto a world that no longer was rather than looking toward the future. Jake brought peace between their people, new beginnings between species as some had now begun to court, allowed Tsu'tey to be his second-in-command, gave a new face to Omaticayan leadership as he held a common touch that pleased everyone of all ages and mindsets, and brought new hunting techniques that Tsu'tey himself approved of. He also created new food blends that pleased the crowds but that wasn't as important as the rest (though Tsu'tey's inner cook danced for the recipes).

Now, the warrior was more open to new ideas brought to him, less antagonistic to the dreamwalkers as he formed new bonds with them, at peace with his demons, and happy that his beloved clan was flourishing. His heart was set on protecting his clan and although leadership of it was revered by all, he was happy being kept within the circle of his leaders as they sought his input rather than keeping him as a warrior to serve. Neytiri and Jake held him in high regard which warmed his heart for being appreciated and that was enough for him. With a sincere smile, Tsu'tey admitted truthfully without regret, "You have no need to worry for me, I am happy. Your leadership was the best choice for all of us and I am content enough in serving my people."

Jake smiled with relief because part of him had always wondered if Tsu'tey indeed thought he'd deserved more in life and although his friend was a proud man, he was worthy of an honorable title. Sighing into the air as he leaned back to relax against his makeshift pillow, he grinned towards the azure sky and confidently vowed, "As long as I'm leader, you'll be by my side keeping our people safe. We're brothers in arms and whatever history is written into song about Neytiri and I, you'll be in there too."

His face crinkled to the idea of being sung about since he'd rather have a weapon named after him and he frowned dispassionately, "Oh, I don't know if storytellers may be able to depict me. They might make me old, ugly and grumpy because of my public attitude."

The young clan leader guffawed to the idea since most children that asked of Tsu'tey did indeed think he was older than he was and some even believed he was a forest spirit because he was so elusive towards them. It took both Joanna and Jake to prove otherwise when they regaled children with tales of adventure but having Tsu'tey jump out of a bush to frighten them didn't help quell the ghost rumor. Jake looked to his friend as he felt the same way about being put into stories since he wasn't looking for everlasting splendor and sympathized with a grin, "Think of it this way. One day, you _will _be old, ugly, and grumpy."

"I might get old and grumpy but I am _not _ugly" he disagreed snippily as he raised his chin to shoo away that idea from his mind and Jake shook his head to the man's ego. Tsu'tey's frown faded away into a small smile a moment later and he told his friend with a serious tone, "Maxpatel told me this tawtute quote and I find it fitting in advising you on your path: 'The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not a bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but not without folly'."

Jake sat up as he took his advice to mind and nodded to his companion with gratitude as he emphasized, "See? _This _is why you and I will be featured together in history tales. We might even bring a new age about."

"I've had enough of the tawtute occupation to last a lifetime" Tsu'tey stated grimly to his dealings with the species and hoped they'd stay on their world for all eternity. Norm had told him that humans were conquerors from birth, history portrayed them that way since their explorations to the New World and outside their solar system, and refused to quit until they won. The warrior hoped their species could make a difference in showing them that they would not bow to their selfish wants and if one day, his species did fail in retaliating, that another would rise and eradicate them to show them they weren't invincible beings. He purged those dark thoughts from his mind since fishing was supposed to be a relaxing endeavor rather bringing grim ruminations and quietly, he stated, "We should finish soon since we must prepare for our meeting with Ra'tu."

The other man groaned to having his 'me' time brought to an abrupt end and suggested, "We should bring meetings on the road by walking or fishing rather than sitting stiffly for hours on end."

"Partaking in leisure activities will bring forgetfulness during negotiations" Tsu'tey advised flatly to some of the notions his friend conjured to make leadership easier and shook his head as he began to reel in his net, hoping his catch was decent. He'd never seen a clan eat as much fish as the Atykwe did and kept a keen eye on them to see if they would eventually sprout fins.

"We could reinvent meetings and call it the 'Jakesully' way" he grinned enthusiastically, pitching in his idea as he wagged his brow but his friend didn't seem to take to it. His features fell since Tsu'tey wasn't the excitable type and feigned a groan of exasperation as he declared, "All right, let's go to this boring meeting that will have me daydreaming of fish and wondering how much it hurts to pierce my nose through its cartilage."

Tsu'tey snorted to his ramblings as he stood up to pull his net out of the cold water, splashing cold droplets all over his lower legs as he brought it to surface with one sharp yank. He was so accustomed to his lifelong hobby that it came as second nature, just like breathing. Depositing the net onto the rock slab carefully, he turned to his leader to check if he was ready to leave and dryly asked, "Did you finish your childish fit for today?"

_"Yeah, I'm cool" _he replied with a cheerful expression this time and looked down to his foot, disappointed that he caught nothing. In all honesty, he didn't expect to succeed but it still would've been nice, just to see the shock on his friend's face. Frowning to his shoddy fishing reel, he shook his head to the twine wrapped around his toe and feigned a sigh of disappointment, "No fair, I worked hard on this."

"All you did was attach a piece of twine" Tsu'tey stated sardonically since he'd done most of the work with his own method and found himself pleased with the catch. Not a full catch but not too little to make it fruitless; he could do with average, he wasn't a perfectionist with a hobby. Pointing to his flawlessly crafted net, he explained the logic behind his friend's failure since he never hesitated to lecture the young leader, "You do know that my net was trapping them as they flowed downstream and cut off access to yours entirely?"

Jake balked to the obvious answer he'd ignored completely since they'd been chatting away like old school pals and was about to blame his friend for distracting him but a sudden yank on his toe alerted him to a catch. Hallelujah! He watched his foot jerk towards the shore and he called out to his friend with excitement, "I got one! I got one! I- _oh crap, he's a big 'un!_"

And so, the two friends grasped the twine wrapped around Jake's toe to wrestle with the fish as they realized it wasn't a small one and Tsu'tey scolded his dim-witted choice in fishing, "Why in Eywa's name would you tie twine over your _toe_?"

"I didn't think I'd actually catch anything, okay?" Jake shot back to justify his stupid spur of the moment idea before another sharp yank pulled the man towards the shore, throwing Tsu'tey aside like a rag doll. The hunter regained his balance as he leapt up and chased after his leader, who was now being pulled towards shore at an alarming speed, as Jake declared exuberantly, "Tell Neytiri she's eating good tonight!"

* * *

_(Joanna's POV)_

My fingertips skimmed the top of the pool's cold water, practicing my dexterity as I prevented myself from breaking the surface completely and smiled to the lack of ripples as they kept trailing over the water. The calm serenity of the water soothed me on this warm morning as I laid on a smooth slab of rock overlooking the small lake the clan commonly visited. It was the closest to home and completely safe from dangerous animals within the forest while the lake itself was void of predators as well. Today, many people were gathered all over the beautiful place- the deep water, the shallow ends, the breezy shaded spots, basking on the rocks, hanging from the vines of overhanging trees- to socialize to their heart's content as it teemed with vibrant life. The merry overlapping voices lifted my mood as Na'vi from all the clans chatted away but the constant reminder of my Tsu'tey problem didn't really help soothe my misery. Ugh, why couldn't I have it easy like Jake and tame a Toruk for instant acceptance?. . .Okay, I knew that wouldn't work in a million years because I'd end up a Toruk's chew toy since Jake had the luck of a million clovers wrapped over a horseshoe.

My reveries of 'what if's' were broken into by a duo of voices that I've come to recognize these past few days and smiled to the arrival of my new friends since one in particular was anything but subtle. I squealed with surprise when a hand unexpectedly grasped my arm and Anaya's voice declared with delight, "I found you!"

Anaya was seriously Cheryl's bubbly counterpart as we became better acquainted with each other during the celebration since her cheerful attitude never dampened my recently sour mood. Also, she was lot gutsier than Cheryl which I liked when we joked openly during our walks around Hometree or gazing at Pandora's forests from the canopies branches. The huntress held delicate features (despite she was anything but that) as her large eyes glittered with curiosity, her feline nose chiseled in similarity to Neytiri's petite version, pouty lips that gave her round chin a dainty quality as her hair was cut short and kept loose rather than braided. French twists allowed her to keep the short locks away from her face as the large queue braid remained in its trademark style over her back. Similar to the other Atykwe women, necklaces made of seashells decorated her neckline as blue cloth covered her chest modestly as a matching pair of leggings completed her ensemble. Her friendly smile beamed like the sun as she sat next to me and yanked her friend in crime, Arat, to sit down as well.

Arat was different than Anaya in conversation, he was calm and took his time talking rather than purging everything but they managed to be good friends since their training for adulthood years ago. While Anaya was more akin to hunting near the shore, Arat was an expert archer at capturing prey farther out at sea with his ikran. The older hunter wore his hair in simple braids like all men but left his hairline unshaved and I'd noticed that Atykwe men carried this trend unlike the Omaticaya since apparently, flying with your ikran all day was doing to do crazy things to your hair anyway so might as well tie it, right? Their garb, however, was similar to what the men of our clan wore on their torso but unlike Omaticaya men, they wore leggings during hunting since skintight clothing wouldn't hinder their movements in the water during hunts. For the festival, however, the men were all about the loincloth.

"So you have" I chuckled amicably with a smile as they joined me and I was happy for their company as they naturally began to be part of my everyday life. Unfortunately, they would eventually leave and I would find myself missing them greatly since Na'vi lacked long-distance communication systems unlike humans. I'd never traveled outside the borders of the Omaticayan clans and doubted that I would anytime soon since only adults were eligible to go unescorted.

Anaya dipped her toes in the water to entertain herself by splashing, watching the ripples in the water with a keen eye, and sighed softly with longing, "The Omaticaya certainly has beautiful pools of water here but I yearn for the sounds of our waves."

"You will be home in a few days" Arat reminded dryly to the fact that they would return because they weren't stranded (he'd told her this yesterday) and she hissed playfully to his deadpan expression. He wasn't fazed by her rebellious expression, ignoring her homesickness with simple roll of his shoulders, and reminded her simply, "Be grateful the matriarch let us come to the festival."

I raised my brow with curiosity to this since I assumed everybody from their homeland had come and he turned to me to explain with a friendly smile, "Some of our brothers and sisters had to remain in order to keep our clan functioning upon our return. We are all family and through them, we represent our entire clan as we respect their choice and will not disappoint them during our stay here. Jakesully has been very kind by giving us textile goods to distribute to them in recognition since they were not able to celebrate with us. "

"How many remained?" I asked with intrigue since around sixty people came from the Atykwe and clans were known to be over a hundred in number. Remorse filled me for knowing that others stayed behind but their clan needed to support itself during the absence and hoped they were having a fun time to share in the happiness their brothers and sisters were experiencing here.

"Fifty one adults, their little ones also stayed because long trips would make them homesick" he answered easily with a fond smile towards the Atykwe children that were currently enjoying frolicking in the water as their laughter echoed through the forest. I was impressed when I'd seen little toddlers swimming alongside their parents during their first day here and Anaya had informed me their children learned to swim almost as early as walking due to their environment. Just as the Omaticaya trained to their bodies to adapt to the surrounding forest throughout life, the Atykwe adapted to the sea as they push their stamina (especially their lung capacity) and agility to the max.

Their clan interested unlike any other due to my fascination with the ocean since Earth's were no longer fit for swimming and I yearned to hear the crashing waves on the shore. Every little kid had their dreams and mine had been Pandora and the ocean (dinosaurs too but the museum worked out for me). I wanted to experience it with all my senses to shove aside the historical digital clips that Earth showed students. My fingers wistfully touched the water to feel its refreshing sensation upon my warm skin, wondering if their seas looked similar to Earth's, and looked to Anaya with a giddy smile to request, "Tell me about your Kelutral."

Anaya didn't waste any time in answering this for me as she playfully pushed Arat aside, the other man hissing in return for being discarded as she scooted over to my side. The other warrior simply took seat on her new vacant spot and she explained cheerfully, "We live next to the glittering sea, our temporary homes are built on the sand as we fish and carry on with life during seasons without storms. Cliffs, caverns, sandy shores, and small vegetation surround our Kelutral and we must delve deeper into the forest in the direction of Omaticayan lands to actually find bigger game. That, however, takes place during storm season because the strong winds over the sea can cause a tear in our ikran's wings and that would damage them for life. Also, we return to Kelutral for protection during that time since we bear most of the damage during storms than other clans due to our close proximity to the ocean."

"You're not afraid of your hammocks snapping and falling off?" I asked worriedly with apprehension because winds of that velocity would probably freeze or hurl the poor Na'vi. Did they have a hurricane season similar to Earth? The elements were foes nobody could tame or expect to win against in a fight which made me wonder how they fared such a season if the Omaticaya only received heavy downpour and cool breezes during theirs.

"When we have very strong storms, we use our private alcoves to sleep" Anaya explained perkily and pointed to the large canopies of Kelutral that could be seen from our spot at the small lake. Hometrees were durable and strong against anything and although the trunk of one would always be safe from the elements, branches could be ripped off completely by the immense strength and velocity of high winds.

Her fingers glided gently over the trunk of Hometree that filled our line of vision and she continued to describe her home for me as I closed my eyes to listen and visualize it all, "The Omaticaya varies in their sleeping arrangements just as any other clan, depending on their environments. Prairie clans use the large span of land to sleep while your clan uses Kelutral, and we use a combination of both. Their alcoves are small to house a mated couple while ours are very extensive, large enough for a family, while the lower portion of our tree is enclosed safely within a rock shell around it, circular in shape like a ring, that transforms into an extensive cavern system that allows us to use it for storage as it burrows towards the forest and the cliffs. Our hammocks are used during calm seasons, like the type of weather that usually occurs here in the forest but never during strong winds. Our ikran are the same, they take shelter in the caverns during storms to keep safe and the canopies during warm periods."

I smiled to the concept of their clan because I would've loved to see such a Kelutral encased with a rock wall of protection since the last one similar to such was the Tree of Souls. Arat had also told me that their Kelutral was old enough that it was honored through their historical songs. Their way of living was certainly different to what I'd grown accustomed to among the Blue Flute clan and I didn't hide my astonishment as I confessed breathlessly, "It sounds beautiful."

"It is beautiful" Anaya chuckled fondly with her own caring smile toward her home, her eyes closing slightly with longing for a moment as she observed our Kelutral but it cleared away the next second. The huntress was homesick already and I didn't blame her because I'd chain myself to Kelutral before leaving without an order to do so. Her cheerful demeanor returned back to her face and she turned her gaze back to me to assure with an encouraging smile, "You will see it with us, one day, I am sure of it."

Arat joined her smile with a perfect match, their white teeth glinting in the sunlight, and he added in helpfully, "Also, our clan has smaller cavern systems along the shore due to the cliffs bordering the land as it meets the sea and makes quite a sight. It is fun to explore them during low tide and children enjoy traversing the pile of boulders littering the landscape as the ikran nestle there to enjoy themselves during daytime."

"I'm finding myself missing it and I've never seen it" I laughed warmly to the alluringly vivid description they'd given me of their lands and we all shared a friendly laugh to our depictions of home. It truly was a peaceful morning for me as everything had gotten off to a bright start with a delicious breakfast hosted by another of Jake's speeches and I felt the luckiest for having such pleasant company. Humans on Earth fought so much over who got what while the clans here were all about sharing and maintaining peace on their world. Unfortunately, all good things came to an end eventually and my lips formed a solemn smile as I admitted softly, "I will miss you two when you leave, I feel as if we don't have enough time to become the good friends that we should be. Anaya, you're so witty with your humor and the friendliest Na'vi, apart from Nitari, that I've met which is a combination I never tire of in a friend. And Arat, you're so peacefully calm when you talk but you liven a conversation with words alone and you keep us from doing anything stupid like any good friend should."

"Oh, but we don't have tapiri and I would've kept it safe" Anaya insisted in regards to when she first saw tapiri wandering freely within the base of Hometree and she'd followed them like a peppy youngster as they waddled around the area. She tried to draw a youngster away from its mother by offering fruit but Arat had quickly lectured her about disrupting animal behavior and how they already had enough wildlife back home to keep her attention occupied.

Arat simply sighed to her reasoning as Anaya turned to me, her lips parting for a second as she was about to speak but they closed in reconsideration a moment later. She looked away with regret as her expression brought immediate sympathy from me without even knowing what she'd wanted to say and Anaya sighed depressingly to say, "Oh, Joanna, we will miss you too."

I reached over to pat her hand gently in an attempt to soothe her distress and her ears perked to the physical touch, eyes curiously observing my hand. I chuckled to her intrigue due to the norms, mentally kicking myself for forgetting she wasn't like Tsu'tey or Neytiri who were used to it and because their clan lacked dreamwalkers to explain our strange quirks. I didn't mind telling her about my actions and explained with a friendly smile, "As a dreamwalker, I've become accustomed to expressing sympathy or care by touching another's hand or shoulder. It is a bad habit to break after being a tawtute for many years but I mean no ill will, just compassion to lift your spirit."

"You dreamwalkers are peculiar. . .but I like peculiar" Anaya chuckled softly with acceptance to my odd quirks as I retracted my hand to place it back on the rock, content that she hadn't chastised me and allowed my tail to sway happily. The Na'vi were kind to those who brought the same sentiments but piss them off like humankind had and they'd tear your limbs off; my gratitude toward my future people was eternal. Arat hid a laugh behind a fisted hand covering his mouth as he gazed nonchalantly over the lake, trying to ignore our girlish chatter.

Our time together was interrupted by the man I'd been trying to avoid since morning as I'd swallowed my morning meal in one gulp and kept on my way to dodge him. I knew his schedule was busy with meetings as he met clan leaders, advisors, and important clan members as Jake's second but I hoped he'd be able to stay away until mid-afternoon. Cheryl informed me that he was on the hunt and like a little tapirus, I'd hidden among one of his uncomfortable settings by being surrounded by sociable people in large numbers. However, Tsu'tey had learned to efficiently dodge the crowds and part the masses by a mere utterance of polite words which allowed him to reach us in no time flat. It was remarkable seeing him stop greet people with a smile rather than his old greet and nod which brought a small smile to my face at seeing him so comfortable rather than tense.

"I See you, Tsu'tey" Anaya greeted amicably with her trademark wide smile as he approached our spot with his intimidating strides and Arat nodded in return, politely bowing his head to the clan advisor with respect. Seeing how much rank he held above others also brought me new perspective since the clan mingling began days ago and I wondered how a little speck like me could've become his friend if I hadn't been assigned as his student. We probably wouldn't have crossed paths often if I'd been given a different teacher and despite our recent conflicts, I appreciated what he'd bestowed in Omaticayan teachings and life lessons.

"I See you both as well, Anaya and Arat" Tsu'tey returned the sentiment with his courteous tone and his gaze caught mine as I laid idly on my rock like a lazy sunbathing lizard. I'd no idea if skin cancer existed among the Na'vi since biology hadn't been my field of research but at the moment, I liked playing the role of a basking reptile. A glimmer of amusement passed through his eyes as they lingered on me for a few seconds, my own gaze faltering to leave him as my heart yearned for him, but he returned his attention back to my companions to ask the two kindly, "I hope this morning finds you two well?"

"Why, of course" Anaya replied pleasantly and moved her hand over the lake to where people of all ages were having fun talking and swimming on both the shore and water. It was a picture perfect scene of merriment as everybody wandered freely to meet old and new friends alike. Smiling widely to the Omaticayan hunter, she didn't need further evidence as she pointed out with pure satisfaction, "Just look at how everyone is enjoying themselves. They're laughing, happy, swimming- everything an Atykwe needs to live fruitfully."

"What she said" Arat stated calmly with a small smile to his colleague's peppy tone, gently nudging her side with his elbow to tone down her voice against the warrior since they were to maintain a respectful ambience, not a tight knit friendship aura. Anaya thinned her lips as she grudgingly listened to her friend (and a superior by rank also) and returned to splashing the water with her toes to entertain herself as I smiled gently to her energetic upbeat attitude. Anaya was the can-do type of woman who did anything asked of her to help like any clan sister and if anyone doubted her claims on something bold, she'd go ahead and do it. I could see why Arat watched over her as a friend and hunting partner as he reeled her in before she did something crazy which made my interest in them spike. Everybody told me I was stubborn, so why not find a niche? Even Tsu'tey could join. We could be called the knuckleheads.

The Atykwe hunter nodded courteously to Tsu'tey as he eloquently said, "We appreciate your kind hospitality and on behalf of my clan, thank you for having us here."

"We are all children of Eywa, we look after one another and protect Her world" Tsu'tey smiled in return with sincerity to the friendly words, briefly meeting my gaze once more in beckoning, and I turned away to play the coy card. Of course, he was insistent on being with me as always and I hid the disappointed frown from my lips when he asked my new companions courteously, "Would you mind if I speak with Joanna privately?"

Of course, having the rank of a little guppy in a lake of big fishes told me that I had no say since the three hunters were smiling in agreement. Hmm, if only I could hide in this lake like said guppy.

Anaya stood up quickly and waved a hand through the air as I loved her casual flair, her voice agreeing amicably, "Of course not! Take all the time you need."

Both of them departed with a friendly smile to head towards shore where I had no doubt they'd be swimming to their heart's content until their skin wrinkled; oh, how I wished to join them too. The Atykwe were created for the sea as the soft waves calmed them like nothing else on Pandora whereas the Omaticaya were soothed by the sounds of chirping wildlife in the forest. Tsu'tey sat next to me on the rock with his perfect posture as I gave him a simple side glance of acknowledgement and he smiled kindly to softly say, "You are a beautiful sight for a man in need of relaxation."

_What, you couldn't find what's-her-face?_, the scorned side of me thrashed from within as it demanded answers with its little pitchfork and a little vengeance for being betrayed.

I said nothing about his compliment, merely kicking my feet into the air to slowly sway them like a pendulum and turned to him to calmly ask, "I take it that you've had better days?"

"I've never been in so many meetings as I was today. . .except maybe for the battle against the tawtute" he sighed exhaustedly with a small frown and sat next to me, his eyes meeting mine with dulled brightness to the day's exhaustion. My fingers subconsciously twitched as they yearned to brush over his cheek but I restrained myself, stiffening when his left arm brushed by my right. I glanced at him from my spot, knowing he'd done it intentionally and saw him tilt his head to the side as he gazed down at me to whisper, "My spirit finds peace when I am by your side in solitude."

"Me too" I admitted quietly since I truly was an open book of vulnerability in front of him as he stripped away all of my defensive walls due to our friendship and despite the hurt he caused in my heart, he was still my comrade. He kept our clan strong with his unwavering loyalty and regardless of how I felt, he was a man to be respected.

"I have found an activity for us today" he spoke with a lively voice that had me blinking at him with confusion since he'd just declared complete exhaustion befitting a man toiling in farmland a second ago. His fingers brushed against the top of my hand nearest to him as the gesture was blocked by his position and I ignored the butterflies of happiness he sent to my stomach with his subtle touch. I was foolish to believe there could be anything permanent with a man like him (I was barely realizing how much influence he held over clans as I was plankton compared to him, the king of the jungle!) and my stomach sank when he proposed cheerfully, "Fly with me to the Thundering Rocks to see the ikran soar the sky. We can be alone, away from all the noise here, and eat together until evening."

"We're supposed to be mingling and appreciating other clans" I reminded gently to chide him about our duties during the celebration and smiled to myself when I spotted his tail strike the air in distaste. How I wanted to add in the seamstress' name to see what reaction I stirred but I said nothing of it, deciding to enjoy the small amount of peace left to me this day.

He scoffed dismissively to my words as he marked his own path for the day and pointed out smartly, "I have done just that since morning actually, I had a very interesting conversation about pa'li and ikran grooming from two clan advisors. I had forgotten how it felt to learn new ideas and exchange knowledge with others due to the lack of long travel when the tawtute were here. Now, I find myself fascinated over learning what others have and incorporating it into my own knowledge to help the clan."

His ears flattened against his shaved head in modesty as he murmured with a faint smile, "I rather missed it."

Even if he did crush my heart yesterday, I noticed that he wasn't as grumpy today as he usually was and realized the sociable side of him was surfacing when he smiled at an Atykwe couple when they passed by with their two young ones. That's right, _smiling_. Not the faint uplift of his lips in politeness or the sloppy smile he didn't finish for people but one that dimpled his face. I turned away from my sunbathing rock to give him my full attention and stared up at him with mirth to declare, "You're actually being nice _and _sociable- oh, tell Norm about the breakthrough! If new people is what you need, I might need to tell Jake to arrange a play date with other clans so you can enjoy yourself."

I expected him to nag about it but when he laughed to my joke, I pondered if the pleasant and sociable man underneath his gruff exterior was poking through his public persona. He forced himself to be a fearless warrior for his clan, casting aside emotion, but when there was no need for a protector- would the benevolent humane side unshackle itself to resurface? He truly could be the kindest soul there was, especially when he spoke to the elderly, they loved the young man and advised him about life as he listened thoroughly rather than casting it aside as ramblings.

His fingers trailed down my bare side, triggering automatic shivers down my spine to the feathery sensation and my gaze shifted to the water in order to disassociate the wonderful feeling he stirred within me. Thankfully, he was blind to my internal struggle as he smiled widely at me and playfully asked, "You jest but I traveled a lot before the tawtute dominated our forests. How do you think Jake knew what clans to seek for aid against the revolt? His _ikran_?"

"Neytiri?" I piped up cheekily since she'd been my number one answer. . .well, her or Mo'at. I'd only known that Jake had gathered them together when I asked Norm after the battle ended and the wounded were being tended to. Both of our minds had been preoccupied on helping rather than dwelling on little facts of the past but I never received a concrete answer.

His head hung comically to my response and I laughed into my hand to muffle the sound since seeing him carefree in public was actually intriguing. The tip of his index finger tapped my nose in playful reprimand as he explained matter-of-factly, "No. Neytiri rarely traveled past our forest due to the nearby human settlement and when Sylwanin passed, all travel was forbidden to the new heiress to prevent another tragedy. I've traveled since childhood with my parents and on my own after Iknimaya for clan business since I was to be the next leader but I didn't mind, I enjoyed exploring and eliminating tawtute menaces. Also, matriarchs do not travel to see others, others travel to see _them_."

His hand snaked behind my back to gather me to his side by pulling me forward and I was pressed against his chest, my cheek touching his warm skin as I cursed his backside for hiding us in this manner from others in the background. After yesterday, I could live without his touch. . .well, not really, my heart was in his hand like glue and I found it very hard to cast aside my feelings. My forehead touched his chest as my fingertips longed to run across his smooth taut skin to placate my affection for him but I restrained myself as logic took control over emotions. There were many questions running through my head as each second of skin contact prolonged the rampant thoughts but he halted them when he smiled charmingly, "Come away with me, dear Joanna."

Oh, how I wanted to demand answers about yesterday's account but with our supposed secret courting, I didn't want to blab it across the field and ruin my own reputation in the process. This matter was to be handled in private in the same way it had begun and with reluctance, I allowed him to lead me away from my sunbathing rock as I faced his back with a grumpy face. Nobody said I couldn't be frumpy and it soothed the little devil called vengeance into slumber.

* * *

We reached the private alcoves reserved especially for meetings with the clan's leaders and the area was silent in comparison to the lower levels thriving with life but you could hear the murmurs from one that clearly held Jake inside with another leader. Apparently, Tsu'tey had allowed him to handle this one alone. We began walking away before anyone realized we were wandering the area since the level was usually kept clear of residents to lower noise that could disturb important conferences. I kept quiet like a mouse traveling through cat territory, both in respect to Jake and to avoid any talking with Tsu'tey, but he spoke softly, "I will appreciate the privacy up in the mountains seeing as I can't even touch you without revealing our relationship."

_You mean getting caught by Sah__ì__?_, I thought angrily to his lies as my heart became instantly jealous of what he was sharing with the other woman and froze when his hand cupped my shoulder with a small squeeze to bring our walk to a halt. _I bet he does this with her too._

"You told me humans are physical beings with affection but you will have to excuse my actions due to my upbringing" he explained carefully with a modest smile as his thumb brushed against my cheek, outlining the stripe there just as I'd done to him yesterday. I glanced away because meeting his gaze would render me useless to his charms and my body stiffened automatically when he leaned close to whisper gently, "I do treasure you, Joanna."

He leaned down to kiss my lips but I moved my face to the side, successfully blocking the gesture completely with a small gasp because I could no longer bear knowing he would be with another by the next season. It hurt me almost as much as learning he'd intentionally set out to see me fail his training and I pressed my palms against his chest to create distance between us, feeling the prickling of tears forming in my tear ducts. He was all I'd ever wanted as I allowed myself to believe there was a future in store for us but he shattered that dream in the blink of an eye.

I avoided his questioning gaze as I felt his eyes seeking mine for an explanation to my flighty behavior, his voice breathing against my ear with confusion, "What-"

"Joanna," I heard the Atykwe matriarch intercept his voice out of nowhere and like the wind in a hurricane, Tsu'tey parted from me to finish settling in that personal space I'd tried to create seconds prior. Part of me was thankful for the sudden intervention of Nitari but wary in case she saw through my lie of simple camaraderie with Tsu'tey. I didn't want to be branded a liar for falling for his charms and I'd fight tooth and nail to make sure she saw my side rather than his in case she asked.

I blinked rapidly to push back the arising tears in my eyes to regain my calm composure and faced her with a polite bow as a show of respect. Tsu'tey quickly followed my lead as he didn't allow her sudden appearance to frazzle his suave charisma and we transformed from confused lovers to faithful subjects before our superior. Nitari simply blinked with surprise and a little awe to our swift reactions, our posture practically matching each other's, and we returned to our upright positions as her eyes softened. For a moment, I thought she would gently chastise us by ousting our little romance with a small smile due to her friendly nature but I spotted something else dwelling in her bright orbs: concern laced with affection. She smiled kindly to us as she greeted with courtesy befitting her rank, "Kaltxì to you both, I am glad to have found you, Joanna. I was about to send one of my messengers to fetch you but fate seems to be on my side today. There is something I must discuss with you, young one, and time is of the essence on this matter."

I was taken aback by the sudden request since the clan had been here for three days but nonetheless, agreed with a wholehearted, "Of course, I will oblige."

Turning to Tsu'tey, I could see disappointment shining in his eyes as our planned trip came to a halt before it even began and it troubled me to the entire mess he'd brought me into with his overheard confession. Why couldn't he have kept his mouth shut until they left so I could have been blissfully ignorant for a few days longer? There was so much I needed to say, yell, and demand, but the matriarch had need of me and I would not deny her. The People always came first and emotions took a backseat in this instance until the time was right. I directed a friendly smile to cheer him up somewhat but my voice carried urgency when I stated simply, "We need to talk later on when you have time."

I expected a short reply but he merely nodded silently and bid farewell to the matriarch with a gracious dip of his head, retreating back toward the path we'd taken up here. My eyes lingered on his retreating blue back, wishing I could've kept him wrapped in my arms in proof that I could provide what he sought in the perfect mate and it truly hurt me knowing that I wasn't. As to the other matter at hand, I was nervous as to what was so important that she deemed it necessary to find me because it certainly wasn't berry picking.

I turned to her with both apprehension and curiosity befitting a child that worried whether she was about to get a lecture or a compliment. I hoped for the latter because I respected her greatly and did not want to be a disappointment this early in our starting friendship. If so, I would work my butt off to get into her good graces. Her fingers pointed to an empty alcove behind her and beckoned me to follow into the covered entrance, parting the maroon cloth obscuring the inside from public view. Quietly, I followed obediently as I detected the faint scent of incense that lingered from a morning meeting from where I stood and the smell calmed my nerves somewhat since business meant Nitari might not be so friendly as she separated her personal life from being a matriarch. I wondered if the Tsahìks had more work to do during celebrations than they did during normal days since interpreting Eywa's will was a vigorous process and the festivities were _all _about Eywa.

The inside of the alcove was warmer since Kelutral was nicely toasted by the sunlight and it gave the small area a cozy atmosphere with its makeshift incense bowl on the floor. Nitari sat down gracefully in one motion on the ground, sitting cross-legged rather than the squatting sit that most Omaticaya used. Despite the Na'vi were identical in physical hues, their cultures and viewpoints spoke volumes on their different variations. For example, the Omaticayan diet consisted of grazers and fruit while the Atykwe were more akin to fish and marine plants whereas the Ozeka (one of the horse clans) hunted small grazers like fowls but mostly ate farmed grains. I wouldn't be lying if I said the Ozeka ruled the world of hot cereal and combined with our clan's delicious fruit syrup, I had found my favorite breakfast of all time.

Of course, living with the Omaticaya prompted me to sit like them with my knees parallel to my chest but decided to tuck them next to my side to appear more lady-like. It was a crappy attempt to please her that would probably have my left leg suffering a charley horse for using such a strange angle but I didn't care. My palms tingled in anxiety to why she summoned me and I slowed my breathing to calm my fluttering heart as to what awaited me because it couldn't be that bad, right? I wasn't a slab of granite like Tsu'tey who could play in a masquerade party using his face alone and my eyes snapped from the floor towards the matriarch when I spotted movement. Nitari leaned down to fix the incense with her fingertips, a faint smoke trail emanating from the little pile of burned herbs and ashes as her soft voice carried throughout the alcove, "Calm your young heart, Joanna. I do not bring you ill news, simply a proposition."

I blinked with confusion to this since matriarchs advised rather than asked and her face softened as she explained carefully, "I will not tiptoe around the matter because this is in your best interest and you will deem it fit by the end of the festival. Many months ago, I promised you on my last day with the Omaticaya that I would return for you, to allow you to join my clan where you rightfully belong. I could see then that you were clearly exuberant to my vow and melancholy at my leave but you needed to follow Eywa's will to help Tsu'tey overcome his inner conflicts. _He _was why I left you in the care of the Omaticaya. When I look at that young man now, I see no trace of hatred towards the dreamwalkers and he is growing wiser as he no longer dwells in the past. Your hand in his growth is done for the moment as Jake and Mo'at will be taking over that part."

Her lips formed a proud smile to what I'd helped accomplish with the warrior and I hoped he truly had overcome those obstacles that plagued him. Looking back on everything since that fateful day we met, he was indeed a different person and could only wonder what was in store for him next. However, my happiness for Tsu'tey was cut short as she continued, "Two seasons have passed and I believe that is enough time to receive an answer to my question."

She was absolutely right that months ago, I would've hopped on a random pa'li and ridden it blind to find her clan but now. . .the Omaticaya was home. They watched over me as I learned my way into their world and cared in a manner humankind never offered but at the same time, Nitari had presented its equivalent to me without questions many months prior. I couldn't find the words to answer her as the thought of leaving the clan left me speechless because I hadn't planned on doing such a thing and had promised Tsu'tey that I wouldn't think of it. My mind halted all of its thoughts as this proposition took priority above all else and she spoke softly with sympathy, "You have a life here and see the Omaticaya as family, I understand. However, as a Tsahìk, I must advise you that staying here is most unwise in your path to being a huntress. You were meant to train here, yes, but never to complete it under Eywa's watch."

I respected Nitari greatly but I refused to believe staying among my loved ones was wrong, I was performing perfectly in every-

"You are not meant for the Omaticaya, young one" she whispered gently as a parent would advise their daughter who couldn't play the violin despite her best determination to succeed at it. Her soft voice practically stamped it into my heart as logic tried to debate it but there had to be a reason she'd approached me out of all of the dreamwalkers. Nitari was the type to foresee many things as Anaya had told me she interpreted Eywa's will the fastest among the other matriarchs in the area and if she'd read my own path from Eywa, who was I to refuse? My love for the Omaticaya, however, wanted to fight it tooth and nail but her words kept clarifying my assumptions, "I foresaw this far before I met you and I truly tried to give you more time in the hope that you would succeed by the time I arrived but I see that is not the case. I was not proven wrong by defying what I'd seen and I can no longer hold back what you need to accomplish to join the ranks of adulthood before you veer off course completely. You have had setbacks, I am aware of each one. . .but have you wondered _why _you are behind despite your growing skills?"

Now, I was in the beyond zone of incomprehensibility because one, I didn't understand the abilities of the shaman matriarch and two, I was trying my best to succeed despite my accident. I wasn't angry nor offended by her words but more lost and confused to her revelations because I'd expected her to encourage me in my path to conquering Iknimaya. My lips struggled to speak the flurry of words running rampant through my mind but I voiced no sound from my vocal chords, allowing my eyes speak for me instead as I implored her to elaborate on the matter. Every fiber in my body itched to know more of this because rejecting either clan after the kindness they showed me would be outright crude and disrespectful.

Her fingers clasped together neatly over her lap and she spoke calmly with the neutrality of a matriarch, "Your heart is strong and with your persistence, completing your right of passage should have occurred within one season of training. . .you are well beyond two now and reaching three. Tsu'tey is a marvelous teacher and all of his students have passed _on _the allotted time-"

"But Tsahìk, we did not get along at the start as conflicts arose and he admitted to me that for the first months, he vowed to see me fail" I intervened softly in a vain attempt to have her reconsider and hated to bring up the past since I'd made amends with his 'I hate Joanna' evildoing long ago. Our shaky start hindered my training but he had tried his hardest to see me succeed since his sincere apology and I wouldn't let it be for nothing. Both of us deserved to see the fruit of our labor (and with me as a student, it was definitely hard work) and I tried to change her mind with the circumstances that caused me to trail behind, "There have been many factors-"

Her faint voice sunk my hopes when she stated resolutely with an apologetic look in her golden eyes, "Joanna, you are not meant for Iknimaya."

My fingers wringed together to gather my thoughts into hand signals as I tried to negate her opinion but couldn't find the heart to speak to her like I would a cranky Tsu'tey or someone I disliked. Nitari had always looked out for me and I respected her more than anyone else, could she perhaps be right on something I was defiant on denying?

Her eyes softened to my glum expression as I slouched with a dejected frown and she directed a kind smile to me to further explain, "There is a reason I sought you out of all the dreamwalkers, Joanna, as Eywa guided me- as she continues to guide me. You aren't the only one who has been approached by a clan leader, I know of several more who were invited to join new clans and they will make their own choice just as you will. I was led to you far beyond the day you met me but even now, I can see that you have yet to reach your potential and I wish to the depths of my heart that you could reach it here but no, dear one, you _cannot_. Eywa has destined for you to complete Uteho'awkx, not Iknimaya."

The idea of even leaving my home was heart wrenching after all the relationships I had formed here but her words reached me to the core as I stared at her directly, realizing she wouldn't change her mind. How could I choose to leave the only home I'd known so far? I had started molding my own roots here without even knowing it as I memorized every inch of Kelutral and socialized with most of its residents while doing my best to participate in keeping the clan healthy and safe. I knew every child of the clan by name, knew the favorite recipes of the cooks, the favorite spots of the beloved pa'li, and even named the waddling herds of tapiri in Kelutral! And Tsu'tey, he had become my true meaning of home just as I'd admitted it to him privately in my hammock. I had become so overjoyed to her return that I fell into blissful denial that she'd never take me away from what I called home (especially when I believed Tsu'tey could share my future) or would hand out an open extension for me in case I changed my mind. Why did I automatically assume things that would come back to bite me?

Her last words weren't lost on me as they caught my interest the most and weakly, I managed to ask with a faint whisper, "Uteho'awkx?"

She smiled to the pronunciation leaving my mouth as I tried out the new sound and glanced down at the burning incense to gently blow on the glowing embers with a small smile. I could see pride shining her eyes as her gaze returned to meet mine and Nitari unveiled her answer, "The Atykwe's rite of passage. Each clan has their own variation as we use what Eywa has given us but your path is with my clan."

A small sigh left her lips as her expression became firm but her voice remained eerily calm, "I cannot force you to leave, Joanna, but I offer a warning of care: Time will pass by and with each student achieving adulthood like a small river growing larger with age, you will have a sparkling ocean at your feet but you will not be able to skim the water with your fingers. It will be a mirage of your fondest desires to belong but in the end, inaccessible."

I couldn't fathom leaving the Omaticaya but the thought of being stuck as a student for the rest of my life squeezed my heart in a vice grip. I couldn't be seen as a child for the rest of my days. . .but what would the clan say to my sudden leave? I couldn't do that to them either. Nitari had dealt me a critical choice with my life and as my scientific mind dictated that prophesizing could be faulty with the 50/50 choice to appease my logic, her words had bloomed a seed of doubt into my heart. Matriarchs were revered women whose advice was taken very seriously as they were used as mediums of Eywa's will and I wouldn't dare myself to ignore that. My throat tightened at choosing between the people I loved and my own future, my fingers curling into fists as I allowed myself a moment of weakness, "How am I supposed to choose? I have friends, family- a family I never thought I'd have again! To cast them aside would be outright selfish and rude of me after everything they have given me despite being an outsider! And to refuse the kindness you've shown me as well. . .I. . .I. . ."

My eyes watered as guilt struck me for thinking of leaving the Omaticaya after everything they'd shared with me from their home, food, and culture to rejecting Nitari's aid to stay with her clan from that fateful day. The idyllic life I'd experienced since arriving seemed to be at an end and if dealing with Tsu'tey's betrayal wasn't enough already, this was the knockout punch. When meeting with a Tsahìk, emotions were tranquil as her word was law in the clan but I'm certain I was the first to react emotionally about her prophesy and break traditional etiquette.

I wiped the inner corners of my damp eyes to prevent the buildup of tears from overflowing the lower rims and through blurred vision, watched her move next to me with fluid movements fit for women half her age. Truly, the Na'vi were remarkable with their age defying forms. Her fingers brushed over the back of my head as she laid the other hand on my shoulder to offer support, softly murmuring in comfort as she would any member of her people, "You do not have to decide now, I know this is not a decision that can be reached quickly. Take your time during this festivity and when you are ready, I will oblige to your answer. If I knew you were to tame an ikran at Iknimaya, I would not be here imploring you to reconsider."

"How are you so convinced that I will fail?" I sniffled with a hoarse voice as I failed to take full control of my vocal chords, quickly wiping my nose as I hated being such a blubbering mess in front of her. Logic bit me at demanding I continue the sudden emotional gush to see if she'd reconsider at witnessing what an awful choice I'd make for her clan by using emotion as an advantage. My heart took control of that decision because I wouldn't stoop down to that as I held on to my remaining dignity because I was rarely the crying type outside my inner circle of friends (and only Cheryl and Tsu'tey witnessed that). This week had given my tear ducts free roam since the last emotional bout I'd had was months ago when my depressive funk kicked in after falling off a tree; like I said, it took a pretty hard hit to break me. The notion of being pulled away from those I called family was unimaginable as I'd cloistered myself happily like a barnacle to this clan and questioned why Eywa would want this torn away.

"Eywa, she has shown me what will be" Nitari stated wisely without any other hints to what the goddess implied and I had to accept that since matriarchs were not regularly questioned about their advice. My fingers intertwined anxiously as my stomach twisted into distressed knots to what awaited me because this decision would end up being one of the most important in my life. She gave me a sidelong glance as I dried the rims of my eyes free of tears (silently thanking my brain for forcing me to keep everything back) and the matriarch commented with empathy, "I have known this for a very long time and destinies are rarely changed but who knows? Jakesully has made forks all over his own with his decisions since the day he arrived before the Omaticaya."

"I'm not like him, I'm like a tapirus- once I find a good water hole, I stick to it" I mumbled sheepishly to my lack of risk-taking due to my scientific mind unlike Jake and Tsu'tey. If you told those two that they couldn't survive a cliff jump, they'd go right ahead and test that theory out to disprove the challenger. I risked myself to explore and find adventure, not endanger my life. . .but I was on a quest to improve myself a capable adult, maybe danger was a perk in that?

She chuckled gently and gave my shoulder a light squeeze, surprising me with the intimate gesture of touching that was reserved for family. The first time had caught me off-guard as I believed she was playing the role of all matriarchs but knowing I wasn't one of her clan members filled my heart with warmth for her kindness. How could I deny her offer? I wiped my eyes as her actions emotionally touched me because she never hesitated to help me and rejecting her advice hurt me as much as deciding to leave the Omaticaya would. The was no easy answer in all of this as both parties had given me teachings I would carry within me throughout life. I found myself in the caterpillar stage of life, not yet ready to be a chrysalis as my teachings weren't done, and far from a butterfly ready to take flight.

"Think carefully, Joanna, and find me when you are ready" she stated quietly as my conversation with the matriarch came to an end despite all of the questions swimming within my head.

"Yes, Tsahìk" I promised with a polite bow of my head to show her the endless respect she deserved and stood up on shaky legs to exit the alcove with a beating heart full of anxiousness as I began my decision. My hands parted the heavy cloth curtain to exit as I began my quest to find my true answer but either way, I would be left with guilt for forsaking one of the clans.

* * *

Nitari breathed the calming scent in the alcove to release the stress she'd felt in her conversation with Joanna and purify her body from any negative energy that could hinder her connection to Eywa. She knew the young woman would take her words to heart as any clan member and a small smile touched her lips at knowing what it would bring by the festivity's end. Other clans would be gaining new members just as she would undoubtedly receive Joanna as one of hers.

"I assume that was Joanna?" Mo'at's voice rang in with its calm but firm tone as a hand parted the cloth curtain to reveal the Omaticayan matriarch.

The older matriarch directed a nod toward her colleague as the younger entered the alcove with graceful steps and informed her, "Yes. She holds a tight allegiance to you but she will see the truth by the end of today. I think she has been the most stubborn of all the dreamwalkers to leave your clan. The sound of her footsteps already carried the fire of defiance and I like the fact she questions all possibilities rather than accepting what she's handed to her. When Tsu'tey brings her to you, lecture her about sudden recklessness but encourage her fighting spirit. I am rather excited to see a new student join our ranks, we only have three this season and lacked any during the last."

Mo'at's brow rose in question to Nitari's enthusiasm as she remained in a foggy mist of what the older woman had perceived within the dreamwalker. Each clan matriarch was in tune to her residents as they were all Eywa's children and although she considered Joanna one of hers, Nitari had carved the woman's path farther than she could. Nitari helped build the pieces to Joanna's future as Mo'at added in her own pieces of Tsu'tey (whom she was better at reading Eywa's path) and together, they kept piecing the puzzle together with a motherly smile every time they found a new portion. So far, they were four seasons ahead in insight and they couldn't be happier at what they witnessed from both; all of their clan members were truly happy now that peace surrounded them.

Nitari chuckled to the curious look in Mo'at's usually stoic face and explained, "Whenever Joanna does something against his advice, he follows. I told her she would fail Iknimaya so I know she will plan something soon but I will let her find the answers herself."

"Those children" Mo'at sighed with a small frown to what the duo would do and like a mother watching over her troublesome children, crossed her arms to promise, "If there is any fight left in them, I will let them fight it out in the sparring field. It has been used by them quite frequently and the youngsters like to watch. Never have I seen a couple dearly in love so ready to tear each other's limbs off. Eytukan and I respected each other greatly since the day we met, Neytiri and Jake continually learn from each other, and those two strengthen their bond by constantly testing their limits."

"Each one gives the other strength and they will need it in these months to come" Nitari remarked gently at having to separate the two since it was apparent they were very dear friends and even more when she'd stepped into their private conversation. It didn't take a Tsahìk to see that they cared very deeply for one another, despite they tried to prove otherwise, and hoped they would withstand having to live among different clans. Privately, she smiled to the fact the two were interested in each other as Eywa had showed and sighed softly, "Love finds a way but they are deeply loyal in contributing to their clan and Joanna's is not this one."

"Tsu'tey will be loyal to mine and Joanna to yours, it will be hard but we need to start molding them piece by piece into what they must be" Mo'at stated simply as she forced herself to remain neutral despite her role as surrogate mother for Tsu'tey and parted the maroon curtain, catching a glimpse of the Omaticayan clan leader leave his most recent of meetings. Tilting her head to the side, she mused quietly, "I didn't expect Eywa to bring me a dreamwalker as the next clan leader but he surpassed all of my expectations as Eywa told me he would bring great change. He will help Tsu'tey and although the hunter will fight his hardest to push it away, we must be there to keep nudging him along the way."

"Aside from our current plans of motherly mischief, when is our dear Neytiri going to grace us with a little bundle with her features?" Nitari asked curiously since there was affection that spoke in loud volumes with the new heirs of the clan as they wandered Kelutral publicly.

Mo'at chuckled at the idea of being a grandmother and smiled fondly, "Oh, it will be sooner than I expected. Eytukan was proud when Eywa conveyed it to me."

"And he should be, you two raised a beautiful young woman strong enough as both a protector and a future Tsahìk" Nitari complimented with the fact as the royal Omaticayan family was close to her heart than any other clan and Mo'at's smile brightened sentimentally to what Eywa would bestow upon her Neytiri.

Life was continuing peacefully and the matriarchs aimed to keep it that way, knowing Eywa and their deceased mates would be watching over them.

* * *

**A/N**: I had Loreena McKennitt in my head for the start of this chapter because I love the Jake and Tsu'tey camaraderie they share as they grow together as brothers in a clan. We'll be seeing more of that in later chapters when Joanna leaves as each walks their path to bettering themselves. The _emotional _aspect of Tsu'tey is almost concluded as he's finally healed his old wounds with Joanna's aid (we all remember his short fuse from the start) and the _mental _aspect is almost there but Mo'at needs to step in for that part. The _physical _is yet to come as Jake and Nitari will unfold that. As for Joanna, Nitari will be molding her but she seems to have started already, hasn't she? Her own clan members will help two as new characters approach but we've already met Arat and Anaya who will remain with Joanna well into old age. Oh, I feel excited but sad that we will separate the duo but they still have growing up to do. For some reason, I see the two matriarchs like an elegant and modern version of fairy godmothers as they guide their loved ones but innocently tweak the environment to make them walk the right steps. The ending came to me after writing a oneshot about Mo'at and Eytukan's childhood because they deserve love too.

Thanks as always for the new story alerts and I appreciated the large feedback for the last chapter, my little darlings, you guys reached 1000+ hits in that chapter alone. Apparently, one fan fiction reader no longer liked my story in their review but as long as the majority loves it (and your PM's were kind, thank you), I have no problem because I want everyone to know I don't force anyone to click on the link to the story and we're all entitled to our own opinions- that's what makes us human, right? So, anyway, thanks a lot to my last chapter reviewers because I love you guys a bunch for taking the time to leave your words:

_Hufwe Makto_: Yeah, I have to run Joanna through the thresher once in a while because we all have those rough moments in life. Otherwise, life would be oddly too normal and Pandora is anything but that. Thanks for loving the story and I'll definitely keep writing more of it.

_Ghibligirl91_: Yep, that little bump gets the ball rolling. I find it amusing that some readers love the tension and others hate it. We'll see more of it in the next chapter as Nitari begins wrapping up everything and Mo'at keeps poking Tsu'tey subtly to leave Joanna alone.

_Camelotprincess1_: Thanks for finding it amazing and the two will have a happy ending, it's just about seeing them grow up and handle the bumps in life. There's always a reason for all of the crazy things Tsu'tey does; it's in his character to protect.

_Compa16_: I'm sure the fans will be pleased with the ending when it comes. Although they can be mad at each other, there's love there and as Joanna thought to herself in the chapter, she respects him greatly that she'll put aside her love for him to speak with him as a friend within the clan. Some people would probably yell to kingdom come (like they actually used to) but they're maturing like a yummy fruit ready to be eaten.

_1Timberwolf_: Yep, it's either Tsu'tey or Joanna that get into these sticky situations. His just came in the last chapter and Joanna's is in the next. They're gonna miss the fiery intimacy of their squabbles once they separate.

_Kudokuchan69_: Thanks, and yes, they have hit the first bump of a secret relationship: dispelling rumors. Unfortunately, Joanna forgot to get the memo about Tsu'tey's little operation.

_Soccer11_: One thing about Tsu'tey that I find hilarious, his confidence can make him a pathological liar that convinces the masses. He'll find out about Joanna's reaction later though.

_Na'viWolf_: Wow, I loved your reaction! It reminds me of Joanna's inner vengeance that hold a little pitchfork. Tsu'tey takes care of everything himself but he forgets to tell poor Joanna that he's about to start; it's a shame there's no Na'vi text message system out there. When he means he'll keep rumors squashed, he exterminates them.

_Electrogirl88_: Thank you for the kind words, everybody else loves the story so until I see the majority saying otherwise and seeing it on my stats page, I'll change the story but for now, Joanna stays as she is along with the other characters. Not all characters are cast from a similar mold, Jane Austen showed that with Elizabeth Bennet and Emma Woodhouse, but as a writer, I listen to criticism but don't take it to heart. I will certainly be keeping up the good work!

_Emmalime_: That last chapter was a doozy to write just as Nitari said 'like pieces of a board game'. This one's a bit calmer in tone but the next one will work my brain with Iknimaya.

_Lilmisspurplesunshinee_: It's not just Joanna but Tsu'tey that deserves some of that pity since they should really alert each other about what craziness they're about to do.

_Luv4Uncas_: You'll read more about the whole 'Sahi-Tsu'tey' thing in later chapters but I don't want to keep you lost like the show 'Lost' with the plot or else I'll veer into mystery. Lol. Don't worry, Tsu'tey loves Joanna undoubtedly- he just has strange ways in showing it.

_Claycarole_: Happiness is never eternal, especially for a secret couple. I agree, the last tension between them came when she fell out of the tree ages ago and I didn't find the admittance of their affection too suspenseful either but they have decisions to make now as they separate. They had a cute dependency going on as they mirrored each other but they need to live apart like any normal couple and find themselves. Thanks for believing in my sword pen to write down the drama between them and I would certainly love to see Tsu'tey smashing tulips out of anger. . .but he respects nature too much.

_T0rukMakt0_: Thanks and no worries, Tsu'tey's not the cheating type *moves eyes shiftily* except in competition where poor Norm was demolished. I'm keeping them as realistically as I can, they're not perfect but that's why they keep us entertained.

_Cherryblossom321321_: Thank you for loving the story and Joanna so much, I appreciate that as a writer. I'm sure the caricature-looking romantic Joanna in her mind was wailing melodramatically too.

_Anonymous_: There was no name in the review box but so far, this story's pretty long. Some chapters are coming out longer than expected so it might be sixty chapters.

_Mouse56_: I found your review hilarious since Joanna first thought Tsu'tey suffered from bipolar disorder with his moods. Also, the Mary Sue-dom of an avatar's origins just hit me about traveling light speed to find love in the arms of an alien and it's funny because that was the last thing on Tsu'tey's and Joanna's minds when they met. The simple seamstress line made me laugh because that's the basis for Nitari's background (she was a jewelry maker, not the heir) and I was working on her story for the one shots since I'm not sure how much I'll post in the main story since she's a private person.

_CrissYami: _Thanks for finding the chapter emotional and amazing, I hope you liked this one as well!

_Findboomer_: Yeah, Joanna still has that spark in her emotions that make her assume the worst to protect herself in a fail safe but Nitari will help her with that just as Joanna helped Tsu'tey conquer his issues. The clans truly are a family as one helps out the other and a member replaces an old seat when one has to leave to help another.

_Darklogic_: Thanks, I'm trying to push the progression steadily but not too fast or slow as Joanna counts down and poor Tsu'tey will be oblivious to what's gonna happen (and not because of the Sahi thing).

_SangoLadyWolf WesternLands_: That was a lot of wow's in the review, thanks so much for finding the story so endearing.

_Jack Black_: Yeah, I can't have them all lovey dovey until they're mated or with a baby. The two have a fiery relationship that can't be tamed.

_Nekuranekomegami_: Thanks for finding it awesome and you rock too for being a reader and reviewer! *insert smiley face*

_PiXiZe_: I do love using an ocean of words, I feel my story will be naked without descriptive sentences. Lol. You're right about the Tsu'tey part (the hidden truth part) and we'll find out more in later chapters as he talks to Joanna and Jake about it. I would find the farce idea hilarious since Tsu'tey could burrow himself deeply in a lie and live it until one day, he just feels like dropping it aside by meticulously adding in another one. He's that great at masking his face and emotions, the adoring little devil.

_Dracoessa_: Thanks for loving the story and knowing Joanna and Tsu'tey, they respect each other too much to pissed off for too long.

* * *

**Next time**:

My mind was flashing a mile a minute as thoughts pushed through that demanded answers but one thing was for certain for me throughout all of this. If I could not conquer Iknimaya, I was destined to leave, which meant one thing in my fearful mind full of sudden impulses:

I was going to prematurely attempt Iknimaya.

That's right, you heard me.

Call my decision crazy and a cup full of stupid added into the mix but I wanted to prove I belonged just like Jake had as time ticked away from me. He'd been daring but succeeded at his insane attempt for reacceptance within the clan and I needed to summon that same gumption to prove myself. I just hoped I didn't go splat on my first step into the ikran nest. There was only one person I could convince to take me there (and probably the only one crazy enough) and I found him sharpening his hunting knives on a branch overlooking the entrance of Kelutral, his tail swaying lazily like a pendulum as I passed under the arched root. Even when relaxed, the man allured me like hot chocolate during a cold winter and despite the dreamwalker women didn't see what was so attractive about him, he was the 'it' boy for me. Nonetheless, I found it hilarious that only Na'vi females were drawn to him.

I waved my arms in the air for his attention like a stranded sailor with an sos signal and called out, "Tsu'tey, I need you."

Not the best chosen words in my vocabulary, let me tell you. The adolescents around me sniggered to my words and my face darkened when I saw Tsu'tey glance at me with both embarrassment and smugness riddling his attractive features. Great, this would just spread the wildfire in the gossip section as they were the literal type of society rather than figurative. I clenched my hands into fists to being misinterpreted like that and restated my previous plead with slow but firm words, "I mean, I need your help."

I smiled with relief when he dropped everything he was doing, appreciating his concern to aid me whenever I asked, and felt bad for his poor tools when he simply dumped them into his satchel. He'd never cast aside his dear hunting equipment for me- back when he hated me, he treated them like rich porcelain while I was nothing. The gesture touched me. I watched him descend the branch with the grace of a limber cat as he gripped each wooden ridge carefully until he landed safely without a hint of noise on the dirt but a neat set of footprints. I wondered how I could learn such a controlled and beautiful skill but Nitari's words rang in my head about my rightful place.

His eyes studied my stiff form from head to toe as he assessed for any damage and demanded quickly, "What is it? Are you hurt? Did-"

"I'm all right" I assured gently with a steady hand to his left shoulder to soothe any sudden adrenaline boosts that would transform him into a protective warrior. He frowned to my apparent false alarm as his squared shoulders relaxed considerably and his lips were parting to lecture me about crying palulukan but I cut him off by divulging my point of being here, "I need to ask you something very important and I would love nothing more if you were to agree with me-"

"If you are asking to mate with me-" he began with both seriousness and humor in the likes of which I'd never seen as his voice turned silky but I smacked him on the shoulder to wipe it away, "Ow!"

"Don't speak of such things" I chastised his suggestion since I no longer dreamed of that possibility since yesterday night and brought more aid to my figurative romantic train crash. Also, rumors flying around like that would not help our reputations as those details were meant to be kept in the bedroom- eh, hammock. I drew him to a secluded part of the root as the shadows casting off from the sunlight engulfed and began with a steadily clear voice, "Tsu'tey, you've trained me well since my unexpected fall of Kelutral and I value everything you've taught me. I need you to trust me when I ask this of you. . ."

Grasping his hands into mine, I squeezed them tightly to show my desperation as I pleaded with a whisper, "I need you to take me to Iknimaya."

* * *

_Thanks to all once again for reading my tale and for your continous feedback! May you have a wonderful day or a relaxing night wherever each of you live around this planet we call Earth._


	24. The Stairway to Heaven

CHAPTER 20:

**The Stairway To Heaven  
**

* * *

My mind was flashing a mile a minute as rampant thoughts pushed through that demanded immediate answers to this dilemma but one thing was certain for me throughout all of this. If I could not conquer Iknimaya, I was destined to leave, which brought forth one alternative in my fearful mind full of sudden impulses:

I was going to prematurely attempt Iknimaya.

That's right, you heard me.

Call my decision utterly crazy and a cup full of stupid added into the mix but I wanted to prove I belonged here just like Jake had as time ticked away for me. He'd been incredibly daring but succeeded at his insane attempt for reacceptance within the clan and I needed to summon that same gumption to prove myself to the Omaticaya. I just hoped I didn't go splat on my first step into the ikran nest or it would be the shortest trial in history.

There was only one person I could convince to take me there (and probably the only one crazy enough) and I found him sharpening his hunting knives on a branch overlooking the entrance of Kelutral, his tail swaying lazily like a hypnotizing pendulum as I passed underneath the arched root. Even when relaxed, the man allured me like hot chocolate during a cold winter night and despite the dreamwalker women didn't see what was so attractive about him, he was the 'it' boy for me. Nonetheless, I found it hilarious that only Na'vi females were drawn to him by the masses while the others saw him as average in the looks category and didn't favor his tough guy attitude but I was a happy guppy whenever he gazed at me.

I waved my arms in the air for his attention like a stranded sailor with an SOS signal and called out, "Tsu'tey, I need you."

Not the best chosen words in my vocabulary, let me tell you. The adolescents around me sniggered to my insinuating words and my face darkened when I saw Tsu'tey glance at me with both embarrassment (which I currently shared too) and smugness riddling his attractive features. Great, this would just spread the wildfire in the gossip section as Na'vi were the literal type of society rather than figurative. I clenched my hands into fists for being misinterpreted like that- especially in _that_ manner- and restated my previous plead with slow but firm words on straight lips, "I mean 'I need your help'."

I smiled gratefully with sweet relief when he dropped everything he was doing, appreciating his concern to aid me whenever I asked, but guilt for his poor tools prodded me when he simply dumped them into his satchel. He'd never cast aside his dear hunting equipment for me; back when he hated me, he treated them like rich porcelain while I was a speck of dust and the gesture touched me. Nothing told a woman she mattered better than having a Na'vi man throw aside his prized tools and make a perfect beeline for her. He descended the root with the grace of a limber cat, gripping each wooden ridge carefully in his strong hands until he landed safely without a hint of noise on the dirt but left a neat set of footprints. I wondered how I could learn such a controlled and beautiful skill as he never failed to take my breath away but Nitari's words rang in my head about my rightful place.

His eyes studied my stiff posture from head to toe to scrutinize it for information as he assessed for any damage and demanded quickly, "What is it? Are you hurt? Did-"

"I'm all right" I assured gently with a steady hand to his left shoulder to soothe any sudden adrenaline boosts that would transform him into a protective warrior as his eyes reflected worry. He frowned to my apparent false alarm as his squared shoulders relaxed considerably and his lips were parting to lecture me about crying palulukan but I cut him off by divulging my point of being here, "I need to ask you something very important and I would love nothing more if you were to agree with me-"

"If you are asking to mate with me-" he began with both seriousness and humor in the likes of which I'd never seen as his voice turned silky. How could he think about mating after everything he'd uttered back at the clearing? His charming smile threatened to break my self-imposed ban on showing sentimentality but I smacked him on the shoulder to wipe it away from both our minds, "Ow!"

"Don't speak of such things" I chastised his suggestion since I no longer dreamed of that possibility since yesterday night and it worsened my figurative romantic train crash as a cartoon bystander poked it with a stick for an extra sting of pain. Also, rumors flying around freely like that would not help our reputations as those details were meant to be kept in the bedroom- eh, hammock. I drew him to a secluded part of the large root as the shadows casting off from the sunlight engulfed us with a bit of privacy and began with a steadily clear voice, "Tsu'tey, you've trained me well since my unexpected fall off Kelutral and I value everything you've taught me. I need you to trust me, now more than ever, when I ask this of you. . ."

Grasping his hands into mine, I squeezed them tightly to allow my desperation to surface onto my face as I pleaded with a hushed whisper, "I need you to take me to Iknimaya."

His eyes widened immediately after the last word slipped out from between my lips and his easygoing demeanor turned deadly as he pushed himself away from me to digest the words, backing himself into the corner of a root with the ferocity of a wild cat. His fingers twitched as he couldn't decide what to do with his hands and I glanced at him with a hopeful gaze, making no sudden movements in case he tried to choke or beat the idea out of me. He blinked rapidly as he tried to grasp a solid decision to what I'd requested and I knew it was sudden, not to mention stupid of me, but I wanted him to know how important this was. This would undoubtedly be the choice that would cement what path I would take on the current forked road in my life. I wouldn't be asking him to take this kind of dangerous risk otherwise and as I kept quiet with nerves twisting my stomach into knots, he finally managed to spit out with furious exclamation, "Iknimaya? Are you _insane_?. . .Wait, don't answer that."

The hunter had cast a negative as his vote.

Shaking his head fervently, he practically pounced back to me to close the distance between us and I could see his chest rising quickly in response to the question I dared. His pearly white teeth were bared in classic hostility at its best as his teeth glinted against the sunlight, his sharp features crinkled with anger that added further intensity to his glare, and eyes that gleamed with restrained rage. Never did I think I could stir this kind of reaction within a person I loved and I couldn't help myself from placing a comforting hand on his sculpted chest to soothe the distress I caused, whispering gentle words to calm him. It was not my intent to shock the man but there was no way I could've made the topic easier to accept, it was Ikni- _freakin'_- maya!

He frowned deeply with disapproval as he grasped my hand to place it against my own chest in a sign of rejection, hissing sharply with a low tone, "No, absolutely not. You are not ready for it."

It was my turn to shake my head furiously as I felt my last shred of hope slipping away from my fingers and I lunged forward to grasp his forearm with desperation. Oh, how I wanted to yell out the severity of it! My emotionally fueled actions probably resembled 'Gone with the Wind's Scarlett in her last scenes of the old film as I locked his gaze with mine to plead distraughtly, "I have to, you must trust-"

"_NO!" _he shouted angrily to the point everyone around us caught attention to his sudden outcry and he backed away to leave me where I stood. Eywa, he'd never been so furious against me since we'd been friends and swallowed the pain of seeing the words 'friendship' trampled in my mind with what I'd done. I risked a lot with this gamble because I couldn't bear to be parted from what I called home and needed him to help me fix it. Otherwise, I'd be called a liar for promising him that I wouldn't leave because there would be no choice by the end of the festival. He wrenched his arm free of me in one strong pull, stabbing a finger in my direction as he warned grimly with a whisper, "Don't _ever _ask that of me again. You will be ready when _I_ say so."

I knew wrestling a 'yes' out of him would be next to impossible at this point as he was dead set on his decision and volatile with his stiff body language to approach again. I watched my chance of success blow up in smoke with each step he took back inside our home, retreating into the crowds, and I was left no choice but to watch him disappear like a phantom. This was it, wasn't it? Only once had I felt shamefully worthless to be a Na'vi and this moment marked my second (my last was already approaching with unimaginable speed) as it stung me deeply to be left alone with my dashed hopes of staying among the clan. . .and with him.

_No, you cannot give up_, my mind argued adamantly as the inner fire of determination burned within me after all the crazy things I had jumped into during my twenty-eight years of existence. I was not one to sit on the sidelines and be caged, waiting to be drawn into a situation that I couldn't control. _You battled the RDA without any formal training and survived. You fell off Hometree and survived. You survived a thanator with only a satchel at your hand and survived. You are not giving up this time._

No, I was going to attempt Iknimaya with or without his help but first. . .

"You and I are going for a trip, Peke" I whispered craftily with an impish smile as I lured my faithful steed away from the clearing of the clan's pa'li. At this hour, they wandered freely to eat or lay about on the field since the wooden pen was only used for sleep. His blue eyes glittered joyfully at the thrill of adventure and he neighed happily as I led him towards the southern trails where Tsu'tey would not see me. The aerial views from Swizav and Tsu'tey's verbal directions about Iknimaya throughout the months pieced the trail together from many puzzle pieces into a full blown picture. I was confident that I could take the path myself as he'd been the best of teachers one could ask for and I wouldn't let him down by failing. I just hoped he forgave me for going behind his back since he didn't give me a chance to explain the circumstances that led to this.

My stomach was already spewing out stomach acid to churn my insides from anxiety and I'd yet to leave Kelutral for this tough journey. A pa'li would make the trip short since their speeds were faster than anything I could reach but trekking over the hovering vines in midair, climbing the Thundering rocks, and taming an ikran required a good amount of energy. I didn't have such a luxury since time was of the essence and had crammed whatever snacks I could find inside my satchel into my mouth before I'd found Peke to give myself a decent boost. My steed was ready to go as I made sure I prepared for any dangerous scenarios by bringing my bow and knives; there was no way I'd let anything happen to my Peke. Of course, all the quick planning in the world gave leeway for mistakes and I fought to scream at the sky when I heard Anaya and Arat behind me, "Joanna!"

Talk about bad luck.

Turning around, I plastered a smile on my face because the last thing I wanted to be was rude to my new friends but Iknimaya was luring me with its call at the moment. A second later, guilt struck because I didn't want to reject Nitari's help (she was the one who told me about this) or these two amicable hunters that had become endearing company since they'd arrived. There was no win-win situation here! Trying to regain my usual cheerful personality, I managed a nervous laugh to appear nonchalant despite my internal conflicts and greeted them, "Anaya. Arat. How wonderful to see you but I'm afraid I have an errand to run at the moment."

"We'll accompany you" Anaya supplied pleasantly with her pearly smile since she was always seeking adventure like me wherever she could find it, especially when she was in a new land full of opportunity. Inwardly, I cried miserably at her sunshine personality because it presented a road block and I wouldn't dare try to rebuff her kindness. The huntress was the type of person to lend help without being asked and that was just one of many endearing traits I would come to learn as time passed.

I sighed mentally to my stroke of luck and for the gift of kind friends, shaking my head as I attempted to loophole my way from having to lie to them. What kind of person would I be then? They didn't deserve to be deceived in any way nor would I stoop low as to do it so I kept my actions secret and explained hesitantly with a small smile, "This is a job only I can do alone. Your matriarch has counseled me on a private matter-"

"About joining us?" Anaya piped up hopefully with bright eyes that almost rivaled the intensity of the sun while my own widened to what she'd just asked.

How did she know about what had occurred between the matriarch and me?

I hoped Nitari hadn't told the entire clan about my prospect of joining months ago because time had only served to shake my foundation on my original choice and I was torn between both. One held the roots I'd formed since arriving and the other held what Nitari believed to be my future. Arat immediately slapped a hand to his forehead with dismay, hissing inaudibly under his breath before chastising her, "You can never keep quiet, can you? She probably thinks we're following her now. This is why I _never_ tell you secrets anymore, you little tweeting _yayo_."

She hissed defiantly to his words, which were gentle in tone because it was obvious the two respected each other greatly, while I was now in business mode to know what was going on. I pinned both of them with a questioning stare that demanded answers for what they had been withholding from me as Anaya frowned for having loose lips during her excitement. She was about to speak since she didn't hesitate to keep quiet when asked a question but Arat raised a hand to silence her as he took over. He motioned that her say was done as he pinned her with a reprimanding glare and she crossed her arms huffily to display her reluctance with that order.

He turned to me with a stoic expression on his features and explained carefully, "We do not keep secrets among our clan but Nitari did express an invitation of recruitment for you before we left our lands. She trusted Anaya and I specifically with further information when we arrived as Eywa's will aims to connect us and although I do not want to scare you away by divulging too much, we do feel camaraderie with you despite our short time spent together. All we know is that she is to offer you residence among us and we are her envoys," aiming a knowing glance at Anaya, he emphasized firmly, "that _weren't_ supposed to cross the matriarch's orders."

"But I want her to live with us" Anaya mumbled with a pout as she confessed her true opinion without pretense, raising her chin to defy Arat's diplomatic manner. The hunter's brow furrowed slightly to her bluntness but other than that, he kept his gaze directly on me as he allowed her to express her mind freely for the moment.

"Your matriarch has said many things and right now, I aim to prove whether they are right or wrong" I stated grimly because I would not stand idly by and let my fate be decided by prophecies, deciding to rather use them to figure out what the truth was. I needed to face it myself and unravel all of the second guessing to get down to the raw facts, even if I had to risk my life. I hadn't felt my scientific mind peek through in months as I strayed from quantitative data to qualitative with my firsthand experiences and welcomed it with a wary hand. Tsu'tey had told me to forget about my old outlook on life and I had agreed but as the scared little bird that I was at this precise second, I needed something steady to keep me buoyant in this crazy scheme of mine. Looking to Peke, who was curiously eyeing buzzing insects with pleasant intrigue, I informed the Atykwe hunters coolly, "I am doing Iknimaya today to put an end to all of the forks in my path and we will see who I am truly meant for."

Arat narrowed his eyes to my bold plan and his voice carried the same warning Tsu'tey's had as he stated bluntly, "You are defying our matriarch-"

Those words struck me with shameful guilt but Nitari did say to find my way to the right answer and Iknimaya was that path; I was willing to risk it all. I didn't hesitate to interrupt him as I stated calmly with my resolve, "I will take blame for that but at this moment, I have nothing to lose-"

"Except your life" he pointed out sternly like a father would chastise a rebellious child and I frowned with that same exact expression to being handed the harsh truth. Yes, there was a chance I could go splat but I wanted to fight for the Omaticaya with all that I had at my disposal and I could see the concern in their eyes as they observed my movements for any sudden bolts or acts of hostility. I'd never treat them wrongly and I hated the uneasy tension that had begun to build between Arat and I for my daring task as we eyed each other in ancient similarity to western cowboys. Anaya, meanwhile, looked. . .well, pretty damn curious to what I'd say.

"Which I am willing to risk to see whether I am truly meant for the Atykwe" I finished with a direct tone because my head was in this the whole way and I wasn't turning back. Arat's eyes narrowed to my ultimate decision (I told you I wasn't going to change it) as he crossed him arms in disappointment while Anaya looked between both of us to decide her say in it all. Relaxing my stiff shoulders to soften my rigid stance, I sighed deeply to push away any negativity and told them simply, "You can either let me go and follow after me to make sure you tell Jakesully whether I went splat _or_ go warn him now and I will stay here permanently with the Omaticaya."

Anaya bit her bottom lip as she hissed to the ultimatum and pointed out matter-of-factly, "But the Tsahìk said you are meant for us."

"Then follow and see me fail" I proposed casually as I left the offers on the table to be snatched and grabbed Peke's lead to guide him towards the southern path. His warm breath struck my cheek as his hooves fell into step with my feet and I smiled warmly at my partner as his dazzling blue eyes blinked happily. I'd already wasted precious time in my journey and kept an eye on the hunters as I walked away, petting Peke's neck as I cooed warmly, "Come on, my sweet, we're going for a ride."

Anaya followed after me with worry in her eyes as she looked between Arat and I, telling her friend with concern, "I'm not letting her go out there alone and we can report to Nitari with what we see."

Arat sighed under his breath with exasperation as his shoulders squared in unwilling reluctance and his feet moved in our direction to follow along. It was rather interesting to see how much weight Anaya carried in swaying his decisions. He began to tie his hair back with a band of brown leather he took off from his wrist to keep his tresses away from his face and looked to Anaya to curtly state, "I am going to regret this so thank you for turning my day into defying Nitari."

Anaya simply smiled cheekily to his remark as she paid it no real attention and headed towards me with quick dainty steps. Her casual reply almost brought a smile to my face during this sticky situation as her cheerful voice echoed, "Oh, you're quite welcome, Arat. Besides, I've always wanted to see another clan's rite of passage."

"Eywa, give me strength" Arat groaned miserably to the sky to what I'd forced him into and for Anaya's uncanny ability to lure him towards wherever she wandered. As for me, I repeated his words in my head but not in sarcasm because I definitely needed strength in this.

* * *

_(Third person POV)_

Joanna's careful tracking of the land and Peke's lithe body allowed them to bypass any lurking danger as they took the safest paths toward the Hallelujah Mountains. She and Tsu'tey had taken the trek on their pa'li to outline the distance they would travel on the ground since scoping out the area was not against the training preparation. In actuality, it was strongly encouraged as they would need to keep up with the experienced teacher that would be leading students. Once you arrived at the drop of the cliff where you would trek the horizontal vines that led away from the mountainous region towards the Thundering Rocks, you were no longer allowed to venture further until the trial. That test was the main portion as it tested your stamina and agility to persevere against gravity itself as you ran the long stretch of vines before climbing onto the hovering bundles of rocks that led to the hanging vines of the rotating mountain.

The minute Joanna's feet touched the grass on the cliff, her breath shook with apprehension as she realized this was a life or death situation. She'd never been faced with her own mortality before- well, by a willing hand- but knew that if she did this, she would seal her stay among the Omaticaya and prove Nitari's prediction wrong (may the matriarch forgive her if it came to that). She patted the leather belt she'd made for herself since a satchel would ruin her chances as sewn pouches came in better handy and smiled affectionately when Peke licked her face to offer his support. She chuckled to his soothing display of affection as he could read her emotions very well and she wrapped her arms around his neck to embrace her beloved pa'li. She held him tightly with care because he never failed to be at her side and memories of her first tsaheylu meeting flooded back into her mind:

_Joanna blinked with disbelief when she saw a young colt that the youngsters played with often rather than_ _a behemoth of a stallion. Its bright blue eyes blinked at her with a cheerful glint that was too sweet to ignore and her eyes softened at watching its tail sway happily._

"You be a good boy while sa'nu's up there" she ordered gently as she caressed the sides of his head, pressing her lips against the top of his snout to show her love for him. He neighed with agreement as young Peke would heed his rider's words without question and she smiled warmly to his devotion. She was proud to have him by her side at his young age so he could last many more beside her (if she survived Iknimaya, that was) and chuckled softly when his exhaling breath tickled her cheek.

Peke's happiness dwindled when she admitted softly with another kiss to his snout, "If I don't come back, I want you to know that you were my dearest animal friend in this world and you make me proud as a rider. I love you, little Peke, so I'll make sure Anaya comes back for you if I cannot because I want you to return to the clan safe and sound. I'll never let anything happen to you, my little darling."

He uttered a small whine she'd never heard unless a pa'li was injured and she shushed gently as she stroked his neck to assure, "It'll be okay, don't worry yourself over it. You rest here because there's no danger and hopefully, with luck on my side, I will return for you. If I fail to catch an ikran and I'm beat up, I'll still come back for you because partners don't abandon each other."

She caressed his face with a tender hand as he pawed at the ground, picking up dirt with his hoof and Joanna smiled to his small protest. Yep, he was her baby, all right. Hearing ikran screeches, she turned to the side as Peke moved away from the end of the small clearing to make way for an ikran of slate gray and light blue. Taka screeched his welcome and Anaya smiled giddily from her seat on the ikran's back and teased with amusement, "I can't believe you made us follow. . .but we're here for you. Arat and I will be watching over you to catch you in case of a fall so if Taka and I can't grab you, there's no way Arat and his Xaza can miss. We don't know anything about this so we will be tracking you. . .do you know how to get there?"

"Tsu'tey showed me the aerial view, I'm confident that I can" Joanna answered with a firm nod and smiled at the ikran, avoiding its golden gaze before she was mauled prematurely. The Atykwe's ikran were similar to any other but just as eagles, hawks, and falcons had their similarities and differences, so did the ikran. The Omaticaya's ikran were fit for agility, accustomed to the woodland areas as they surprised prey with their maneuvers while the Atykwe's were speed hunters as they dove at great speeds to kill prey with their legs by either grasping or using them as a natural weapon for blunt impact. Also, the wing span was slightly larger in the Atykwe ikran despite their varying sizes as it allowed for faster speeds at any altitude.

She aimed her line of vision to the sky and cautiously lowered it until she found Anaya's face, meeting her gaze as Joanna smiled to say with kind gratitude, "Thank you for coming along despite Arat's warning. Whether or not I tame an ikran, I'll keep you both clear of it when I speak to your Tsahìk."

Anaya nodded once and with a cheerful whoop, Taka took flight into the chasm to rejoin Arat as the two awaited her. Joanna took a deep breath, shaking out every nerve in her body as she took one last stretch before starting her trial. One step onto the vine meant the clock was ticking and she had to complete every single obstacle. Peke gave her an affection lick of the cheek in farewell and Joanna patted his head in reassurance that everything work out fine as his baby blue eyes sparkled with worry. The air was light today and she would take full advantage of it as she broke into a run, a bellow of victory erupting deep within her belly as she marched into the vines. Peke could only walk to the edge of the cliff, forced to remain back as he yearned to follow loyally and watched with hopeful eyes that his rider would return for him. His antennae drooped with melancholy and his hooves struck the ground in protest of being left behind as she journeyed into a danger, neighing weakly with acceptance as he searched for a waiting spot.

Joanna's feet struck the heavily intertwined vines with careful footing as her bare toes found their balance within the grooves, her tail helping her body maneuver her stability at any sudden change in position. She kept her eyes set on the clear path ahead of her, which remained free of anything but fluffy clouds and floating mountains. Adding a quick check on the green vines underneath her to make sure there weren't any sudden gaps or smooth areas that could cause her to lose her footing, she kept running towards destiny. Joanna could feel her heartbeat pounding in her ears from the sheer altitude and the fear it instilled in one's heart but forced it down, telling herself the new experience was nothing after surfing the skies with Tsu'tey.

"Keep going, you're doing fine!" Anaya's encouraging voice echoed through the sky and Joanna managed a shaky smile for the reinforcement that added support to her willpower. Regardless of what clan she chose on that day, she wanted to build a friendship with the free-spirited and honestly blunt Anaya.

Arat's smooth voice broke in a second later as he chastised, "Let her be! You'll frighten her with your loudness!"

"Oh, like you're one to talk!" she shot back with friendly challenge and Joanna found herself enjoying their innocent spat rather than undertaking Iknimaya alone with uncomfortable silence. It was much better to hear their familiar voices rather than the eerie quiet that only escalated fears as she ran along the vines carefully. She kept her eyes focused on her surroundings, her steps running in the exact pace and momentum as Tsu'tey had taught her on the ground.

Jake had informed her that the running had been the easiest part of it all in comparison to the rest and Joanna was inclined to believe it since vine climbing in midair was daunting- just thinking of it sent shivers down her spine. No human in their right mind would dream of attempting such a dangerous run that could blow them away like a candy wrapper with a strong gust or bring a sudden trip that would knock them over into the abyss unless they were a perfectly trained acrobat. There were several instances where she had to correct her footing, stopping abruptly to make sure she didn't do a costly mistake that would injure her leg or end her life.

_I have to see this through for myself and I mean it as no test to prove Eywa wrong but it's better to be wrong than ignorant_, she thought grimly as she wiped her hands on her teal leggings to make sure they were dry. She was at an intersection, believe it or not, and had to find the right vine between two forked paths as one elevated higher and another diverted lower in altitude. The choice was pretty obvious in this case. Grabbing the higher route of the vines, her fingers dug into the rough grooves of the adjacent bundle to jump onto it with ease of her flexibility as she used her upper body strength to lift herself onto the new path. Her strong grip never faltered on the vine highway after constant intense training (boy, how she thanked the fall off Hometree for helping her rebuild strength) and continued on her way on the stairway to heaven.

She had no sense of time as she traveled between heaven and earth, never giving notice to the rotation of the sun as she remained concentrated on her goal. How she was glad she'd tied her hair into one braided bun on top of her head for safety or she'd be batting it away. Tsu'tey's constant runs gave her stamina for hours and she was grateful that their shared thirst for adventure always took them on a long trek to explore; just yesterday, they'd visited two mountainous areas to hike.

Throughout her run on the vines, he entered her mind more than once as she wondered whether he'd be proud or furious at what she was doing. Part of her hoped he'd congratulate her for claiming an ikran and forsake all women but her. . .okay, _that_ part was mostly the deliriously romantic Joanna than anybody else but still. At the same time, his betrayal stung deeper than a thousand wounds and that pent up rage allowed her to persevere over the trail as the sun beat down on her from above to show she had what it took to triumph.

Joanna felt the path of vines would never end as the sun's position eventually passed over her and the red headband she'd paused her trek for to put on was damp with perspiration. Eventually, she saw a deviation in her current path that led towards the left as the multiple vines wrapped tightly around a thick bundle of rocks rising over the horizon like a vertical statue and knew that was the way to the Thundering Rocks.

The stairway to heaven was within the grasp of her fingertips and she held her breath from both fear and determination at climbing the vertical landmark, jumping off the main vine to land neatly on the one below that diverted to wrap around her target. Her fingertips shook lightly as they gripped the new vine to balance her weight, pushing away the force she'd used to fall. She kneeled down to take a deep breath as she reassured herself that everything was all right and she wouldn't fall down into the endless abyss. She'd never asked Tsu'tey how it felt when he'd fallen off the Valkyrie for fear it would resurface horrible war memories but she bet her lucky sleeping socks that it wasn't pretty or painless.

Standing on her own feet as she refused to let them shake, she shot off to finish the run on the vines until her fingertips were mere inches from the bundles of floating rocks that were kept tightly bound (or at least she hoped) by vines that rose towards the sky with the height of Terran skyscrapers. Joanna gripped several of the green vines as dirt and small leaves coated them and pulled forcefully to make sure they weren't weak and wouldn't give way as she gripped them. Wiping her hands on her leggings for the. . .well, she lost count by that time but sighed aloud to give herself a pep talk, "Let's go, old girl. If we fall, we can blame it on the shabby support work and not our hands."

The run was definitely easier than the climb as she used her all of her limbs to climb the uneven rocks that led toward hanging vines above. She took her ascent easy and slow because pieces of rock crumbled into smaller pieces in her hands if she dug hard enough and her toes faltered on a few protrusions as the earth gave way to disappear below. Couldn't the Omaticaya find an easier area to climb that wasn't disintegrating?

Many months ago, she couldn't pull herself up in any kind of setting (briefly remembering the scaling wall at Hell's Gate that left her hanging upside down as Tsu'tey had stared in dismay) but she found it as easy as breathing when ascending the rocks with thin set lips on her determined face. All of her teachings were allowing her to conquer obstacles as she assessed each situation carefully and she spit out bits of dirt falling onto her face, blinking rapidly to push away any flecks that tried to fall into her eyes. She didn't want to ruin her eyesight at a time like this and kept her pace steady as she tested each vine for stability before latching on to climb. As always, she kept her sight focused on the rocks in front of her but when her fingers grasped ticklish grass on her next boost up the floating rock pile, it was a sign that she'd reached the end.

Delicate but dexterous fingers grasped the earth as Joanna pulled herself up slowly with caution, keeping more weight on her torso to make sure she landed on the cliff instead of falling back into the abyss. Her biceps ached from the force applied in entire body weight as she grunted fiercely to finish the rock climb, pulling her torso onto the cliff as she raised her legs horizontally from the waist to aid the momentum. The flexibility she'd already known and honed alongside Tsu'tey allowed the last steps of the climb to flow with ease as she clambered onto the grass. She sat at the edge of the small patch of land that somehow managed to support plant life in grass form, panting with a racing heart for cheating death as her eyes took in the daunting sight below her. Truly, she was on top of the world at that moment. Everything was tiny in proportion with the appearance of figurines in an architect's model city and she crawled towards the center of the grass where it would be safer. The last thing she wanted was for the edge to crumble away with her sitting on it.

Dusting herself off, she made sure nothing was on her skin that could hinder her next climb and massaged her limbs to give them a brief rest as she checked for any bleeding since she'd hit herself on the rocks more than once. Her hands and feet needed the most availability in flexibility due to the structure of the vines but with her constant runarounds near water pools, she'd become accustomed to them. At first, she'd believed them to be impossible to ascend due to gravity but Tsu'tey had wrapped her feet in leather strips to prevent bruising as he guided her through the process of keeping one foot anterior of the other during the climb. Repeats of the same exercise and real life practice eventually rendered the straps useless as her skin became accustomed to shaping around objects from wood, plants, and metal (a return to Hell's Gate helped with that). She'd conquered every test in the obstacle course at Hell's Gate when she couldn't months ago and knew when she'd dunked herself in the lake earlier today by using a vine, the next part would be bearable. The question was, would she grasp it fast enough as the levitating mountain rotated?

"Here it comes! Ready yourself!" Arat called her to abrupt attention as her short ruminating break came to an end and she stood on her feet quickly, eyes wide open to target the mountain. The entire journey hadn't given her a moment of rest and she could see why after Jake told the avatar team he'd fallen asleep the second he returned to Hometree after Iknimaya. The sight of the floating mountain was hard to avoid despite its lack of noise for an enormous piece of land as it neared her vicinity, obscuring everything in its path with its shadow. Her fingers twitched subconsciously to the group of vines idly dangling off the mountain that meant adulthood to every Omaticayan.

Straightening her shoulders, Joanna narrowed her eyes as she kept the mountain's approach in sight and encouraged herself, "We can do this. There's no way we're going back empty-handed. . ."

The vines were twenty feet away. . .

"So unless the damn thing rips away on its own. . ."

Ten feet away. . .

Five feet away. . .

"Here we go!" she finished loudly and launched herself off the cliff with all the strength stored in her leg muscles towards the curtain of green vines, her arms raised with precise movement as she eyed one particular vine. Her right hand caught onto the one she'd singled out from all the others and her fingers clamped on for dear life as it truly depended on it, her feet dangling over the abyss as her left hand latched onto the vine for added security. Gritting her teeth tightly, she grunted as she hoisted herself up with hasty feet locking onto the vine in proper form to secure her position.

She wasn't out of the woods yet as she dangled in midair and quickly began to ascend the vine with all of her strength, banishing the fear of falling to the back of her mind where it belonged. Her eyes were locked on the mountain as she tugged herself upwards with the perseverance of a starving prolemuris reaching for the last ripe fruit in a tree. Her body was on autopilot as she pretended the vine was the same as one from the lake and wasn't dangling on the precipice of death.

_Easy as pie_, she told herself to encourage

Horror took hold when she realized her vine abruptly ended as it fused into solid rock that traveled deep within the mountain and there was no opening in sight to keep her ascent going. Her hands tightened instantly on the vine as she tried to keep herself from breaking into a cold sweat that could cause her to fall and Joanna took a cautious peek around the vines surrounding her. This was a scenario she didn't plan on as she assumed the best case would be a ripping vine and then she'd have nothing to worry about as death was imminent. She tried to see what lay ahead on the mountain as vines obscured some of the path but could see no type of entrance, leading her to call out immediately, "Anaya! I can't see the entrance! My vine ended!"

"Hold on!" her voice echoed through the sky and Joanna tried not to groan in her mind to her friend's choice of words. 'Break a leg' seemed best in her situation since falling would undoubtedly shatter all and kept a tight hold on the secure vine. Joanna went with the old poster quote 'hang in there, baby' as she clung on helplessly until Anaya's voice returned with the comforting words, "Keep moving to the left! I will inform you when you need to climb! Be careful!"

_Let's go_, she told her brain to force her body to resume the climb with a small smile of relief for the good news. Joanna released a heavy sigh to exhale all of the sudden tension that had built in her body during those grueling moments.

Joanna's left hand quickly grasped the adjacent vine, giving it a sharp tug to make sure it wouldn't budge under her strength and she latched onto it to begin her move towards the left. It shook her confidence as she slowly moved from one vine to another, hoping that none of them decided to give out under her weight or swayed away from her reach with a sudden gust of wind. Oh, how she wished Tsu'tey would've brought her so she wouldn't feel so alone undergoing the rite without him there to guide her.

Her worst fear came true seconds later. . .

* * *

**A/N:** I just love sweet Peke, enough said. This chapter is actually longer but my area has been hit with scorching heat for the past week, the hottest since summer started and my keyboard was just too hot to use. So, I decided to slice it and post this up ASAP since classes just started and I don't fancy the long class hours. Plus, you guys deserved a chapter already! Hopefully, the heat will let up soon and I can finish editing the rest since I do like the end of the Iknimaya chapter.

Wow, I appreciate the new alerts/favs that keep coming into my inbox, I didn't think my story would get so many readers- especially from so many countries! I love your continuous feedback and I'm trying my hardest to finish the first volume before school gets me nose deep into my books and because I'll also be playing babysitter for my brother during an operation next month. Thank you all for the last chapter reviews, it helps me mold my writing for better reading and I hope I did a decent job on this one!

_kudokuchan69_: The ends of the chapters are having more twists as the first volume draws to a close. Joanna's trying her hardest to prove everyone wrong but knowing our crazy Joanna, something's bound to happen.

_Dalonega_ _Noquisi_: The first part of this story has the most emotional twisting since the two are keeping their little love affair in the dark while biting their nails in the hopes nobody discovers it.

_compa16_: Thanks so much for loving the story, I might not be able to put them all into film but I'll try my best to write it into visual images. Hmm, if only Cameron hadn't killed off Tsu'tey.

_A Drunk Canadian_: I know, I should've added NormXOC in later chapters since Tarazi likes to hide but I ran out of room in the summary. They will become more prominent once Norm grabs his ikran as he's setting his targets on her more than ever.

_electrogirl88_: Hope you liked this chapter as well.

_Dracoessa_: We all know Tsu'tey has the nose of a bloodhound and knowing his attachment to Joanna, he'll come running soon and we'll see what she tells him.

_Claycarole_: Yep, she's trying to preserve what she calls home but is torn between her emotions and her rightful path. Like Nitari warned Mo'at, Joanna can be a little firecracker and will be lectured once everything is over since her actions are both brave and reckless.

_Thecla_: Yeah, it's time for Joanna to decide and we'll see what Iknimaya brings to her.

_3_: Tsu'tey's been keeping his cool as he's more balanced emotionally but this will probably break all of his barriers.

_redhead36a_: Thanks for being my newest reader and the characters are still learning their way in life.

_Nekuranekomegami_: Thanks, hope you liked this chapter too.

_T0rukMakt0_: There's a lot going on between those two since the last chapters and it will be blowing over like a boiling tea kettle. I have to agree, having the two bicker has been hilarious for me since their arguments actually developed into different fields since their starting antagonism.

_piXiZe_: Norm's practicing for Iknimaya, which we'll see in a few chapters as he tries to impress Tarazi with his ikran. I can already picture the 'come hither' look. Nitari and the readers know more about Joanna's path than she does as she's sent away to dwell on it.

_Tifa-Carbuncle_: You're right that Joanna would be boring if she was perfect and grating people's nerves as she borders on Mary-Sue'ism so she'll have her quirks as she ages in the story. Tsu'tey and Joanna will always manage to attract each other since their hate led to their friendship, which blossomed into their affection, and will eventually develop into something permanent. Besides, Tsu'tey isn't the type to quit in everything he does.

_Redydragonfly_: Those matriarchs are crafty fairy godmothers and Tsu'tey and Jake are definitely brothers. I can imagine them competing for who has the best son when they each have one, those lovable knuckleheads.

_Emmalime_: I really wish I could've posted this chapter sooner, darn heat wave and burning laptop keyboard. We'll hear Tsu'tey's say after everything blows over and Joanna chooses which clan to go with.

_CrissYami_: Tsu'tey and Joanna will be having emotional talks in the next chapters as the festivities finish and the Atykwe prepare to leave.

_Lightlovebunny_: Thanks for both loving and hating my writing, poor Joanna deserves a break by now, doesn't she? I feel for Tsu'tey the most since Mo'at watches over him as she waits to see him mated off happily to have a family of his own. Tsu'tey will indeed learn what he said from Joanna in either two to three chapters (depending on the final length and if my schedule's not to hectic to finish on time).

_Luv4Uncas_: Yep, the happy twosome will be separated but Tsu'tey will have his happy ending despite the many obstacles.

_sakurachibi08_: You're right, Eywa told her during the avatar body transfer and he'll always call her that in private. Of course, the playful Joanna confuses him with her own English nicknames. She'll talk to Nitari about her feelings for Tsu'tey since she's one sweet but protective mama bear.

_Maipigen_: I love hearing from my international readers and enjoyed reading your long review (I received it just before going to sleep so I was a happy bunny). The outlook of the world in 2144 seems depressive and a 'every man for himself' type of place as conflicts escalate worse over remaining resources and of course, the Na'vi are stuck in between since they have what they're after- humans are known for being conquistadors throughout history. Tsu'tey will have to bear the separation but it won't be easy for him since she's the first person he's actually invested his emotions deeply. Sweet Peke is Joanna's now since she pampers him like nobody else and won't go to another unless she orders it. Thanks so much for loving the characters I've crafted and hope you enjoyed the latest chapter, dear reader.

_Lucas Bane_: Yeah, I have a tendency to give into foreshadowing but I will work on it since that's what writing's all about, becoming better, but I'm glad you like everything else- especially the characters. Nonetheless, I appreciate your review on the story since Joanna has that humorous flair and a little army of tapiri is pretty funny to me (especially since Cameron wrote they huddle together at night which is plain adorable).

_BumbleBee's Angel_: Hope you liked this chapter of the story.

_thetwilightsaga64_: I know what you mean, I'm so busy as my new semester starts that I find myself sleeping less than I should. lol. Joanna's little heart is hurting but it's on the backseat as she tackles this current problem. She has become a daily dose in his life just as he's become hers, I feel bad for having to drive a wedge between them but life is never easy.

* * *

**Next Time:**

Her footsteps echoed with her nervous haste as she ran along the passageway, her feet bouncing off rocks bundled together at corners as they twisted upwards towards the sky. The tunnels leading to the nest weren't as small as she'd first expected, as the entrance only allowed one person in at a time, but could be traveled with a group in the first tunnels underground; the higher you trekked, however, the smaller they became. Anxious fingers quickly patted the leather pouches she'd attached to her leather belt (which she'd stored away in her alcove for a special occasion) and made sure everything was still in place. Satchels were useless during fast paced movements and she'd stuffed her bola along with a few items that might gain her an advantage inside each pouch. The small run toward the nest finished faster than she would've thought, given the large size of the floating mountain, but once blinding light and the blue sky greeted her in its scenic view. . .it was time.

She made sure her hair was tied perfectly in the way she'd started because having hair obscuring her vision could be a costly and deadly mistake. The rushing water that cascaded at the left drowned out most of the calls from the nest with the waterfall's own counteracting noise and Joanna found it soothing. Ikran flew all over the area as the open space before her gave a beautiful view of the sky and the abyss that lay below to remind her that she was between worlds and none would come to save her if she fell. Despite the fearsome height, the sight was beautiful and only the most eloquent of storytellers could describe it.

"Peachy" she sighed to herself in encouragement and rolled her shoulders to ward off any last minute moments of cold feet. A sudden itch on her right forearm grabbed her attention and as she scratched it for relief, she muttered aloud with misery, "Oh, who am I kidding? No normal person would go into this without fear!"

Taking a deep breath, she walked towards the small path below the raging waterfall and mentally groaned at the tiny width and the sloshing wetness that pooled water between her toes. She hugged the wall as she took her steps carefully since the ikran could wait as she tamed mother nature in this instance. If she failed Iknimaya, she'd be kicking herself later for having to undertake _two _rites of passage. The surge of the water's force drowned out everything around her as she inched closer to the nest, cold water dripping down her hair and back as she kept her face against the cold wall to make sure nothing hindered her visibility. Through the opening of the waterfall, she could see ikrans of all colors flying by and when her wet toes touched powdery dirt, she rejoiced at finishing the suspenseful walk. She would take the vines all over again compared to that tiny death trap! By the end of it all, she held endless respect for every Na'vi that undertook that rite and smiled at knowing she'd walked the same steps as Tsu'tey had years ago during his own.

Breathing shakily, she walked onto the dry rocky floor as the rabble of ikran calls deafened her ears this time rather than the waterfall and gazed at the large nest. There were dozens of ikran gathered along the walls with a variety of colors, they were a painter's dream with all of the different hues and she hoped one of them would be hers as they called out to their brethren. Blue ikran. Purple ikran. A little white one with brown blotches. A brown one with beige. Any of them would be loved by her and it would automatically mean acceptance for them by the Omaticaya. There were so many to choose from, she couldn't see how none would fit her and smiled at seeing the other hordes basking on the floor as they rested lazily underneath the sun. Truly, the ikran were as deadly as they were beautiful.

Opening her pouch, she took out her bola to make sure it was ready for use and nodded to herself as she held the bola string between her fingers. Her eyes caught sight of the two different ikran that stood out against the forest dwellers with their different color scheme and assumed they couldn't venture closer due to territory differences. Tsu'tey told her that no ikran from other lands or nests would venture to clan nests unless they were from Hometrees nearby which is why teachers were allowed entrance easily.

"Good luck!" Anaya's voice echoed and her gray ikran gave a friendly call before following Arat's azure ikran into the flocks of flying banshees.

Joanna nodded to herself it all came down to that moment and invigorated herself, _"Showtime!"_

She used the cover of the rocks to guide her movements throughout the area as she crept closer to the nest by using the obscuring path of the rocks. A few ikran on the mountain wall took notice of her with their field of vision and hissed to ward off her presence, their razor sharp teeth glowing white against the bright sunlight. No matter; as long as they didn't attack; they weren't 'the one'. Joanna shook her head to the irony of it, she was fighting for life or death to find her aerial partner when she'd tackle less obstacles for her search for the one and only mate. Humorously enough, both stayed for an entire lifetime.

_Do you take this ikran to be your lawfully wedded partner?_, her mind thought humorously and she shoved it aside as delirium tried to break through from the anxiety.

Tsu'tey had told her that she'd need to put herself in the open where all ikran could gaze upon her and gaining their attention by approaching them would lead her to the rightful one. She trusted him completely so that's exactly what she did, slowly creeping out into the open until she was right in the middle of the clearing where the fight took place.

* * *

_Yep, the chapter was shorter than what I usually supply but the heat wave is boiling me but I will have the next part up soon, dear readers._ _May you all have a wonderful day or blissful sleep from wherever you all are!_


	25. On The Precipice of Defeat

CHAPTER 21:

**On The Precipice Of Defeat  
**

* * *

Her worst fear came true seconds later when her current vine loosened between her fingers and she yelped in alarm, realizing she'd accidentally grabbed two vines that had intertwined into one. She cried out in surprise, a frightened yelp leaving her lips as she quickly used her left hand to grasp another that was on its own against the rocky wall. Her toes nudged against the mountain as she pushed off the current vine to tightly grasp the lonely one with both hands to ensure she wasn't going to fall off to her death after barely cheating it. Ugh, damn vines and their deceiving looks. Her breathing shook heavily as her forehead pressed against the plant, closing her eyes for a moment as she regained her composure from the sudden fear that had skyrocketed her heart rate.

Crisis averted.

As she clung onto the vine like a baby prolemuris without its mother, she heard Anaya's concerned voice, "Are you all right?"

"I've been better!" she called back shakily as she swallowed down her fear and found the willpower to keep climbing up to find the entrance because the faster she did this, the sooner she could leave. Oh, how she wished Tsu'tey was with her with his wittingly sharp commands to keep her butt moving. Joanna calmed her unsteady breathing, closing her eyes for a brief millisecond before continuing onwards before the vines decided to make her fears a realization and drop her. Her feet hurried to push her upwards with the strength in her legs and she refused to halt until she reached the elusive entrance that she'd apparently missed at mapping out (even the greatest of plans had room for mistakes). She'd taken enough joyrides on Swizav to memorize the mountain but a _rotating_ one made it quite tricky to pinpoint when you were actually climbing the thing as it hovered.

Arat's calm voice broke the silence as he informed, "Move up! The entrance is on that path!"

And she listened to that guiding light as she continued up the path, keeping her grabs on the vines in synchronization with the upward movement of her legs. She kept repeating the same moves over and over on the same vine as her gaze continually viewed everything above her in case the entrance popped into view. She yearned with desperation to see the entry point after every push of her feet as each boost granted her a foot or so of better viewpoint. After five more pulls that surpassed a few rocky ridges that obscured her view, the entrance surfaced with a semicircular shape as green plant life curled in between the rocks protruding out from the interior of the small passage. Joanna, however, didn't care about its appearance as long as it meant safety and no more dangling above impending doom which had her speeding up there faster than lightning.

_We can make it, we're here_, she rejoiced as her hands carefully pulled on the vine until she arrived at her destination. Her single vine mixed in with multiple others as they created a green waterfall over the mountain from the entrance for any who sought refuge.

When her fingers touched the mouth of the entrance, she kept a tight grip on the vines that were intertwined into the rock floor as they would help entering inside and used them as leverage to help her climb in. She could feel the cooler air that circulated inside the cavern as it blew gently on her hot forehead to cool her parched skin. Her fingers dug into the rocks with a firm grip as she lifted her torso into the small cave and her bare toes dug into the grooves of the mountain wall to keep pushing her further inside until she was safely tucked in. The moment her knees touched the stable rocky ground, Joanna couldn't help but crawl forward on all fours and lean down to press her forehead against the earth in thanks to Eywa for surviving the trip. She was alive and kicking with no bodily injuries. The main test still remained but for now, most of it was completed.

"Goodness, I never want to do that again" she breathed aloud with lingering fear as she turned to lie on the rocky floor on her back to relax her weary body. The long run over the vines had indeed drained most of the energy in her legs but the nest would be a small area to run about so it wasn't something she was worried about (unless a leg cramp decided to surface at the most inopportune time). The cold stone felt marvelous against her hot damp skin as she rested and gazed at the rocky ceiling to remark aloud breathlessly, "I don't know how Tsu'tey does this every season, that man is. . .madly magnificent."

She allowed herself a few minutes to compose her worn spirit as the adrenaline from climbing onto the mountain had been frightening enough and was leaving with every passing second she remained idle. Courage was needed and would heed her call when she exited the passage but for now, she breathed deeply to calm her pounding heart as she stood up on her two legs once more to continue. There wasn't much time before Tsu'tey or somebody noticed she was gone (or already had) and a good strategy was needed to tame that ikran. Their sight was acute and the fact their eyes were set similar to a Na'vi's field of vision gave her no chance at attempting to blindside it so dodging would be best. Smell and hearing were the same in sharp perception but both could be deceived as long as one remained out of sight. And. . .Joanna would wing the rest as she climbed towards the surface.

Her footsteps echoed with her nervous haste as she ran along the passageway, her feet bouncing off rocks bundled together at corners as they twisted upwards toward the sky. The tunnels leading to the nest weren't as small as she'd first expected, as the entrance only allowed one person in at a time, but could be traveled with a group in the first tunnels underground; the higher you trekked, however, the smaller they became. Anxious fingers quickly patted the leather pouches she'd attached to her leather belt (which she'd stored away in her alcove for a special occasion like this) and made sure everything was still in place. Satchels were useless during fast paced movements and she'd stuffed her bola along with a few items that might gain her an advantage inside each pouch. The small run toward the nest finished faster than she would've thought, given the large size of the floating mountain, but once blinding light filtered through and the blue sky greeted her with its scenic view. . .it was time.

Joanna made sure her hair was tied perfectly in the way she'd started because having hair obscuring her vision could be a costly and deadly mistake. The rushing water that cascaded at the left drowned out most of the calls from the nest with the waterfall's own counteracting noise and Joanna found it soothing. Ikran flew all over the area as the open space before her gave a beautiful view of the clear sky and the bottomless abyss that lay below reminded her that she was between worlds and none would come to save her if she fell. Despite the fearsome height, the sight was breathtaking and only the most eloquent of storytellers could describe it.

"Peachy" she sighed to herself in encouragement and rolled her shoulders to ward off any last minute moments of cold feet. A sudden itch on her right forearm grabbed her attention and as she scratched it for relief to postpone impending doom, muttering aloud with misery, "Oh, who am I kidding? No normal person would go into this without fear!"

Taking a deep breath, she walked towards the small path below the raging waterfall and mentally groaned at the trail's tiny width and the sloshing wetness that pooled water between her toes. She hugged the wall as she took her steps carefully since the ikran could wait as she tamed mother nature in this instance. If she failed Iknimaya, she'd be kicking herself later for having to undertake _two _rites of passage. The surge of the water's force drowned out everything around her as she inched closer to the nest, cold water dripping down her hair and back as she kept her face against the cold wall to make sure nothing hindered her visibility. Through the opening of the waterfall, she could see ikran of all colors flying by and when her wet toes touched powdery dirt, she rejoiced at finishing the suspenseful walk. She would take the vines all over again compared to that tiny death trap! By the end of it all, she held endless respect for every Na'vi that undertook Iknimaya and smiled at knowing she'd walked the same steps Tsu'tey had years ago during his own.

Breathing shakily, she walked onto the dry rocky floor as the rabble of ikran calls deafened her ears this time rather than the waterfall's roaring rapids and gazed at the large nest. There were dozens of ikran gathered along the walls with a variety of colors, they were a painter's dream with all of the different hues and she hoped one of them would be hers as they called out to their brethren. Blue ikran. Purple ikran. A little white one with brown blotches. A brown one with beige. Any of them would be loved by her and it would automatically mean acceptance for both by the Omaticaya. There were so many to choose from, she couldn't see how none would fit her and smiled at seeing the other hordes basking on the floor as they rested lazily underneath the sun. Truly, the ikran were as deadly as they were beautiful.

Opening her pouch, she took out her bola to make sure it was ready for use and nodded to herself as she held the bola string between her fingers. Her eyes caught sight of the two different ikran that stood out against the forest dwellers with their different color scheme and assumed they couldn't venture closer due to territory differences. Tsu'tey told her that no ikran from other lands or nests would venture to clan nests unless they were from Hometrees nearby which is why teachers were allowed entrance easily.

"Good luck!" Anaya's voice echoed and her gray ikran gave a friendly call before following Arat's azure ikran into the flocks of flying banshees.

Joanna nodded to herself as it all came down to this pivotal moment and invigorated herself, _"Showtime!"_

She used the cover of the rocks to guide her movements throughout the area as she crept closer to the nest by using the obscuring path of the rocks. A few ikran on the mountain wall took notice of her with their wide field of vision and hissed to ward off her presence, their razor sharp teeth glowing white against the bright sunlight. No matter; as long as they didn't attack, they weren't 'the one'. Joanna shook her head to the irony of it; she was fighting for life or death to find her aerial partner when she'd tackle less obstacles on her search for the one and only mate. Humorously enough, both would stay for an entire lifetime.

_Do you take this ikran to be your lawfully wedded partner?_, her mind thought humorously but she shoved it aside as delirium tried to break through from the anxiety.

Tsu'tey had told her that she'd need to put herself in the open where all ikran could gaze upon her and gaining their attention by approaching them would lead her to the rightful one. She trusted him completely so that's exactly what she did, slowly creeping out into the open until she was right in the middle of the clearing where the fight took place. The edge of the nest was to her right and a simple throw could send her spiraling into the endless abyss so she would tread carefully. Golden eyes peered down at her as they scrutinized her sudden entrance into their sanctuary but they held no fear of the Na'vi as they respected each other as both rivals and friends. Joanna avoided their gazes as Tsu'tey told her since she was a mere stranger to them, they wouldn't hesitate to rip her to shreds if they saw her as an enemy. It was a stark difference to Swizav, who now allowed her to groom him until he was glowing radiantly like the proud ikran he was when Tsu'tey was too busy to do so and she spoiled him with snacks.

The floor literally came alive as resting ikran suddenly flapped their wings to evade the newcomer, delicate wings of all colors rising into the air in large numbers as they flapped away from her. It was a beautiful sight to behold as they fluttered against the wind with natural grace that showed her why the Na'vi revered them. Their nimble bodies leapt away from her as they sought refuge elsewhere with irritated hisses and Joanna compared herself to a leper as she kept walking deeper into the nest but no ikran surfaced to challenge her. All they did was growl in threat and retreated further into safety where she couldn't reach as she noticed white speckled eggs hidden at the base of the wall under twigs and moss where the ikran were taking care of their unborn young. She couldn't venture there without drawing the parents into full blown hostility but she had no inkling of doing so, both for her safety and out of respect. Still, none ventured and all she could ask was _why?_

Keeping calm about the situation, she reassured herself it would just take her longer since there was no rookie group making noise to lure the animal forward to strike and Joanna decided to sweep the area. There was nothing else that came to mind to hasten the rite of passage and the fact that time was ticking away with nothing to show was starting to gnaw at the back of her mind. Starting from the far left of the nest, she walked slowly to the ikran but none neared her, their hobbling forms hurrying for cover elsewhere along the walls or to the farthest side (they really didn't like being grounded with her) but Joanna would eventually make her way there.

She watched ikran of all colors depart the area with offended hisses and screeches pinning her with the blame of disrupting them but none took it a step further. When she reached the left and last open areas, no ikran rose to defend the nest and she created noise by clapping loudly in an attempt to draw them near but they ignored her. Instead, they choose to stay in their spots on top of the mountain to bask under the sun or relaxed under the shade by clinging to the nest's walls. Joanna didn't understand why none drew close and her patience on letting the ikran make the first move was at an end as all of the new hunters claimed the challenge occurred within five steps into the nest.

She jumped over the rocks to enter deeper into their territory but they screeched indignantly, fluttering their wings to leave her presence and she called out boldly, "I challenge you- _any_ of you! Come at me!"

None heeded the call despite she ventured further than Tsu'tey had told her would be necessary and her eyes sought out any ikran that dared to step forward to fulfill her wish but none did. A student was immediately challenged in the center of the nest, at the most, if the ikran didn't catch sight of its fated partner as they exited the path next the cascading waterfall with its sharp vision. Joanna had received nothing for her efforts and her heart beat wildly at having none of them try to take a bite out of her. She would've welcomed it at that point as they ignored her like one of their own, carrying on with their daily lives of being an ikran.

Joanna was dangerously frantic at this point as every ikran failed to near her and simply sent a hiss at her in warning as she yelled with desperation, _"C'mon! I'm a free meal!"_

She jumped towards a violet ikran with brown splotches but the creature jumped off the cliff with a sweep of its elegant wings, disappearing into the flocks flying around the mountains. The closer she moved towards them, the more they crawled away to escape in haste and Joanna's heart fell at being rejected, seeing the Omaticayan people within them. Jumping towards the nearest part of the wall, she waved her hands in attention to the ones gathered above in the safety of the natural alcoves and shouted sharply, "I'm here! Come and bite me!"

A shadow appeared on the ground next to her as wind struck her bare back, along with the scraping of claws against the rocky ground as an ikran grasped it for stability, and she dodged fluidly before she was caught unaware. Her heart leapt with hope that an ikran had finally come to take a bite out of her to begin the rite and her fingers tightened over the bola. Turning around swiftly, she dared herself to smile with optimism but it was crushed with the force of a hammer upon glass when she realized this particular ikran had already been claimed.

Swizav.

The blue ikran hissed with a lecturing tone in its nonverbal growl and Joanna knew she was knee deep in figurative pa'li crap when Tsu'tey jumped off his partner with a livid look on his face. Her ears flattened against her head as she saw the mad gleam in his golden eyes and knew he was nothing short but fuming for being disobeyed. Joanna didn't have the energy to fight him after running wildly around the nest and panted heavily to catch her breath as he approached her with briskly stiff steps full of antagonism. She could only hunch over to calm her beating heart since this next obstacle would hold the same danger and Tsu'tey unleashed a furious yell, "How dare you sneak away to do such a dangerous stunt? You aren't ready!"

"I made it all the way up here" she defended tiredly and tried to keep an eye out for an ikran in case it was still biding its time while keeping a safe distance from Tsu'tey (the man looked ready to kill). Anytime would've been perfect for an ikran to pop in, even an injured one or a baby would've sufficed as the last lifelines to stay in the Blue Flute clan were being pulled away. She met his seething gaze with needy eyes as she tried to soothe the wildfire raging within him by stating softly, "I just. . .I need to wait for one, please-"

"The place is almost empty, Joanna, and you _never _have to wait for one" he snapped irately as he moved his hand over the bare nest and glanced at the other two onlookers, who remained close to the mountain in midair. If he had the power to kill by glare power alone, the two Atykwe would've been ash the second he targeted them. Tsu'tey's authoritative voice reached across the entire forest as he yelled heatedly to scold them, "And you two, you should be _ashamed _of yourselves! What would you have done if she'd been injured? What if she'd been _killed_?"

"She didn't give us much choice" Anaya replied meekly since the man was terrifying from afar as he was at a close distance and hid behind Arat's ikran. The huntress had heard plenty about the Omaticaya's advisor as he was both a man to be respected and feared so she remained quiet before she enraged both he and Arat with her blunt honesty.

Joanna wasn't about to let her new friends be yelled at or interrogated since it was all her idea to begin with and touched his left shoulder to calm him. His emotions were running high already so nothing could be done on her part as his muscles twitched with unreleased anger to break something. If he didn't care about her so much, he'd be beating her down in hand-to-hand combat for being so reckless but he contained his rage. No, he would only inform his clan leaders to remain unbiased and they would carry out the punishment.

Tsu'tey pointed to Swizav with finger that emphasized commanding authority over her and ordered briskly, "Get on, we're going back-"

"I'm not finished, I have to get an ikran-" Joanna tried to negotiate as she tried to hold her picture of the future with the Omaticaya together but it was ripping completely on its last seams.

"**NOW!"**

His sharp voice echoed throughout the half-empty nest and the ikran chirped to chime in, adding further volume to the direct order he'd given as his eyes narrowed dangerously. She stood her ground to face him (not without fear because her knees were shaking at his glare power alone) and squared her shoulders as she stated firmly, "I came with Peke and I'm _not_ leaving him."

He whistled once to Swizav and the ikran hissed to the other two belonging to the sea hunters, his azure wings flapping in the air in a deliberate display of dominance. The seafaring ikran returned a submissive call as the forest ikran was boss in their current territory (Swizav liked it after having his spotlight taken by Jake's ikran, Xon) and he gave one last flutter of his beautiful wings before settling down. Tsu'tey pointed towards the forest over the horizon as his stiff posture wielded his rank's power and ordered the Atykwe hunters with a curt tone, "You two will return back to our Hometree and speak of this only when _I_ beckon you as the matriarch will be informed," turning to Joanna, he hissed lowly, "and _you_ are coming with me to return to Peke."

"But-" she tried to object for one last chance since he was her devoted teacher for the entire rite but he shook his head fervently with disagreement.

"It's _over_, they are not returning and neither will you" he finalized sternly with a nasty hiss that threw her aback, causing her to instantly flinch to its ferocity. He looked vicious enough to attack her but he lowered his tone to her crestfallen face as he muttered stiffly, "Let's go home, Joanna."

Home.

The word had double meaning now as her failed attempt at Iknimaya pushed her towards the Atykwe, her eyes following the two seafaring ikran that flew away to disappear into the horizon. The sun had passed over them as the afternoon would soon fade into tranquil twilight and the star had played timekeeper during her attempt as it now told her it was finished. Her eyes began to sting with tears to her failure as he took her away forcefully by the wrist and she pleaded softly, "Tsu'tey, you don't understand why-"

He turned around swiftly, pushing her roughly against the rock wall of the floating mountain nearest to them and she yelped to the unexpected impact. Her eyes widened with surprise to his actions but he offered no apology as he snapped harshly with a low growl settling in his throat, "No, _you _do not understand the severity of this situation. You deliberately disobeyed me, desecrated Omaticayan tradition, put your life in jeopardy, and allowed two hunters at risk with their clan matriarch! You stupid, stupid girl!"

"I did it for the right reason" Joanna insisted tightly as his furious expression frightened her but she would maintain her defense for doing what she'd done. She'd never seen him so angry since their first months together and hoped she hadn't stepped all over what the Omaticaya stood for as she tried to bind herself to them. Ugh, she'd been so reckless over achieving her goal that she failed to ask about the consequences for defiance. Her hand sought out to wipe the ferocity from his face by delicately touching his right cheek as she whispered slowly to tell him the truth, "Please, understand that I-"

Slapping her hand away, his imposing figure rendered her silent as he turned around to return to Swizav and stated coldly, "You betrayed my trust by doing this. We are returning home immediately and I will inform our Tsahìk of this as my rank dictates and for your sake, I hope she doesn't bar you from Iknimaya."

Joanna swallowed thickly because she'd never heard about the repercussions of what she'd just done, simply that Iknimaya was taken when one was deemed ready. Had she broken such a sacred rule? He'd never spoken to her about anyone attempting it prematurely since the topic had never risen in their conversations and hoped she hadn't automatically exiled herself from the clan. Blinking back tears as the stain of failure and shame left their mark on her, she whispered apologetically with a faint voice, "Tsu'tey, I had to do this because Ni-"

"I am not in the calmest of moods to speak of this and quite frankly, I would rather you stayed silent" he spoke lowly with a stiff voice as he found himself greatly disappointed in her as both a teacher and friend. His emotions were too close to this problem and he would follow Mo'at's ruling on the matter as a faithful clan member. Swizav lowered his head with a sad chirp when his master failed to stroke the top of his head as he usually did before taking to the sky. Tsu'tey proceeded to mount the blue-lilac ikran as it received chirps in greetings from others in the nest and Swizav's mood lifted somewhat at the acknowledgement.

Without a glance back at the empty area, Joanna wiped the inner corners of her eyes with her fingertips to push back unshed tears. Her entire body felt weary as everything caved in around her and she followed Tsu'tey with a heavy heart as Nitari's words never rang louder in her mind.

'_You are not meant for Iknimaya. . .'_

* * *

"_I am going to kill her, I want to choke and beat sense into her as her little golden eyes pop out-"_

"_Tsu'tey, you're starting to sound like a psychopath"_ Jake tried to calm his friend as he maintained his role as both friend and leader but it was rather hard as his advisor fumed. Since he arrived to meet with Tsu'tey to learn of Joanna's premature attempt at Iknimaya, the hunter had plunged into accented English to describe his fury since he wouldn't dare have others overhear his nasty language or tarnish it with such vulgar words. Jake, being the kind and sympathetic type of friend, allowed him to vent his fury while making sure he didn't run off to cause a murderous rampage of epic proportions towards innocent foliage.

"What the tsahey is that?" the usually stoic warrior screeched indignantly as he rapidly paced back and forth around the empty conference alcoves, the doorway cloth curtains sweeping against the wind when he passed by. Tsu'tey had brought Joanna straightaway to the Tsahìk for reprimanding (after he politely excused his sudden intrusion into her healing classes) as breaking the rules of the clan could be costly for anyone, resident or visitor. His fear for her safety, his worry as her secret lover, and his loyalty to the clan fought for control as he'd dragged her back home and refused to speak one word with her. If he opened his mouth, he was liable to yell a myriad of things which would not help matters as he had a tendency to confess feelings during heated bouts with her.

Jake sighed weakly as he maintained his cool, hands crossed neatly behind his back in military position, and he answered evenly, "A very bad person. Look, allow Mo'at to finish speaking to the two Atykwe hunters and then we will hear Joanna's part-"

"She shouldn't get to say _anything_ if she's idiotic enough to wander up there without any supervision!" the hunter yelled irately, his hands clenching into fists as he hissed, and heard a feminine voice clearing their throat from within one of the alcoves. Oops, he'd forgotten Mo'at was nearby with the two hunters and his ears flattened with dismay and annoyance to what he'd been reduced to by Joanna's brainless stunt. He rubbed his hands over his face since there was no area he could wander to and speak his mind freely without alerting everyone to what had occurred.

"Could you stop talking like I'm not here?" she asked politely as she sat on a small log, her hands wringing in nervousness to what awaited her and his constant yelling wasn't helping. Yes, she deserved all of it but she'd only done it to see what clan she was meant for and had received her answer. Her mind was still wrapping around the fact that the Omaticaya was not where her sanctuary lay and angering the matriarch made a spicy stew of trouble. She could've run off to privately cry about it as all her options were now gone but she chose to face everything like an adult without breaking her calm mask. It felt like ages since she'd used it as she kept it as a defense mechanism only and she'd dusted it off for wear once more.

And just as Joanna slipped into that mask, Tsu'tey's immense progress at restraining emotions blew over since his last volcano explosion had been. . .actually, he couldn't even remember. His friends had taught him great control over the seasons that he could hardly pinpoint the last time he'd yelled at anyone (training didn't count). If she'd been the one in trouble only, he would've been fine. If she'd done a little misdeed with tradition, that was fine too because his adored had a tendency to be clumsy and could learn from it. However, getting in trouble by defying sacred traditions behind his back was most definitely _not_ all right. He was her teacher and her friend, she should've been smart enough to heed his words. What was so important that she needed to go to such lengths for acceptance?

Part of him had wondered if she'd done it for them. His rank could be marred for going against tradition by secretly courting her and she'd been vocal that she'd sacrifice their affection to maintain the honor of his duty. He loved her and he would do anything to make sure their relationship would stay hidden; he'd reduced his time with her during the festival, he'd lied to everyone about his lack of attraction, he'd taken the interest of the most recent woman drawn to him and spun a web of lies, and he would do more but never break clan rules. Tsu'tey didn't know what was behind her motive and part of him was too enraged to care as she disregarded his trust, casting everything she promised him to the wind. He'd been swept aside with no say in her impulsive decisions and it hurt him deeply.

"Jake, I had a reason for this and I want to tell the Tsahìk, privately" Joanna requested softly as she was the only one aside from Nitari that she trusted with her reasons due to the connection to Eywa. He refused to listen to what she'd been told, cutting her off with a sharp hiss or reprimand at every corner and had stopped for the time being in order to try again later when he was calmer. . .hopefully. Tsu'tey was the most important variable to her leave as she cared for him deeply and needed him on board to make the move over to the Atykwe as Eywa was nudging her in their direction with each passing second as Nitari predicted.

The protective warrior aspect of him surfaced instantly and Tsu'tey bared his teeth to state coldly, "You don't get to make demands."

The maroon curtain of the nearby alcove opened to reveal the two Atykwe hunters, who were now without their usual cheer, and Joanna stood up to ask worriedly, "Did you tell her I forced you and you were innocent? _Completely_ innocent to my stupidity? That it was all me and my crazy ideas?"

"Tsahìk Mo'at was kind enough to let our Tsahìk decide our punishment" Arat explained smoothly as Anaya managed a smile, trying not to allow too much relief onto her face. The two hunters had received their orders from the Atykwe matriarch and their successful mission in seeing Joanna to the end merely brought the entire story of Iknimaya to Mo'at's ears. The two matriarchs were already one step ahead in the entire matter as they'd used the two as their eyes and ears, especially with Anaya's uncanny ability to detail everything down to perfection.

The huntress smiled serenely as she kept the knowledge to herself without any absentminded slips this time and sincerely said, "We hope for the best but do not worry yourself, Joanna."

"You should be restricted from communicating with each other for _life_ if it was my choice" Tsu'tey interjected grimly with narrowed eyes as he didn't approve that they'd tagged along rather than stop the entire event from taking place. He watched them like a suspicious ikran with the rigid posture of a cautious palulukan as they spoke quietly with Joanna, his eyes narrowing when they politely excused themselves before departing from the alcoves.

Mo'at appeared at the entrance just as he'd been ready to lecture her about her pick in new friends and she beckoned with a soft voice, "Joanna, you will enter now."

Her stoic face didn't change as she turned to face Jake and informed him gently, "Son, I need to speak with you before last meal about the upcoming residential changes to our clan. Tsu'tey, you may stay to wait for Joanna but I have no need for your account in this tale."

"But I found them, Tsahìk" he insisted politely since he wasn't inclined to believe that the two hunters explained everything that had occurred and wanted to say what he'd witnessed since Joanna sought his help. However, Mo'at could see he was looking to chastise the dreamwalker to soothe his own inner turmoil over the worry he'd endured. As a matriarch, she would take his affectionate concern into account but Mo'at took direction from Eywa's will and what She deemed best for their clan in her decisions. A firm gaze from Mo'at ordered Tsu'tey that he would not be giving his eloquent speech on what he'd observed and listened to her words nonetheless. He was a warrior; his place was not to question but to carry out his leaders' orders.

Joanna followed after the matriarch with silent steps, her tail limp and curling around her right leg in disappointment, but looked to him to murmur softly, "I understand if you want to leave, Tsu'tey. It would be best given the circumstances."

"I'm staying put" the hunter replied sternly as her words seemed to have the opposite effect on him today and to emphasize his determination, sat down on the log with a stiff nod. If he wasn't so furious, Joanna would've found his grumpy stance adorable as he frowned with his arms tightly crossed across his chest. He refused to meet her gaze as he stared straight ahead towards the trunk of Hometree and hated the wounding stab that struck her heart for seeing him in such a state after all of their progress to better each other.

She nodded quietly to his unyielding words and quickly scrambled inside to await the Tsahìk's order because she was not a person to keep waiting. Mo'at motioned for her to sit as she took her position at the back of the alcove and Joanna sat neatly on the floor with a nervous turbulent stomach. She'd expected inquiries about her actions but the matriarch began without questions or hesitation, "Rites are never attempted before one is ready, it is against Eywa's will and what our teachings have taught you. You must learn that sudden bravery with a dash of recklessness can lead to dangerous results despite your best of intentions. One never knows what path it will give, whether success or failure, and you must learn to weigh the consequences more carefully."

Her voice slowed to a grim tone and she reprimanded, "I know you were willing to risk your life for the clan and although I am honored by your loyalty, you still betrayed us for going out there without telling anyone. . .especially your teacher. We protect and guide each other, never lie and defy."

Mo'at moved her hand towards Joanna to allow her input but what could she say to redeem herself? She'd done it for personal reasons and against all judgment? She would definitely be working on that stubborn streak that refused to budge since being successfully daring was apparently not in her bloodstream like Jake. Maintaining respect for her superior, she lowered her head to submit her guilt as Joanna spoke softly to confess, "I. . .I was selfish in my goals and lured two people who were worried about me to stand by my side despite their warnings. I am guilty of tarnishing a sacred rite by testing a prophecy that another Tsahìk was kind enough to offer me which is another show of disrespect on my part and I wholeheartedly apologize for it. I am guilty of betraying the trust of the ones I love and if I could've changed that by knowing what I was unknowingly doing. . .I still would've done it."

Clearing her throat, Joanna quickly carried on before the matriarch misinterpreted her words with terse disrespect and continued, "Your clan gave me shelter, food, and a sense of belonging since the day you offered your home to me despite not having a Kelutral. When I was faced with the decision of leaving this clan for another, I chose to fight for it with every fiber in my being but only brought terrible repercussions for everything I hold dear. I've yet to grasp the full error of what I did today but all I wanted was to stay in the only place I've called home since I was born anew."

Lowering her head with never-ending respect, she whispered quietly without fear, "I. . .I will abide to the punishment you see fit, Tsahìk."

Mo'at sighed to what Nitari had warned her about but she'd never have believed it since Joanna lacked a daring streak. On the other hand, the dreamwalker was enamored with Tsu'tey and would do anything to remain rooted to her clan. She had to admire her determination to defend what she believed in but at the same time, a matriarch could not let it go unpunished as traditions were meant to be respected. If clan leaders didn't abide to their principles, who would? The young woman before her was not arrogant or brash, looking more desolate than anything else as she lacked her usual cheer from her sitting position. The matriarch expected the dreamwalker to remain close friends with Tsu'tey when she first met her and found herself wistful that Tsu'tey would not find his happiness with her within the clan.

Knowing that Nitari had already foreseen this path, she used it to her advantage and spoke calmly to pronounce her judgment, "I have learned all that I need from you and outside parties to make a fair ruling. For your actions on attempting Iknimaya without proper permission, you will not be allowed to undertake _any_ rites of passage of the Omaticaya for as long as you live."

Joanna knew she'd hit rock bottom with the decision, closing her eyes with desolation, as Mo'at continued without faltering in tone or neutral decorum, "You will not be a member of this clan, rather a child like all who do not pass. However, you will be allowed back as a friend to the Omaticaya if you choose another clan as your home because I know your heart carries love for this clan. With that said, I order that you learn everything about Omaticayan traditions before you unknowingly break another. Is that clear, young one?"

Joanna felt numb to the stern verdict as she practically felt exiled but what else could she call it? She had no clan to belong to anymore as Iknimaya had been permanently snatched away from her fingers and she nodded quietly, crossing her arms in an attempt to soothe her emotional pain. It was crippling to be cast out from her first true home on Pandora but she could not argue the Tsahìk's ruling; it was just and fair for any who disobeyed Omaticayan principles.

Mo'at saw every emotion clearly in her eyes as the dreamwalker was crestfallen with a somber gaze to what fate had befallen her and advised kindly, "Your path has already been laid before you, all you need is to begin walking. You have done good deeds in our clan, Joanna, and I will remember it. Your leisure time was spent helping the clan's children and the cooks, not to mention stocking my healing alcoves, rather than seeking self-fulfillment and for that, I grant you welcome among my clan anytime. You may go now and find solace among your friends."

The younger woman nodded quietly to obey her elder and stood up on shaky legs, bowing politely to give the clan leader respect as she prepared to exit. Any private conversations with the matriarch were scheduled due to her importance in clan matters but since Joanna had this moment, she took the time to speak honestly with a small smile, "Thank you for everything you've given me, matriarch. Please take care of Tsu'tey for me, he has been my dearest friend and I want nothing but his happiness."

"Of course, but tell him the news gently as this is a delicate matter for you both" Mo'at assured sincerely to ease her heart and Joanna nodded in agreement since he would not be happy to hear of it.

She watched Joanna exit the alcove with hurried tiptoeing steps and solemnly thought, _It is a shame that it came down to this end for them._

Joanna squinted as the lighting brightened outside and found Tsu'tey sitting alone on the log with the same scowl on his face, reminding her of the old snarling gargoyle statues on ancient buildings, and she walked quickly to kneel down in front of him. Her fingers reached for his to offer support, squeezing his calloused hands as he stiffened at the physical contact, and she pulled away before she made their tense friendship worse. She didn't want the man she cared for to find her appalling for what happened but what could she do if he refused to listen to apologies? His golden eyes met hers as he silently demanded that she tell him everything that occurred within the alcove and she hid a smile at being able to read him so easily. If telepathy was available, there would be no need to voice anything between them.

She touched his kneecap as she hoped to calm him but his strict expression and piercingly bright eyes downsized her to a speck of dust on his person. He really wasn't going to cut her a break this time, was he? Seeing that her attempts wouldn't help, she kept their gazes locked to show him respect as she came clean with everything and sighed softly to admit, "All I wanted was to belong here and be with the ones I love, I never meant to upset everyone- especially you. Never would I dream of it, I-"

"What did the Tsahìk say?" he interrupted tersely as he kept his whirlwind of emotions at bay and her gaze broke away, showing him that the outcome wasn't good. He refrained from wincing visibly as he hoped the matriarch had chastised her good and broken her rebellious streak but nothing too serious to hurt her future standing within the clan. Joanna, on the other hand, flinched to his icy tone as it briefly reminded her of his old brusque attitude but knew it originated from his worry as a friend rather than true animosity.

She swallowed the solid lump that quickly formed in her throat, averting her gaze to the floor, and shamefully whispered, "She denied all rites to me, for a lifetime."

Her heart had been suffering since she'd left Nitari's meeting but seeing his reaction shattered it into pieces as his stern expression transformed into visible anguish. She'd never seen him so vulnerable or upset in public as he leapt from his seat, turning away from her to avoid her gaze as she faced his back and knew he was on the defensive to hide himself. He pushed her outstretched hands away, blocking any comfort she tried to provide his turbulent emotions as his brow furrowed with sadness and his ears flattened against his head. He felt the air grow heavy all around him as he tried to escape but Joanna followed swiftly to grasp his forearm, pleading with a trembling voice, "Tsu'tey, please-"

"You ruined our chance, Joanna" Tsu'tey whispered brokenly as he tried to contain the staggering emotional pain ripping through him and tried to catch his breath as he felt his throat tighten. What had she done to them? He'd done everything to keep their relationship a secret and flourishing- and she'd destroyed it in a careless whim! Did she not know what it immediately meant? He couldn't comprehend the agony tearing into his chest from years of dissociating distress and her distraught face wouldn't lighten his pain as he wanted to lash out verbally to what they had been reduced to. He couldn't bring himself to grasp her shoulders and knock sense into her for what she'd done. All he could do was muster his voice from his aching vocal chords and managed to choke out with a somber tone that lacked any of his usual confidence, "I. . .We can _never _be together now because of you."

She tried to get in a word edgewise as his broken demeanor screamed for her to help but he refused to hear anything else. He shook his head fervently as he recoiled from her hands seeking him and tried to wash his mind free of her. It was all he could do now that she'd been banned from reaching adulthood and no longer available for courting. Tsu'tey instantly placed several feet of distance between them as he erected an invisible wall to block her and whispered solemnly, "I _can't_. . .Goodbye."

He ran from the alcoves to fight away the feeling of betrayal and abandonment clawing at his tortured heart, his head pounding with pain as his chest was constricted with a weight he couldn't relieve. He had given everything he could offer in both his heart and ranking to her and she'd ruined it all in one stupid moment of bravery. His hopes for the future were snatched from his hands before he could even begin building towards it and hated the agonizing melancholy settling in his heart. He ignored the happy greetings or invitations at conversations from clan residents and visiting guests as he sought to be away from home to soothe his sorrow. Tsu'tey was in no condition to partake in cheery conversations or festivities as his joy for courting the one he cared for ended faster than it had time to begin flourishing.

Joanna was left standing in the same spot as she couldn't understand his heartbroken reaction after all of the blabbed rumors around the clan that were initiated by his own mouth. His grief seemed entirely genuine enough that her own heart wept for his to return and without him, she couldn't find out the truth to all of it. Fighting back tears from the mess she'd created, she collected herself into the composed woman that was needed to begin planning the next steps in her life. Being an emotional mess would help nobody and she would tend to her sentimental wounds in private after the dust settled but first. . .she needed to find Tsu'tey.

* * *

**A/N****:** I'm just evil for doing this but then again, we can't have her getting everything she wants or she's riding the freeway to Mary Sue-dom. Like the saying goes 'ignorance is no excuse' and Joanna was dealt the hard truth. If I was going for a certain upset look, it would probably match his puppy dog eyes when he realized Neytiri left him for Jake. . .except ten times worse. Poor Tsu'tey, I just want to hug him until he's as happy as a kitten. We'll see how Joanna's search for him goes in the next chapter and if I can fit it all into one chapter, we will see all the recent plot twists explode in a finale.

Thanks so much for your continuous feedback and support for this story, especially since the recent heat wave took its toll on my writing and study time as I practically felt like I was being boiled alive by the temperature. This is why I wasn't able to reply to all of your last chapter reviews this time, although I truly tried, since I know you wanted this chapter out and I don't break my promises. Nonetheless, I want each of you to know I appreciated each of your words for the chapter and know that Tsu'tey's time to tell the truth will come. I hope you enjoyed the end of Joanna's Iknimaya in this chapter and we will deal with more aftermath in the next chapter!

* * *

**Next Time** **(unedited)****:  
**

Tsu'tey refused to talk to me.

I understood his anger towards the incident that rendered me an outsider in one single conversation with Mo'at but I was stupid enough to believe he'd eventually ask why. If he'd done something stupid and enraged me, I would seek him out because despite the hurt, I would want the truth.

Like a hopeless woman trying to make amends, I'd searched for him before time ran out but he was elusive. He wasn't at any of his favorite spots and even sticking out on surveillance with his animal partners failed on me. I'm certain he visited Aci more than once because she didn't stop trying to take a hefty bite out of me. . .but then again, that was normal behavior for the mare. I searched for him endlessly without rest but he hid himself better than a tiny atokirina within the large forest.

The first day of the aftermath made me want to curl up in a depressed ball of wallowing shame and stay there in my hammock until eternity passed. Of course, that wasn't going to happen anytime soon and I'd begun my search for Tsu'tey with renewed vigor as he was hard to find yesterday after the fiasco. I didn't know if my actions had gossiped throughout the clan since then but when I found nobody staring at me like the newest species on the block, I carried on my way to make my last days among the Omaticaya worthwhile. First, however, I needed to find Anaya and Arat to apologize for any harm I could've inadvertently caused their ranks but the two assured me that the matriarch had nothing that would harm their statuses. Apparently, she'd sent them to find me and with my emotions running the engine of my mind in full throttle, Nitari had already been leaps ahead in my thinking. Truly, the woman was a remarkable Tsahìk with her shaman abilities.

"History tells that even Nitari herself didn't know she would be Tsahìk until Olo'eyktan Akon chose her" Anaya had pleasantly supplied me with her knowledge of the clan during our conversation. I would be learning more about Nitari in the coming months as Anaya promised she'd tell me all of the stories she knew since her mind was a library of history.

"Nonetheless, I am thankful for her acceptance and that you two were not blamed for my blunders" I had told them gratefully as I'd bowed politely to show my respect because despite being acquaintances, they were now my superiors in the clan. The big move would bring culture shock to me as each clan on Pandora differed but knowing that Anaya and Arat would answer my questions, no matter how stupid, lessened the anxiety.

I would see the two later on as they would be my guides into the new life I would be leading within four days and I was grateful for the kind help they provided. That same day, everyone had gathered for a friendly archery match in the clearings as hunters and bow makers from all clans participated in the tournament to show their skills. The matches were set for the adults on that day and the young ones would have their own on tomorrow as that particular day of Eywa's festival celebrated innocence and youth, traits given to the children of all clans. The clearings were packed full of people as everyone joined in the entertainment to cheer on all of the participants as the day would be exciting for all present.

"Max is good" Cheryl admired from her spot next to Noren as they watched the matches intently. Each individual would have a five shots throughout four rounds that would change the range in distance to see who would be ranked the top ten archers. Leaders of the clans would be the judges to keep the games fair as they watched everyone compete. Max had finished the second round and bowed to the leaders gathered at the front of the line as people sat around the competitors but not in front for safety reasons.

Norm fidgeted beside us and frowned, "Why can't students join in? I could do that."

"You just want to impress Tarazi" both Cheryl and I replied cheekily, hearing a giggle from Neytiri up front as she sat with her mother. As clan princess, she was forced to act with propriety in this public setting so she couldn't get involved with our joking and watched Peyral take the stage.

"Just make sure you win over her in tomorrow's matches" I piped up since he was eligible to sign up with the youngsters and hoped Norm wouldn't be tallest one there since he was rather tall. "She seems to be the type that likes men to match her skill. Or I could be wrong, which I probably am, and likes to be the alpha female in the relationship."

Norm sighed hopelessly as he kept himself in the game and was determined to win tomorrow's match (and Tarazi), even if he had to topple bright eyed children's skills. I hope he knew that the tournament was actually divided into two areas since children were fragile with competition and the Na'vi weren't the type to fuel their children to win at the expense of shame. Cheryl and I would make sure he understood so he could practice without restriction for tomorrow because he would bring his A game.

Cheryl whistled with awe as Peyral shot off five rounds in perfect unison into each wooden target and announced, "Wow, Peyral just blew Max out of the water."

The huntress gave a small smile despite her usually firm demeanor as her moment in the spotlight lowered her natural defense and walked away with a confident gait. My breath hitched when I saw Tsu'tey enter the field but he gave none of his usual cheer that I'd seen within him from the past months. He was practically on the automatic stoic setting as he unleashed his barrage of arrows against the targets, striking each with flawless ease and precise accuracy that delivered him high marks. I wanted to run after him after failing to find him throughout our home but causing a scene by jumping through the crowds into the clearing was not a subtle way to achieve privacy. Instead, I was forced to allow him to leave the area and he'd disappeared within the crowd of participants.

Tsu'tey won first place in the tournament, Peyral won 4th, and Arat won 6th. He didn't stay for the festivities in honor of the winners and participants.


	26. Everlasting Friendship

CHAPTER 22:

**Everlasting Friendship  
**

* * *

Tsu'tey refused to talk to me.

I understood his anger towards the incident that rendered me an outsider in one single conversation with Mo'at but I was stupid enough to believe he'd eventually ask why. If he'd done something idiotically insane and enraged me, I would seek him out because despite the hurt, I would want the truth. Apparently, we weren't seeing eye-to-eye on that so I was left with the only option of using my tracking skills.

Like a hopeless woman trying to make amends, I'd searched for him before time ran out but he was notoriously elusive. He wasn't at any of his favorite spots around Kelutral and even sticking out on surveillance with his animal partners failed horribly on me. I'm certain he visited Aci more than once because she didn't stop trying to take a hefty bite out of me. . .but then again, that was normal behavior for the mare. Swizav was calmer despite his natural ferocity as an ikran but during my stakeout, I lacked to find evidence of a recent visit and played pillow for a lethargic ikran that liked to have his head rubbed. I searched for Tsu'tey endlessly without rest that day but he hid himself better than a tiny atokirina within the large forest.

The first day of the aftermath compelled me to curl up in a depressed ball of wallowing shame and remain in my hammock until eternity passed me by. Of course, that wasn't going to happen anytime soon and I'd begun my search for Tsu'tey with renewed vigor as he was hard to find yesterday after the fiasco. I didn't know if my actions had gossiped throughout the clan since then but when I found nobody staring at me like the newest species on the block, I carried on my way to make my last days among the Omaticaya worthwhile. First, however, I needed to find Anaya and Arat to apologize for any harm I could've inadvertently caused their ranks but the two assured me that the matriarch had done nothing that would harm their statuses. Apparently, she'd sent them to find me and with my emotions running the engine of my mind in full throttle, Nitari had already been leaps ahead in my thinking. Truly, the woman was a remarkable Tsahìk with her shaman abilities.

"History tells that even Nitari herself didn't know she would be Tsahìk until Olo'eyktan Akon chose her" Anaya had pleasantly supplied me with her thorough knowledge of the clan during our conversation. I would be learning more about Nitari in the coming months as Anaya promised she'd tell me all of the clan stories she knew since her mind was a library of history.

"Nonetheless, I am thankful for her acceptance and that you two were not blamed for my blunders" I had told them gratefully as I'd bowed politely to show my respect because despite being acquaintances, they were now my superiors in the clan. I aimed to be a respectful member of my new clan by learning everything possible as Mo'at's words were fused into my mind and this time, I would not disappoint them. The big move would bring culture shock to me as each clan on Pandora differed but knowing that Anaya and Arat would answer my questions, no matter how stupid, lessened the anxiety.

I would see the two later on as they would be my guides into the new life I would be leading within four days and I was grateful for the kind shepherding help they provided. That same day, everyone had gathered for a friendly archery match held in the clearings as hunters and bow makers from all clans participated in the tournament to show their skills. The matches were set for the adults on that day and the young ones would have their own on tomorrow as that particular day of Eywa's festival celebrated innocence and youth, traits given to the children of all clans. The little ones were incredibly eager to participate in skills that they saw embedded in the older generations and it gave them a sense of maturity to hold a bow between their hands. The clearings were packed full of people as everyone joined in the entertainment to cheer on all of the participants as the day would be exciting for all present. People of all ages sat on log benches and flat rocks, stood in jovial crowds, or picked a seat on the branches providing shade overhead.

"Max is good" Cheryl admired from her spot next to Noren as they watched the matches intently, sitting on a log bench like the sweet couple they were. I picked my spot next to Cheryl as she kept my emotions balanced right now and after arriving early to pick a spot at the front, I was keeping a sharp eye out for Tsu'tey. He had informed me during a night in my hammock that he would participate in the tournament and I'd been excited for him after seeing how eager he was to show off his new bow. With an event like this between numerous clans, there was absolutely no way he would miss it because disappointing others was not in his honorable personality. Oh, how I missed my grumpy warrior.

"Mm-hmm" I agreed absentmindedly but returned my concentration back to the field since the participants were doing all of this for us. My mind could slip back into happier times later in the day when I wasn't busy.

Each individual would have five shots throughout four rounds that would have the range in distance changed between each rotation. When all twenty shots were finished by all competitors, we would see who would be ranked the top ten archers. Leaders of the clans would play the judges to keep the games fair as they watched everyone compete. Max had just finished his first round and bowed to the leaders gathered at the front of the line as people sat around the competitors but not in front for safety reasons.

Norm fidgeted beside me since he was eager to show off his own skill but this tournament only allowed 'official' adults of the clans to participate. Currently, the Omaticaya's archers were on the field as our clan was the fourth clan to go as Jake decided to have fun with the festival and declared a lottery, showing the clan leaders how the randomized system worked and I'd chuckled when Nitari happily picked the second spot with a gracious 'oh my'. He tapped his fingers against his knees as he slumped in his seat with a disappointed frown to say, "Why can't students join in? I could do that."

"You just want to impress Tarazi" both Cheryl and I replied impishly with Cheshire smiles, hearing a giggle from Neytiri up front as she sat with her mother. As clan princess, she was forced to act with propriety in this public setting so she couldn't become directly involved with our joking and watched Peyral take the stage. That wasn't to say that acute hearing wouldn't help her overhear and she cleared her throat subtly as Mo'at gave her a motherly look to pay attention.

"Ladies, leave the man with the longing heart be" Noren chided gently as he joined Norm's cause for winning Tarazi's heart and Cheryl assured we were all on the same side, with the exception that we acted as sisters. With Norm arriving on Pandora a year after Cheryl and I, he became the baby of my team as I counted the time spent on Pandora in comparison to chronological age. Even now, if there was anything Norm needed a perspective or opinion on, he could always come to me for help.

"Just make sure you score above her in tomorrow's matches" I piped up with a witty smile since he was eligible to sign up with the youngsters and hoped Norm wouldn't be tallest one there since he was rather tall for a dreamwalker. To be accurate, he was closer to Tsu'tey's height than any of my friends so maybe that would help him stand out in Tarazi's eye. Towering people had a knack for being naturally intimidating so that could work in his favor if she fancied that kind of trait. My eyes couldn't even follow Peyral's arrow as she shot it into the wooden target and my gaze flickered towards Norm as I added in, "She seems to be the type that likes men to match her skill. Or I could be wrong, which I probably am, and likes to be the alpha female in the relationship."

Norm sighed hopelessly as he kept himself in the game and was determined to win tomorrow's match (and Tarazi), even if he had to topple bright eyed children's skills. I hoped he knew that the tournament was actually divided into two areas since children were fragile with competition and only aimed to have fun. Their self-esteem was still flourishing at their young age and the Na'vi weren't the type to fuel their children to win at the expense of shame. Cheryl and I would make sure he understood so he could practice without restriction for tomorrow because he would bring his A game against the other students training for Iknimaya.

Cheryl whistled with awe as Peyral shot off the next four rounds in perfect unison into each wooden target and commented with astonishment, "Wow, Peyral just blew Max out of the water."

The huntress gave a small smile despite her usually firm demeanor as her moment in the spotlight lowered her natural defense and walked away with a confident gait. The woman was the top huntress among all and I'd joked once to Tsu'tey that she should have been his mate but his reaction was priceless when he spit out his drink over a waddling tapirus. After cleaning the poor squealing animal with a cloth, he'd admitted he would never mate anyone who considered him ugly and dreary so he'd banned her from his potential list of women. Apparently, it fit well because Peyral was drawn towards male healers as she regarded them highly due to her own parents working in that particular field.

My breath hitched when I saw Tsu'tey enter the clearing for his turn but he held none of his usual cheer that I'd seen within him from the past months. Instead, he dipped his head politely towards the crowd and again for the clan leaders in separate respect as he remained a stoic warrior. He was practically on the automatic indifferent setting as he began his round without a word and unleashed his barrage of arrows against the targets, striking each with flawless ease and precise accuracy that delivered him high marks. That man was remarkable in his marksman skills and I wanted to cheer my little heart out for him but remembered we were on thin ice, keeping me rooted to my spot on the bench. My innermost desire was to chase him down after failing to find him throughout our home but causing a scene by jumping through the crowds and into the clearing like a madwoman was not a subtle way to achieve privacy. Instead, I was forced to watch him leave the area in his entire cranky but valorous splendor and he'd disappeared within the crowd of participants like a phantom.

In the end, Tsu'tey won first place in the tournament, Peyral won 4th, and Arat won 6th. He didn't stay for the festivities in honor of the winners and participants, merely offered his best wishes to them as he complimented each on their attained skills. He wasn't in the best of spirits but that didn't hamper his courteous manners towards his species. By that time, I was caught between the numerous crowds as I tried to slide my way through the celebrating people but my hunter slipped through my sights once more to disappear.

I abandoned my search for Tsu'tey when it was time for bed and I dragged myself to the hammock level with wallowing pity for failing to nab him. Honestly, how could I expect to catch a master like him when I couldn't compare? I didn't even bother to pick my feet up as the rough grooves of the branches scratched the soles once I left the smooth platform and told myself I deserved each little nick for disappointing him. I found Cheryl brushing her hair at our shared alcove since she liked keeping it loose throughout the night and smiled with amusement as she fiddled with a yellow bead at the end of a small braid at the back of her head. She'd been sweet enough to stay with me on this level despite she was already an official clanswoman and could move to higher branches. She'd promised we'd move up the tree together and I found the next task in my list of 'to do's before I leave': tell her all about it. This was easier said than done since she and Tsu'tey were my most treasured friends and shaking my hands before they sweated in anxiety, I released all of the nervousness in my body as I approached her with a smile. Sitting down next to her, I grabbed a small cloth sack from nearby that held my knitted socks for the night and asked warmly, "How was your night?"

"Wonderful, I spent it with Noren's parents" she answered with a light blush that glowed against the bioluminescence around us from the lanterns. Her brushing slowed as she focused on the ends of her hair, the strands frizzy from the usage of tight beads and she smiled widely with joy, "Oh, they're just like him so I can see where his peaceful nature and affinity for music comes from. His mother plays the flute beautifully and she's teaching him how to use this string instrument- it's not a harp but yet it is. It's so beautifully carved, I wish we could've brought a music expert to explain it for us."

I chuckled to her enthusiasm over Noren's field of specialty and watched her eyes glitter at the mere mention of his name. She paused her brushing since the frizz wasn't leaving anytime soon and placed the brush back on her personal belongings rack (handmade and given to her by her handsome Noren). A small sigh left her lips as she gazed at me with a shy glance and smiled meekly to admit, "My family would approve of him, right? I mean, if there was a human avatar for him to use and we were on Earth. Still, my parents were pretty open-minded about life and didn't mind my journey here."

"A parent's joy is to see their child happy and you are, you're beaming and literally glowing" I assured with a friendly smile to calm her worries about her previous life since this was home now to all of us. I was certain her family would be proud to see their daughter have a bright future ahead of her as she would not be plagued with the mistake of past generations. She burst into light laughter as she spotted the glowing lamps that lit the night along with our faces and I admitted sincerely, "I think he's a perfect choice for 'the one' we all search for. You two appear happy together but only _you_ know how you truly feel so if you think he's the one for you, live Cheryl. Shower him with kisses while he serenades you with his singing."

She chuckled bashfully to my giddy suggestions since I hadn't hesitated to show my affection for Tsu'tey in private and she confessed faintly, "He is, Joanna. I never thought. . .," pausing as she sighed deeply, "_This_ is life on the world we dreamed of since childhood."

I nodded with my own tearful agreement to her emotional voice because it truly was and once again, kicked myself mentally for chasing after Tsu'tey when there was a brand new world awaiting my fingertips. Cheryl was right about our fortune for staying here and I couldn't squander that opportunity with matters of the heart. I had left Earth to lighten the burdens for humankind's future generations but I could no longer do that as the RDA sunk that idea in a fiery swoop and communication had been cut off. I could not offer my original species a helping hand any longer but the Na'vi needed all able hands to thrive and I wouldn't hesitate for a second. I smiled brightly to what my new life would hold at the coastline since the geography would change drastically and the exploration opportunities would be endless, causing me to sigh blissfully, "It is, isn't it? To live in a world that most will never touch. . ."

Looking to her, I smiled to my dearest friend on this moon and admitted quietly, "I don't want to sound like a cheesy soap opera but I'm leaving the clan, Cheryl."

Cheryl wasn't the jokester type like I was since the sweet girl wore her emotions on her pretty little sleeve and she tensed, her lips faltering her response, "W-What?"

I wrapped an arm around her as we would both need consoling, drawing her close like an older sister would and explained softly to keep our emotions from bursting forth, "Nitari asked me to join her clan yesterday and I did something incredibly stupid, Cheryl. Even dumber than when I ate that fruit that looked like a beet and spent a day in the infirmary. I did Iknimaya-"

"And Tsu'tey agreed?" she whispered faintly with wide eyes and I shook my head with shameful remorse for going against him. Her bottom lip moved to the side with the classic 'uh-oh' expression as she realized that he hadn't given the go ahead in my scenario and that spelled trouble for me.

"I went behind his back, just when I thought my rebellion days were over after Hell's Gate" I sighed with self-disappointment to my spontaneous sense of bravado and gazed at the infinite darkness of the forest. From our level, the bioluminescence wasn't as noticeable as it was on lower levels and the endless void sunk my stomach since I'd be seeing the same image within days but without my friends. I squeezed her by the shoulders and broke my gaze away from the horizon to explain the whole situation, "No ikran chose me when the time came, just as Nitari predicted but I had to know. Unfortunately, I failed to realize that I was mocking tradition by going through with it and Tsu'tey found me with a ferocity that made a thanator look like a kitten."

Exhaling deeply to the effect his reaction had on me, I shook my head and admitted sullenly, "Oh, Cheryl, I've never seen him so furious and it's still eating away at me. Mo'at decided that I could never be an Omaticayan and that left me with only one choice. Tsu'tey left so heartbroken and I've tried to find him to tell him everything. . .there's so much that I need to. And you, you're my dearest friend and I have to leave you too. . ."

"Oh, Joanna" Cheryl frowned with disappointment and I felt like a sad little puppy that disappointed its owner as we sat together. Her voice trembled slightly as she scolded me gently with a firm face and I deserved it, "You always were stubborn, Joanna. I. . .you're my best friend."

I held her tightly as she pulled out a hand painted wooden box full of handkerchiefs from a natural fissure in the floor of our alcove and pulled out two for use. I took one with a grateful thank you and dabbed my nose before it tried to leak, taking notice of the familiar lilac hue of the one Leka had given Tsu'tey in between one of our fights. I couldn't knit or sew for the life of me but he was gifted in the art and I'd been a happy recipient of quite a few tokens over time. He'd been the original receiver of the lilac handkerchief but he'd slipped it into my hand a few days ago at knowing I was more prone to emotion than he was. I had crafted small but meaningful gifts for him with the skills I owned, which were pretty much jewelry and amateur carving, while his enchanted my heart as his own personalized thought shined through with each. The earrings he'd sent to be made, his mother's necklace, a cozy violet shawl made of soft velvety fabric he'd made after seeing me sneeze too much, a hair brush with a carved wooden handle that he'd given me after claiming my previous inferior; how could I not find the man charming when all we did was brighten each other's days. Everything that had been shared between us kept pricking the back of my mind to demand those answers about Sahí.

I cradled the lilac handkerchief between my hands, remembering Tsu'tey's petrified form when he'd heard Leka declare we have children, and cooed gently, "You always think of everything, my friend. Let's have a few tears tonight as we talk about this crazy mess I'm in and you yell to your heart's content. Afterwards, you will tell me the best parts of your day with Noren to warm our hearts because let's face it, you have a sweet love story. We'll live it up for the rest of my days here but on the last night, we can cry some more until we're dry rivers."

She sniffled into a periwinkle handkerchief and nodded to agree quietly, "Sounds good."

Cheryl wasn't naturally a loud yeller but she chastised me good as a sister would and I welcomed it since it had been a while. I'd seen her grow from a meek and friendly scientist to a courageous woman that kept flourishing as time passed among the clan so I was happy that Noren would keep her safe within Kelutral. I would miss our nightly talks under the stars as we trusted each other with our deepest secrets and hearing the high pitch in her voice whenever she found something exciting to tell me. . .oh, she was dear to me. We cried like lifelong girlfriends who had just seen the saddest film in history as we promised to keep in touch and visit for our milestones in life: birthdays, marriage, children, and funerals.

Cheryl was purity at its finest with her friendly and kind demeanor.

The next morning brought a whole new day of searching as I began rummaging Kelutral from base to canopies like cataloguing explorer but it would take hours because Tsu'tey moved faster than a cheetah to avoid me. I hadn't prepared anything for what I'd say to him (my priority was simply _finding_ him) but I needed to see him one last time before I left because I couldn't bear the thought of leaving him without a goodbye. He was my rock throughout the months and we'd been tied since my first day among the Omaticaya at the Tree of Souls. I needed closure on everything that happened between us or it would haunt me.

My hunter proved more elusive than a yeti sighting in the 2040s and by the next tournament, I was forced to show my support for our clan (I still considered the Omaticaya home) as some of the children I'd cared for attempted their first shots in that very tournament. Their excited faces were worthwhile as they'd happily called to their parents, some even running to hug them in the crowd as their delight was contagious. I was proud of the little ones, even when one arrow didn't quite make it to the target and fell on the ground but they tried their best which was more than enough. I would be there to celebrate with them after the tournament to congratulate their success and participation among the clans. There was absolutely no way I would be telling them of my impending leave until another day when they were idly playing because they were too darn adorable now.

After the youngsters finished their rounds, they each received a slice of sweet brown cake baked by the cooks as a participation prize and I couldn't help but coo at their cheerful faces. They were just so happy to get a slice of cake and each told their parents they wanted to have another competition soon if this would be their reward. The students followed afterwards with their own tournament so Cheryl and I were ecstatic to see how Norm would perform on his turn, barely able to sit still as excitement bit us. Our pal was dressed casually with his neutral brown garb but his hair was braided neatly in small braids that had red feathers intertwined to sharpen his look. His turn came after two students as there were only five in total from our clan but this division of the tournament would take longer as the children were allowed two shots for two rounds while the students were expected to behave like the adults they aspired to be. My ears flattened when Norm walked into the clearing, passing by all of the competing students and Tarazi, and Cheryl tilted her head to the side to sigh with contemplation, "Oh, he really _is_ the tallest so far."

"It'll add to his toughness to woo her" I piped up optimistically since it would add stamina to his long strides and I definitely wouldn't have minded having a few inches of extra height. Cheryl nodded unsurely but agreeably with a small 'oh' as I kept hope alive that he would get the woman he had his eyes set on, clapping with enthusiasm as he took the field.

Despite having his doctorate, Norm wasn't the biggest fan of large crowds as he'd admitted it to me during one of our excursions around Hell's Gate and I caught his attention by waving a pastel yellow handkerchief in the air. Cheryl and I had told him we'd be sitting at the front again to support him and to keep eye contact with us or over the crowd's heads to alleviate any sudden social anxiety. Apparently, our flair to imitate Victorian era dames worked. I flashed him an impishly innocent smile as I returned the handkerchief to Cheryl and he nodded towards the crowd once before taking the archer's stance to begin. Before coming to live with the Omaticaya, Norm's skills were similar to mine as we were civilians caught between a war and when I saw his fingers reach for his arrows faster than I could count; he was ready to be a man (in the Na'vi sense, that is). Norm impressed us with his archery as he scored perfectly in his first round, striking each target with satisfactory precision for one in his rank. He wasn't a perfect marksman like Tsu'tey or the other archers from yesterday but he was well on his way towards that path if he chose it.

We whooped for our friend to boost his spirit as he finished with a beaming smile of accomplishment towards the crowd and Cheryl yelled out a promise about cookies later on. Tarazi was next, her garb a neutral beige as her long hair was tied into one elaborate fishtail braid over her back, and she stepped into the open with careful deliberate strides. She eyed the departing Norm in competition, her head tilting slightly to the side as he passed her by while our dear friend simply smiled charismatically to nab some points. My, she really was a mini-Peyral in the making. Her shots were fluid like Norm's and her accuracy mimicked his as she struck each target in the same area but I could've been blind since I was sitting all the way over here.

Eventually, the rounds passed by as each promoted togetherness throughout the ranks and we could see each student eagerly comparing notes to increase their skills in the art. The student aspect of my mind missed Tsu'tey's orders as I knew he would've commanded that I immerse myself and take advantage of the opportunity to become better. I hadn't caught a single glimpse of his presence here and since he wasn't the biggest fan of children, could only assume that he was either flawlessly concealed or absent. Throughout each round, we were happy to see that Norm struck all of his targets within good areas and Tarazi was by his side as the one to beat (in his head, anyway). The two had begun the tournament as competitors against each other but it seemed that the hours transformed it into a peculiar partnership as they tried to win over the other students of outside clans.

"Aw, they're getting along" Cheryl cooed with romanticism glittering in her eyes as she watched Norm and Tarazi in private conversation about the next upcoming round. I chuckled to her optimism to see the two break bread together as Norm barely registered on her radar and he needed to catch her attention before Iknimaya. Otherwise, she'd be snatched up by another bachelor seeking a mate.

"C'mon, buddy, this is your last round" I murmured under my breath as my little competitive streak peaked because he needed to either perform superbly in ranking or manage to draw her attention by charismatic words of strategy alone. Norm walked into the open clearing once more with a more relaxed smile than the one he'd originally started with and I watched him reach for his arrow from the dark bark quiver strapped to the side of his waist. His fingers grasped the nock of the arrow and he took position in the archer's stance to let the arrow touch the string of the bow before launching it. . .

And Norm won the first key to her heart when he was named the winner of the tournament.

Everyone cheered for the winners and competitors (since they did try their best) while Tarazi grudgingly congratulated him as she took third place among the rest. The woman had high expectations of herself but I hoped she wouldn't put the same on Norm because he was happy on the path he was on. However, I found delight when he politely congratulated each of the competitors and caught the small smile on her face when he spoke something none of us could hear from this distance. Her gaze turned to intrigue for a moment as she left to celebrate with the other competitors, blending into the growing crowd of people as spectators joined them to begin the joyful frenzy of mingling. The smile left on Norm's face was not from winning at archery, but at receiving the tiniest inkling of interest from the one he wanted to court with all of his heart. I felt for Norm because I wanted the same acknowledgement from the one my heart remained glued to and hoped he found it while I was away. It wasn't a nice sensation to be left in the dark with wonder as you spun like a spinning top in all directions in the search of the rightful answer.

Cheryl and I fought from blowing into friendly hugs in public when we reached him, although it could've helped his courting potential but Noren lectured us gently, "We must have Tarazi believe he is a courteous man that only sees her as the idea woman. If she doesn't. . .then we will use this angle to succeed."

"No" Cheryl protested the idea as she squeezed Norm's shoulder affectionately and handed him a slice of cake she'd saved for him. I uttered a small whine of complaint since craftiness was my number one approach for subtly incepting an idea but that tended to backfire on me for more ways than I could count. Like a proud soccer mom, she clasped her hands over her chest and smiled brightly to congratulate, "You were wonderful out there and everything worked out perfectly."

"Now all we need is to hook her to the fishing line and reel her in" I said mischievously as I tapped my fingers together like an old-fashion movie villain and Norm ruffled the top of my hair with his right hand. D'oh, I really was the little sister now, wasn't I?

Cheryl gently ushered Norm forward in the direction Tarazi had disappeared to as she led us into the second phase of our 'impress and woo the loincloth off her operation' and told each of us carefully, "We will stay near Tarazi so she has a full eye view of you and. . .we'll go from there."

"Spur-of-the-moment planning isn't really the best-" Norm began nervously to our planned tactics and we pulled our friend by the hand to get things started because he was on a roll with what he'd done so far. We weren't teenagers or early adults (despite our physical bodies) anymore as we were looking to cement our lives and work towards the future so coy glances and awkward conversation wouldn't cut it. Engaging in intellectual conversation and adding a few 'come hither' glances to warrant another interaction on another day is what we were striving for. Norm allowed us to drag him for a few feet as he gathered his confident streak once more to play the uprising hunter with potential and feigned a woeful sigh, "Fine."

Noren tilted his head to the side as he watched us with curiosity, his delicate features smoothing over as he commented, "Dreamwalkers do have quite the peculiar habits for attention."

Day two ended with cheerful celebrating from the zesty emotions aided by the recent tournaments and Norm rejoicing in his victories with beer as he became one of the guys with the official hunters in our clan. We made sure Norm was within range of Tarazi without making it seem too obvious we were stationed there with an ulterior motive as Cheryl and I took turns rotating between the crowds he mingled with to gauge her reaction. I won't lie: they did have eye contact so Norm was definitely known to her. As my exuberant mood for helping Norm achieve another step forward on my final days here, I couldn't help but be curious for the future because having his hunter status would give Norm the right to court her immediately. Throughout all of the excitement, I saw no sign of my hunter to soothe my worries somewhat but Cheryl wiped it away when we stuffed our faces with a handmade fruit pie at our shared alcove and regaled each other with tales.

Day three brought me to posting surveillance at the ikran canopies and although dangerous, I kept myself strictly to Swizav's sleeping spot since he wouldn't try to eat me (that was Aci's job). Let me tell you, as beautiful as the canopies were with its many wildlife noises, it could become tedious if there was nobody to share it with- well, in my case anyway. Hours ticked by as I remained wedged in place between a nice bed of scattered leaves and a lethargic ikran but the obscure hunter of the forest that I sought was a no show. I called it quits when even Swizav rested on the floor with a sleepy look in his golden eyes and knew he was silently telling me to end the search for both our sakes. Climbing out of my hiding spot as sleepy limbs were roused with sudden movements, I crawled next to him as his tail swayed lazily in the air to my close proximity. Our gazes met as I nestled next to him and stroked the top of his head with a gentle hand, chuckling softly with a fond smile for the only ikran that wouldn't chew me, "You were a good ikran to practice my grooming skills on. If I get a female ikran, I'll tell her you're the handsomest ikran on Pandora with a perfect gene pool."

Swizav lifted his blue head to give a proud purr to the compliment and I smiled forlornly with a soft voice, "You'll take care of our hunter, won't you?"

His lazy yawn filled with razor sharp teeth sealed a positive because he'd rip anyone into shreds that tried to do otherwise.

My friends held a different reaction to my imminent leave as I'd gathered them for lunch to tell them, hoping that digestion would lower the probability of emotional outbursts. We sat at the base of Kelutral, bundled near a few green bushes with round leaves where tapiri liked to forage for their meals as light reflected overhead. I spotted a few grazing on the lower leaves on the bushes, delighted by their hovering antennae as they squealed with glee as they munched happily. . .oh, I would miss my little plump tapiri. Out of longing, I threw a few violet berries as a farewell treat and smiled happily with affection when their little snouts instantly zoned in on the new scent to seek out the food. My gaze broke away from their content squeaks as I returned my full attention to my friends, keeping a smile plastered on my face to ward off any sudden exclamations from my little group.

Max held the most grace as his eyes widened slightly but he absorbed the news pretty well as anyone who was trained in the field of science while Norm spit out the fruit juice I'd recently made. Jake and Cheryl merely hid a laugh to the spray of juice that filled the air, our hands waving the falling liquid away before the droplets fell on us. Norm caught their nonplussed faces since being the only one with shock didn't sit well with him and he blurted out indignantly, "And why aren't you two doing anything?"

"Mo'at told me. . .and I talked to Joanna personally," was Jake's casual but regal reply as he devoured a sandwich, wiping away crumbs that stuck to his lips to maintain his leadership aura. Jake was still adjusting to his new roles in the interpersonal setting with socializing as he could be both casual and militaristic but diplomacy was the best face to keep in all settings. Being leader tended to subtract the laidback trait from one's personality as you were the main role model of society (apart from the matriarch) and were expected to uphold everything the clan stood for. Tsu'tey had quietly admitted to me that despite his constant training for the revered role, he never felt prepared enough as questions always ran through in his mind whether he would make the correct decisions his people needed. The role really was a presidential or kingly type as each action rippled through the clan with the force of an ocean and to be the one who had all the answers. . .it was a lot of pressure.

Jake, however, handled everything just fine and I'd yet to hear of any complaints.

"She told me" Cheryl added in her answer with an innocent smile, coyly sipping juice from her wooden cup as she took sudden interest in a nearby rock. I kept my face straight as her subtlety tickled my funny bone since she could never stare anyone straight in the eye when she lied.

. . . "Oh."

A second later, Norm chastised the two as he accused matter-of-factly, "Well, you _still _should've told me. I was her old assistant, you know."

"Norm, you've been in a great mood since that tournament, I wasn't about to add that little bit of gloomy news into it" I explained kindly to my keeping him in the dark with the information and squeezed his shoulder in camaraderie. Norm was on his way towards an enriched life as he was determined to help the clan thrive by hunting and often joined Max in the healing alcoves to volunteer his time while simultaneously learning medicine. My previous assistant was no longer an anthropologist but an Omaticayan, one that I would miss as we'd chatted away like parrots during morning meal until Tsu'tey stuffed bread in our mouths and splattered rotting fruit on the AMP suits when the drivers weren't facing us back at Hell's Gate to give the RDA cleaning crew more work.

Handing Jake another sandwich from its place on a leaf plate as he motioned with his hands for more food, he was satiated with his 'hoorah' of approval and I smiled at Norm to encourage kindly, "You've got Iknimaya and Tarazi to worry about, the latter is a job on its own."

"You think I'm making any progress? You're a woman" Norm pondered with a depressive pout to his bad luck in romance and bit into his sandwich to soothe his woes. I sympathized with him since I'd gone through the same stage with the onion known as Tsu'tey and handed him the leftover berries in my hand as a consolation gift. Norm had a tendency to second guess himself as learning about the Na'vi had been entirely different compared to living among them and he was determining whether he was on the right path towards courtship.

He thanked me for the berries, popping one of the plump violet berries into his mouth and asked aloud for advice, "I mean, I'm a pretty average guy, is that so bad? I know I'm not the best looking or strongest but I'm trying my best and I have a good head on my shoulders," pausing, he added in glumly, "not that a PhD counts for much here but still. I'm not mean towards anyone but a total people person which parents love so that has to count. Someone help me understand the female brain!"

"Well, I could go on about slight differences in the anatomical brain and chemical balances but each person is rather unique" Max answered easily in an effort to help our friend since he wasn't plagued with the woes of dating as he focused on helping the clan thrive. Actually, we haven't heard a peep about him or about considerations for a mate since he practically lived in the alcoves. Jake had already told him that Mo'at saw him best as a master healer than a hunter for the clan due to his old life but he had said nothing of it, content with working in both areas. He threw his empty leaf plate to the waddling tapiri so they could feast on it and soon enough, one was chewing on it with twinkling yellow eyes full of gratitude as Max advised, "All you can do is try your best but sometimes, you and your intended partner might be destined to be two positively charged ions that can't attract despite your best. Unless you can turn into a negative particle, you might have to search for your chemically polar counterpart elsewhere, buddy."

Jake shook his head with an amused grin to his analogy and laughed to the science talk, poking his shoulder to chide playfully, "Only you can convert romance into science."

Max grinned to his explanation since he wasn't the best guy to ask about romance (he'd always said that at Hell's Gate when somebody was having relationship blues) and craftily poked fun at himself, "I'm told it's both my best and most annoying trait."

Everyone shared a laugh to his humorous joke and Cheryl supplied her thoughts into Norm's reflecting pool, "We all have annoying traits but that's what makes us unique, which a significant other has to love about you. To some, I'm too moral and nice but to others, I'm a bubbly cube of sugar which Noren loves."

"I make stupid jokes. . .and am notoriously charismatic" Jake grinned boyishly to his quirks as he took no offense to what people said and emphasized by taking a huge bite out of his sandwich. Of course, his cocky stride landed him in a pickle when the bite was too large to swallow but Max lent a hand by smacking him square on the back to straighten his back and allow the bolus to pass through his esophagus. We could only stare in faltering shock as the clan leader came close to possibly choking and needing the Heimlich maneuver but he waved it off as he continued eating his sandwich without a second thought.

"I'm stubborn as a mule and overly helpful" I piped up with a snicker to some of my crazy characteristics in personality and finished our whole point of the conversation, sans a choking Jake. If I could help our friend in his quest for love, I wouldn't hesitate so I spoke from the heart, "The point is, Norm, she should love all of your traits. If she doesn't find one agreeable, it's only natural but as long as she loves the rest of _who_ you are, it's okay."

"Is that why you haven't beat Tsu'tey with a banana fruit?" Jake joked impishly as his playfulness returned and all four looked to me for an answer as the spotlight struck me. When we were antagonistic towards each other, we hadn't hesitated to intimidate each other through physical means but it had ended once we became friends.

What was I to say? I wanted to argue that I held no attraction for him but at this point of my life among the Omaticaya, I decided to forgo it and answered flatly with a pout, "Probably. Am I that transparent?"

"No, but it's good to know my prodding worked" he smiled wittily with triumph to all of his remarks towards pinning us together but it faded a second later as he spoke sincerely, "I know that Mo'at deemed it best that you join Nitari's clan and you've agreed to move with them but I really did want you to find happiness with Tsu'tey. You two seemed to click, even when enraged, but maybe it's better that you two weren't ready to start a relationship or the separation would've been worse. I can't overturn a matriarch's order alone, especially since you agreed, but if you have second thoughts. . .?"

_About that relationship. . ._, I thought hesitantly since Tsu'tey and I had decided to keep our courting a secret from everyone despite admitting to our closest friends that we did show an interest in each other. Jake was his most trusted friend but he was also the clan leader and breaking the rules couldn't exactly be brought up in friendly conversation. I could already imagine the mortified reaction if Tsu'tey would've popped out with 'by the way, I'm courting Joanna without following tradition and we've been locking lips ever since behind your back' which would've landed us in more trouble. This farewell from the clan ran deeper when it came to Tsu'tey and I was keeping a constant lookout for any sight of the warrior since he was purposely avoiding me.

"No, I will miss him but he'll understand since we both want what's best for each other" I stated softly with a small smile for show despite my insides thrashed at having to leave, especially when our so-called 'courting' was dangling between being real or fake. I appreciated Jake's concern since this was home for me but I couldn't fight a decision when I'd been the one who purposely broke the rules of Iknimaya. Nitari was advising me on my path in life and I would no longer reject her advice as she'd been nothing but sincere to me. Regardless of that, I would miss everyone I'd come to know at Kelutral and admitted with a warm smile, "Apart from that, I'm grateful for the friendships I formed with you all back at Hell's Gate and like an old Hallmark card, I'll remember the fond memories in my new home. I won't lie by saying I'm not nervous since this is all I've known as home but. . .life's an adventure, right? So I should take this head on without looking back?"

"Jumping head first is what got you into this predicament" Cheryl chided gently about my impulsive ideas and I sighed morosely as I tried to figure out how I'd fit into this new clan. The Na'vi were always naturally wary of dreamwalkers and it had taken time assimilating into the Omaticaya as everyone strived to prove themselves but would the Atykwe react the same? Their clan had avoided all contact with humankind since their arrival and any interactions usually resulted in conflict as their home was threatened by the small pale aliens. It was different to maintain civility with strangers for one occasion and having them in the sanctuary of home for the rest of your life which kept knotting my stomach into a bundle of anxiety.

"All you can do is obey the matriarch and try your best" Max advised helpfully since that had been our focus when first arriving to help the Omaticaya rebuild. I would follow Nitari's orders for me to the best of my ability and smiled with appreciation when he pointed out casually, "She's the one who wants you in the clan so keep her happy which is what you're already doing by accepting her invitation. Nobody will be liked by everyone in life but for those that do find camaraderie with you; those are the ones you keep. I've been called brainiac, Norm a blabbermouth, Cheryl a goody-to-shoes, and you were the dragon queen."

"I have trust issues" I defended my little quirks of years past when I dodged familiarity with anyone until I found comfort with the Avatar driver team. They were my sense of a small family on this moon since the RDA was rather gruff with their tactics and most didn't really pay you any attention unless they were playing security on excursions. In my line of work, I didn't hesitate to point out our core principles to those who forgot we were on someone else's home world, whether they were on my own team or with the RDA. I clenched my hands into fists and frowned with distaste on my lips as I stated sardonically, "You lecture one person for almost stepping on a frail flower and suddenly I'm Godzilla. There's a reason we're anthropologists-"

Cheryl wrapped an arm around me and shushed my words before I flew into the same rants I'd thrown at employees who forgot why they signed up for Pandora in the first place. I grumbled inaudibly under my breath as a sweet berry satiated me, biting into the juicy fruit to lull my sudden irritation while Jake asked aloud with confusion, "_I_ didn't have a nickname?"

"No, everyone pretty much hated you" Norm answered easily and Jake balked to the fact, his mouth popping open comically as he blinked rapidly to the news. The rest of us could only cough nervously, itch the side of our heads, or take a sudden interest in foliage as Norm explained slowly with emphasis, "You did brood a lot in the beginning-"

"I was handicapped and had been blasted off to space for six years to pay for what crappy medical benefits couldn't" Jake interrupted to his serious nature during the start of his stay at Hell's Gate but he'd mellowed out as he socialized with the avatar driver team. It wasn't easy for him to leave an old life behind without concrete assurance that he'd gain the ability to walk again but having his own avatar changed that outlook completely. True, he was a bit glum when he realized his time was up and had to come back to us in the real world but Pandora had that effect on everyone. He crossed his arms to defend himself against old facts and ranted huffily with a small pout on his lips, "You expected me to be jolly old Saint Nick? Marines are serious, tough characters molded to protect civilians-"

"You weren't serious once you got the hots for Neytiri" I pointed out with a mischievous smile as he'd ousted my attraction to Tsu'tey and hoped my cheekiness would blow out the same lit match that occurred with me. Jake's attitude was more calmer than mine when it reached its boiling point as his military trained him for emotionally stressful situations and I smiled when he grinned cockily. Yep, he was rather proud of his mate.

"And I could also walk, throwing away all my 'broodiness'" Jake reminded us sarcastically as he made air quotes to his old attitude and we chuckled softly since he could've been close to suffering depression if it hadn't been for Neytiri and the handy avatar. We really didn't know much on Jake when he'd first started working with our teams since Grace didn't trust them for a second due to past conflicts. Luckily, he'd turned out to be one of the good guys who was fighting to keep this world untainted and my heartstrings were tugged when he asked with a bewildered voice, "So. . .really? Nobody liked me?"

Max rubbed the side of his head as he tried to answer it as gently as possible and sheepishly answered, "Pretty much, Grace told us to put you on our radar for betrayal but it faded over time when she saw you didn't want the Na'vi wiped out."

"A few girls liked the 'brooding military guy' look as the wheelchair scored you points but Grace told them to rid those urges in private if you know what I mean" I added in with a Cheshire grin to boost Jake's morale since he was a good friend to all of us but Cheryl smacked my arm to the indecent implication. It's not like human beings were all asexual because let's face it, we all had basic needs of the physical kind once in a while. I sighed disgruntledly at being morally wrong again but reminded her with a wagging finger and a knowing voice, "Cheryl, it's what normal people do when 'happy time' isn't available to them."

Norm buried his face into his hands as the topic of physical intimacy was brought up and groaned embarrassedly, "Are we really talking about this in public?"

"We can't dirty the innocent minds of the Na'vi" Cheryl agreed with a hushed voice as she heckled us as our resident mother hen and both Jake and I groaned miserably for having the topic censored. He and I were pretty open on the matter since his military life allowed him to face anything head on while my anthropological background freed my mind of any restraints to what was normal. The Na'vi didn't hesitate to explain the biology of mating to the new adults of the clan as it differed slightly from humankind but conversations about it were kept private nonetheless.

_Well, I've certainly tainted Tsu'tey_, I thought discreetly with delight to what we'd done in private but said nothing of it. I wasn't an official adult yet but I certainly knew he had erogenous spots at the edges of his ears and at the nape of his neck so I was on my way in the learning process. Despite all of that, I had to keep my mind clear of it because there would be no 'happy time' for me with whoever I held dear until I passed the rites of passage.

. . . "You guys took away my dating potential?"

This took away the spotlight from my verbal gutter mind as secrets about Jake's true popularity among the women were released. The news led Jake into relapsing to his previously brooding persona as he mourned the loss of dates that never were but a rabble of sharp reminders that he was legally married set him straight. The last conversation with my small group of friends was indeed memorable as we spent it gabbing casually, delving into everyday topics that brought us hearty laughter and none of the melancholy attached with farewells.

The third and last day brought me to the children as we decorated new wooden bowls with fresh paint I'd created in the morning. I had used all of my gathered pigments to make sure the children used any and all they desired as I wanted my last day among them to be a happy one. Some of the children would forget me within weeks without my ongoing presence as their young minds were still in development but others would remember me faintly. . .I hoped. I'm certain they'd love the next person who would watch over them but I had grown to adore them with my time among them. Tsu'tey had always nagged that I'd transform into one of them, especially after my fall when I became emotionally withdrawn, but they were a part of my life among the Omaticaya. I had been a lost child in a different sense when I first entered this clan as I learned everything that was pivotal in survival while also absorbing leisure skills from my young companions. Despite their young ages, they guided me with caring hands and genial smiles which exuded nothing but eternal love from me.

As I'd watched each of them paint, memories of my time with the clan flashed through my mind and Tsu'tey was prominent with each. He had both rejected and immersed me in his clan until I'd fallen head over heels for him, which wasn't very hard with our continuous exposure to each other. I kept my crafting circle in an open area outside the rear entrance of Kelutral so any child could join in to enjoy themselves while also serving as a lookout point for any signs of Tsu'tey. His lack of appearance among the clan worried me due to his protective nature and hoped that he'd confide in somebody (probably Jake) about what afflicted him since our relationship was experiencing huge bumps in the road.

My own wooden bowl was decorated with vibrant colors as Hawaiian tropical flowers were painted on all sides from my memory of old data files (it was a shame such beautiful flowers were extinct). I planned to give it to Cheryl as a parting gift due to her fascination with tropical flowers that scarcely existed on our old planet as their beautiful colors were one of many reasons she became a botanist. Her collection of herbs kept growing as her studies continued by natural observation and first-hand knowledge from the clan itself so I knew it would come in handy to house a few.

Eventually, it came time to break the news to the children and their innocent smiling faces didn't make it easy at all as I wanted to coo like the caregiver I'd turned into. They really were sweet as I watched their little hands slather paint with the wooden brushes and their smiling faces of accomplishment brought me joy. I came to Pandora believing children were not programmed into my lifestyle (mostly due to my upbringing) but as my life turned upside down in this world, many things changed. I actually liked being around children and the thought of one running around with my stubborn streak or facial features didn't frighten me as before. That wasn't to say I was ready to birth one into the world anytime soon but the concept was more than favorable to me as I'd seen babies go from crawling to walking and smiling to talking; lifespan development fascinated me with the little ones. But enough on my hidden wishes for the future, I was here to say farewell to my beloved little rascals.

"All right, today will be my last day here with you as the Atykwe clan was kind enough to offer me residence" I spoke up calmly as a hint of nervousness bit the back of my mind when each of them eyed me with confusion at the end. Na'vi children were adorable when their golden feline eyes were set on you and I didn't want to upset them in any form so I spoke truthfully with a friendly smile, "I want you to know that I treasured our time together and will miss your company when I leave. You were a big part of my day as we learned together and became fast friends over time so thank you from the bottom of my heart, little ones. I want you to continue creating your beautiful crafts to express yourselves as you grow up and find your path among the clan."

"You can't leave us!" Leka exclaimed upsettingly since she expected me to live within the clan just like everyone else I'd known and have little Joanna's' to run around to play with her. She'd been the closest one to me out of all of the children and I knew that as a child, it wasn't easy to let go of someone you cared for. It stung as feelings of abandonment mixed in but I didn't want her to experience any of that as I watched her features crinkle with disappointment. Leka waved the wooden paintbrush in her hand at the air, jabbing it in my direction as she pointed out firmly with an upset tone, "You're in _our_ clan."

"This is something that the Tsahìks have commanded and we all know we must listen to Eywa's will, don't we?" I reminded with an encouraging smile since I lost sight of that belief and heard their unison agreement. She didn't want to accept that as I watched her frown with downright refusal and couldn't help but smile to her innocent stubbornness as she tried to fight the decision. All I could do in this situation was reassure that our friendship would still be intact despite the distance and stated softly, "I'm sorry, Leka, but my time here has come to an end and I must join my new clan. It doesn't mean that I will forget any of you because I will carry every little trinket you've each given me. Each one will maintain our bond as I will remember every moment spent together at Kelutral."

"Do you have to leave?" another young boy, Karuk, spoke up hesitantly and I nodded sadly to his glittering orbs. He and Leka loved playing hide-and-seek together and I always joined them to be the counter so they could run around to enjoy themselves. Leka already showed signs of hunting traits as she tumbled with the boys to roughhouse in their make believe hunting and strived to win every game using speed or strategy. I would miss each of them as I hadn't become acquainted with the Atykwe children yet but every child was intriguing with their unique personality so I wouldn't worry. On the other hand, if they happened to be the opposite and didn't take to me. . .well, I'd put my caretaking skills to use elsewhere.

I left my seat at the front as their saddened faces plucked my heartstrings and crawled towards the center of the group, touching the children's shoulders gently as Grace taught me when it came to expressing friendly affection. They were young souls that endured much in their young lives and I didn't want to see a hint of sadness or despair as children should only be happy during this stage in life. Their small hands returned the gesture as they gazed at me somberly, their soft murmurs jabbing at my heart as I reassured them that they'd love the next person, but Leka broke through the group to grasp my left wrist as she sniffled, "Joanna. . ."

"It is okay, Leka" I soothed my dearest little friend here as she clung to my hand, wrapping my fingers around her lean wrist to squeeze affectionately. I fondly remembered her attempts to woo Tsu'tey and her brother for me, although the former was my only interest, and adored her outgoing nature as she didn't hesitate to voice her opinion. Her lips parted to speak but no voice came out as she tried to find something to say and I soothed gently, "Life may change our distance but friendships remain as they survive through time with good care."

"But will you come back to us?" Leka murmured softly with hope that I would return one day to see them again and I nodded, handing her a small yellow cloth so she could dry or wipe her nose. I didn't want her to cry and I rubbed her back gently so she could calm her emotions before they surfaced visibly because children had a natural domino effect, one cried and the others followed in empathy. At that point, I'd probably join them just to feel better myself. Her little fingers dabbed the inner corners of her eyes to ward off a river of tears and her voice shook as she whispered faintly, "Promise?"

"Of course, you'll be the first I look for. . .well, after the clan leaders since we must mind our manners" I chuckled softly, leaning down to hug her once without crossing the social standards too harshly because I couldn't handle seeing her upset. Leka had ways of reminding me of my younger sister during happier times when life had been good, when she smiled at me for guidance as we tried to catch glimpses of stars through the smog infested air rather than her disappointment of me in later life, and I didn't want either memory to be blemished with sorrow. I shushed her gently to soothe her sniffling as I held her like precious glass in my hands and sympathized with her pain, whispering privately with care, "You are a sweet girl and the next person filling my spot will love you just the same."

She wiped one eye sloppily and murmured defiantly, "I don't care. You're my friend."

The beginnings of maternal instinct had been seeded within me as I spent my time with the children and it was being cared for with routine watering until it flowered into true motherhood. All I could do to help my little friend's sadness was to undo one of the necklaces I wore, untying the thin leather straps holding pieces of clear pink gems and onyx beads together. I deposited the necklace into her empty hand, squeezing her outstretched fingers afterwards, and smiled widely to explain slowly, "This is one of my favorite necklaces, one I made during one of our many crafting circles. Although I'm leaving, I want you to keep it to remember our friendship and to know that I will come back to see you wearing it. I might not return an Omaticayan but this clan will always be in my heart."

Her small fingers curled around the necklace gingerly as she held it close to her chest, the pink stones complementing her brown garments and her eyes examined the stones between her fingers. I wanted her to have a keepsake so she could maintain a connection to me, even if I wasn't present within the clan, and her misty golden eyes bore into mine as she whispered somberly, "But. . .I'll miss you."

Yep, the dam holding back motherly sentimentality and caring camaraderie burst open to flood everything in its path with a roaring force. When a friend was in need, especially a young one, what else could you do but offer a comforting shoulder?

"Would you like to take a walk with Peke and I after we finish here?" I suggested kindly to lightening her heart and allowing us one last moment to bond before my leave. My hands swept over the other children as their solemn faces sunk my heart and I brushed the top of their heads with gentle affection. Leka nodded silently to my invitation as I huddled the children close, reminding them that bonds never broke and people were never forgotten as long as we honored their memory.

I spent the remainder of that afternoon with Leka by the water pools to soothe her separation blues as I tried to reassure that I'd be back the moment Nitari allowed a trip. I didn't know when that day would be (or if I would have one given the dangerous nature of a rite) but this clan would definitely be number one for a travel destination. They had given me a sense of life in an unknown world and introduced me to wonderful people, customs, foods, stories, and skills that I wouldn't have discovered if I'd stayed at Hell's Gate.

The Omaticaya were family and you never forgot that.

* * *

**A/N**: And we stroll through farewell lane as Joanna finishes her time there and will be leaving in the next chapter. Don't worry, we will have Tsu'tey's input in there because I can't have her leaving without telling him goodbye. I did state that she'd leave but it's fun knowing the entire road of how she gets there and we still have a lot to explore when she heads off and we split between the viewpoints of two clans as Tsu'tey's on his own.

I've gotten new readers since the last chapter and I'm so happy to know there are people out there who still love Avatar with the same fresh fascination as when I first saw it. Thanks for your continuous feedback, my dears, because we see Tsu'tey and Joanna say goodbye next time.

_camelotprincess1_: Tsu'tey will explain everything next chapter, promise.

_compa16_: I think the first volume has the most conflict due to Joanna's integration to Na'vi society but it will get better.

_Na'viRabbit_: Jake could argue for Joanna but we also have the matriarch weigh in heavily as she's the spiritual leader and what Eywa says, usually goes. Plus, Joanna's resigned herself to it. In my story, clans can intermingle by marriage to forge alliances like other cultures did in the past on Earth while also helping to broaden the gene pool. If one clan only mated between its own members for generations, eventually, interbreeding would occur and none of us would want to see physical mutations on those pretty Na'vi. That's one of the reasons I'm using for marriage between different clan members and another but I won't be revealing that one just yet.

_My Little Dreamer_: Yep, Tsu'tey's rare outpour of emotion at the end is what made the chapter for me.

_MarkDr_: I did think of that but I doubted Nitari would travel all the way out there to drag her home and we still need to resolve the whole 'Tsu'tey said this' debacle.

_Tifa-Carbuncle_: Thank you for the wonderful review and yes, we all want to shake him until he's dizzy with common sense. Yeah, I absolutely have to have music when I'm writing to imagine myself in the setting and don't worry, you're not the only one. I've had readers from other fanfics of mine say the same so we're not alone.

_Na'viWolf_: Yeah, studying always takes up a lot of my time too which is why I don't have a specific day when to update.

_C2ruis_: Thanks, we all want that happy ending for the stubborn Tsu'tey.

_Dracoessa_: Yep, twist's always make things exciting. Joanna and Tsu'tey will have their talk in the next chapter to bring all the second guessing to a close.

_angelus288_: You're so right, we never get what we want half the time. Each choice is basically 50/50 and Joanna stepped into the bad category which earned her an instant failure. Your point about the instant acceptance is true, I wouldn't trust a species that just demolished my home either. I think the end of Avatar kind of threw me off due to Jake's instant acceptance again but for stories I've made after this one, I've kept any OC from gaining easy acceptance from whatever group they want in on. They have to work for it just like the rest of us in the real world.

_Lucas Bane_: Thanks so much for your kind words, I try my best to get the reader sucked into the story and Joanna's little random questions to the readers seem to help out. The two will have it out in the next chapter as they tell all in order to leave nothing uncovered so we'll see what Joanna and Tsu'tey each have to say.

_CrissYami_: Oh, I hope I didn't make you cry but I understand, there are chapters in stories that make you do that. We're all suffering but it will get better for the two as the story progresses.

_3_: I wouldn't have either but Tsu'tey trains his students well and his trips with Joanna to the Thundering Rocks definitely helped her find her way- but not complete it. It's the simple words that make Tsu'tey both emotional and serious in the last chapter as he tried to maintain his dignity for what Joanna did.

_Chiharu-angel_: Well, I'm still glad you found it and love it. Thanks a bunch!

_Wyvrengirl_: That's pretty much what Joanna was trying to do but it backfired. I hope you managed to do your homework, I know how good stories can sidetrack you to procrastinate but thanks for reading my story.

_Claycarole_: It's absolutely okay, I appreciate all of your reviews since we all have our lives to contend with. I'm happy that I've managed to immerse you into the little Avatar world I created (with Cameron's foundation, of course) and that I've filled out realistic characters which will keep evolving throughout the story's development.

_Wia S_: Yes, they did have a lot of fights in their relationship but Tsu'tey reacts to conflict rather well as he analyzes everything that's coming at him. The biggest conflict between the two is actually in this first volume as the road is rocky from friendship to affection but the path evens out once they separate to different clans. I'm glad to have you onboard the Tsu'tey/Joanna train and we'll be visiting the coastline in the next two stops.

_Lemons246_: I didn't want to go down that path with Joanna either after reading a lot of Tsu'tey/OC fiction. The RDA needed a team that spanned many scientific fields and for all of the money put into the program, you have to be competent and not another Sully twin/sibling that went into the same field. On the other hand, there might be authors out there who can craft a perfectly good OC out of that but I wouldn't attempt it myself. I can't have her being a Mary-Sue by perfecting everything she tries because our Joanna is anything but that on Pandora. I will totally add a translation at the bottom of a chapter for Na'vi words that I use to make it reader friendly.

_Nekuranekomegami_: Thanks for loving it!

_Astra-The-Goddess_: They are adorable when they're together as a couple, feisty but affectionate. And reading this in two days, I applaud your reading skills because these are hefty chapters. Thanks so much for visiting my little DA page, I may not be able to make a film out of this but I can still sketch out the two main characters to flesh out what you guys read.

_Slaxl_: Thanks so much for your review, I love reading long paragraphs! I hated seeing Tsu'tey die at the end too because I'd already become attached to his intriguing craziness and wanted to see more of his background- of course, that didn't happen so I improvised. The guy was brave enough in my book to deserve a little fanfic and he continues to mature as he spends time with the dreamwalkers. Joanna treasures him as both family and a potential lover as her world has heavily revolved around his but as they each spend time apart in the next chapters, they'll continue to learn more about themselves and each other.

* * *

**Next Time**:

"All right, Anaya will take your pa'li with you to our clan seeing since you are endeared with him" Nitari smiled kindly as she handed out my newest orders since Mo'at had allowed me to keep my beloved pa'li. I'd been distraught over leaving him behind since the Atykwe had arrived on ikran but the Omaticayan matriarch had found me by the pen as I held onto him in farewell but she'd deemed me worthy to be his rider. Of course, she'd been firm that I take perfectly good care of him and I'd assured nothing would ever hurt an inch of skin on him. How could I, he was my baby. Her generous gift had sent me into happy hysterics and I'd quickly given my pa'li a good meal since the journey wouldn't be short, laughing at his happy licks in appreciation to our next adventure together.

Peke wagged his tail with delight when Nitari stroked his face and she counseled softly, "You must leave soon because the hours are not short on land travel and I do not want the three of you within the forest after sundown. I wish you a very safe travel, Joanna, and I will see you at home."

"And I as well, Tsahik" I replied courteously and she smiled at me once more before departing to take care of leftover clan business. Two clans would be departing today and I was set to leave on this early morning as the hints of lilac and gray-blue remained in the sky. The sun had yet to breach the horizon to bring in the new day but clan life started pretty early as the moon had natural light on its own from the surrounding forest.

My belongings had been placed into two leather pouches that would hang from Peke's sides in the style of a saddle but there would be none in the center as he rode freestyle. I pulled the last strap to secure my items and stroked his pelt to show everything would be fine. He was just as nervous as I was but he tried to put up a brave front for both us, warming my heart to his loyalty. Shushing his worried neighing gently, I kissed the top of his snout and assured, "You will love our new home."

Peke didn't seem so sure and snorted air through his airways, emphasizing that he didn't believe that in the slightest. I chuckled fondly to his sudden temperament and patted his neck with my left hand as I whispered calmly, "It will be all right, Peke."

My ears picked up approaching footsteps and I turned to see Tsu'tey carrying his bow as he inspected the string carefully. He noticed my staring since we hadn't talked in days and I wanted to reach out to make sure he was real as we eyed each other carefully. My assumption was proven true when he avoided my gaze, focusing on his bow rather intensely, and stated aloofly, "One can never be too careful."

I nodded quietly to his chosen words after days of avoiding contact with me and wondered if he was at least a little happy to see me. Great, I sound like a love-struck schoolgirl on my last day here. I expected him to say something about us or our friendship because I wasn't done with the topic as he meant the most to me but he was concerned with other things. His eyes narrowed coldly towards Peke when he spotted him playfully swatting fat insects with his antennae and he snatched his leads right out of my hands with a forceful yank. Peke let out a bark in alarm to his sudden action since the two weren't on the friendliest of terms but Tsu'tey snapped coldly, "Pa'li are forbidden to children. Peke will go to another, seeing as my time was wasted-"

I wasn't about to have my beloved pa'li taken away and wrenched the leads out of his grasp with my own forceful tug before he left with Peke. He didn't have any right to my steed anymore and I scowled with irritation for his brusque attitude, disliking the way his eyes were silently accusing me of wrongdoing. I didn't have to time to play his blame game because everything I was doing now was perfectly in tune to the matriarchs orders and sharply stated, "Mo'at gave him to me."

"You are nothing to our society but a blemish, useless and a waste of space" he hissed grimly as he glared angrily at both of us, practically condemning us with the same title. Well, at least he wasn't exploding like he used to. He could talk to me however he wanted since I could fight back verbally but I wouldn't let him tear into poor Peke. My lips parted to refute his hurtful comments but Tsu'tey beat me to it as he stated frankly, "You wounded me deeply with your actions and I would like nothing more than to be rid of your presence around me."

His words stung with the same potency but I wanted the truth to that as I replied calmly, "I believe you are angry and you're allowed that. I've been your friend for seasons and if you truly want me gone-"

"I can't see you without remembering everything" he said simply with an impassive tone and I nodded quietly since my actions hurt him in ways I couldn't comprehend yet (not that he was making it easy to). I didn't want to be judged so harshly by one I loved and it didn't lessen the pain when he ordered sternly, "You're a child now, I suggest you hold your tongue and act like one."

"Please, wait" I pleaded softly as he turned to leave but halted for a second, allowing me to fiddle with my satchel with haste before he disappeared with his long strides. I retrieved the most valued trinket he'd given me from my bag and ran over to him, resting a hand on his shoulder which caused him to stiffen at my touch. Regardless, I handed over his mother's lent necklace to relinquish my temporary ownership since I would have no need of it where I was going. This was a treasured heirloom and it belonged with the last descendant, not the one who'd crushed his heart. His fingers curled around the white gemstones as his golden eyes softened in recognition to his mother's item and I avoided his gaze as I stated softly, "This belongs to you-"

"It was a gift" he interrupted quietly as his fingers gingerly curled around the necklace, his eyes flickering into a softer gaze. I found myself forcing down a lump of pain in my throat when he gazed upsettingly at me for placing it in his care once more. What else could I do? This was his property and it would've been rude of me to run away with it without a single word about it.

"It's your heirloom, it belongs with _you_" I pointed out gently because he deserved to keep such a sentimental item and I was no longer worthy of it because our relationship, platonic or not, had become fractured. Encasing his closed hand with both of mine, I met his somber gaze in attempt to console the hurt as I whispered caringly, "It is best that you keep the last remainders of your family because I know you loved them dearly, Tsu'tey. I-"

"Is that all?" he asked stiffly, his gaze breaking away from mine to return to its icy expression as he pocketed the necklace in his own leather pouch for safekeeping.

There was so much left unsaid and I didn't know where to start. . .


	27. Farewell to the Omaticaya, Pt1

**Farewell to the Omaticaya, Pt.1**

* * *

Jake fiddled with tying a speckled brown feather in his braided hair as he prepared for last meal and upholding his respected image as a clan leader was a main priority after playing host for so many people. He longed for the days when he could just tie his hair, don a simple loincloth, and add a few accessories to call it a day but his daily image routine took double the time which drove Jake a little insane due to the celebration that demanded he look his best (more than he normally did with just his clan on an average day) for more than a week. The na'vi people lacked mirrors but they used black polished stones resembling obsidian to observe their reflections when water wasn't readily available and he grasped an oval stone off a nearby natural shelf to peer into it. It wasn't the best mirror in the universe but as long as it showed him that his hair wasn't all over the place and resembling a hexapede fan, Jake was satisfied. If his appearance betrayed otherwise, his mate would remedy the problem quickly with her own skills because she certainly never failed at catching his attention.

He couldn't resist the joke that popped into his head as he looked into the black stone to smooth down the feathers in his hair with one hand while using the other to angle his viewpoint with the stone. Sniggering quietly to himself, he grinned slyly to quote an old kid's film, "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the handsomest na'vi of them all?"

"That would be me" Tsu'tey's firmer voice popped in from behind as he entered the alcove to check on his friend wardrobe progress and couldn't help himself from poking fun. Actually, both of those things had become a regular habit for Tsu'tey since the festivities began in order to make sure his leader was right on schedule and didn't lag behind because the last day of an entire celebration was not the best time to run late.

Jake snorted with amusement to the hunter's playful arrogance (most jabs occurred in privacy with their friends) and turned around to remind him with a toothy grin full of mischief, "I _still_ had more mating requests than you."

"I was betrothed!" he insisted swiftly to why he lacked female attention during his previous engagement to Neytiri but nowadays, he was up to his neck with captivated women. Unfortunately, his attention had been primarily focused on one particular dreamwalker woman that he'd do anything for but she'd thrown away their chances for a future life without a second thought. He'd been ready to start planning for a life where he would place bachelorhood on a permanent shelf and start whittling an ikran toy for a child that would've cherished it as they pulled on his mate's hand with excitement. Tsu'tey might not have been suited for coddling children like others who were naturally adept due to his heavy responsibilities to the clan but it didn't mean that he never wanted one of his own. If anything, a little infant would've presented new prospects as an entire world opened for a new parent but he doubted it would ever happen now.

"That's not an acceptable excuse" Jake joked good-naturedly with a knowing smile as Tsu'tey played a good distraction to shift the focus away from his upcoming responsibilities and his own friendly jab allowed Tsu'tey to do the same with his emotional woes. The clan leader placed the stone inside a dark brown wooden jewelry box he'd personally designed for his mate (but had a craftsman create it because his skills weren't up to par) and stood up to admire his clothing from his full height, nitpicking at the arrangement of his arm bands since translucent stones suited him better than bright solid colors. Of course, whatever his mate wanted, he would oblige. His friend, on the other hand, donned rich maroon Omaticayan made fabrics lined with intricate edges of a silver color and Jake's brow rose to his bold tones along with the luxurious fabrics worn. They weren't men that paraded their ranks by wearing attire designed for such but Jake couldn't help but ask slowly with a drawl, "Isn't red a little. . .intimidating?"

Tsu'tey scoffed under his breath since he liked donning rich colors for special occasions and his chest puffed to uphold his honor as he stated proudly, "It means courage and honor. . .I also look very alluringly refined in it."

Jake was ready to fire another joke to his dominant alpha peacock posture but his advisor beat him to the punch line as he leaned back against the alcove wall and smirked to mock with an airy tone, "You're simply jealous of my taste in clothing, I am rather gifted in the skill after constant exposure. Don't you think the neutrals are a little bland?"

"Exactly, total neutrality with a dash of friendliness" Jake replied charismatically to the specific tones he'd chosen to portray himself with and his happy grin widened when he heard a little hiss leave Tsu'tey's lips. As an ex-soldier, he was used to letting words slide off his back and loved knowing that it irritated his friend when he couldn't strike a hit. Jake scratched off another point in his favor in their friendly jesting as he let Tsu'tey mull over the next comeback and grabbed another brown feather from the leather pouch at the side of his waist (he always stuffed his color feathers of the day in there to make sure he wouldn't fall behind schedule). His fingers carefully tied it on a braid behind his ear to add subtle elegance as he liked having his feathers facing downwards in a cascading effect rather than poking out randomly. Tsu'tey, however, preferred to keep them tilted upwards from the crown of his head to increase his height (which was already daunting enough) and randomly mixed them into his hair to lie flatly from the nape downwards to prevent his appearance from being too harsh.

Tsu'tey feigned disinterest to his laidback comment, his eyes closing slightly with boredom, and he stated simply with a flat tone, "I think the feathers are an ugly color."

_Ouch_, Jake thought amusingly with a bit of surprise to the retort and his mind began to conjure the best response to return the upper hand back to his side. He'd already used his current appearance and keeping to the same bit would turn worn and repetitive so he decided to alter his joke routine down a different road. He couldn't help but feel that old boyish nostalgia when he played pranks on his siblings just to see their faces and his heart warmed instantly as he thought mischievously, _Ha, I can't wait to see his face._

"Well, I think your everyday brown necklace is uglier than anything on Pandora but _I_ don't say anything" Jake preened smartly with a casual tone but a tiny smirk formed in the right corner of his lips as he threatened to burst into laughter. Tsu'tey, being a prideful man, didn't take the hit to his self-image very well because he rather liked his chosen appearance for the day and nobody had complained about it as he'd walked around the residential levels. If anything, his choice of garb drew a good amount of attention- especially from the women. Jake merely kept the roguish smile on his lips as he observed his friend's reaction, certain that the small twitch in his left cheek meant that he was planning his next stage of attack to defend his honor- it was almost like chess for them.

A second later, Tsu'tey knocked the figurative chessboard aside when he ripped a white feather clear off the end of one of Jake's braids and the ex-marine balked to the action as his gold irises locked onto the delicate feather held between his friend's fingers. Yes, he hated tying the things into his hair randomly but nothing irritated him more than having his hard work undone. . .especially when Tsu'tey was holding it like a prize to be admired. Taking a page out of the Earth quote 'monkey see, monkey do', Jake leaned forward with the same determination and ripped off two of the red beads hanging from the side swept braids over Tsu'tey's face to win his own comeuppance. Jake grinned cockily as he held the beads in his hand, pleased when he saw the other's man eyes narrow in challenge and chuckled haughtily, "There we go, much better."

This, in turn, drove Tsu'tey to pull another of Jake's feathers off from the crown area of his head and the clan leader exclaimed with alarm for having his hairstyle disarrayed by his friend. He couldn't go outside looking like a fashion catastrophe, not only would the clans spread the gossip like fire but Neytiri would give him an earful about impressing the clans with stability. The incentive of preventing a marital argument drove Jake forward to rip off a white feather from his advisor's hair which resulted with an offended his from Tsu'tey as he tried to push him away. With the established rule of 'boys will be boys' between them, the two ensued in three more rounds of pulling decorative hair accessories as if their lives depended on it. The two had been ready to present themselves on a na'vi fashion model catwalk to swoon the masses of women but with their impulsive behavior, the two resembled wet cats.

In the end, Tsu'tey brought it all to an abrupt halt when he pulled out his trump card when he eyed it with his peripheral vision by a stroke of luck. Jake had left an open bag of feathers sitting on top of a small wooden stump that served as a small table for the ruling couple and the hunter didn't hesitate to grab it, leaping as if his life depended on it to uphold his honor as a winner. All Jake could do was call his name in shock but the words died on his tongue when Tsu'tey hurled it into the air to decorate the alcove in brightly colored feathers. The clan leader was tempted to pull his hair out immediately to the mess filling his vision and could only gape in both mortification and shock as he was frozen in place. His brow furrowed when he spotted Tsu'tey smirking with satisfaction to his mischievous handiwork and closed his mouth when a small feather stuck onto his lips, spitting it out in distaste because he would be the one cleaning up the entire mess!

Neytiri chose that exact second to enter the alcove, fixing a leather necklace of bold yellow stones and taupe feathers but her attention was seized by the eye-catching colorful feathers circulating the air. Her eyes widened immediately with horror to seeing her immaculate home in such a condition after she'd been gone for only a few minutes and pinpointed the main culprits as they argued with low hisses. Honestly, the two men made her seem like the sane one and the motherly figure with their antics as they left her speechless once again and she shouted indignantly, "What the- _Jake!_"

Jake's head snapped in her direction with lightning speed as he heard her voice, catching her infuriated gaze as she burned a hole into him with her golden eyes alone and knew he was scorching in hot water. He wasn't about to be cooked alive all alone and he quickly pointed to his partner in crime to pipe up with conviction, "_And_ Tsu'tey!"

She waved away the cascading feathers as she walked inside with deliberate steps, pinning her mate with a heated glare as he tried to appear nonchalant about the whole thing. Neytiri wasn't about to let him charm his way out of it and sternly warned with thinly pressed lips, "Jake, you are supposed to be getting ready for last meal."

"I was until he started ripping out my hair. . .and uh, this resulted" he explained matter-of-factly but his tone turned sheepish at the end as he crossed his arms to point out that he'd been a good boy throughout all of it. True, he might have goaded his friend into it but he certainly hadn't pulled off hair accessories to claim victory.

Neytiri lingered her gaze on him for a moment before clearing him with innocence (for now) and turned to Tsu'tey with the same disapproval to ask sharply, "What happened?"

Tsu'tey trusted the princess like a sister but his current predicament with Joanna had put quite a damper in his mood and outward attitude towards others, which is what brought him to avoid her gaze like a guilty child who'd snuck in a treat before last meal. Instead, looked to Jake to help him out of the sticky situation and with his nonexistent mind reading skills, Jake realized the whole problem delved on the private side of guy matters. He could handle those issues with flying ease since he'd done wonders on pinning Tsu'tey with his friend and clasped Neytiri's left shoulder to assure her with a chipper tone this time, "I'll handle this."

She eyed him skeptically since his version of handling things meant releasing stress in the archery ranges or inventing an outlandish game that had her burying her head in her hands with mortification (never again would she wash her mate's back after hearing of his latest win in a paint war with his friends). Her eyes narrowed to show she wasn't leaving until he gave a decent explanation that he'd do just that, without any more surprising antics, and Jake reaffirmed with clarification, "Man problems only, I promise."

A light peck to his mate's cheek did the trick for the charismatic Jake and Neytiri accepted it.

"All right, but I expect both of you downstairs for last meal or I will-" Neytiri warned the two most important men of her clan with a glare that would have residents bowing down to the usually calm woman and they nodded hastily, obeying the clan princess immediately lest they test her wrath. Breathing deeply to regain her old neutral composure, she turned around gracefully and exited their home to return below for the continuing festivities.

Once his mate was out of earshot, Jake changed his attitude to a more serious note and calmly asked, "Did your outburst have anything to do with a certain woman that likes to climb mountains without authorization?"

Tsu'tey hesitated because he wasn't one on speaking about his emotions regarding Joanna, especially when he'd partaken in an embarrassing incident like feather throwing. The main reason he didn't want to talk about it was because he could accidentally slip in the fact that he was secretly courting Joanna without approval and was defying all tradition. Although she cast aside their future for instant acceptance, Tsu'tey wouldn't say a word about their private relationship for fear that she'd receive a worse punishment and he'd face backlash as well. His heart was already heavy for being denied the chance of choosing her as his mate and a single mention of her name brought back every painful moment. Finally, he uttered quietly with a downcast gaze, "Yes, she has worked her way into every crevice of my mind and her recent blunder is driving me insane."

"She's not proud of that either, you know" Jake informed easily about her feelings on the matter since his friend's life was about to change come tomorrow and wondered if she'd told him yet. Joanna had a tendency to procrastinate and dance around issues concerning Tsu'tey but this was one time Jake wanted her to be direct with the matter since they would be living distances apart. He didn't know whether the two were on speaking terms since both were rather private about their interactions but he guessed they hadn't when Tsu'tey shot him an irritated glare. Jake took the leadership excuse to block the menacing scowl by waving his hands peacefully and pointing out evenly, "I'm not taking anybody's side because I want both of you happy and not clawing my face."

"This is not an easy problem to overcome-" Tsu'tey objected to his friend's notion that the predicament could be remedied so simply, shaking his head fervently which caused the immaculate white feathers to quiver delicately.

"You threw her off Kelutral and it worked wonders for you two" Jake attempted to joke lightly with an enthusiastic smile since the incident caused the two to bond almost immediately once they found a peaceful resolution. Tsu'tey directed another intimidating glare in his direction for the casual reminder because he'd only admitted his fault to Jake, Neytiri, Mo'at, and Joanna herself because apologizing to the entire clan would've had him treading on glass with each resident due to an instant loss of respect for the shameful action. Joanna had been kind enough to keep it between them as he'd promised to protect her and she'd never broken her word. Jake didn't see his words going anywhere on the little tugboat of forgiveness as Tsu'tey betrayed no emotion on his face and sighed softly to offer his best words of comfort, "My advice is to talk to her, Tsu'tey, just to clear the air because things are not always what they appear to be."

The hunter shook his head firmly because a single glance brought everything to surface in his mind, especially the pain, and he muttered, "I don't think I'm ready for that yet."

"Change is coming, not just with the rainy season, and you must be prepared" Jake advised him with the encrypted message, offering his friend a sympathetic glance before stepping out of the alcove. He'd pick up the strewn feathers later on since his alcove was visited only by family and personal friends, motioning for Tsu'tey to follow along before Neytiri decided they were taking too long and took matters into her own hands (namely, yanking him by the ear). The sun filtered through the open crevices in the canopies, creating beams of light through Jake's level of residence and the two walked together side by side to find the spiral staircase. Tsu'tey remained silent as his footsteps mimicked the same stealth while Jake's hearing sharpened to the harmonious bird songs echoing through their home since silence wasn't his fancy and he added a few last words from the heart, "I'd hate to see your friendship ruined over this, you and Joanna share many qualities that match you perfectly as a pair- platonic or not. She simply wanted to live with us and, well, it's no secret between our friends that she cares very much for you. You've helped me out of sticky situations with Neytiri so I won't hesitate to lend you a helping hand."

Tsu'tey pondered on his friend's words but doubted anything could change his current thoughts on Joanna, placing the friendly advice on a lonely shelf for now.

* * *

_(Joanna's POV)_

The veil of ethereal bioluminescence throughout Pandora brought me to the last night of the celebration as dancing was a must for everyone since everything given to us came from Eywa and she deserved our praise. My path in her book wasn't one I was eager to discover (having disobeyed her will once) but I hoped there was a happy rainbow at the end somewhere by the road of honest hard work. The last meal had been one of the best I'd ever had and I was happy to call it my last among the clan as everyone congregated happily but melancholy was linked to the meal as friendships would be placed on pause due to the distance.

Cheryl and I had previously spoken to Jake about creating a communication system since na'vi clans lacked interaction during the human occupation and deserved to speak with loved ones continually to maintain their bonds. So far, using the leaves of the banana tree was one of the options as an eco-friendly approach since washable paints could be used for messaging and reusing the plant for everyday life was easy by a simple washing. The project was currently in the brainstorming phase in preparation for undergoing the faithful scientific method to prove either right or wrong but I couldn't wait to see what would become of it. With Max being the head liaison between the dreamwalkers and the Omaticaya, Tsu'tey would work with him as clan advisor to plan out suitable ideas that mixed in modern communication without disturbing the balance of Pandora.

Jake's final speech during last meal had lifted my gloomy spirits as he was well on his way to being a great speaker, "I want to thank each and every one of you for traveling the distance to our Kelutral to celebrate what Eywa has graciously provided for us as we maintain balance with Her world and children. No matter where distance takes us, whether to the crashing waves of the coastline or the endless land of the plains, we are all children of the All Mother and you will always be welcomed among my clan. The Omaticaya thank you for your presence as you have been with us during good times and recent hardships but we hope that from now on, only happy times will reign upon our world. Before we eat in honor to Eywa, I ask that we sing one of the first songs that bind each of us as one people, 'Radiating Unity'."

All of the First Songs created by the people of Pandora were taught during the first years of schooling since parents began the teaching process when children were capable of retaining the verbal lessons. Everybody over the age of five was taught the four core songs of Na'vi society and I was happy to be among the statistics as Tsu'tey had taught them to me during nighttime, correcting each pronunciation, key, and tempo until I matched his voice. I sat up straight to fix my posture for maximum lung capacity to maintain my singing, smiling giddily at Cheryl as our cheerful voices joined the masses to begin,

"_The unity of life, Eywa bestowed  
When She breathed life into The People,  
We were one with the first gasp  
Eywa offered Her children love,  
The People were unified in blood and in bond  
Eywa presented peace,  
The People would never bring harm to each other  
She granted us the beauty of our world,  
Her children would protect it to their dying breaths  
Eywa gave each of her children wisdom,  
The People would honor her and never disrespect. . ."_

The First Songs were beautifully intuitive as the synchronization of melodies united all clans and dictated both the history and respected traits that each Na'vi should uphold because they were all a part of the People. Time had distanced clans as new lands were discovered by Na'vi and old ones either flourished or were absorbed by others but they carried Eywa's teachings in their hearts to maintain peace.

My heart was plagued with anxiety to leave Kelutral and despite the joyful dancing that I participated in with my friends after last meal to follow Jake's words about unity, I enjoyed none of it. How could I when I had automatically cast myself out with my own stupidity during one brave moment? What had I been thinking? I have no striking qualities in my personality that could've made me so daring as I'd been during Iknimaya but my time with Tsu'tey had certainly rubbed off on me. Unfortunately, I didn't share his natural luck to survive daringness or gain instant acceptance like Jake with his contagious charisma. I was on my own and had to carve out my own path in life, making damn sure I didn't ruin my last chance.

I could only nurse my _naxa_ drink with light sips as the sweet taste barely registered on my tongue while I cozily sat with my friends on a log bench, watching the crowds dance with cheerful vigor around the roaring fires scattered throughout the base. The shadows from the crowds leapt over the orange flames to cast lively dancing silhouettes over the columns and walls of Kelutral. Out of the corner of my eye, I finally caught notice of Tsu'tey as his usual common garb of brown had been cast aside for a formal maroon color as pristine white feathers decorated his intricately braided hair. My heart jumped up my throat with happy beats after days of lacking his presence and damn it all, he was as handsome as ever in my view. I'd grown used to running my fingers through his braided tresses to comfort him from daily stresses and I'd recently found delight outlining his darker cyan stripes to outline each one into memory but all good things came to an end. Of course, my sudden joy to his presence was short-lived as I watched him move gracefully through the crowds and stop at a particular spot that had my left eye twitching in incredulity.

I won't lie and say my heart didn't feel crushed when he spoke to Sahí's little group of women and chose her specifically to dance. Had Ireally become invisible to him? Had I completely thrashed our friendship as well that I wasn't worthy enough of a 'hello' or 'we need to talk'? He'd said nothing to me for days but he could socialize with just about anyone else during the festivities as I caught his pearly white smile from my location (I wasn't kidding when I said his smile was white to the extreme; he really did have such beautiful teeth). Days ago, he was whining about the flocking women and now, he was being hailed as their sweet Romeo and Sahí had nothing but glittering stars in her eyes as she practically worshipped him. Okay, maybe I was being a little vindictive with my words towards a woman I didn't know particularly well but Tsu'tey was a man that I greatly cared for. My heart sunk down painfully as each passing second stabbed it with a sharp sewing needle and I shifted my gaze towards Cheryl, who was cheerfully clapping her hands to the upbeat music, and told her listlessly, _"He hasn't said a word to me. What the hell did I do to that onion? Damn me and my sudden Superman bravery."_

"I'm sure it would help tremendously if you both sorted this out, you two have a tendency to avoid and assume things about the other" Cheryl advised softly as she tried not to laugh at my last words, sympathetically patting my shoulder to amend and I sighed since it was true. We had been working on that but most of the progress came from him rather than me since my head was screwed on rather loosely yet he was the only one setting it right. Despite that, we were here once more but he was the incensed party this time.

Noren approached us with his contagious smile and Cheryl returned it with affection shining in her eyes, both of their ears lowering as they acknowledged their significant other. The two were close to sealing a bonding proposal soon and I couldn't wait to see her as Mrs. Noren or whatever happened to one's original name when mated, if it changed at all. My education on mating customs or marriage dynamics wasn't particularly in-depth since the na'vi were rather private about their lives, especially if human diplomats had decided to ask and publish their findings which is why anthropologists didn't know. Furthermore, I never asked Tsu'tey since the talk about mating had brought on sudden fits of coughing or high-pitched reprimands during our friendship and I never reached the point about married life because he feigned sleep next to me by that time. Bashful and simple actions like that brought me sadness to what I would lose come tomorrow but I aimed a friendly smile to Noren in welcome. He greeted us with his amicable smooth voice, perfectly trained for his singing as he smiled widely, "Kaltxi, Joanna. Cheryl, my dear one."

"I hope I haven't kept her away from you too long" I smiled warmly since the dancing was perfect for couples looking to find an activity to partake in together and he chuckled lightly as he sat down next to her. Noren was a gentle laidback man who fit wonderfully among Cheryl's friends and the two complemented each other perfectly in public- unlike Tsu'tey and I who were more akin to privacy to show our true selves. It was like watching a futuristic grandparent couple in their youth as they doted on each other with tender affection in their words but kept it subtle due to the socializing setting.

"I wanted to ask you to dance but seeing that you're busy. . ." Noren brought up sheepishly since he wasn't the type to separate two chatting gals but I didn't mind one bit. He was a kind gentleman that wanted time with his number one lady and I would not keep her bound in any way. Why would I even dare? They were so adorable together and I restrained myself from humorously chucking both towards the crowd with tears of happiness fit for an actress in a romantic comedy.

Cheryl gave me a sympathetic look as she tried to please both parties, her lips moving to potentially decline him politely but I answered her true feelings on the matter, "Don't mind me, Noren, of course she will. You will make her dance the night away until her feet drop because this night is perfect for young love."

Her mouth gaped open with shock but I smiled impishly since it was her secret desire and I'd make Cheryl happy however I could. I waved my hands to shoo away the sweet lovebirds with a friendly smile as I sipped my drink innocently because I wouldn't keep them apart or allow Cheryl to say otherwise. Her kind nature always compelled her to care about others but it was time that she thought about her own needs and what _she_ wanted- which was obviously Noren so it was time to reach for it. Cheryl smiled graciously as she squeezed my shoulder in gratitude but ordered gently with a small pout, "All right, but you and I are going to talk because you're not leaving without a good girl chat."

I wouldn't have it any other way.

I watched them head towards the dancing throngs of people but gazed at the ground because the last thing I wanted to catch a glimpse of was Tsu'tey having the time of his life while I was miserable. Yes, I deserved to endure the consequences of what I'd unknowingly done but all I wanted was to keep him in my life, ironically causing an instant rift between us. On the other hand, I was the type of woman to take initiative to get things done (there was a reason I was the head of the anthropological team, after all) without risking it all and downed my sugary drink in one gulp as I stood up with a face full of determination. Placing my empty cup on the log bench, I breathed deeply to keep my sudden gumption and made my way into the dancing crowds to find Tsu'tey by keeping a sharp eye out for white and red hues. It was easy to maneuver through the crowds as constant training made every physical movement lean and gracious for any situation so I was saved from being accidentally smacked or thrown aside.

I found the Omaticayan warrior dancing between a crowd of his own friends and Sahí which put me on edge but I kept myself composed. Na'vi dancing lacked physical contact as movements were fast paced but hand holding was acceptable between family and mates . . . but when I saw him touching the small of her back, my fingers automatically twitched because _I _wanted to feel those calloused and firm fingers running down my back. The downside was that I'd lost that right when I disappointed him, hadn't I? He was the one my heart yearned to be with but knowing that option was no longer possible, I had to consider the idea that he would have to find a mate within the Omaticaya. My heartache was still too raw to accept that fact as I watched the two mingle privately, the conversation inaudible with my hearing, and I touched his right shoulder to catch his attention.

He stiffened immediately out of natural instinct but halted his festive dancing to turn around, the slight narrowing of his eyes telling me that I wasn't a welcome sight. My heart sped up with anxiety because nobody wanted to receive a dose of his frigid glare but I didn't care. I was trying my damnedest to get his attention since I was down to my last hours here and spoke evenly, "I really need to talk to you."

"We are celebrating Eywa, I will not have that aura tainted" he rebuffed coldly as he stepped away from his posse to confront me in private, knowing another interaction would sprinkle more fuel to the circulating gossip. I crossed my arms to show I wasn't intimidated by him and that he'd have to hear my words whether he wanted or not, even if I had to dance between him and his newest fancy to keep his attention.

"Yes, I can see you're enjoying yourself quite well" I stated stiffly as my gaze briefly flickered towards his companion but only caught a hint of pastel peach cloth because I couldn't bear knowing that he was right about his claims, withdrawing my gaze before I could see her face. I wanted to ignorantly believe that I was the only one he cared for, stubbornly holding onto the idea that our secret relationship had actually been heading somewhere. However, the illusion was quickly cracking as the seconds passed and his detached attitude didn't help matters in any way but I didn't let it deter me as I brought up slowly, "Regardless of that, you know we have an unfinished matter to talk over."

"No, I don't believe we do" he disagreed simply as he took a sip of the drink he held, avoiding my gaze by using his height to gain an advantage. It worked because his condescending chin lift made me feel tiny like an ant in this confrontation and his powerful form didn't help when he turned away with disinterest to state bluntly, "My binds to you have been severed and as for talking, you certainly didn't care for my opinion when you undertook that dangerous journey."

I couldn't find a rebuttal for that because he was right, I went against his best judgment but it was all for our best interests so we could be together. It was impossible to redo what I'd unknowingly done but I would've changed it by telling him the main reason for it all before he'd stomped off, which is what I was trying my hardest to atone for. We needed to discuss this calmly like adults who weren't at each other's throats but his stern face kept weakening my courage as he stared me down, forcing me to stammer softly, "Yes, but. . .I-I mean, you need to know-"

"No, I cannot bear looking at you-" he broke in swiftly as his gaze moved downwards from my head to my waist in a way that shamed me because he'd never looked at me with such dislike. This was a man I cared for and to hear him use such words squeezed my heart in a tight vice grip as I withstood them.

"But you can look at other women quite easily" I pointed out coldly since he seemed to be enjoying himself just fine from what I'd seen and watched his eyes narrow into slits, his features crinkling in irritation to having it thrown in his face. I didn't know the truth to his claims with Sahí, although catching him here wasn't helping to dispel the falsehood of it, and tried to hide the jealous side that tried to peek through. It was an emotion that couldn't be helped after investing so much time to develop a deeper understanding with him and calmed the little match in my mind that was ready to light into a scorching flame. Raising my hands to display that I simply sought a peaceful conversation, I sighed softly to implore, "Sorry, I just- it's important that I speak with you. Please, this is the last time I-"

"Joanna, right now, it would be best that you left me alone" he stated quietly in private, leaning in to make the point clear across the music flowing through the air, and his words struck me speechless. Did he know how close on target he was on my new path in life? I never thought I'd push him so far away and wished to remedy everything I'd done to bring him back into my life but what could I do? I was scheduled to meet Tsahìk Nitari soon to discuss this new turning point in my journey but all I wanted to do was trap him in my hammock, erase our memories from five days ago, and curl up like we used to so we could watch the stars.

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat as I crossed my arms to stop my hands from trembling, biting the inside of my cheek to keep a straight face since he was having no problem keeping his composure. My defenses could work flawlessly in public with anybody but put Tsu'tey in the middle of the picture and they would unravel like silk ribbons in hair; he was my weakness because I _loved_ him. Clearing my throat to keep my voice straight, I nodded once and murmured weakly to agree, "All right, I will abide to your wish because I respect your choice."

He was the only one who could make me weep like a child as he held my heart between his fingers and wondered if he knew how much power he held over me. I gazed fondly at the man I adored, far more than any other that had briefly entered my life, and whispered softly, "Just don't regret your words one day, I care so very much for you-"

"Find your friends, Joanna" he interjected simply with finality, not bothering to meet my gaze, and turned around without further word to end the conversation. My fingers twitched involuntarily as they yearned to embrace him from behind, to cast aside propriety and traditions as the deepest part of me wanted to tell him exactly how and why I felt the way I did.

Instead, I was forced to watch him leave once more as engaging him in conversation would cause a dramatic scene since his patience had been running thin and I didn't want attention to be drawn towards him since this was all kept in secret. He avoided glancing back at me as he moved deeper into the crowd until he disappeared in the dancing sea of na'vi and although I wanted to reach in to pull him back to me, I let him go. What more could I do when all of my efforts were rejected? I was doing everything in my power to maintain his image as an honorable warrior that was strict to tradition but he couldn't grant me a few minutes to let me confess everything? I broke the principles of the clan for him in an effort to gain a step forward into what I dreamed for our lives.

I would have to call this a defeat for now but maybe tomorrow, I could find him because it would be my last shot. If not. . .well, he had an inkling of how much I cared for him now but he didn't know my willingness to endure decisions that I'd sought to cement it. The music ringing in my ears certainly brought me to happier times when we hadn't been fighting and I allowed myself to slip into a memory as I left the dancing people to tend to my weeping heart.

_Everything was a frenzy of movement with flailing arms filling my vision as people danced gracefully with joy to the new guests that had arrived this evening. The visiting clans had settled in nicely for their short stay and the singers of the Omaticaya had been more than happy to welcome them as musicians followed to keep the night alive. I felt like a lost little tapirus as dancing was new to me and all I could do was observe the beautiful fluid movements of the na'vi with curiosity. The dancing was upbeat as dances required small fast movements that rivaled gymnasts or martial artists as the na'vi used it for storytelling, honing their flexibility, rituals, or just plain fun. One thing was for certain: you needed to keep up with the athleticism displayed as you danced alone or with a partner for further delight. Children, on the other hand, were exempt but they watched the adults in awe (especially during storytelling dances) to mimic their movements later._

_"Join us in dancing" Norm called out with an ecstatic grin as he made his way to dance near Tarazi's group in the hopes that he could offer her an invitation to be his partner. I smiled to the young Romeo, his quick movements blending into the crowds as he turned and dodged strategically- even rolling between two dancing figures to efficiently move to the next side. Like I said, some ninja moves could be required. I spotted Jake trying to slowly dance his way into the crowd by swaying his hips languidly to show people he wasn't into it when he actually was but Neytiri kept him rooted to a log bench as clan leaders danced during celebrations only. I knew he'd try to find leeway with that as the man was rather free spirited in his new world and since the festival was officially a day away, I wouldn't be surprised if I saw him leaping through fire anytime soon._

_The numerous people gathered at the base of Kelutral had allowed a certain someone to sneak behind me unnoticed as the music covered the footsteps. An unknown arm wrapped around my waist from out of nowhere and I flinched instantly to the sudden unwarranted physical contact as defensive instinct kicked in. My hand struck out to find who this unwelcome newcomer was because I wasn't about to let just anyone touch me but when a familiar hand with three bioluminescent dots painted on their thumb caught it, my body relaxed._

_"Tsu'tey" I breathed softly with a fond smile and he delivered a small kiss to my hand before releasing it gently. His eyes were molten gold against the fire burning in the foreground and my heart fluttered to his intense gaze, my hand brushing against his jawline in affection when nobody glanced our way._

_"You're not dancing" he teased playfully as the shadows from the clan's hearth danced around us, vibrant life added in by the moving dancers, but they kept him in the dark since I had found my observation spot against the wall of Kelutral. He didn't hear me chuckle over the loud music but it reverberated against his warm chest as my back pressed against him, creating a cozy atmosphere for us. His chin touched my shoulder as he stood behind me and I was wonderfully content watching the dancing from our spot._

_The side of his hand stroked the curve of my back sensually with a feathery touch as I leaned into him and chided impishly, "Neither are you, clan advisor. Would you mind teaching your student?"_

_"I'll teach you everything you want to know . . . but I'm not the best dancer" he replied smoothly with confidence but his tone slipped to distaste at the end. He didn't hesitate to speak publicly to his people or be at the center of events but dancing, well, that art didn't seem to like him. To me, he was perfect as he was and each little imperfection drew me closer- emotionally and physically, if our current position was any indication._

_"I don't care, all I need is you" I smiled tenderly to his sheepish face as he tried to avoid dancing between the throngs of people and stood next to him to rub his back gently. His lips lifted into a small smile as I found a way to give sympathy, kneading his right shoulder blade with my thumb to add a little treat. His arm encircled my waist to offer a satisfied squeeze and I took advantage of the shadows by pulling him back into a dark crevice, capturing his lips with mine. The subtle hesitation was present as this concept remained fairly new to him so I kept my affectionate kiss gentle._

_I kept my fingers interlocked behind his neck as the chaste kiss ended but burst into soft laughter as the darkness of base floor clouded us in a dark blanket, obscuring everything in my vision. All I could see was the exit back into the light and whispered in his ear with amusement, "I can't see you at all."_

"_Neither can I" he chuckled with the same glee in his voice which brought further laughs from us both and he added in, "I've never had a woman talk to my hair."_

"_I heard the queue likes the attention" I joked charmingly to tickle his funny bone and smiled pleasantly when his lips tried to find mine, warm butterfly kisses trailing over my skin as I allowed him to connect the puzzle pieces. He reaped his prize when he found my lips in the dark and I granted him a slow open-mouth kiss that satisfied him as we embraced each other in the dark, secretly obscured in the crook until a loud beat drum broke us apart with a jolt. We were very cautious with our new romance and I wanted to keep Tsu'tey by my side for as long as I could, especially now with our disclosed affection._

_My fingertips combed through his braids, delivering an affectionate kiss to his right ear and reminded wittily with a hidden smile, "We were pulled into this happy mood rather than heading upstairs to share stories so I'm sure we can find a way to entertain ourselves until then."_

_With that said, I walked towards the light shining through the crevice as I held his hand to make sure we didn't lose each other. His eyes squinted to the new change in lighting as we returned to the jovial crowds and I turned around to smile widely at him. He read the intent on my sneaky face clearly when I grasped his hands to pull him towards the nearest crowd and saw the groan of reluctance form on his lips but its sound was swallowed by the loud music. I wanted to share the upcoming celebration of his culture and despite his disagreeing groans, the start of a smile twitched on his lips when I tried to mimic the foot movements of the dance. It wasn't graceful or pretty like master dancers of the clan but I was trying my best for him to show that I was eager to learn everything about his way of life. His frown softened (either from pity or acceptance, I didn't know but was glad) and he pulled me close for a moment, one arm tightly wrapped around my waist as he breathed against my ear with fond amusement, "All right, my little tapirus, but minimal skin contact from you."_

_He released me to sweep his arms upwards in an arch to teach a simple movement and after watching me execute the same, closed the distance between us again with a single stride. His arm encircled my waist again, twirling me to his previous position to avoid onlookers a peek to our sudden closeness and he smiled mischievously, "Because I'll be leading our movements."_

_Tsu'tey released me with a witty smirk, my feet finding decent grip in the dirt before I tumbled into the crowd while he stood marvelously perfect with his posture. I mimicked his straight stance with a determined but intrigued expression and his neutral public voice carried a small hint of amusement as he admitted, "I might enjoy myself tonight."_

_I returned his sincere smile with one of my own as we enjoyed our first night together as a secret couple._

"Did I really ruin us beyond repair?" I whispered solemnly with mournful regret to what I had unknowingly brought down upon us and headed to tie the loose ends of my life here.

* * *

I found the Atykwe matriarch sitting neatly before a makeshift fire in one of the less populated corners of the base since the hearth hosted most of the celebratory mood. She had participated in the dancing since the beginning by joining the children, encouraging their little happy dances with a motherly smile but she'd finished early today. I assumed her role as the sole ruler of the Atykwe gave her extra responsibilities to prepare for as they would be one of the first to leave tomorrow morning. The idea of leaving sunk my stomach like a heavy rock laced with acid because I was fearful of the future but Nitari's humble image by the fire reminded me that she was counting on me and I couldn't disappoint her. Our ongoing interactions had turned her into a role model in my eyes because she held the admirable qualities that I wanted in my own life and would follow her obediently in the hopes of learning them. Nitari wore an emerald shawl around her shoulders in a similar fashion to Mo'at's everyday poncho as she fixed a wicker basket of colorful twine with careful fingers, keeping them perfectly organized by color scheme. She was wrapping yellow twine around a wooden stick to keep it ordered and prevent it from mixing in to become tangled with the others. I always found her knitting more than anything else and the hobby reminded me of my grandmother as I'd watched her knit during childhood while I watered her small garden or read a book aloud on the couch for mutual entertainment.

My shadow flickered over the ground as the orange flames licked gently at my skin to warm it and she glanced up from her work to greet with an amicable smile, "I See you, Joanna. Are you not celebrating?"

"No, I . . . I've had a lot to dwell on today" I answered wearily with honesty as the day's events and this major decision weighed heavily on my shoulders. I could still remember Leka's soft crying as I dropped her off at her parents' residential alcove, regret filling my heart at having to leave her because we would no longer see each other after today. All I could do was hope that her attention would be focused elsewhere tomorrow so the pain wouldn't linger; children her age didn't deserve any. It hurt saying goodbye to my little ones as I'd deeply involved myself emotionally in their cheerful lives and sighed despondently, "My life has changed dramatically within such a short period of time. It is both a somber and enlightening lesson about recklessly disobeying a clan Tsahìk; I apologize greatly for that because you were only trying to help," pausing, I added in glumly, "I have a tendency of being stubborn."

She dropped the twine she held into the handmade basket and placed it on the ground next to her feet, patting the side of the log she sat on to beckon me with the open invitation. My footsteps were silent against the echoing upbeat music and I sat next to her with a polite 'thank you' to glance at the crackling fire, feeling its burning sensation in my queasy stomach from the stress. I coughed uncomfortably to clear my throat, forcing my vocal chords to release my imprisoned voice from its tight space with a solemn whisper, "I have been left with no option but to join the Atykwe or remain a lost child with no clan affiliation. I should've chosen you immediately to avoid the horrible repercussions with the Omaticaya. . .but I'm a very stubborn pa'li."

"You do not choose us, Joanna" she spoke gently as she saw my internal struggle and I bit my bottom lip because I didn't mean to sound as if they were the ultimatum or backup choice in comparison to the Omaticaya. Far from it, I held both clans dear for reaching out to me when my people had originally been hostile and downright dangerous to them; it took a great amount of courage to befriend one who was a species of your enemy. I'd never seen Nitari offended so I was wary I'd accidentally treaded into unsafe water until she smiled genially and advised kindly, "You are meant to complete _our _passage. However, if our clan is to your liking, you are more than welcome to stay permanently as our newest resident. I am not forcing you to stay, young one, simply guiding you on the best path like I've done with many others of my clan. Remember, there is no success without sacrifice and I am sure the Omaticaya will understand."

How could I _not_ heed her advice? She was the picture perfect image of a caring leader and her quiet hobbies just added the motherly quality that obligated me to obey because disappointing her would be tragic for both of us. I couldn't wait to spend more time with Nitari to see her interactions with the Atykwe, ready to absorb every teaching like a knowledge sponge as she would be the only person I'd follow every rule for. There was no question she was a powerful matriarch when Mo'at herself valued her in high regard and I wouldn't slip in any of my tasks to assure her that she'd chosen right by bringing me along (to atone for my initial reluctance).

"To be perfectly honest, I feel more lost than anything at this moment" I admitted faintly about my vulnerabilities wreaking havoc within me and closed my eyes. I had been taught to analyze and respect every culture I met, a rule I followed strictly in this new life but I'd never expected to unknowingly break my own tenets. It shamed me so badly during the first night, especially after witnessing Tsu'tey's reaction, and I wouldn't overcome that failure in my principles for a while. The warm heat from the fire soothed the natural anxiety freezing my fingertips to the bone and I opened my eyes to gaze at my new leader, remembering what I'd done which compelled me to confess shamefully, "I disrespected Omaticayan tradition by prematurely attempting my rite and manipulated Anaya and Arat to follow-"

"I knew they would follow, I granted them permission after I spoke with you" she interjected with a subtle smile laced with hidden cleverness and my left brow lifted in intrigue. Matriarchs were revered by all members as they kept the clan in stable order and connected to Eywa but they held that endearing motherly quality to innocently meddle with the best of intentions. Neytiri had admitted to that during a group outing through the forest since her training included a little motherly heckling to her constituents and said she was receiving a good exercise by admonishing Jake's outlandish ideas.

Nitari adjusted the shawl over her slim shoulders, tucking the ends over the crook of her elbows for better warmth, and simply informed me with her soft melodious voice, "Mo'at was fair and twisted the truth a little since Tsu'tey was present and I wanted our conversation to remain between us due to its sensitivity. She knows everything I've told you and rather than having you restart your training and adding further schooling like those who do break tradition, I asked her to send you in my direction for guidance. Your strong spirit would never let my words keep you from what your heart desired most and I hate to break it but you were meant to fail from the very beginning, Joanna."

I shook my head as I wanted to refuse the path that was forcing my legs to walk down its road but she soothed my emotional pain, "Your partner in the sky awaits you back home with us. She is a strong one you must tame and you will be prepared for this, I guarantee it. At this moment, you do not feel in control of your life but when you arrive at our home, you will have everything you need at your disposal through your new teacher."

My ikran was a _she_?. . .New teacher?

"I. . .I would like to stay with your clan. . .permanently, if you would have me" I whispered quietly as I brushed away a few droplets of tears because I was emotionally spent at this point. Tsu'tey's remarks from a few minutes ago had shattered away all the layers of my emotional barrier, rendering it as weak as a blade of grass because any feistiness within me had faded days ago. He had brought out the best and worst of me since meeting but I held nothing but love and respect for the man, hoping his future would fare better than mine. It was hard to absorb the fact that he would be miles and miles away from my new home but I shoved it to the back of my mind in order to stop another emotional catharsis. Gazing into the crackling fire, I didn't hesitate to voice my troubled thoughts to the clan matriarch to begin initiating trust and admitted, "I carry fond memories of this Kelutral but there's also regrets attached to that. I. . .I would like very much to forget them by starting anew with the Atykwe. If I can build a life there, I will be the happiest woman because you have treated me with nothing but kind respect and I aim to repay your kindness by eightfold."

Nitari smiled warmly to my words and I meant each of them because I would not disappoint her with any more stupidly reckless actions, drilling the thought into my mind to set it in stone because failure was no option. I would learn each and every piece of Atykwe history, tradition, and values to ensure my new life would make her proud and she agreed with delight, "Of course you can stay, my clan will always be open to you. I will not pry into what plagues you but if your heart needs healing or guidance, I will offer sanctuary."

"Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, truly" I whispered sincerely with a shaky smile because I had a new place to call home and despite it wasn't the Omaticaya clan, I was there to help Nitari with whatever she needed. My tree of life had sprouted a new branch to detail its newest journey and I hoped to fill it with happy rather than mournful times but either way, it would be an enlightening experience to better myself. I managed to pull a smile from my dry lips and looked to my leader with nothing but unyielding loyalty and assured, "I will make you proud, Tsahìk. I will work hard to be a productive member of the clan and whatever you ask of me, I will obey."

"I am proud when my children are happy and helping the clan thrive but I appreciate your devotion" Nitari chuckled gently as she grabbed the small wicker basket full of twine to pull out a smooth silky fabric of a chocolate brown color. Despite the small bundle of belongings the visitors brought, Nitari had mostly packed materials for her personal hobbies to keep her mind occupied during leisure time and it brought me delight at knowing she was always active, searching for something to do. Peach colored thread soon followed the fabric, her fingers nimbly measuring the needed amount before cutting it with her teeth in a quiet snap. A thin beige thorn in the shape of a needle was pulled out from its tiny sheath within her ropy seashell necklace and my brow rose in curiosity since I'd originally thought the thorn objects were for decoration only as they were intertwined within the light blue thread. Nitari didn't carry her thorns for shaman practices like Mo'at and I'd been scratching my head to find an answer until now, loving the ingenuity of entwining everything in a necklace.

She knotted one of the ends of the thread and pushed the other through the small hole of the needle to finish preparing, smiling through her careful work as she explained contently, "Tsahìk's carry thorns of all kinds at all times for ritual purposes but I like adding in my sewing needles into my necklace for easy convenience. My mother used to hold hers in a hair ornament and plucked them out for use when she created her jewelry, I enjoyed replacing them at night in our home because I could create my own shapes in the hair tie. I learned many of my crafting skills from her as I assisted with many of her works and I don't hesitate to pass the knowledge onto my people."

I watched her pierce the needle over a faint outline of flower petals at one end of the fabric and shared a piece of my own history with a bashful smile, "My grandmother sewed beautifully, my mother could too but with modern conveniences that had her simply picking up clothes for immediate use, she stopped and never passed the skill onto her children. I can't pick up sewing for the life of me and Tsu'tey's tried his best to teach me."

"Each person has their specific set of skills and some may not be mastered for many years" Nitari soothed gently with encouragement and smiled at me, stirring an exact copy onto my face as her kindness always filled me with joy. This was a main reason I found it unbearably hard to reject her offer to join because she was nothing but compassionate, a leader I would be proud to follow. The needle poked out through the underside of the brown cloth and she pulled it back into the open carefully to assess the design, pushing the needle back down through the next dot on the fabric a moment later with a satisfied 'hmm'. Her eyes never left her work as she concentrated, her ears giving a small twitch every now and then when the echoes of laughing children filled the air, and she chuckled softly, "It took me years to master herbalism to fulfill the obligations of my rank, I never was fond of it, but Mo'at tells me you are quite the natural. My parents breathed the skills of crafting so this has come naturally to me, among many other artisan skills. You, young Joanna are akin to healing and creating jewelry . . . and Tsu'tey told me you are quite the little cook. I think he is quite enamored with your food so my suggestion is to keep practicing your areas of growing expertise."

_That complicated man_, I thought with longing and my fingers traced over the teal feather earrings he'd given me since they were the ones I wore most.

"Your new life will begin tomorrow and you will grow old with all of us as your family" the matriarch- _my_ future matriarch- heartened kindly with a sagely smile and looked to the peach flower she was sewing. Each paired piercing on the cloth produced a clean outline on the blossom and six repetitive movements granted her a pretty peach petal that complemented the brown cloth elegantly. The tips of her fingers smoothed over the fabric, outlining her newest half-sewed petal with an index finger and her smile widened with fondness as she gazed at the flower, "You are a seedling, biding its time as it learns to grow alongside its environment until it finally flourishes into a beautiful blossom. Just like this flower, each stitch is a lesson you will learn throughout your journey and in life until the entire flower is complete; granting you the wisdom you've worked hard to earn."

She paused her needlework to meet my gaze, the aura of her superior abilities as Tsahìk shining through her golden eyes, and Nitari promised wholeheartedly, "Your time is coming, Joanna, and I will be there to see the beautiful flower that you grow into."

Tsahìk Nitari would be my greatest role model in life and the best grandmother figure to my own future descendants.

* * *

Saying goodbye to Cheryl was the hardest.

She'd been my friend since we both arrived together on Pandora (give or take half an hour due to orientation) but we'd practically lived out the best friend/roommate picture since then. Our rooms were across the hall at the Avatar compound, we ditched our original offices to share one, went on expeditions together despite our different professional fields, shared a hammock for the first weeks in our new lives with the Omaticaya, underwent a soul transfer together, and so much more history that bound us. Tsu'tey was my perfect image of home and Cheryl took up that same amount as our friendship ran longer with our unofficial sister bond. Her voice would be nonexistent in the wind when I ventured forward into my new life and my courage withered at knowing my best friend would be miles away from me. I'd never had a friend like Cheryl in my entire life, she was the rare kind of human being you'd hear about in tales of old that was bound to loyal fellowship and endearing qualities that most people lacked nowadays. That wasn't to say the majority of humankind had turned into grotesque monsters but many were all about one's self and surviving the harsh environment that Earth had become (the corporations didn't make it easier).

I'd hand over corrupt corporate executives for a handful of bubbly Cheryl's' any day because she'd brightened up mine when I'd been tempted to shove a golf ball down Parker's throat. One particular incident involved her throwing out a pot of hot chocolate after I'd added laxative into the man's cup and took out my frustration by making a new pot of fresh chocolate (the first had no laxative but I didn't have the heart to tell her for worry that she'd sulk for wasting food). Despite our age as women, we broke down into sobs reminiscent of little schoolgirls as we huddled together in our shared alcove like two girls under a shared umbrella during a rainy day. We were growing up on Pandora just as we'd grown on Earth and it was time for my little wagon called 'life' to let Cheryl off to carry on without her but I couldn't imagine the cartoonish Joanna waving goodbye to a bright-eyed Cheryl miniature as her own wagon took another path. Even the sadly adorable image brought more tears to my eyes as we sat together inside the alcove, digging through our belongings to fish out items that belonged to the other after naturally sharing everything for years.

"Here's your stuff that managed to make its way into my alcove" I sniffled somberly with a trembling voice as I handed her a small bundle of items wrapped in a pink blanket of hers. During our first year as friends, we promised to return borrowed items but by the end of it, we completely forgot as our friendship cemented into trust with our ongoing interaction. Like I said back then, we had no trust issues and my stuff was hers which is why I subtly allowed a few of my items to slip into the bundle I'd marked as hers. She'd probably figure it out tomorrow since Cheryl had a tendency to organize her belongings daily to prevent clutter and dust bunnies but by then, I'd be long gone.

"And here's some of yours" she hiccupped softly since she cried the minute I found her running a hand over my packed belongings and with her infectious nature, I was bawling next to her as we'd rocked each other in a comforting hug. I'd promised that she could cry as much as she wanted and pent out any other emotions she'd undergo to release any distress because I wanted her happy and absolutely peppy come tomorrow. Her hands grabbed the bundle to place it next to her crossed legs, picking up the colorfully bright item at the top to hold it in the air and she sighed softly with nostalgia, "Oh, it's that tie dye blanket we made back at the barracks."

"And my RDAsucks headband" I cooed to the company brand clothing that I'd altered for comedy purposes as I wore it during treks through the lush forest to keep back perspiration. It had passed between Cheryl, Grace, and I since its birth with a handy black marker to symbolize our dislike of having the corporation control our every single move if it wasn't to regulation- meaning bringing in the moolah of unobtanium to the investors. I'd used it as a slingshot to keep Norm moving when he became too engrossed in his work within the forest and forgot the risky environment around him along with the remaining work to be done. Each of my belongings carried treasured memories and I handed the headband back to her, encasing my hands over hers with affection as I stated kindly with a smile, "You should keep this all, Cheryl. To remind you of our friendship, may it never end."

She nodded delicately with appreciation as she wiped away a few stray tears and I couldn't help but be drawn into her emotional bubble. Her behavior was infectious and just as she cheered me up by being perky, she brought me down with her crystalline tears as she tried to hide them by glancing down at the wooden floor. I moved her little pile in front of us to scoot next to her, wrapping an arm around her narrow shoulders to squeeze her in a hug and attempted to cheer her up by requesting sweetly, "Oh, and you have to tell me when you marry Noren. Even if we have to learn to send flying animal couriers, I want to see you start that happy life you've earned. Remember how you told me that you wanted a little garden to tend to? Noren was more than happy to locate that little piece of land to grow cooking and healing herbs so I want to see you celebrating a new life with him."

"I will send word the minute he asks me" Cheryl promised with a soft whisper, a small smile hitching at her lips to the wonderful thought. If there was anything that brought endless delight to my friend's face, it was Noren. They were a cute couple that exuded friendliness and I'm certain that if we'd all been human, I would've been dragging a cranky Tsu'tey that fiddled with a tie all the way to a cozy restaurant.

"You showed me kindness since my first day on Pandora because most people didn't stop to help when my books clattered to the floor" I reminisced with a grateful smile, remembering the friendly short-haired blond woman that approached me to grab them off the asphalt while piping up that reading was best done indoors. After a hearty greeting in her part, she'd followed me to orientation and despite my initial instincts told me to keep her at bay with a neutral attitude, she managed to squeeze through my defensive barrier to become my dearest of friends. By lunchtime, Cheryl was telling me about her fascination with tropical orchids while observing the mess hall with intrigue despite it looked like an oversized school cafeteria to me. Nonetheless, our time together allowed for my personality to fill in the void of friendship as she encouraged me to trust others rather than keep myself guarded and I thanked her with heartfelt appreciation, "You helped me trust in others as friends and with my little sarcastic defense, I didn't make it easy at first. I'm going to miss talking to you like this, you're the only one I've ever trusted with my most deepest of secrets."

She squeezed my hand that was settled on her shoulder but her gaze remained locked onto the floor as she dabbed at her eyes with the handkerchief and I blinked back my own tears, empathizing with her sadness. I liked that Cheryl wasn't hesitant to voice or show her emotions while I kept them locked until they burst in private but that didn't mean I liked seeing her cry like this. Rubbing her shoulder to reenergize our last talk, I spoke softly with kindness to quell her river of tears, "Thank you for everything you've given me. I'd give you the world if I could, my sweet friend-"

"But you have" she interjected meekly with a shaky smile and wiped her nose with a blue handkerchief, lightly dabbing it as she breathed deeply to clear her congested nose. She turned her gaze towards me, giving me an eyeful of her watery eyes and it prompted me to immediately rub her back in the hopes of soothing her sadness. No sister, whether biological or unofficial, would want to see a person they considered family hurt but Cheryl waved a hand slowly to tell me it was all right. Blowing her nose into the handkerchief to finally be rid of bothersome mucus, she sighed deeply as she threw it aside for future washing and grabbed a new one of a pastel green color from its wooden box. She folded it neatly in half with steady fingers and peered at me to admit bashfully with a small smile, "I wasn't a very brave person before all of this, I was timid and part of me still is but you pushed me to defend myself. You've protected me like a sister and helped me find the man I love, there is nothing more that I need in this world. I am content with my life and I hope with the depths of my heart that you find yours too."

I sniffled into my own handkerchief as it was my turn to share in the waterworks and embraced her to assure with a confident smile, "I'll find my way, don't you worry about that. I have to tread the roads of life just like everyone else to see what's at the end."

Smiling widely to the untapped opportunities that this new move would bring, I told her optimistically about the new horizon, "The road will be bumpy but who knows, I might have a decent rank waiting with a gorgeous na'vi man who's holding a little Joanna at that road."

Cheryl nodded in agreement but her encouraging smile disappeared slowly.

"Joanna, did you talk to-" she began gently about the broad topic known as Tsu'tey and I nodded silently with a glum frown. My expression spoke clearly for me and she paused in midsentence to hear my answer but I doubted that she'd approve since Tsu'tey and I tended to do a crab dance where we walked around the issue rather than confront it immediately.

"There isn't anything I can say, he's greatly disappointed in me" I admitted sullenly since I'd done my best to draw him into conversation without having to tie him down in public but nothing worked. I gazed into the dark forest below us as the lazy buzzing of insects filled the night and briefly wondered if the new change of scenery would bring me the same tranquility. I drew circles over the wooden floor out of habit since most of our talks about romance resulted with this action from my part while Cheryl tended to fold clothes to display shyness and I explained softly, "I couldn't change his mind about talking but I really tried, Cheryl. I was ready to risk a scene just to make him understand but that might've brought more damage to us and I couldn't do that to his rank. I just. . .I love him. . .so, _so_ much."

She smiled gingerly to my admission since I'd never shown interest in any man since landing on Pandora and he'd changed the way I perceived things. I couldn't help falling in love with him after delving deeper into who he was and he'd wrapped my heart around his finger without trying. His compassionate actions to help others drew me like a happy bug to honey, sealing me in happy goo when he gave me my first earrings. Inhaling deeply as I tipped my head upwards to glance at the dark canopies above, I murmured with solemn regret, "He. . .I have to forget my feelings entirely as I move to my new clan but our experience will be something that will scar my heart because I have no closure on it yet. My word of advice to you is to tell Noren exactly how you feel so he'll never have to second guess anything about your relationship but I'm positive you'll never have problems with him. You two are too sweet to hurt each other which is absolutely fantastic."

Cheryl grasped my right arm with both of hers to huddle next to me in similarity to my own position when I was in a depressive funk and she sighed sadly to admit, "Oh, I wish I could keep you in my pocket," she sniffled for a moment but strengthened her voice to say, "but we're grown women and we will carry on with our lives."

"Exactly" I agreed wholeheartedly, trying to maintain a steady balance on our emotions and took her suggestion to liven up our talk before we cried a river on the floor. I didn't want either of us to slip on a pool of tears so I grabbed both our handkerchiefs to throw them into the laundry pile in the corner to show that our tearful streak was over and smiled brightly to remind slyly, "You remember when we were working on our reports outside and that plump little tapirus ate one of them when we weren't looking? It took security tapes for Grace to finally believe us."

This brought back the happy glitter in Cheryl's eyes as poking gentle fun to our misadventures was always a favorite pastime, especially on a night like today. It would be hard for me to find somebody to measure up to what she meant to me and doubted anyone ever could but I held the optimism that I'd find a good friend among the Atykwe. As for Cheryl, I knew Noren would be both her new best friend along with being the man who loved her and I was absolutely ecstatic because I knew she'd be happy. How could you not be happy beside the one who cherished you as their other half?

"Oh, and that day we decorated Max's hair with margarita umbrellas?" she piped up with a small dash of enthusiasm in her soft-spoken voice and I raised my brow with a humorous 'ah' of remembrance. She might not have been the type to poke fun at others but she didn't mind adding a little fuel by bringing up memorable events that brought delight. Our faces lit up with nostalgic smiles to the happy and outrageous times we had together, easily falling into memory lane to reminisce like two little schoolgirls skipping off to school.

And who knew, maybe one day, our own daughters would be hopping together with delight as they swapped stories. . .

* * *

"All right, Anaya will take your pa'li with you to our clan seeing since you are endeared with him" Nitari smiled kindly as she handed out my newest orders since Mo'at had allowed me to keep my beloved pa'li until death claimed us. I'd been distraught over leaving him behind since the Atykwe had arrived on ikran but the Omaticayan matriarch had found me by the pen as I held onto him in mournful farewell but she'd deemed me worthy to be his rider. Of course, she'd been firm that I take perfectly good care of him and I'd assured nothing would ever hurt an inch of skin on him. How could I, he was my baby ever since his little blue eyes sparkled to my arrival on that day when Tsu'tey forced me to practice with him. Her generous gift had sent me into happy hysterics and I'd quickly given my pa'li a good meal since the journey wouldn't be short for him, laughing joyously to his happy licks in appreciation to our next adventure together. We would stick together through thick and thin until I found myself in a sticky bind where I wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice myself for him or from old age (the latter suited me better).

Peke wagged his short tail with delight when Nitari stroked the side of his face and she counseled softly, "You must leave soon because the traveling hours are not short for journeying on land and I do not want the three of you within the forest after sundown. With that said, I wish you a very safe travel, Joanna, and I will see you at home."

"And I as well, Tsahìk" I replied courteously with a nervous smile, nodding politely in respect, and she smiled at me once more in encouragement before departing to take care of leftover clan business. Two clans would be departing today and I was set to leave on this early morning as the hints of lilac and gray-blue colored the sky in gentle pastel hues. The sun had yet to breach the horizon to bring forth a new day but clan life started pretty early as the moon radiated its own natural light from the surrounding forest. The calming colors were beautiful but nothing could lessen the anxiety brewing in my stomach as I rubbed my sweaty hands on my leggings in a vain attempt to stop it. I hadn't felt this nervous in years, not even my departure from Earth had brought so much fretfulness within me.

A small bundle of my belongings had been placed into two light leather pouches that would hang from Peke's sides in the style of a saddle but there would be none in the center as he rode freestyle. He'd given the bags a dirty look when I first showed them to him, sniffing them suspiciously for a hidden saddle before I'd assured him there wasn't and my little stubborn pa'li had added a little pat with his own antennae as a final check. I pulled the last leather strap to secure my items onto his back, hoping my darling pa'li could support two ladies, and stroked his pelt to show everything would be fine. I couldn't place too much weight on my young pa'li so Anaya's helpful ikran, Taka, would be carrying both our belongings back to the clan (mine more than hers) as he could handle heavier weights and flying in a flock would help prevent predators from trying to harm him. Peke was just as nervous as I was but he tried to put up a brave front for both us with soft neighs, warming my heart to his loyalty as I watched him bat at insects with a lethargic antenna. Shushing his worried neighing gently, I lowered his antenna with a gentle touch because he would need all of his energy for this and kissed the top of his snout to assure, "You will love our new home."

Peke didn't seem so sure and snorted air through his airways, emphasizing that he didn't believe that in the slightest. I chuckled fondly to his sudden temperament because he was usually tame this early in the day and patted his neck with my left hand as I whispered calmly, "It will be all right, Peke. Trust me, I will not lead you astray."

My hearing detected approaching footsteps and I turned to see Tsu'tey carrying his bow as he inspected the string carefully without catching onto my presence, dressed in his casual garb this time but he maintained his authoritative quality. He noticed my lingering staring since we hadn't talked in days and I wanted to reach out to make sure he was real as we eyed each other carefully, calculating each thought before voicing it aloud. My assumption was proven true when he avoided my gaze, focusing on his bow rather intensely, and stated aloofly, "One can never be too careful."

I nodded quietly to his chosen words after days of avoiding contact with me, being rebuffed continuously, and wondered if he was at least a _little_ happy to see me. Great, I sounded like a love-struck schoolgirl on my last day here but what else could I feel? I expected him to say something about us or our friendship because I wasn't done with the topic as he meant the most to me in this world but he was concerned with other affairs. His eyes narrowed coldly towards Peke when he spotted him playfully swatting fat insects with his antennae to pass the time and he snatched his leads right out of my hands with a forceful yank. Peke let out a bark in alarm to his sudden antagonistic action since the two weren't on the friendliest of terms, his hooves picking up dirt as he dug them into the ground. His blue eyes narrowed in challenge as he pulled his head back in defiance but Tsu'tey snapped coldly with an unyielding grip, "Pa'li are forbidden to children. Peke will go to another, seeing as my time was wasted-"

I wasn't about to have my beloved pa'li taken away by somebody who didn't know his sole owner was and wrenched the leads out of his grasp with my own forceful tug, prying them out of his fingers before he left with Peke. He didn't have any right to my steed anymore and I scowled with irritation for his brusque attitude, disliking the way his eyes were silently accusing me of wrongdoing. I didn't have to time to play his blame game because everything I was doing now was perfectly in tune to the matriarchs' orders and sharply stated, "Mo'at gave him to me and you must respect the Tsahìk."

"You are nothing to our society but a blemish, useless and a waste of space" he hissed grimly with a frown as he glared angrily at both of us, practically condemning us with the same title. Well, at least he wasn't exploding like he used to. He could talk to me however he wanted since I could fight back verbally and we could argue endlessly until we were purple in the face but I wouldn't let him tear into poor Peke- my baby was off limits in the debate arena. My lips parted to refute his hurtful comments but Tsu'tey beat me to it as he stated frankly, "You wounded me deeply with your actions and I would like nothing more than to be rid of your presence around me."

His words stung with the same potency but I wanted the truth to our relationship as I replied calmly, "I believe you are angry and you're allowed that. I've been your friend for seasons and if you truly want me gone-"

"I can't see you without remembering everything, Joanna" he asserted firmly with an impassive tone and I nodded quietly since my actions hurt him in ways I couldn't comprehend yet (not that he was making it easy too). I didn't want to be judged so harshly by the one I loved because I regretted my actions and was trying to rectify each, hoping that I could diminish the hurt he was enduring. However, it didn't lessen my own pain when he ordered sternly with that stoic mask usually reserved for others, "You're a child now, I suggest you hold your tongue and act like one."

"Please, wait" I pleaded with a wavering voice as he turned to leave but Tsu'tey halted for a second, allowing me to fiddle with my satchel in haste before he disappeared with his long strides. Knowing the man, he'd disappear within three strides and I'd never see him again. This was my last moment with him so I retrieved the most valued trinket he'd given me from my bag and ran over to him, resting a hand on his shoulder which immediately caused him to stiffen at my touch. I was breaching his personal space in public, yes, but with the scarcity of people nearby, I abandoned etiquette (I was pulling at strings at this point). Regardless, I handed over his mother's beautiful necklace to relinquish my temporary ownership since I would have no need of it where I was going and keeping it would cause me further anguish. This was a treasured heirloom and it belonged with the last descendant, not the one who'd crushed his heart by betraying his trust. His lean fingers curled around the white gemstones as his golden eyes softened in recognition to his mother's item and I avoided his gaze to convey respect as I stated softly, "This belongs to you-"

"It was a gift" he interrupted quietly as his fingers gingerly curled around the delicate necklace, his golden eyes flickering into a somber gaze as his hand closed around it to block it from sight. I found myself forcing down a lump of pain in my throat when he gazed upsettingly at me for placing it in his care once more but what else could I do? This was his property, an item he treasured dearly, and it would've been rude of me to run away with the last memory of his mother without uttering a single word about it.

"It's your heirloom, it belongs with _you_" I pointed out wholeheartedly because he deserved to keep such a sentimental item to himself and I was no longer worthy of it because our relationship, platonic or not, had become fractured. It was difficult enough talking to him as it was and I didn't want to bring further problems between us by not returning his lucky necklace. He might avoid me like the plague now but I wasn't letting him escape me this time without hearing my say and this was just the start of it. Encasing his closed hand with both of mine to offer a sympathetic squeeze, I met his somber gaze in an attempt to console the hurt as I whispered caringly, "It is best that you keep the last remainders of your family because I know you loved them dearly, Tsu'tey. I-"

"Is that all?" he asked stiffly with neutrality, his gaze breaking away from mine to return to its icy expression as he pocketed the necklace in his own leather pouch for safekeeping. He was safeguarding himself again from private emotions we usually shared and was stung with rejection as he deemed me unfit to step foot into his emotional sanctuary.

There was so much left unsaid about the past few days and I didn't know where to start off from. Overhearing his ramblings. Failing Iknimaya. Betraying his friendship. Leaving the clan. I couldn't decide on which topic to speak of and this allowed him to take advantage of my hesitance to leave me standing where I was. Peke neighed instantly for attention when he began to leave and the hunter raised his brow since the pa'li never took to him (he didn't help to bridge a friendship either), jumping back the next second when he licked Tsu'tey's face in his own farewell. I couldn't help but be reminded our first months together when Peke would do the same and Tsu'tey would stomp off to privately eat his snack with a frown. Peke would still follow him nonetheless, licking his face like candy until Tsu'tey would announce a return home but Peke wouldn't let him be the rider until he offered a nice compliment.

"Joanna! Wait!"

* * *

_Kaltxì_: Hello

**A/N**: I have to post this chapter as two parts due to the lateness of it as I was ill with a very bad sinus infection and prolonged treatment because school was first for me (I'm crazy, I know). My computer time was minimized due to the awful nausea and rigorous study but once I was able to be back (a few days ago), I've been editing the 40+ chapter like crazy but I wanted to post this part ASAP so you guys would have something to read. I also missed posting my vignettes which were supposed to be posted weeks ago so I'm late on that as well. We'll be rid of the mopey Joanna next chapter (although I understand her sadness over leaving) as she breaks through to Tsu'tey and we'll see our happy ending between the two as the toughest obstacle is overcome.

I will reply to your wonderful reviews in the next chapter as I've been trying to get this out to you quickly while staying on top of my college work. I will have the next part posted in a few days to keep Joanna's farewell wagon rolling because we need her out of there and starting her new roots while Tsu'tey carries on with life. Again, my heartfelt thanks to all of the new readers of this story and your subscriptions and faves!

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**Next Time**:

"I'm not crying" he disagreed hoarsely with light denial as he tried to push back the clear tears in his eyes by blinking and he rubbed one eye with the back of his hand to be rid of them. He wasn't fond of it and I'd yet to meet a man that was (it was a trait he carried proudly) after enduring painful losses in life which is why I never wanted to see a droplet anywhere in his beautiful golden eyes. There were nights when he'd awoken abruptly from afflicting nightmares that lingered with horrible memories of Kelutral's destruction and I'd been there to reassure him everyone was safe, including him, keeping him cozily wrapped in a blanket while embracing him tightly. He was a man like any other but he was precious to me like a unique stone that I'd protect with my life and it broke my heart to hear him sniffle, "I don't cry, why. . .? Joanna, crying renders weakness."

"Breathe" I soothed kindly as he hyperventilated to the new emotions rolling through him since the idea of crying was unfathomable to him but I would help him through it just like I did with when a nightmare occurred. With other people, he could understand their pain and offer sincere words of comfort but he was not one to display emotional distraught after years of building his defensive walls. Both of his palms rested against the sides of my head as he leaned against the wall for support and his clenched muscles reminded me immediately of the same characteristics he showed in my hammock after waking from a terrible nightmare. Rubbing his back gently as I embraced him by the sides, my gaze locked with his to drive away the pain eating at his heart and pecked his lips gently in one movement. His furrowed brow softened to release the tension creasing his angular features and his golden eyes brightened slowly as I whispered tenderly, "Come back to me, Tsu'tey. It's all right, I won't let anything hurt you."

His erratic breathing calmed until it was lower than my own shaky breathing and his arms enveloped me a few moments later to return the sentimental gesture. I smiled silently as he clutched me close to his chest and one hand smoothed over the back of his head while the other rubbed his upper back to bring him a small moment of peace. I was continuously learning what soothed him as time passed to make sure nothing tormented his soul but this would be the last time I could offer my own support and hoped our friends would be there for him to help him with any problem. His arms tightened around my shoulders and he buried his face into the crook of my neck, my shoulders arching forward in acceptance as I kissed the side of his neck and he whispered woefully, "I don't want you to go."

"You have to" I whispered sadly with an unsteady voice that threatened to break as my fingers stroked his hair gently, delivering chaste kisses down the side of his neck. My eyes traced over the alluring bioluminescent dots decorating his silky skin and wondered how I'd live life without him at the Atykwe. I didn't know what the future held in store for us but my heart would always have a place for him and if he found someone who could love him here. . .I would live happy knowing that he was truly happy as well. My arms tightened around his sides immediately at the idea of relinquishing him to someone else and leaned back to peer into his eyes, reminding solemnly, "We have duties to our clans now, not just our hearts. I'm leaving," pausing, I added in hopefully, "but if you could visit-"

"The clan needs me as advisor, Joanna, and so do our leaders" he interjected softly with a deep sigh of regret and I nodded sadly because his answer told me he would not be leaving the clan for business anytime soon. My own schedule was next to impossible for travel as I would be busy training for my new rite of passage and my new duties to my leader would come first. I had always been the type of woman that was eager to enrich my life but after spending many months with Tsu'tey. . .I'd abandon it all just to be by his side because he spelled home for me. It stung me deeply to know he would walk a different path as we lived miles apart and I released him, both physically and figuratively, placing my left hand over his heart to feel the faint beat under his sternum. His forehead touched mine as his eyes closed, his brow furrowing with remorse as he tried to amend his current tasks, "Joanna, I-"

I caressed his left cheek with my hand to dissuade him from straying from his responsibilities and traditions (it already backfired on us), outlining my favorite stripe underneath his eye and smiled widely as I observed him. He'd given me breathtaking memories of this world and I'd cherish each one despite my fondest wishes were to see a future we could both share together. I'd wanted to picture whether our secret relationship would've flourished into the public with my rank of adulthood, bonded for life with the matriarch's blessing, argued over having socks on a baby's feet during winter, raised a peppy child with both our traits, and shared everything else attached to a married couple's milestones in life. I wished him nothing but the best in life, hoping that fate would allow us to meet one day (within half a year would've been nice) and I confessed my innermost feelings with a watery smile, "You were _everything _I wanted in a mate and I would've loved you an entire lifetime, more than I already do, if our lives had turned out differently. May Eywa watch over you for the rest of your days, Tsu'tey."

I moved to leave the one I loved behind but he grasped my right hand to hold it between both of his, leaning down to kiss my palm firmly as he professed his own desires with a caring whisper, "I would've chosen you as my mate the moment you'd been declared one of the People."

I smiled happily to the endearing words because I would've certainly loved to share my overly large hammock with him as we fiddled with a cranky toddler with our features and that image sufficed my dreams. My eyes blurred to that idyllic life and I wiped them with my free hand to clear my vision quickly, clearing my tightening throat to soothe his sorrow with kind words full of pride, "Although it hurts me a little to know that, I'm happy for what might have been because I wanted the exact same future with you. Farewell, my dear Tsu'tey."

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_Thank you for reading and have a wonderful day or night in your part of the world!_


	28. Farewell to the Omaticaya, Pt2

**Farewell to the Omaticaya, Pt.2**

* * *

"Joanna! Wait!"

I blinked back tears that began to sting my eyes as I turned around to spot Norm and Cheryl running up to me with hurried steps. She ran into my arms to hug me tightly with inaudible mumbles while Norm leaned forward to catch his breath and I could see Cheryl was the instigator in the running spree. She hugged me close like a mother hen as I smiled widely for the public display of friendly affection, returning the embrace with a gentle squeeze of my own, and Cheryl declared happily, "You've done nothing but inspire my courage and I told Noren that I loved him during a walk around the pools," her voice paused as it trembled slightly, "He loves me too, Joanna, and I wouldn't be with him if you hadn't prodded me to spend time with him. I just. . .I had to tell you before you left."

"I'm sure your charms worked, Cheryl" I chuckled with a humble smile to her happiness as she beamed with tearful eyes to her joyful news, her lips quivering to contain the emotion threating to pour out. I couldn't witness Cheryl's tears because they were fully contagious with her quiet feminine sobs and I held her to me to soothe gently with a soft voice, "Oh no, don't cry, we finished yesterday. You know I hate it when you cry because I'll be next and we'll never stop."

Tsu'tey was thrown aback to say the least as he witnessed our sudden emotional outpour in front of him, in public no less, and scratched the top of his head with perplexity in human similarity to how I behaved when lost. Norm, however, averted the waterworks display as he found an open spot to hug me from and I leaned into the embrace to make sure both of my friends received their share of love. Cheryl didn't budge from her spot as she played the temporary role of a barnacle and Norm was left to add in his own well-wishing with a bright smile, "You were the best boss ever and I'm staying in the game to win Tarazi. By the time you come to visit, I guarantee we'll be together."

"I hope so, I really do" I encouraged with a cheerful smile and squeezed his shoulder because he deserved his slice of heaven on Pandora too because he was trying his hardest to find a life to call his own. Hopefully, the men could band together to help poor Norm out on his mission and I wondered if Jake was still up for playing matchmaker with his single friends for fun, not humorous torture. I wasn't the best choice for a counselor on relationships because mine had catastrophically crashed on a huge figurative iceberg and sunk to the bottom of the ocean days ago but Cheryl's was flowering beautifully so she would reign over that title. Keeping one arm around Cheryl's slumped shoulders, I turned to him with a sisterly wagging finger and advised with my own two cents, "But Norm, remember that when it's the right person, a relationship should be easy and feel right. There should be no high expectations to please the other and if she can't see that, then you'll make another woman very happy. Either way, I'm rooting for you and tell Jake to give you a hand, he's the Omaticayan matchmaker around here."

My lips shook with a sad smile as I gazed between both of their sullen faces, remembering our joyful times together on this world, and sighed shakily to murmur fondly, "Oh, you two are the best. Live prosperously, my friends."

Believing that my mood couldn't possibly worsen, Eywa decided to pop in Tsu'tey's number one fan into this precise spot as the nicely dressed seamstress named Sahì bounded in via the western route. She really was a pretty woman when I compared her to myself and couldn't help but briefly gaze at my own simple garb because it stood no competition against her sheer delicate fabrics. Like I'd said many times, fashion failed to bite me and the only pretty items in my possession were given to me by Tsu'tey himself. If I had eyebrows, they would've been furrowing with keen vigilance as I watched her run to Tsu'tey with a giddy smile and her excited voice beckoned, "Tsu'tey, I've been looking-"

"Not now!" he exclaimed loudly enough to scare the poor woman stiff, her posture straightening as she jumped back startled, and even I felt guilty because it certainly wasn't nice to be yelled at. Norm and Cheryl stopped their conversation to awkwardly stare at his sudden rise in voice because he'd been eerily calm and quiet since our friends dropped in for a farewell visit. The hunter regained his composure immediately as he saw all of our widened eyes, inhaling deeply to calm himself before he released another outburst and I caught his neck muscles unclenching with the therapeutic breath. I was pleased when his posture and facial features smoothed out to present complete tranquility because he'd been working hard to be the new person that Nitari wanted him to be, holding back a small smile of pride when he restated evenly, "I am very busy right now as you can see, Sahí. Please find me later."

As quickly as she'd bounded in to him happily, she left swiftly with hasty steps to vamoose elsewhere and occupy her time without the Omaticayan hunter. Despite not knowing her, I couldn't help but feel hurt as the wounds from that day in the clearing failed to leave me and neither had the images from the dance yesterday. We'd never spoken a word to each other, merely glanced at each other in acknowledgement when our paths crossed but if I'd been a man, she'd definitely have grabbed my eye. Despite being an adult, I was afflicted with bouts of self-consciousness when it came to him due to his high ranking but he always set me at ease with kind words (his innocent nibbles on my ears helped too).

Tsu'tey turned to us with a bewildered expression to our crestfallen faces as we huddled together cozily like a tapiri herd and demanded incredulously, "What are you all doing?"

Cheryl sniffled faintly as she eyed him with a timid face, blotting her nose gently with a yellow handkerchief and I smiled to her ability to maintain grace with an action that had me looking a mess. A hint of exasperation crossed his face but it faded a second later as his features softened and I smiled warmly at him as he'd remembered my words to be understanding towards Cheryl's meekness. His intense gaze briefly met mine when she tucked away the cloth into her foraging satchel, her fingers quickly folding it into a neat square as she softly answered his question with a shaky smile, "Telling her goodbye."

"You'll be seeing her again in no time!" he exclaimed matter-of-factly with disbelief on his face since he obviously hadn't heard the news and his choice of words caused the other two to gape immediately. Oh dear, this isn't exactly how I planned to tell him but the cat was about to be led out of the bag. Tsu'tey wasn't the type that fancied being kept in the dark with public news and with this tidbit being extremely close to him, he would either react passive-aggressively or blow his top. Frankly, both were not appealing as they would reverse his personal improvements and the defenses would deflect any of my input for a chance at reasoning.

"Tsu'tey, that's a little rude" Norm commented with surprise as he furrowed his brow to the hunter's blurted reaction and crossed his arms in the lecturing manner of a father to a petulant child. If Cheryl wasn't in my arms, I would've been waving them frantically to signal to Norm that he stop talking before the dynamite in this conversation exploded. I would've never imagined him taking this sort of posture with Tsu'tey of all people (the similar heights helped the stance) and Norm pointed out easily, "Who knows when we will? I doubt the Atykwe visit very often and there's no way to talk to her over there."

He blinked with utter confusion to Norm's facts and I was sure he was seeing us as aliens for the first time all over again with the bewildered stare he was aiming at all of us. His hunting bow was moving between all three of us as he tried to understand our whole conversation, his eyes blinking rather rapidly as his mouth slacked slightly but no words exited his lips. I was tempted to switch into a romantic position by embracing him to tell him to forget all that just to wash away his expression but he burst my imaginary bubble when he finally questioned sharply, "_What_ are you all talking about?"

"I'm leaving" I answered quietly to reveal the news and my hands fidgeted nervously like they always did when I became anxious and motioned to Peke, who was one second away from pawing at the ground to point out we were leaving since he couldn't talk. Confusion riddled his face to my sudden admission as his eyes locked onto the small leather pouches on Peke's sides, realization about the hidden cargo striking him as his surprised gaze fell upon me. His eyes widened slightly before darting down to meet my sheepish gaze for clarification and despite the queasiness upsetting my stomach from his sharp look alone, I maintained eye contact to explain clearly, "Tsu'tey, I am leaving with the Atykwe. Tsahìk Nitari asked for me to join her clan and I accepted, given the circumstances."

"We'll. . .uh, give you some privacy" Norm interjected casually as he tried to lessen the tension filling the air but his nervous chuckle gave away his feelings and I smiled at them for the last time. They returned it wholeheartedly despite Tsu'tey was burning his piercing gaze into each of us and I hated that they would not reside within my new clan, stuffing down my heartbroken emotions. I knew Norm and Cheryl wouldn't dare to test Tsu'tey's patience for long since he was pretty hard to avoid now that everything was out in the open, smiling faintly when Norm spoke softly, "Take care, Joanna."

"You too, always be careful in the forest" I whispered warmly in farewell, squeezing their shoulders affectionately and they left the area together with hushed murmurs. I caught a few random gazes sent my way as they walked off and I raised my hand to keep the pause button between Tsu'tey and me until they disappeared from my sight. This would be the last time I would see my friends and I wanted to remember everything in case I didn't stand in their presence for years to come. Thankfully, he granted me that small wish with a respectful pause in conversation and when they were no longer among the crowds, I breathed deeply to release the pressure increasing in my chest. It really was hard to release everything I'd come to know as home with every second that ticked away. Turning to him with a somber gaze, I swallowed the lump of dread clawing at my throat and sighed softly, "Tsu'tey-"

"When did you accept?" he demanded hoarsely as he placed his bow over his back, the thin black string pressing against his chest securely, and his eyes sought mine for an answer. There was no question that he craved a suitable reply but I didn't know how to approach it without ripping apart what was left of our shaky friendship. His hand reached out to grasp my shoulder but abruptly stopped halfway, returning it to his side as he realized we were in public and disguised it as an accident while my own fingertips twitched with desire to brush them over his.

I broke eye contact to ward off his intimidating gaze and cleared my throat to explain the most important parts of my decision with a smooth voice, "Yesterday during the dance. . .after I spoke with you. She asked the day I attempted Iknimaya which is why I performed the passage in the first place to stay here but Mo'at cemented Eywa's will by denying Omaticayan rites. I took everything into consideration: all of Nitari's counsel, what I've learned here, my _life_ here, and I chose because there really was no choice to begin with, was there? Eywa asks of me to join my rightful clan and I must."

"You were meant to be Omaticayan before you made that stupid decision" he hissed harshly to reprimand my previous actions and grabbed me by the wrist, his grip firm as he pulled me away from Peke. Apparently, my words did not land on the peaceful marker that I'd intended for and I became an unwilling hostage to an infuriated hunter (my gutter mind would've had a field day with that idea due to his fancy for tasteful challenges). My pa'li could only neigh in protest since he couldn't kick him with the leather pouches strapped onto him or venture into Kelutral unattended and Tsu'tey commanded irately, "No, we are seeing the Olo'eyktan to rectify this mistake."

"Tsu'tey, I've already spoken with Jake, this is my decision" I tried to explain carefully as I trudged along behind him throughout Kelutral, skipping over rocks and roots in my path before I fell face down because his strides reached farther than mine. His brisk pace and our current physical contact drew a few random stares along the way and I couldn't help but feel guilty about something I'd no idea on; Tsu'tey had the natural ability to instill that kind of fear. His hold was strong around my wrist and I could barely move it to wrench it free, frowning to this predicament because it was not how I wanted to initiate contact after days of avoidance. I respected Tsu'tey greatly despite our personal mishaps but this was my life and I had to summon my own courage to point out firmly, "You can't intrude on my choice after completely ignoring me for days."

Digging the heels of my feet into the dirt, I slowed his momentum to a stop with a determined face and couldn't help but be reminded of our first interactions where we struggled for dominance. We weren't going to return to that phase in our lives ever again and I pulled on his wrist to twist him around to face me, standing my ground as I stated quietly to keep our privacy, "I looked and looked for you to reveal everything but you refused all contact with me. You can't tell me what to do when you've made it pretty clear that you wanted nothing to do with me."

I expected my words to have a pinprick of an effect on him but received squat when he reaffirmed coldly with an impassive expression, "We are seeing the Olo'eyktan."

My words were cast aside and the role of hostage was resumed once more but I didn't fight it this time since the matter was already closed. I followed obediently without a word until we found Jake speaking to both Mo'at and Neytiri at the base of the spiral staircase, cutting a clear line straight to them through the small number of crowds as I hoped he wouldn't make me sound like an idiot for agreeing to leave. What choice did I really have? There was no home for me here and everything I'd done to make him understand was refuted until it finally smacked him on the head during my last minutes here. I swore this man changed emotions faster than he could shoot arrows and I groaned aloud when he picked up the pace, knowing his patience was running thin despite overcoming the trademark short fuse. I tried one last attempt to douse the flames forming in his blood as we neared the clan leaders and offered kindly with a fast pitch, "Please, Tsu'tey, keep calm about this. Take deep breaths and think of a happy place."

"I'm not in labor, Joanna" he retorted dryly to silence me and I sighed under my breath since I wasn't going nowhere with my consoling. Pissing him off in older times automatically warranted me the silence treatment but now, it seemed the best idea on my part in order to maintain the peace. His choice of words would've had me rolling in laughter if we weren't in a tense position but it did bring up questions on what he knew about Na'vi pregnancies because I knew nothing except that they were mammalian. The subject, much like mating, had been kept quiet and swept under the rug so that's exactly what I did at this moment in order to focus.

The clan leaders and Tsahìk Mo'at turned to us with curiosity in their eyes as Tsu'tey stomped over with the ferocity of a charging bull while I gave the three a small nod of respect since they'd been expecting me to begin my journey already. I could see that Neytiri was about to ask that very same question and she pointed to me to ask with confusion, "Weren't you-"

"Olo'eyktan, I seek an audience with you" Tsu'tey interjected respectfully while I frowned glumly to being handled like a toddler and Neytiri shot him a small glare for being interrupted. He amended quickly with a polite nod and words of welcome which appeased her but her curiosity was snagged by the clamped hand around my wrist. I hoped they didn't think he was about to declare undying love in public and proclaim that the decision be overturned immediately because that was way off course from the truth (if anything, my circulation was suffering).

Jake caught the flustered look on my face and asked the warrior with surprised intrigue, "I'm guessing she told you just _now_?"

"He was a bit hardheaded when it came to listening, you know?" I appealed meekly since he'd been playing a phantom for the past days and turned into a protective mama bear the second he heard of my news. The side of Jake's lips twisted down as he gave me the classic big brother frown that clearly said 'oh, Joanna' in disappointment and my tail slacked against the floor with shame as I silently agreed. It's not like I didn't try to tell Tsu'tey about my leave while he kept running off like a madman and I couldn't exactly yank him by the arm to stay, he towered over me and his strength alone could swat me off like a fly.

"You _agree_ with her decision?" Tsu'tey asked tightly with skepticism as he tried to restrain his emotions but I could feel the tension freezing his muscles as his fingers tightened just slightly over my wrist and I fought the urge to bat him away. Seriously, he was minutes away from cutting off my circulation and although I was in front of the ruling heads of the clan, I decided to do something subtle to calm him. His hold on my wrist was closer to my hand than the forearm and that allowed me to brush my fingertips over his to gently persuade pacification to prevent a verbal mishap. I didn't want him to accidentally oust our private life or disrespect them and he paused slightly, offering me a brief glance of irritation and I returned a soft gaze that beckoned him to think carefully. His ears flicked backwards, his only sign of understanding, and he turned to Jake to speak with a calmer steadier voice, "Surely, there must be some way to revert what she did with Iknimaya. Give a penalty of three extra seasons before she can complete it again under heavy supervision but not. . .she is meant to be one of us."

The soft quality of his voice struck me with guilt for having to leave but the rational and calculative side of me (aka logical Joanna) reminded that he'd had numerous chances to be told about my leave. He refused to accept my invitation for that important conversation yesterday night and that should've been my trump card to show off but I couldn't, my heart was too involved with him. I was the one at fault for all of this and if I could've taken his pain away in a single second, I would have.

"I want what's best for everyone and she chose to leave because she no longer has the offer to be an adult here" Jake explained carefully about my sticky situation and I nodded hastily like a lost tapirus from its herd as Tsu'tey glanced between us with disbelief. If he'd only stayed to listen, he would know the entire story but it was too late to fill him in on everything and my time was ticking away on its countdown. I avoided his accusatory gaze, finding sudden fascination with a rock next to my right foot, as our clan leader stated simply to keep the peace, "Nitari asked for her specifically and I did not deny the opportunity, especially after what happened. If she is meant for the Atykwe, I cannot hold back Eywa's will and Joanna accepted wholeheartedly."

"Young Joanna's path _is _with the Atykwe, Eywa is never wrong and my mind will not change" Mo'at stated wisely with a firm voice and approached us with her lithe steps to grasp Tsu'tey's hand to release his hold. He said nothing to disobey the matriarch but his hesitance to let go touched my heart and my skin missed the familiar warmth when he did, remembering each little trait about that strong four-fingered hand of his. I held mine against my chest, lightly rotating it to return the circulation but halted when Mo'at grasped my chin and I stilled completely. A matriarch demanded immediate attention and eye contact at all times but she didn't lecture each of us about our sudden intrusion, rather peering into my eyes to advise assuredly, "You will be a good huntress of the sea like all the Atykwe and will dwell there until death. You will make Nitari proud, child. Do not regret your decision, you will realize why everything is the way it must be with time but you are always welcome here."

Her gaze flickered towards Tsu'tey as he tried to hide the disappointment on his face and she requested gently, "You and I will speak later, child."

I nodded silently to the dismissal as their words indeed eased my nerves about the transfer but Tsu'tey wasn't satisfied at all, offering a curt nod of farewell and walking back to the clearings with quick haste. You'd be surprised how fast the hunter could move in the open by maneuvering through crowds with his flexibility but I wasn't about to let him escape me once again. I caught up to him by using large strides to cover the gap of space between us, jumping forward to grasp the back of his left arm like a life preserver and stuck on to explain hurriedly, "Tsu'tey, this is what is best. Why are you so adamantly against it? I would think you'd be happy for my chance at adulthood-"

"I would've been happy if you'd listened to me and none of this would be happening" he snapped angrily with a hiss and his sharp tone caught the attention of people passing by. I managed to plaster a smile onto my face to feign pleasantness and Tsu'tey added in a halfhearted greeting (we'd done this before a dozen times with our craziness so it was natural at this point) before replacing our original expressions when they left.

"I am not going to fight on my last day here, especially in public" I hissed softly to prevent a dramatic scene that would circulate through clan gossip by nightfall and pointed to an empty nook next to the clearing. There were many around the area as they were perfect to hold materials or tools related to training or the pa'li and my hands pushed him in the direction of a cozy one that could fit two people. He wasn't thrilled about a private conversation as he tried to dig his feet into the dirt to halt my forceful shoves (only because the man was strong in his own right) but I kept nudging the back of his knees to activate his patellar reflex. His tail continuously batted my stomach and we made a humorous sight due to his height (not to mention ranking) but once inside, I fixed the green vines that provided a visible curtain to close the entrance for complete privacy.

I placed myself in front of the entrance to block any sudden bolts of escape from his end and he was a livid feline, glaring at me heatedly as he was cornered into the back of the alcove. As always, I tried to calm him with a peaceful gesture of raising my hands and gently told him with a low voice, "I have no allegiance to any clan but I am grateful for your training and the Omaticaya's hospitality to accept me when I remained here. It was because of that that I undertook Iknimaya in the first place because this is home, I didn't want to leave. I looked to you for help-"

"You didn't tell me!" he hissed angrily, his palms slamming against the back wall with fury as his entire body stiffened with hostility but I was certain he'd never cause me harm in any way. His cold mask of indifference had broken away to reveal the next defense in line that protected his core emotions and I took that as a good sign that I was poking through.

"You left before I could and I've been trying for days- _days!_" I whispered firmly to remind him of his own evasiveness to converse with me and took one slow step towards him as he eyed me suspiciously. Did he think I'd trap him in the alcove for ignoring me? His body language was vigilantly on guard causing me to stay put with a straight face and I spoke softly, "I needed a way to prove I belonged here but the lack of an ikran finalized that I wasn't when none tried to attack me. My heart did not beat with one of theirs but the one that does is with the Atykwe so I must go. Eywa's will is at work and I have to abide before I cause even further problems, which is something I'm trying to prevent given my history of mishaps."

He opened his mouth to retort but I slapped my hand over it to state firmly with unyielding resolve, "I will be leaving, Tsu'tey, and you _cannot _change that. Students come and go but I promise to visit once I tame my ikran to show you that I succeeded, to make you proud. . .but this is something I have to do on my own. With time, I will love living by the sea rather than the forest- you know how much I love the open water."

"I don't want to leave on bad terms with you, not after what happened on the Thunderous Rocks" I whispered delicately with the remnants of shame for my actions and removed my hand gently, lingering my fingers on his full lips. That entire ordeal hurled our friendship into stormy seas and I was trying my best to keep it afloat because he'd become a part of me as I'd entrusted him with many private moments of my life. He was also my teacher and he deserved to see his student complete a passage that he'd been tirelessly training me for. I closed the distance between us with slow deliberate steps as I tested his personal space and kept our gazes locked to show him that I meant no harm. His tense posture relaxed as he leaned against the back wall but his shoulders remained stiff (it was still progress) and my fingers tentatively reached to touch his right shoulder.

He allowed the physical contact but kept a scrutinizing gaze on my hand and I admitted earnestly, "Everything you taught me will not be wasted because you deserve to see your share in this to its full fruition and I thank you for not giving up on me despite my clumsy movements. You have been a marvelous teacher to me on this journey and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me get where I am- even if it's not where you wanted me to be. Although I wrecked everything here, I did complete the journey itself except for the ikran part so that should show you that I'm determined to do this."

"Your next teacher will not know anything about you" he pointed out firmly as he tried to keep a disciplinary stern face and I nodded quietly to that fact because everything would be new to me. He knew what I liked, hated, feared, my perks, and almost everything else about my life but I kept the optimism that another teaching method would increase my skills. Otherwise, I might be tempted to kidnap Tsu'tey and bring him along for the ride (I wouldn't dare risk the Omaticaya's wrath, of course). His ears lowered to flatten against his head and he stepped away from the wall, closing the distance between us as he whispered forlornly, "You were supposed to stay. . ."

I enveloped him in an embrace to comfort him but kept it loose in case he decided to throw my empathy aside and reprimand me for a few good minutes. When he didn't reject my sympathy, I held him tightly as I'd done that night he agreed to secretly court me and a smile broke over my lips when he cradled the back of my neck with one hand. He'd done as such during our romantic entanglement and I returned my own little signature move by rubbing the curve of his spine with my fingertips. I missed the familiar warmth of his body against mine after months of napping side by side (he really was a comfy pillow) and whispered softly against his shoulder, "I'm going to miss you, Tsu'tey. I tried my hardest to stay here with you- truly, I did- and if you would've just let me explain. . .please don't stay mad. You'll ruin your strong heart and die prematurely from all that rising blood pressure."

A sad chuckle escaped his lips, bringing both contentment and melancholy to my heart for finally stirring a peaceful reaction from him and my arms tugged him closer involuntarily. He buried his face into my neck and his feathery exhales onto my skin sent shivers down my spine as he murmured quietly, "I will miss you too, Joanna. Very dearly."

I smiled widely with relief to his admission and let go of him to dig into the satchel hanging from my waist with hasty fingers. They fiddled through my large amount of items which I really needed to organize better for faster availability but my satchel had been my last minute item to carry on hand with any emergency supplies. I pulled out a few handcrafted items that I'd made specifically for him and revealed two colorful feathers (one yellow and another emerald green) that he could wear in his hair, each holding tiny fanged teeth on black thread. The colors would blend nicely between his dark tresses and would look splendid during special occasions since he kept his garb modestly simple like a beginning hunter rather than adding elaborate fabrics or accessories. I'd seen high ranking hunters from other clans dress fancier during their stay here and if I hadn't met Tsu'tey as I'd done in the forest, I would've been under the impression that he'd been a regular hunter.

Instead, I was led to the most respected man (aside from the clan leader) and my smile held nothing but affection as I confessed sheepishly, "I made these for you when the festival began so you could wear them during the archery tournament but I never had the time to give them to you after what happened. They'll go nice with your necklace and you'll be the only one wearing these little fangs in your hair. I remember seeing them on the Horse Clan hunters and got the idea from there," faltering, I added in softly, "I. . .I will understand if you don't want anything made by me after what happened but. . .could you just say you will, even if you'll throw them away later?"

I placed them into his hand carefully with a shaky smile as my eyes became blurry because it was tough for me to end what we'd shared, friendship and more included, without knowing if we'd meet anytime soon. My innermost desire was still to kidnap him but since I couldn't do that, I wiped the inner corners my eyes with my fingertips and whispered somberly, "My parting gift to you."

The fingers of his free hand traced over the golden feather as I pulled out a pastel pink handkerchief Cheryl gave me (from our humongous bundle of collected stuff) and I'd stored it in my satchel for good luck. I couldn't help but admire him from my spot, touching the bottom of his chin with the tips of my fingers to remember those alluringly sharp features, and received a pang of melancholy because I'd never get to see what could've been. When I was in his private company, I could see myself spending all of my hours with him and growing old along with all of that bubbly happiness stamped onto married couples; that's what I wanted. Unfortunately, we traveled down a rocky road that should probably never have been ventured through prematurely and I offered my best wishes with honesty, "Keep yourself safe during hunts-"

His fingers wrapped around mine as they'd wiped away tears with my handkerchief and my eyes became saucers when his lips grazed the side of my palm. He'd practically banned physical touching the second he'd found me on the Thundering Rocks but my insides warmed joyfully at experiencing that wonderful feeling once more. Those endearingly pesky butterflies erupted in my stomach with each graze of his lips and all I could was stammer nervously, "T-Tsu-"

I could only wave my free hand in the air when his lips sought mine to close the gap between us. I'm sure my throat released a girlish squeak as my brain tried to comprehend the invaded personal space since he'd kept his distance for days. His fingers settled at the nape of my neck to keep me locked in place but I was too deliriously stunned to try and move, not that I wanted to. . .and I mentally kicked myself for being so weak. I returned the kiss a little too eagerly after the emotional charge that had detonated between us and my fingers searched for something to grip to keep him close but found nothing. Our difference in height could make that a bit iffy on me but I improvised by grasping the front of his necklace, leaning into his embrace as we slumped against the wall.

My hands roamed over his covered neck, outlining every inch of skin into memory before plunging my fingers into his dark braided tresses. I'd missed every part of him as he'd etched himself into my soul since that day he'd given me those earrings and I couldn't find a way to stop loving him despite our rocky patches. His kiss was fiercely passionate and I muffled a surprised squeal between my lips when he turned me around, pinning me against the scratchy bark wall as his tall form enveloped mine into obscuring shadows. It was a good thing that alcoves around the clearings had vine curtains or we'd be giving people a show to last a week in hearth gossip. I missed being in his arms, especially in his company, for days and the lack of physical contact had rendered me ready for a heated kissing session as I stood on the tips of my toes to maintain our lip lock. He wasn't hesitant on his end as his arms kept trying to pull me up but I wasn't about to have a scratched back (that would draw curious stares) and playfully dissuaded him by gently biting his bottom lip.

"Joanna!" I heard Anaya call from the clearing and her voice knocked sense back into me.

I froze immediately and pressed my fingers on his bottom lip to halt our kiss but his lips brushed against mine to seek another, disregarding Anaya's summon. It really was hard to deny the only man who kept twisting my stomach into sappy knots of delight and I gave in to temptation one last time, savoring the velvety feel of his lips against my own. I didn't want to let him go but forced myself to push him away because the Atykwe needed me now and I wouldn't disappoint them in any way. Tsu'tey had become a part of my past and as much as it hurt to tear him out of my life, I had to keep moving forward to find my place in this world. My fingertips outlined his lips with a light touch to prevent another ardent kiss but leaned into our shared embrace to whisper with the utmost care, "I have to go, Tsu'tey."

His fingers dug into my hair to keep me close, sending shivers down my spine due to the close proximity of my queue and involuntarily arched my back against his chest. I remedied the involuntary jerk by embracing him to ward off an action that could be seen as a sexual approach and fought down the faint blush forming on my cheeks. Ah, I'd missed the feeling of blood rushing to my face in embarrassment to romantic blunders and lightly pecked his shoulder with a chaste kiss. My inner romantic Joanna tearfully questioned whether it would truly be so bad to kidnap him and I almost gave in when he pleaded against my skin, "Please don't leave."

"It is what Eywa wishes" I answered regrettably and embraced him tightly one last time, kissing the side of his jaw since it was the most accessible to my lips. For once, his features weren't set in firm expression and I traced my fingertips over his left flattened ear to gently outline the small nick he'd earned as a youngster. His eyes glowed brighter than the sun despite we were bathed in dim lighting and I would've shared his expression if it weren't for those prior days in the clearing. He leaned down to sneak in one last kiss and I returned it willingly, clinging to him once again out of anxiety for this trip but I stopped it a second later because I had to toughen this out. My departure had to be done and I would rip the pain associated to that away like a bandage. It would be best if we parted as mutual friends because we were indomitable with that status (we ruled in cuisine) rather than the secret relationship he told me we'd have because so far, that had only brought conflict.

My hands cupped the sides of his face as I forced him to meet my gaze and I enforced softly, "I _must_ do this. Besides, there isn't anything between us to lawfully bind me here. You said so yourself, an experienced warrior cannot be with a clumsy novice-"

"I never-"

"Next time, you should keep your conversations with friends away from the party taking insult" I stated simply with neutrality and shook my head as all of the overheard conversation hit me like a sack of bricks. My ears flattened against my skull and my chest ached painfully for returning his kisses after what he'd said but I loved him, I couldn't help falling into my impulsive emotions- especially when it concerned him. However, I wasn't going to let him believe he could fool me twice so he'd know everything that had been plaguing my mind for days. Our camaraderie had allowed me to grow from a respectful meekness around him to comfortable openness so I wouldn't hold back, sighing faintly as I began calmly, "I heard you. . .telling your friends about me, how I tagged along after you like some. . .some lovesick pet. You've been waiting for the next best female to come along to snag your attention, like Sahí when her family approached you. You said you'd never involve yourself with a weakling like me, much less court me, when many stronger women were available and willing. Why did you let me keep believing I was the only one? _When _were you going to tell me about that proposal?"

The dip of his ears guaranteed that he knew exactly what I was talking about because there was no way I'd believe a doppelganger excuse. I refused to touch his hand when it reached out for me, backing up against the tree wall and jabbing a finger at him as I accused hurtfully with a whisper, "I told you I cared about you, I admitted my feelings to you after opening up about everything in my life. Things I've never told _anybody _else. I trusted you. . .I'm sorry- no, I'm ashamed at myself for being gullible and believing you could. . .that you could care about me. You've hurt me in a way I never thought I could feel. . ."

I sniffled to shove down the painful lump in my throat, rubbing the bottom of my nose with the back of my hand before my nose began to run. I tried to regain a steady voice to finish my train of thought because I needed to purge out every emotion but remain collected to maintain my dignity if everything was true. Raising my chin, I straightened my posture and breathed deeply to state truthfully with a soft voice, "Y-You were a great teacher, I _am _eternally grateful for that, Tsu'tey. . .I just wish I could say the same for the man I cared for-"

"Joanna-," hearing my name in his voice tore my heart because I couldn't fathom how I'd keep his friendship apart from the love I had for him. I wasn't trying to escape it by running off to the Atykwe like a coward but it certainly would help place things into perspective for me.

"Live a life with Sahí, keep the clan strong, and may Eywa watch over you" I murmured faintly as the words for good luck felt strange leaving my mouth, avoiding his gaze as my eyes glanced over his shoulder towards the vine curtain. It hurt to even say the words with another woman's name attached but I wouldn't be petty by claiming 'mine' when he clearly wasn't, wiping away the tears forming in my eyes. He blocked my path when I made a move towards the entrance, barricading me from the exit with his body and I gazed anywhere but him as I requested shakily with politeness, "Please move aside."

His body pressed mine against the alcove wall to keep me pinned from leaving and he pressed his forehead to mine, forcing our gazes to meet but mine blurred due to the tears. His gaze refused to budge and I didn't dare to wipe my eyes in case he decided to tie me down to a root somewhere, simply biting my bottom lip to keep from sniffling. He turned out to be a gentleman once more when he snatched the pink handkerchief from my satchel and wiped away the stray tears on my cheeks, murmuring softly with care, "Joanna, I hate it when you cry, even if it's in private."

You see why I loved the man?

I took the handkerchief from his hands to finish wiping my eyes and his tense posture relaxed when I simply gazed at him without saying a word, prompting him to state firmly, "All of those were rumors created by _me_, Joanna, down to the last minute detail. I promised I would keep our relationship secret and that is what I did, for both our sakes. I took one woman's widely known interest to spin a web of lies and although I would have to tell her that the rumors were all lie, you would remain far from everyone's minds. All I've wanted in my life is you- _only_ you."

"I don't believe you, you're not a man that lies" I refused to accept his reason after hearing the authenticity in his voice back then and didn't want to fall into another scheme. He was the kind of person that held a silver tongue of persuasion and I didn't want to believe he'd lie just for me because it would tarnish my respected image of him. At the same time, I didn't want him to blind me further with lies of fidelity but what could I do? My logic would accept him as a cheater rather than a pathological liar, as crazy as that sounded, and I rambled on with insistence, "Everything you said was true, you ridiculed me-"

"Did you think I'd make you appealing to dispel the growing rumors?" he cut in sharply with a hint of sarcasm to silence my blurted assumptions and his hand cupped my left cheek, his thumb grazing over my lips. This was his subtle way of preventing me from uttering a peep because I didn't want to accidentally bite him between words. He'd finally allowed me to tell him what caused my attempt at Iknimaya and I would hear his story to show that same respect. My ears opened wide to analyze each word for validity as he explained slowly, "I had to make you have the worst traits imaginable that I'd ever seek from a woman to be absolutely certain they saw what _I_ wanted them to see. Do you really think I'd see you in such a deplorable way? Everything would have worked if you'd have simply trusted in me-"

"You never told me about your plan!" I hissed matter-of-factly because a little heads up would've been a colossal help in determining whether to stamp him as either a loyal man or a cheat. My hands were ready to slap his chest in retribution for what he made me endure but they ended intertwining behind his back as I embraced him joyfully, my heart filling with immense relief at knowing he'd been protecting our relationship. My fears about him running off with Sahí subsided, grateful that Eywa had given me his tough onion heart to call my own during my stay here with the Omaticaya.

"Well, you never told me about the Tsahìk!" he shot back with the same conviction to add in his own two cents, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead and that's when we realized something crucial.

_Miscommunication._

My meeting with the Tsahìk was disregarded entirely as I told him about Iknimaya first, focusing on that alone, while he refused to listen to me which worsened throughout the days of the aftermath. I overheard his carefully crafted lies and failed to confront him immediately which would've brought his entire plan to surface but my impulsive moment made that impossible. Each little bomb we unknowingly left in place detonated until we landed in this precise moment and I grasped his shoulders with widened eyes of alarm, my fingers digging into his skin as I leaned into him for support. My eyes met his surprised orbs as our personal side missions interfered severely with our secret love life and I whispered sullenly with disappointment, "We did this, didn't we? Our secrecy unraveled everything. . ."

The floodgates opened as our vulnerabilities were exposed, breaking open every secret we'd tried to protect as our attempts to conceal them were futile. I buried myself in his arms and allowed myself to cry because that was the only option left to me as the fighting spirit had left me on the day he'd run away. The sheer joy I felt for knowing he'd been truly loyal was crushed by the sorrow of knowing that my time was done here and so was the chance of our relationship. I didn't want to give up the man I loved for the chance of adulthood but I'd already chosen my decision and in the end, acceptance was the number one priority.

"No, we were supposed to be a team" I whispered miserably as we'd done everything right except for keeping our emotions in check during unpredictable moments since we were rather stubborn. Also, we failed to trust each other by admitting the crazy activities we were secretly doing in order to protect the other and I kicked myself mentally for thinking I could've kept his rank safe by being involved with him. Tsu'tey was the type of man I could see myself building a life with as an adult but only in a public setting where he wouldn't be in trouble for going against traditions. I never wanted to leave him but my impulsive eagerness to join the Omaticaya had to be remedied away from the clan where time and advising would help me purge my less than satisfactory traits. We still had some growing up to do as all living beings during their entire walk of life and I held onto the hope that I'd see him one day.

I clung to him tightly as my fingers brushed over his toned back to remember each contour of his muscles, the normal hitch of his breath, his cozy body temperature with his towering height, and the smooth silkiness of his braided hair against my skin. He held me closely as his cheek touched mine with affection, his movements subtly intimate since offering physical comfort to women remained a new field for him and I loved him dearly for trying to adapt. I inhaled his familiar scent of freshly cut banana leaves mixed in with a little spice, locking it into long-term memory and breathed hoarsely against his neck, "You're my protective ikran and I'm your perky tapirus, we were meant to be more than a secret courting couple. We've done too many crazy adventures and said too many words for it to end like this-"

My lips captured his to deliver a passionate kiss, showing the depth of my sentiments for him as time was pulling us apart. Tears flowed down my cheeks, mixing into our heated kiss with its salty taste and it seemed to fuel him into a more passionate frenzy with his tongue as I pulled him close to the wall by his necklace. His soft exhales tickled my upper lip as hungry lips nipped at my own and my fingers dug into the loose braids at the bottom of his scalp, gently weaving between the base of his queue and hair to heighten the sensation. I would've shared this and more with him if we'd been granted more time but fate was going to deny us this. We held the affection needed for a true relationship but the timing was not right as my rank was yet to be achieved and as much as I loved the man in front of me, I couldn't correct time to give us a happy ending.

My eyes opened when droplets fell onto the tip of my nose as it pressed against his cheek and I shook my head weakly at seeing crystalline tears forming in the inner corner of his eyes. No, he couldn't do this after enduring so many obstacles in his life and had promised him I'd do the crying for both of us. Breaking our kiss, my fingertips gently dabbed at the trail of tears to clear them away with the same delicateness he'd shown me as he leaned against me to trace gentle kisses on my right cheek and I whispered softly, "No, you're my rock. _I_ cry for you because you don't deserve anymore pain, remember?"

"I'm not crying" he disagreed hoarsely with light denial as he tried to push back the clear tears in his eyes by blinking and he rubbed one eye with the back of his hand to be rid of them. He wasn't fond of it and I'd yet to meet a man that was (it was a trait he carried proudly) after enduring painful losses in life which is why I never wanted to see a droplet anywhere in his beautiful golden eyes. There were nights when he'd awoken abruptly from afflicting nightmares that lingered with horrible memories of Kelutral's destruction or other past memories and I'd been there to reassure him everyone was safe, including him, keeping him cozily wrapped in a blanket while embracing him tightly. He was a man like any other but he was precious to me like a unique stone that I'd protect with my life and it broke my heart to hear him sniffle, "I don't cry, why. . .? Joanna, crying renders weakness."

"Breathe" I soothed kindly as he hyperventilated to the new emotions rolling through him since the idea of crying was unfathomable to him but I would help him through it just like I did with when a nightmare occurred. With other people, he could understand their pain and offer sincere words of comfort but he was not one to display emotional distraught after years of building his defensive walls. Both of his palms rested against the sides of my head as he leaned against the wall for support and his clenched muscles reminded me immediately of the same characteristics he showed in my hammock after waking from a terrible nightmare. Rubbing his back gently as I embraced him by the sides, my gaze locked with his to drive away the pain eating at his heart and kissed his lips gently in one movement. His furrowed brow softened to release the tension creasing his angular features and his golden eyes brightened slowly as I whispered tenderly, "Come back to me, Tsu'tey. It's all right, I won't let anything hurt you."

His erratic breathing calmed until it was lower than my own shaky breathing and his arms enveloped me a few moments later to return the sentimental gesture. I smiled serenely as he clutched me close to his chest and one hand smoothed over the back of his head while the other rubbed his upper back to bring him a small moment of peace. I was continuously learning what soothed him as time passed to make sure nothing tormented his soul but this would be the last time I could offer my own support and hoped our friends would be there for him to help him with any problem. His arms tightened around my shoulders and he buried his face into the crook of my neck, my shoulders arching forward in acceptance as I kissed the side of his neck and he whispered woefully, "I don't want you to go."

"You have to" I whispered sadly with an unsteady voice that threatened to break as my fingers stroked his hair gently, delivering chaste kisses down the side of his neck. My eyes traced over the alluring bioluminescent dots decorating his silky skin and wondered how I'd live life without him at the Atykwe. I didn't know what the future held in store for us but my heart would always have a place for him and if he found someone who could love him here. . .I would live happy knowing that he was truly happy as well. He deserved to be treasured after seeing everything he did for the Omaticaya and I hoped he'd find a way to his kindred soul soon. My arms tightened around his sides immediately at the idea of relinquishing him to someone else and leaned back to peer into his eyes, reminding solemnly, "We have duties to our clans now, not just our hearts. I'm leaving," pausing, I added in hopefully, "but if you could visit-"

"The clan needs me as advisor, Joanna, and so do our leaders" he interjected softly with a deep sigh of regret and I nodded sadly because his answer told me he would not be leaving the clan for business anytime soon. My own schedule was next to impossible for travel as I would be busy training for my new rite of passage and my new duties to my leader would come first. I had always been the type of woman that was eager to enrich my life but after spending many months with Tsu'tey. . .I'd abandon it all just to be by his side because he spelled home for me. It stung me deeply to know he would walk a different path as we lived miles apart and I released him, both physically and figuratively, placing my left hand over his heart to feel the faint beat under his sternum. His forehead touched mine as his eyes closed, his brow furrowing with remorse as he tried to amend his current tasks, "Joanna, I-"

I caressed his left cheek with my hand to dissuade him from straying from his responsibilities and traditions (it already backfired on us), outlining my favorite stripe underneath his eye and smiled widely as I observed him. He'd given me breathtaking memories of this world and I'd cherish each one despite my fondest wishes were to see a future we could both share together. I'd wanted to picture a time where our secret relationship would've flourished into the public with my rank of adulthood, bonded for life with the matriarch's blessing, argued over having socks on a baby's feet during winter, raised a peppy child with both our traits, and shared everything else attached to a married couple's milestones in life. I wished him nothing but the best in life, hoping that fate would allow us to meet one day (within less than a year would've been nice) and I confessed my innermost feelings with a watery smile, "You were _everything _I wanted in a mate and I would've loved you an entire lifetime, more than I already do, if our lives had turned out differently. May Eywa watch over you for the rest of your days, Tsu'tey."

I moved to leave the one I loved behind but he grasped my right hand to hold it between both of his, leaning down to kiss my palm firmly as he professed his own desires with a caring whisper, "I would've chosen you as my mate the moment you'd been declared one of the People."

I smiled happily to the endearing words because I would've certainly loved to share my overly large hammock with him as we fiddled with a cranky toddler sharing our features and that image sufficed my dreams. My eyes blurred to that idyllic life and I wiped them with my free hand to clear my vision quickly, clearing my tightening throat to soothe his sorrow with kind words full of pride, "Although it hurts me a little to know that, I'm happy for what might have been because I wanted the exact same future with you. Farewell, my dear Tsu'tey."

"My _tanh__í_" he whispered affectionately as he embraced me tightly enough to push the air out of my lungs and I returned it wholeheartedly because I'd be happy enough to pass out in them. He'd begun calling me by that nickname after my first hexapede kill and after remembering Eywa's words, my curiosity itched to know why he chose that specific word for me. If anything, I was a little tapirus with my movements and endless curiosity of the world but he'd batted my head playfully when I mentioned it to him during the walk around the mountain he wanted to hike one day.

"Why do you call me that?" I asked delicately with intrigue as the word always warmed my heart despite I didn't know what he meant by it. The meaning was crystal clear in the translation but his figurative thought behind it was hidden within his mind alone as I accepted the fond moniker. Tsu'tey abhorred being called anything _but_ his name (or ranking) so I'd promised to never call him as such while I allowed two names only and he'd immediately chosen that pretty word without hesitation. I leaned upwards to capture his mouth with my own, parting my lips to taste his and he didn't think twice on deepening the gentle kiss. My fingertips caressed his jawline with the same gentle ministrations that his tongue was performing against my own, smiling as his hands moved from my shoulders to hold the back of my head. I granted him a few more seconds of our slow kiss since my time here was trickling down to the last minutes and broke away to murmur faintly, "You've never told me and I'd really like to know."

I could smell the minty scent of his breath as he kissed me chastely on the nose, the worried creases on his face softening as he explained bashfully with a small smile, "Because you came to me from the stars- the star with the yellow twinkle located to the western winds."

"If you ever find yourself in Atykwe lands, I will be waiting because you won't be leaving my heart anytime soon" I promised fondly as my hands roamed over his shoulders, my inner instincts fighting against the motor control of my brain as it yearned me to stay put alongside him. Oh, how I wanted to keep both him and the Atykwe but it was absolutely impossible, forcing me to push back tears as I brushed my thumb across the apple of his cheek to whimper weakly, _"Oe t__ì__yawn nga._ How could I not fall headfirst in love you, my stubbornly courageous hunter?_"_

Drawing him close from another kiss, our lips met perfectly as he embraced me by the waist to add a little boost in my height and I loved him even more for it. This moment would be one of many fond memories in my life because I was embarking on a new adventure while knowing I'd been loved by the man I admired.

The moment he released me, I walked straight out of the alcove with my head held high because I would've broken down in the blink of an eye and run back to him had I tilted it a few degrees lower. He was a part of me, of my life among the Omaticaya, and it was as agonizing as pouring hydrochloric acid over an open heart to not look back upon him. I could feel his sparkling eyes of molten gold boring into my retreating back and I forced my legs, which already felt like a sack of rocks, to keep moving until I joined Anaya in the clearing where Peke had been left.

I would remember Tsu'tey dearly and I hoped to hold the same manner of sentimentality in his mind.

Anaya smiled cheerfully in greeting as she rubbed Peke's neck while he indulged being fawned over and seeing my pa'li happy brightened my bleak mood because he was the only reminder of the Omaticaya I would have left. Everything would be left behind us as a new chapter opened in our lives but Peke would remain my living totem for what the Omaticaya represented. My fondest wishes went to the clan matriarch for being allowed to keep him as mine and I would treasure my pa'li friend until one of us returned to Eywa. Anaya smiled excitedly as I approached them, stirring a little happy neigh from Peke and she called out, "Ready?"

I picked up the pace to place space between the old life behind me and close the gap towards the new. . .also, I'd left Anaya waiting for a few good minutes as Tsu'tey and I cleared the air. Deep inside, I knew my place was with Nitari's people despite my initial reluctance created out of fear of the unknown for leaving my safe environment but I felt comfortable whenever I spoke to them as easily as I did among the Omaticaya. I was leaving this clan with a huge weight lifted off my shoulders after learning how committed my cranky hunter was to me and I returned that same vow to the point that it literally got me kicked out of the clan. The morning air felt chilly against my skin since the sun had yet to fully rise over the horizon but I managed a cheerful smile for my traveling companions, casting aside my own private anxiety and piped up pleasantly, "Let's go home."

Anaya initiated tsaheylu with my pa'li, rubbing the back of his head with a gentle hand to keep him calm and I watched in anticipation as she made the neural connection. He'd only been trained under Tsu'tey as a children's pa'li since simple orders were obeyed easily by colts but adulthood needed a steady hand to keep a pa'li disciplined for multiple riders since they were rather affectionate creatures. Peke kicked his hind legs in stubbornness but Anaya clicked her tongue twice and he became docile again, mildly pawing at the ground to remind us that we had a trip to make. Her eyes opened with satisfaction, lightly patting Peke's hindquarters to show she was impressed with him and chuckled fondly to his lively behavior, "He's very energetic."

"You've no idea" I chuckled dotingly as I scampered over to the front to plant a small little kiss on the top of his snout since this would be his first long journey and I wanted to encourage my partner. I would keep a careful eye on him throughout the trip to make sure he didn't try to push himself and held his head in both hands to peer into his glittering baby blue eyes to say, "You can do this, Peke, but if you grow tired, you will stop immediately."

With that said, I added one last affectionate kiss and hopped up to sit behind Anaya as she held Peke's antennae for direction and security. I steadied my balance for the long trip to make my weight easier to handle on Peke and whistled low to show we were ready, motioning for him to begin a gentle gallop down the main path that would take us to meet the smaller branches that spread outwards into the forest. We would take the one farthest to the left to allow us to move eastward where ikran clan lands resided and my fingers wringed nervously as butterflies broke within my stomach with each of Peke's steps.

I couldn't believe I already felt homesick and hadn't even left Kelutral! Anaya peeked over her shoulder as she continued to hand out mental orders to Peke and teased gently with a pearly smile, "You might want to grab on before Peke picks up the pace."

Peke snorted from up ahead, automatically telling me that I'd better not fall off because they expected two newcomers and not one. Of course, Eywa wasn't going to let me have my emotionally climatic farewell with Tsu'tey to end our chapter with mutual understanding. She was a master puppeteer that created the most awe inspiring scenes and although I would've liked our ending to be memorable in similarity to cinematic films of history like Gone with the Wind, Romeo and Juliet, or Titanic (in my romanticist mind, anyway). . .I received something else entirely.

I was forced to see Tsu'tey once more as Peke trailed down the path at a safe speed and I watched him heading back to the interior of Kelutral, hating to see him without a friendly companion in tow. His ears were always a dead giveaway of his emotion and my own mimicked the position as they flattened against my head in sadness because I could no longer tag after him with incessant conversation and a shared thirst for adventure. Our bond was no longer tightly interwoven as it flowed through time, merely left unfastened on this day until we met once more. . ._if_ we would. Seeing as I wouldn't lose any more respect to my nonexistent rank, I called out to him in a language spoken by those that brought us together, "Tsutey!"

His head snapped up to pinpoint my voice and I smiled when his beautiful golden eyes met mine, mentally snapping my own picture of his handsome face to carry with me on the ride to my new home. I didn't care for the random people walking by or what attention I drew as I declared in English, knowing he'd understand perfectly, _"I love you dearly! Think about what I said!"_

Although I was the emotional one prone to authentic admissions of the heart, Tsu'tey made my day when his accented voice sent shivers down my spine, _"I love you as well! Remember everything I've taught you and conquer your_ ikran_!"_

The vibrant gleam in his eyes spoke volumes across the distance as his features softened immediately and he requested with the trademark smirk that I loved, "_Make me proud, _tanhí_!"_

I grabbed onto Anaya's shoulders as Peke moved to the edge of the path to pick up our speed in order to leave Kelutral faster and I didn't allow my eyes stray from his face as we departed. My neck craned at uncomfortable angles just to keep a glimpse of his face in my line of sight until he slowly faded into the crowds of na'vi wandering the area. He was gone from my life now but oh, did his words leave an impact on me. All our grumpy fighting, our passionate kisses, our nightly conversations, our shared adventures, each would be beautifully intertwined in a collage of memories that would last lifetime and would be worth a barrel of laughs.

* * *

_Tanhí_: Star  
_Oe tìyawn nga_: I love you

**A/N**: I rewrote the Tsu'teyxJoanna separation three or more times as none fit them perfectly. The original version had Joanna remain friendly but leave on the premise that she still believed his rumors were true as she failed to interrogate more on it, leaving her scorned. The second basically had her leaving as he walked away after insulting her previous actions, leaving both parties in the dark. I can't remember the other one, I did so many deletes until I got this. In the end, they were friends that respected each other greatly and they loved each other, remaining open and loyal to the end. And thus, we bid farewell to 'Joanna of the Omaticaya- should have been'. We'll be seeing the Atykwe in the next chapter as we all move in with Joanna to explore her new surroundings. We'll peek into Nitari's, Anaya's, and Arat's backgrounds further in since they'll be regulars of course while seeing what our fairy godmother Nitari plans for her newest little clan child, Joanna. Not to mention, we need to keep tabs with the Omaticayan people too- especially Tsu'tey.

Thanks for every new alerts/favs from new readers, I'm glad my story nabbed your interest because it officially has over 100,000 views which wowed me when I read it off the stats list. As for my current readers, thank you for the continuous feedback and I hope I do the Atykwe people I imagined in my mind justice in the next chapter.

_Moonheart_: Thanks for the kind words, I'm glad you love all of the chapters. From now on, Joanna and Tsu'tey are pretty much over the conflicts that tended to tear them apart due to their insecurities or overprotectiveness. They will be working on their inner growth because everybody changes through life, for better or worse. For these two, the worst is done.

_Claycarole_: I'd love to see carrier pigeons or a cute animal that's efficient at mail. Lol. I'm trying to figure out how the na'vi could actually set up some kind of long-range communication for their loved ones. About the semester, I can't wait for the thanksgiving holiday because I need it with the study workload and health issues.

_Lemons246_: I appreciate the words about my writing skills, I like building or breaking down characters to explore how far they can go. Both Joanna and Tsu'tey have had a long walk down the road since the story started and they're halfway there with this new development. You're right, love isn't instant, you have to keep working to keep that little love boat afloat because life isn't stagnant but Joanna and Tsu'tey will be better at it from now on.

_LilMizFireGirl_: Thanks so much for loving the story, I'm glad to hear it.

_MarkDr_: Yep, which is why they have to be in sync with each other's crazy little plans and trust that the other knows what they're doing. They still have some growing up to do as the story keeps going because they're far from perfect but they're slowly fitting together like puzzle pieces.

_C2ruis_: Thanks, Joanna and Tsu'tey are pretty much the major players but now that she's off for more adventuring, we shift the other characters in their new steps in life as well. Jake and Neytiri were learning the reigns of ruling, Norm is trying for Iknimaya, Max has been huddled in the healing alcoves, and Cheryl's preparing for a life of her own. They'll be taking their next steps soon.

_Emmalime_: Joanna and Cheryl are like sisters so I imagine their separation would hurt just as much. They've strengthened each other where their weaknesses needed a boost but now they have to work at maturing those little quirks in their personalities. In the next chapters, Cheryl becomes Tsu'tey's sisterly confidante as he needs a trusting friend that he can speak about Joanna related stuff but they'll find a small sense of family with each other.

_CrissYami_: I'm glad you were eager for the next part and hope you liked it!

_Luna Locura_: Thanks for loving the story and definitely appreciative that you're eager for every new chapter. I will keep doing the best that I can.

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**Next time: **

The forest's vegetation did indeed recede as we neared Kelutral and fallen branches along with thorny bushes littered the outskirts to prevent predators from wandering into their sanctuary. The paths became narrower as the foliage thinned and large groups of gray boulders shielded the lands of the Atykwe from unwelcome visitors, their immense size naturally barricading the clan safely from the dangerous environment of the forest. It was similar to the thick brush and large roots concealing the Omaticayan Kelutral and just like them, only the Atykwe knew the correct paths to enter as Anaya guided Peke through narrow paths between the rocks. Peke was no longer the little colt that made sudden uncoordinated sharp turns and stomped through the foliage to announce his presence as he tried his best to play the role of a stallion but failed. His gradually gained experience with Tsu'tey and I (not to mention Aci when she allowed it) allowed him to cut corners fluidly as his hooves clacked against the ground softly to maintain his speed but he crashed into nothing to make sure his presence went undetected.

"Good boy" I encouraged fondly as I patted his side since he'd done nothing but impress me since our journey and I'd make sure he would get a good sleep tonight along with a delicious meal. The road paths between the rocks were definitely made by the na'vi as constant use over centuries helped lead them home but the formation of the rocks themselves was very interesting. They were too close formed and heavy to be created by the na'vi but then again, human kind did make the pyramids and a natural formation didn't explain the intricate paths so it was something that definitely poked my mind. Since this seemed to be the main land passage to the outside, I asked curiously, "Are these the paths you take when you need to venture into the forest as well?"

"Yes, there's a few scattered throughout the border to lead several parties" she answered cheerfully as she rarely hesitated to answer any questions regarding her clan and continued with her upbeat attitude, "A few are dead end routes that will fool any trespassing predators that are small enough to push through but with our ikran on guard, we are very safe. We don't venture away from Kelutral unless we have an absolute need of it, which occurs during the hot season when deeper ocean predators venture near our coastline. Eywa supplies what the people need so we must protect our fishers by hunting elsewhere."

_Water predators_, I wondered with a little awe and shock because I didn't want the oceanic version of the thanator sneaking up on me anytime soon. _I better learn to be a good swimmer then._

The paths eventually led downwards as the earth tilted in the direction of what I assumed to be the coastline and a few more turns to the left granted us freedom from the rock maze as open land awaited us. This also gave Peke and I the first glimpse to Kelutral as the top of the canopies could be seen from our distance as the lush green leaves flowed with life as ikran flew through the sky, their sizes tiny against the horizon, and vines randomly hung from the thick canopies. The height of Kelutral was definitely shorter than the Omaticaya's, very small to the point I asked uncertainly for clarification, "I can only see the top."

Anaya laughed amusingly to my reaction as the landscape didn't allow us a closer glimpse yet and she informed us, "Deceiving, isn't it? The land will keep sloping downwards as we head towards the shore. We are currently traveling over the deep cavern systems but you will see Kelutral's true height once we reach the shoreline. From this distance, all you can see is the top and I can understand why you'd think Kelutral would be small as it can be deceiving to the eye. Once we reach the beach, I will let you be the judge."

I chuckled to her friendly challenge as Anaya didn't hesitate to sink into conversation and her open demeanor kept me content in our new friendship. The rocky landscape that was barren of high grasses and trees slowly transformed into white sandy earth as we traveled further into the coast, nabbing my interest to the topographical shift. The ground was reminiscent of Earth's old tropical islands with its beautiful white sand before resources were taken from the lush areas to feed the incredible growing population but it never satiated humankind despite enforced reproduction laws. Many also disappeared with rising sea levels, erosion, and manmade constructions that ordered them banished underwater for aesthetic beauty (I didn't see the point of that at all but then again, the elite ruled the government). Anaya ushered Peke into a full trot as the land became open with numerous road paths as all the natural borders were safely bypassed and my pa'li took a specific path that would lead around Hometree.

The air whipped my braided hair back as Peke's hooves clacked against the solid ground and we passed the white landscape as sparse rocks and thorns were scattered randomly around the area. Kelutral grew closer in distance as we rounded the place I would call home and the ikran calls grew louder, causing me to laugh from their giddiness to being back at home. Hopefully, I would one day see my own flying around the skyline with the others. From our current distance, I could see the openings in the cavern that were easily visible upon closer inspection as the rock formation held Kelutral close in an embrace but loose enough with small arches around that served as landing posts for the ikran while protecting the tree. A heavy wooden fence blocked a better sight as it surrounded the edge of the cave's opening in order to prevent anyone from falling in and injuring themselves- case in point, an overeager me. It was hard to believe such a tree could grow between such a formation but yet there were floating mountains and the encase Tree of Souls so anything was possible. Like Anaya had said, the Atykwe Kelutral was ancient so there was a lot of history about it.

The next turn to the right brought a yelp from me as the path dropped significantly within seconds and I held onto Anaya for security as she slowed Peke to allow him to trot gently. This turn in the path gave me the first true glimpse of Pandora's oceans as crystal blue water shined over the horizon with the glitter of a thousand pristine diamonds and the faint sound of crashing waves on the shore in my ears was breathtaking. The deep blue sea was so close within my reach and I caught the subtlest hint of seawater in the air as the smell was entirely new to me. As we descended, the height of the cavern rose exponentially in height until we were no longer above it and became minuscule under its size, causing me to glimpse at the gray rock that melted into a snow white hue at the top from the earth lining the west. The cavern was indeed a good protector for the Atykwe and could almost be a citadel carved in stone as it defended both its people and Kelutral from outside harm.

Peke kept to the same path with a happy trot as he grew interested in the new land changes and Anaya motioned to the landscape with a sweep of her hand to point out, "There's dozens of small caves littering the shore and on the land throughout the coast. Most are small which make them great to explore during the day and during the night, newly mated couples can choose one for their first sleep in the arms of Eywa."

_Oh, the honeymoon suite_, I thought amusingly with girlish mischief as the left area of the land descended from its high slopes to become smaller in height but gave way to taller cliffs from the distance.

Her left hand pointed to them and she added in, "Cliffs line the shore as well and we can visit them with the ikran to explore the land on top because climbing them would certainly take all day. The ikran also like to fly there most out of all when they're not using the boulder hills at the shore to bask in the sun. I will show those to you soon."

Kelutral increased in height massively as we kept descending on the path and the closer we came to the white sand shore, the sharper the huts gathered around the area became. I could only assume these were the homes used during calm seasons that Anaya had told me about as beige, brown, and gold hues were the majority of fabric colors used as wood supported the framework. Grace had once told me that scientists assumed seafaring and prairie clans used living structures similar to ancient Native Americans but when she managed to snap photographs for her book, it showed that they didn't as each clan varied their shapes and they were always asymmetrical. Even now, the shapes outlining the shore were different than what their neighbors had and I assumed each family and single resident added their own unique flair to distinguish who lived where. It was an interesting concept and being a new guest to this clan, I would undoubtedly have to build my own sooner or later.

Peke's clacking on the smooth ground disappeared into silence when his hooves entered the white sand and he stopped for a moment to observe the new earth material. I could feel his tail flickering behind me and Anaya chuckled warmly to inform me, "Peke's very curious about the white dirt. He thinks it will swallow him but I assured him it's absolutely harmless."

"He's lived in the forest all his life, this is a big change for him" I chucked fondly to his unease over the new environment but he was embracing it as I was. I patted his backside with sympathetic support to assure him everything would be all right and made a mental note to take him on walks around the shore to accustom him to his new life. Whenever he needed courage or strength, I would provide it without hesitation and murmured affectionately, "He's my baby."


	29. The Seafaring Atykwe

**The Seafaring Atykwe  
**

* * *

Tsu'tey exhaled deeply with a forlorn expression and despite he could carry himself with refined stoicism in public, Joanna's leave left a deep dent in his mask as his emotions were deeply torn. He'd tried to keep calm about his heartache for the first hours but he finally reached the breaking point in the clearings, throwing the brush he'd been using on Aci's side onto the floor with a frustrated grunt. His mare could only peer at him with worry since keeping her perfectly groomed on a daily basis was a definite must but today was an extremely agonizing day. Joanna's sudden leave affected him immediately, starting from when she had informed him, and although he'd tried his best to halt it. . .he failed. His pride took a direct hit to that after promising to protect Joanna but he'd ignored her pleas for days until the Iknimaya situation escalated to a point of no return. They had committed irreversible actions on both their parts and Joanna's had led her right into the Atykwe's arms while she'd been ripped out of his. Truly, they couldn't blame anyone but themselves but it hurt him to know he was a main cause of it.

Since Joanna's leave, Tsu'tey had tried his best to keep his mind occupied by performing his usual tasks around Kelutral. Despite his emotional pain, he was still the lead hunter which meant gathering the clan's hunters for briefings and being an advisor filled his mornings with meetings and respectful farewells to high-ranked members. Unfortunately, all of that failed to bring him a sense of peace over the slow passing hours and he was left staring at Aci with a sullen stare as she offered a sympathetic gaze.

"I apologize, Aci" he sighed softly with empathy to his beloved pa'li because she'd done nothing wrong and leaned down to pick up the discarded wooden brush with a long tired exhale. He dusted off the bristles of the brush with his fingers pocketing it into his leather satchel. His pa'li was always immaculate in appearance so there was no actual necessity to groom her today but he needed to keep his mind from dwelling on his new somber reality. One of her antennae gently patted his shoulder in a show of compassion and he rubbed the side of her neck to offer the same comfort with gratitude for her kindness. His Aci could read his emotions clearly after their many seasons together and he held the same skill, noticing the lack of the usual glitter in her azure eyes and whispered delicately, "Peke will be fine, I assure you."

Her front left hoof digging into the ground distinctly told him she believed otherwise and Tsu'tey knew that despite her cold exterior, Aci loved Peke like any mother. His oldest promise could not be upheld within the Omaticaya but he was certain that Joanna would never let anything happen to Peke, knowing how devoted she was to the young pa'li. He'd observed their private interactions well enough to learn that the growing colt would be in no danger and the lack of entering the forests with the sea clan would help keep him safe at the coast. Joanna treasured her forest companion dearly and she protected those she cared for- she'd been ready to sacrifice herself when Tsu'tey had tried to play decoy for a thanator so Peke was in safe hands. Aci, on the other hand, wasn't thoroughly convinced the dreamwalker was strong enough like her rider to keep her offspring safe but Tsu'tey stroked her back to vow with a fond smile, "If I ever get a chance to visit them, I will bring you back an item to prove it."

Aci snorted with skepticism because she wanted to see her offspring happily swatting flies at her Kelutral rather than at another place- _that_ would be her proof. The Atykwe probably didn't even have his favorite bulbous red flowers or know that he liked drinking from shallow pools where the young foals and colts roamed. Her antennae drooped dramatically to her unexpected loss since she'd seen Peke in the morning, cheerfully eating his morning meal and she'd carried on her way after sparing him a brief glance of recognition. She was a proud animal but she'd been the toughest on Peke after losing her offspring (except one daughter) and had instilled for him to be tough as her youngest, denying physical affection once he'd been separated from her to join the colts. Despite that, he was a lively pa'li and his gaze always lingered on Aci when they crossed paths. . .and it hurt her to know they'd been separated without a single notice. Had she gone about her teachings the wrong way? Tsu'tey could see the upset brewing within his steed as her hooves anxiously pawed at the ground and tried to soothe her with a calm voice, "Trust me, Aci, everything will be fine."

"Your master is correct" Mo'at's voice spoke up behind them and both stood erect with respect as they wiped away their glum expressions to stand at attention. She was already aware of their shocked reactions to the abrupt leave of both residents and concerned over the young hunter, she'd informed him that they would speak later in the day so she'd come to collect. She would need to counsel the young man through his newest emotional wound but this was to be another stepping stone in his life as she guided him to the end result. Eywa gave a matriarch seasons of glimpses of each of her residents lives as she was intuitively connected to the entire clan at all times but Tsu'tey was the adopted little ikran of her family and she'd yet to see him fly off to be happy. Mo'at planned to change that with time because although she could see Eywa's future for him, her frustrated ikran in the nest couldn't but she'd try her best to keep him content for the time being. Despite Mo'at's mask of neutrality in public, her features softened towards the young hunter and she spoke softly, "Calm your heart, Tsu'tey, I know it must be very heavy by now."

Tsu'tey didn't have the comforting loving hand of a mother during his youth which led to him viewing the matriarch as a second since he'd originally been intended for Neytiri. He was eternally grateful for having someone to substitute the name 'mother' to because he certainly longed for one despite his outward demeanor of being self-reliant. Whenever he required advice on a problem in life, he sought the help of Mo'at and always remained humble for her endless help regardless of the fact they held no blood bonds. Joanna's leave had brought on many questions as she'd become a large integral part of his life (soothing the void of tender affection he missed over the years) and would have to adjust once more to living without her. He couldn't grasp why she'd been taken from him after being so happy; he'd spent many nights hoping that Eywa had changed the mind of Nitari and that Joanna would be left alone to live with him but it was in vain. His ears flattened delicately against his head as his gaze remained downcast towards the ground and his usual strong voice was defeated, "Why. . .Did you know she would leave, matriarch?"

"Yes, Nitari asked for Joanna during our meet at the Tree of Souls and I did not deny her request" Mo'at admitted carefully so he could understand her previous judgment because it was all for the benefit of everyone. Eywa had not allowed her glimpses of the new dreamwalker during their first days of meeting, only blurs that cleared only after the soul transfer, which led to her agreeing with Nitari. The older matriarch had seen the road ahead very clearly and had advised Mo'at on how to keep extending the intertwining paths of Joanna and Tsu'tey. The hunter's already somber face fell to her answer and she explained gently to ease his heartache, "I did not know much about Joanna but I knew she was a piece that would help you become wiser and level-headed as an individual. I sought your best interests and she fulfilled all of my expectations but as I began to realize that you were showing more than platonic care towards her. . ."

Mo'at deliberately trailed off as she noticed the bashful expression on the hunter's face as she grew used to seeing stern looks and smiled softly to the young boy she'd seen grow up under her guidance. She owed it to Kaana to see that her son would keep traveling on a wise path that would bring him the respect he deserved and the love he yearned to share with another. Neytiri had confided her own thoughts with her regarding the two as she hoped Mo'at wouldn't automatically arrange a mate for him due to his lack of interest in anyone but a Tsahìk was always one step ahead. She sympathized with the young man as he sought solace with his pa'li to mend his pain and admitted kindly, "I do not disagree with your intentions, she cared very deeply for you as well. I would not have hesitated to bless a union between you two if she'd been a member of this clan."

"She will belong to another clan now" he stated solemnly to what fate had dealt him after they'd secretly run on different wavelengths to protect each other. His secret entanglement with Joanna would remain a secret between them alone but he sensed the matriarch knew how deep his turmoil ran because a man that wasn't courting a woman of interest would be sullen and deflated, not feeling trampled under Titanothere feet like he did. If they had ended as mutual friends bordering on affection, he would've been able to sustain his stoic mask to hide the hurt but it was completely shattered. Tsu'tey could only try to feign the expression that he'd lost a great friend (which he had) only and uttered softly, "I will not be seeing her anytime soon and I must accept that, no matter how painful it is. Thank you for your words of comfort nonetheless, Tsahìk."

Mo'at touched his shoulder gingerly with a motherly smile and advised, "It will lessen with time, young one, but your clan is here for you. You must be strong as you continue on your path but confide in your friends and me to handle any distressing heartache. I know you'd rather hide everything to show your immense self-control and care for others who display the same enduring pain but you need to free yourself from it."

"How. . .how do you accept the idea that you will not see the one you love for a long time?" he murmured softly as only hours had passed since her departure but his heart felt torn into pieces with each slow agonizing second. At first, he'd wanted to crawl into Joanna's large hammock to sleep his sudden loneliness away until he realized that everything belonging to her was gone from Kelutral- wiped clean as if she'd never lived there. The little bat to the back of his knee from her tail, her soft laughs of amusement, her smooth fingertips running over his skin, and her subtle fresh flowery scent. . .all of it had vanished and he was lost to any possible reappearances. Grudgingly, he left her old sleeping area to nap in his own hammock instead as he held his mother's necklace and longed for the familiar oversized hammock with its peppy maker. The woman had entered his life unexpectedly with a witty mouth that irked him down to the bone but she'd become the dearest person to his heart when her defenses melted away.

The second his words left his mouth, he chastised himself for being inconsiderate on his vocabulary choice since Mo'at had lost her mate prematurely in the destruction of the old Kelutral. He wanted to kick himself for the foolish mistake because bringing up the past was not something he wanted to do with the woman he admired as a maternal role model, especially for one that had lost half her family to tragedy. His mouth opened to offer his deepest apology but the matriarch closed it for him with a quick flick of her wrist, already comprehending his regret for the action.

"You honor their memories, what you shared, and live for them until you see them once more" she answered quietly with a small smile because a good mate would want their other half to be live happy and watch over their family until Eywa reunited them. Whenever she missed her mate, memories of the past and a connection to Eywa alleviated a heavy heart because decades of seasons together had created an unyielding bond between Mo'at and Eytukan. Being a healer's daughter, they met early in childhood as she strolled by a pool searching for seashells (which were nowhere in existence within the forest) and was enlightened on where to find them by the young Eytukan. It was a story that had made their daughters laugh during childhood as Eytukan regaled them with the tale while she tried not to feel too embarrassed about her naïve mind during youth. Each couple united by Eywa held their own unique story and just as she had hers, Neytiri held her own and Tsu'tey was searching for his.

His glum disposition prompted the matriarch to ask with faint curiosity in her neutral voice, "Why do you assume that you two will not meet soon?"

Tsu'tey chuckled miserably to his lack of good fortune so far and reasoned with the logical facts between the two clans, "The distance isn't short, not like the plain clans, and we both have duties to fulfill among our own clans now. I'm Omaticaya and she will be Atykwe. . .we could never be."

_She will probably find somebody who is less grumpy and friendlier_, he thought miserably to the selection of available men the Atykwe offered and knew Joanna's natural caretaking abilities would attract a few eyes. Who wouldn't be drawn towards that for the child rearing quality? He hadn't cared about that at all unlike others; his eyes were solely enamored by her ability to produce laughter in his belly and her thirst for adventuring. It was plainly obvious that he didn't have a shortage of interested women and cursed his outstanding luck in that arena because the only one he'd wanted had left!

"Sometimes, the road to happiness isn't carved very easily and you must tackle each obstacle to persevere" the matriarch advised wisely to hearten his spirit as the coming days would test his emotional threshold without Joanna by his side. The two had been inseparable after her accident and Mo'at didn't want her best hunter reverting back to his old intimidating demeanor because he had changed alongside the dreamwalker woman. Her hand stroked the top of Aci's head as the mare's indifferent public demeanor practically melted under her touch into content neighing and Mo'at stated kindly with honesty, "You've lived a hard life, Tsu'tey. Each successful triumph will grant what you deserve in this world for serving our clan and Eywa so loyally. If Eywa would've given me a son to bear, I would be proud for eternity to see him grow up to be like you- our finest huntsman."

His ears lowered with modesty to her words as he took pride in knowing that, grateful that Mo'at and Eytukan had encouraged him the same manner as his biological parents when they had been among the living. He trusted her with what he sought in life and any other questions regarding that which allowed him the trusting privacy to admit quietly, "I simply want to keep serving our clan and. . ."

Tsu'tey had never felt truly ready to bond to anyone, apart from Sylwanin and Neytiri (although it certainly gave him anxiety), since his newfound freedom to romance single women of the clan had allowed him endless roaming. He'd never expected to find his equal in spirit since ranking usually spoke for mating bonds between residents of a clan but Joanna had changed his viewpoint throughout their friendship. She wasn't at the level to become a mated woman yet but he'd seen the qualities of a good mate and mother within her as she kept honing her skills to grow into a respectable huntress. The small of amount of days that he'd been bestowed to spend with her as a suitor, free of all rankings and masks, were the happiest since seeing the tawtute fade into the sky as he allowed himself to be vulnerable in order to show his affection.

Tilting his head to the side, he finished his confession in a low voice laced with surprise and acceptance, "I think. . .the idea of having a family to call my own isn't as farfetched as I first believed. I've had my taste of being a lone man for more than two seasons and it didn't fulfill me with the happiness I imagined. On the contrary, it reaffirmed that I seek a woman to call my other half."

Mo'at's heart warmed to the admission as she'd seen him be a mentor to every uprising youngster in the clan but his own little child and knew the next steps would become clearer for him as time passed. She would gently nudge him in the right direction to find his happiness within his sense of duty and approved of the personal choice. It was sheer delight to hear his hopes for the future and despite her expression stayed neutral, her voice expressed satisfaction, "I am pleased to hear that. I know that nobody in this clan has seized your attention but I know that sooner or later, you will find her and she will treasure you endlessly. You are not a man that's afraid of hard work so take each day slowly and learn from each as you find your way."

He bowed his head politely to her advice and the matriarch added in her last pieces of counsel, "You and Jakesully have grown close as brothers so I implore you to confide your troubles to him. Also, your closest link to Joanna. . .seek the cheerful herbalist, Cherylsmith, she is quite the listener. You are not alone here, Tsu'tey, and I will never hesitate to remind you."

"I am always humbled by your earnest kindness, matr-" Tsu'tey replied gratefully as he appreciated being important enough to warrant a private conversation outside of the alcoves but her brow furrowed to being addressed so formally. In public, he would routinely use her formal rank and speak to her in perfect politeness but years after caring for him like a second mother. . . her name was used in private. A small sheepish smile appeared on his face and he restated quietly with a respectful voice, "Mo'at."

"Much better, young one" she agreed with a pleased smile and stroked the sides of Aci's face to offer the crestfallen pa'li another portion of matriarchal advice, "And you, my strong mare, have borne resilient offspring and the tawtute will never hurt your little ones again. Rejoice that they have found eternal peace and happiness in Eywa's pastures, sending their love constantly to you. Peke needs to find his own path now but I can assure you that you will see him again one day so there is no need to worry."

Aci neighed solemnly as her antennae drooped down to her legs, her cool façade disappearing for a moment as her icy blue eyes glittered against the sunlight filtering through the canopies. Mo'at gently rubbed the top of her head as she'd done to other pa'li that were wary and soothed gently, "We mothers endure much throughout our lives and we certainly don't wish to outlive our children. Peke is a pa'li with great potential and he will make you very proud. However, you still have Tsu'tey to watch over and I don't want either of you upset, I've raised you to be quite strong. We Omaticayans persevere through tragic times and our courage is never withered so take heart from that, dear Aci."

The matriarch released the somber mare, who instantly nudged her rider's shoulder to show her never-ending support and Mo'at smiled approvingly to both. She didn't want to see them depressed despite the internal hurt brewing within because she knew its agony firsthand and it was the main reason she was gently prodding them towards a brighter direction. They were the best pa'li-hunter team of her clan and seeing them grow up since birth compelled her to keep paving their road to a happier tomorrow. Bidding them farewell, she departed to return to her duties but with Neytiri readily able to carry her title, Mo'at had taken the liberty to check on Tsu'tey. With the free time available to her, she would retreat to meditate in her private alcove to convey her progress to Eywa.

Tsu'tey turned to his faithful Aci, delicately rubbing the back of her neck in the same manner as he'd done during childhood and smiled sincerely, "How about a nice stroll around Kelutral? It will take our minds away from the new changes."

She neighed in agreement, her hooves clacking against the ground with enthusiasm to get moving and he chuckled fondly to her new burst of energy. That was the Aci he knew.

* * *

_(Joanna's POV)_

I understood now why Nitari ordered that we depart early from the Omaticaya because the length of travel doubled on the ground, especially with the thick foliage of the forest. Peke's stamina had grown much since his days as a colt and as the offspring of Aci, he was a well-bred stallion in the making. Tsu'tey had confided that little piece of his origins with me after the standoff between Peke and Aci, which didn't help my chances of winning her over in the near future. Although she was indifferent to Peke most of the time, Tsu'tey assured me that she loved him and I never hesitated to encourage Peke with it because he deserved to know. Aci might kick my head in one day for releasing the secret information but Peke sought her approval, feeling it continually through tsaheylu when we strolled through the clearings and passed by the respected mare. If Peke wanted to become a powerful pa'li like his mother one day, I would stay by his side loyally to see it through.

We traveled nonstop for the first hours of morning but I gave my Peke time to rest in a safe area since he wasn't accustomed to carrying two people for such long periods. Our outings through Kelutral's outskirts were on the safest trails and our Iknimaya attempt had been the most dangerous travel so far but he'd performed outstandingly for a pa'li without hunting experience. Peke was my dearest animal friend and I would be giving him a good meal for his upbeat attitude today since his little heart longed for home. Anaya and I kept our conversation to a minimum since the forest could spring a predator at us any second and our presence there was to resemble an elusive atokirina to avoid conflict.

Only Peke was allowed to make sounds as he traversed through the foliage efficiently to find his way through the secret na'vi roads that offered safety for pa'li venturing deeply into the forest. The woodland landscape stayed the same throughout our journey as the thick brush prevented us from seeing too far ahead in a trail and I'd be lying if said I didn't keep my satchel close. We were in dangerous territory since paths between clans had scarcely been used since the start of the tawtute occupation to prevent unnecessary deaths due to conflict. Overgrown grass covered the paths but the na'vi were smart enough to leave rock and carved root markers to guide our way (helpful due to the rarity of visits) as Anaya read each one easily. I didn't see them until we passed by the first one of many but a little pride blossom flourished within me when I understood the direction carved into the roots of a nearby tree that directed us westward. My skills were far from perfect but I would be working hard towards fixing those traits for both myself and my new clan.

Each tilt in the sun's angle reminded me of how much distance we were putting between the coast and the Omaticaya clan but despite the anxiety of leaving them, I'd left with a happy conscience. Tsu'tey and I faced our faults, agreeing that we needed to improve individually to fully function as a couple that didn't have to hide our affection in the dark. He was a great man in my view and I hoped our friends would offer trusting support with anything that he needed because he wasn't the type to ask, he was prideful as he wanted to appear fully in control. I knew better; he needed words of comfort and encouragement from time to time which is why I privately confided in Cheryl that she keep watch over him discreetly. I remembered how his face lit up and softened when I first offered words of kindness to keep inspiring him to achieve his goals and be content with his attained respect but Tsu'tey needed that little friendly push. Nitari had brought me to the Omaticaya to help him flourish into a levelheaded man, which he had as all the hostile rage was gone from his soul, and I could only wonder what the clan would do to help him further down the road. There was no question in my mind that Tsu'tey was a man to be valued and I was content at knowing there were no limits to what that determined hunter could achieve.

As for me, my road was to complete Uteho'awkx and my personality would require further tweaking to mature into what a fully functional member of the Atykwe would need to be. I found it heartwarming that both my short fuse and Tsu'tey's had fizzled out long ago by our continuous contact, silently thanking him for the personal developments he'd produced within me as well. Our tendency to be secretive and overprotective had been our downfall but we would learn from that mistake over the months, I hoped, to become wiser individuals. In the end, Eywa had introduced me to my dearest na'vi friend, stern teacher, and the man I'd undoubtedly fallen for, but she'd separated us for reasons unknown to me. The universe worked oddly and I wouldn't question Her but if She could grant me my deepest desire of seeing him one day, I'd be happy.

Eventually, the forest's vegetation did indeed recede as we neared Kelutral and fallen branches along with thorny bushes littered the outskirts to prevent predators from wandering into the Atykwe's residential sanctuary. The paths became narrower as the foliage thinned and large groups of gray boulders shielded the lands of the clan from unwelcome visitors, their immense size naturally barricading the Atykwe safely from the dangerous environment of the forest. The vegetation was similar to the thick brush and large roots concealing the Omaticayan Kelutral and just like them, only the residents knew the correct paths to enter as Anaya guided Peke through narrow paths between the rocks. Peke was no longer the little colt that made sudden uncoordinated sharp turns and stomped through the foliage to announce his presence as he tried his best to play the role of a stallion but unfortunately failed. His gradually gained experience with Tsu'tey and I (not to mention Aci when she allowed it) taught him to cut corners fluidly as his hooves clacked against the ground softly to maintain his speed but he crashed into nothing to make sure his presence went undetected.

"Good boy" I encouraged fondly as I patted his side since he'd done nothing but impress me since our journey began and I would make sure he received a good sleep tonight along with a delicious meal. The road paths between the rocks were definitely made by the na'vi as constant use over the centuries helped lead them home but the formation of the rocks themselves was very interesting. They were too closely formed and heavy to be created by the na'vi but then again, humankind did make the gigantic pyramids and a natural formation didn't explain the intricate paths so it was something that definitely poked my mind. Since this seemed to be the main land passage to the outside, I asked curiously from behind, "Are these the paths you take when you need to venture into the forest as well?"

"Yes, there's a few scattered throughout the border to lead several parties" she answered cheerfully as she rarely hesitated to answer any questions regarding her clan and continued with her upbeat attitude, "A few are dead end routes that will fool any trespassing predators that are small enough to push through but with our ikran on guard, we are very safe. We don't venture away from Kelutral unless we have an absolute need of it, which occurs during the hot season when deeper ocean predators venture near our coastline. Eywa supplies what the people need so we must protect our fishers by hunting elsewhere."

_Water predators_, I wondered with a little awe and shock because I didn't want the oceanic version of the thanator sneaking up on me anytime soon. Pandora was a dangerous world that wasn't to be treaded lightly by anyone, no matter how experienced, and I created a mental note for later, _I better learn to be a good swimmer then._

The paths eventually led downwards in a gentle slope as the earth tilted in the direction of what I assumed to be the coastline and a few more turns to the left granted us freedom from the rock maze as open land awaited us. This also gave Peke and I the first glimpse to our new Kelutral as the top of the lush canopies could be seen from our distance as the green leaves flowed with life against the gentle sea breeze. Ikran flew through the clear blue sky, their sizes colorfully miniature against the horizon, and vines randomly hung from the thick canopies. The height of Kelutral was definitely shorter than the Omaticaya's, very small to the point that I asked uncertainly for clarification, "I can only see the top."

Anaya laughed amusingly to my baffled reaction as the landscape didn't allow us a closer glimpse yet and she informed us with a clever grin, "Deceiving, isn't it? The land will keep sloping downwards as we head towards the shore. We are currently traveling over the deep cavern systems but you will see Kelutral's true height once we reach the shoreline. From this distance, all you can see is the top and I can understand why you'd think Kelutral would be small as it can be misleading to the eye. Once we reach the beach, I will let you be the judge."

I chuckled to her friendly challenge as Anaya didn't hesitate to sink into conversation and her open demeanor kept me content in our new camaraderie. The rocky landscape that was barren of high grasses and trees slowly transformed into white sandy earth as we traveled further into the coast, nabbing my interest to the topographical shift. The ground was reminiscent of Earth's old tropical islands with its beautiful white sand before resources were taken from the lush areas to feed the incredibly growing population but it never satiated humankind despite enforced reproduction laws. Many also disappeared with rising sea levels, erosion, and manmade constructions that ordered them banished underwater for aesthetic beauty (I didn't see the point of that at all). Anaya ushered Peke into a full trot as the land opened up with numerous road paths as all the natural borders were safely bypassed and my pa'li took a specific path that would lead around Hometree.

The air whipped my braided hair back as Peke's hooves clacked against the solid ground and we passed the white landscape as sparse gray rocks and thorns were scattered randomly around the area. Kelutral grew closer in distance as we rounded our new residence and the ikran calls grew louder, causing me to laugh from their giddiness to being back at home. Hopefully, I would one day see my own flying around the horizon with the others to join their cheerful symphony. From our current distance, I could see the top opening in the cavern that was easily visible upon closer inspection as the rock formation held Kelutral close in an embrace but loose enough with small arches around that served as landing posts for the ikran while protecting the tree. A heavy wooden barrier blocked a better sight as it surrounded the edge of the cave's opening in order to prevent anyone from falling in and injuring themselves- case in point, an overeager me. It was hard to believe such a tree could grow between such a formation but yet there were floating mountains and the encased Tree of Souls so anything was possible on Pandora. Like Anaya had said, the Atykwe Kelutral was ancient so there was a lot of history behind it.

The next turn to the right brought a yelp from me as the path dropped significantly within seconds and I held onto Anaya for added security as she slowed Peke to allow him to trot gently. This would serve to remind me to be cautious whenever I hiked leisurely through this area in the future as I calmed my heartbeat back to its normal range. This bend in the path gave me the first true glimpse of Pandora's oceans as crystal blue water shined over the horizon with the glitter of a thousand pristine diamonds and the faint sound of crashing waves on the shore in my ears was breathtaking. The deep blue sea was so close within my reach and I caught the subtlest hint of seawater in the air as the smell was entirely new to me. It intrigued me so much that I had to add in a few deep inhales to imprint the new taste in the air and smiled joyously at fulfilling my girlish wish to smell the pure sea breeze.

As we descended, the height of the cavern rose exponentially in height until we were no longer above it and became minuscule under its size, causing me to glimpse at the gray rock that melted into a snow white hue at the top from the earth lining the west. The cavern was indeed a good protector for the Atykwe and could almost be a citadel carved in stone as it defended both its people and Kelutral from outside harm. It was a beautiful landmark in itself, marveling at its growing height against the skyline and pondering how deep the cavern ran from the inside.

Peke kept to the same path with a happy trot as he grew interested in the new land changes and Anaya motioned to the oceanic landscape with a sweep of her hand to point out, "There's dozens of small caves littering the shore and on the land throughout the coast. Most are small which make them great to explore during the day and during the night, newly mated couples can choose one for their first sleep in the arms of Eywa."

_Oh, the honeymoon suite_, I thought amusingly with girlish mischief as the left area of the land descended from its high slopes to become smaller in height but gave way to taller cliffs in the distance. It was safe to say the white cliffs were predominant in the coast while sand dunes and the small coves shared a tie for second but my, it was absolutely breathtaking. I'd always loved marine landscapes of the world but was never able to travel to such due to family restrictions (to them, the cities were prosperous) and my profession to the RDA. Now that I was here, I could only compare the coast's beauty to the Twelve Apostles in Australia or El Hierro from the Canary Islands as foamy white waves crashed against the rock stacks standing out at sea.

Anaya's left hand pointed to the towering cliffs in the far distance and she added in, "Cliffs line the shore as well and we can visit them with the ikran to explore the land on top because climbing them would certainly take all day. The ikran also like to fly there most of all when they're not using the boulder hills at the shore to bask in the sun. I will show those to you soon."

Kelutral increased in height massively as we kept descending on the path and the closer we came to the white sandy shore, the sharper the huts gathered around the area became. I could only assume these were the homes used during the calm seasons that Anaya had told me about as beige, brown, and gold hues were the majority of fabric colors used as wood supported the framework. Grace had once told me that scientists assumed seafaring and prairie clans used living structures similar to ancient Native Americans but when she managed to snap photographs for her book, it proved that they didn't as each clan varied their shapes and they were always asymmetrical. Even now, the shapes outlining the shore were different than what their neighbors had and I assumed each family and single residents added their own unique flair to distinguish who lived where. Otherwise, conformity would confuse me when it came time to find a specific clan member throughout the spacious beach shore. It was an interesting concept and being a new guest to this clan, I would undoubtedly have to build my own sooner or later.

Peke's clacking on the smooth ground disappeared into silence when his hooves entered the white sand and he stopped for a moment to observe the new earth material. I could feel his tail flickering behind me with wary curiosity and Anaya chuckled warmly to inform me, "Peke's very concerned yet fascinated about the white dirt. He thinks it will swallow him but I assured him it's absolutely harmless."

"He's lived in the forest all his life, this is a big change for him" I chucked fondly to his natural discomfort about the new environment but he was embracing it slowly as I was. We needed to take baby steps in this new journey and I'd help him cross that bridge with me since he was still a baby in this world like I was. I patted his backside with endless sympathetic support to assure him everything would be all right and made a mental note to take him on walks around the shore to accustom him to his new life. Whenever he needed courage or strength, I would provide it without hesitation and murmured affectionately, "He's my baby."

Anaya chuckled softly to my motherly doting and agreed with an amicable smile, "I'm the same with Taka. It took a while to calm him when we arrived at the Omaticayan lands, he thought that the land was closing in on him since it lacked open water."

We shared a laugh about the endearing moments our partners provided and I'm certain us riders have given them a few laughs of our own. A small right turn towards the cave signified our arrival at the ground level of the cave but the shore was still a good walk away as the land sloped downward. The sparkling sea called out to me like a siren straight out of a mythical book but I couldn't frolic around in the water until I was settled in. People were happily wandering the beach as the clan was now fully reunited and conversations could be heard everywhere as young to old listened or heard stories about the festival. From my vantage point, I could see that there were a larger number of residents among the Atykwe than the Omaticaya. The land was definitely larger in space than theirs which played a major factor in occupancy limit since the beach and Kelutral were both habitable (even the caverns, Anaya told me).

My mouth popped open to gap like a fish out of water when I saw the entrance of the cave as the inside was enormous, serving as the main base floor for Kelutral while the roots of the tree were firmly entwined within the dirt. The roots were definitely longer than the Omaticaya's due to its age but I could see beautiful superficial carvings written along several of the thick roots. I'd seen the same on the Omaticaya Kelutral as Tsu'tey explained stories were written into the bark using intricate drawings and he'd informed me all tales from the previous Hometree had been transferred to preserve their clan history. As if Kelutral and the ground floor weren't enough, the walls of the cavern were daunting in height but I understood easily why the Atykwe could store just about anything and their ikran in here. The mouth of the cave made us tiny and the walls were massive enough that trails were naturally formed to lead to multiple levels as more entrances branched from the large cave. It was almost like glimpsing straight into a Tolkien book with its natural beauty as the na'vi used it to fit their needs without changing a single thing.

"My goodness, this cave is amazing" I uttered breathlessly as we trotted inside quietly, voices echoing from the walls with cheer and Peke held the same excitement as we eyed everything in sight curiously. Our eyes were bright with each discovery made about our new clan and Anaya must've seen it across our faces (it was as clear as daylight) because she chuckled amusingly to our expression. Residents were mostly gathered in the deep interior of the cave as the base of Kelutral took center stage, literally, with its immense size but Anaya veered us towards the left where the pa'li pen was located. From our distance, I could finally see Kelutral's true size and although it was larger than most trees in the forest, it's height as a Hometree was much smaller than the Omaticaya's. I wondered if it was due in part to the cavern surrounding it but the size was a perfect balance since the high winds could cause heavier damage to a taller tree.

Thankfully, our arrival drew no special notice as everyone happily mingled about the clan's return and we came to a full stop in front of a wooden pen that offered plenty of open space along with a comfy ground for sleeping. Anaya was right about their small number of pa'li, there were barely more than a dozen unlike the Omaticaya whom used many. The pa'li were kept inside the entrance of the cavern, leisurely trotting the area and their eyes sparkled with joy to our approach. Anaya and I climbed off Peke to give him the much needed break as our weight lifted off him and I quickly worked to unstrap the leather pouches from his sides. He was more than happy to be free, his hooves clacking against the pebbly ground and his blue eyes held amusement as he watched me hoist them over my own shoulders.

"Oh, will you look at them?" I cooed sweetly with a wide smile to the adorable Atykwe pa'li as their tails swayed with excitement but Peke eyed them with a guarded stance.

He was the only one of his age group here as the rest were fully matured and I assured him everything would work out smoothly for us to keep his optimism alive. Despite my pep talk, he eyed everything suspiciously after becoming accustomed to the Omaticayan way of life and their pa'li. He was internally anxious and a little fearful (similar to me) at becoming part of the seafaring clan and I walked with him inside the pen, gently ushering him towards the nearest empty area. As I consoled my steed over his new home with pats and kisses to the top of his head, Anaya spoke to the other pa'li about their newest friend.

I promised Peke that our new lives would work out if we gave one hundred percent of our efforts but he'd simply batted my left shoulder with one antenna to show his skepticism. I left him bare without any leads since he needed relief from all pa'li accessories after performing spectacularly and patted his hindquarters so he could begin the mingling process. Just like I'd watched him blend in among the Omaticayan stallions as a colt to show his own dominance, I waited until he found a small place to call his own in the pen. His front right hoof tapped the earth until he found a soft spot perfect for sleeping and plopped himself down to call it a day, neighing in sweet relief. I smiled fondly to seeing him content as his antennae flicked lazily against the ground and Anaya returned to my side as she finished her talk with the pa'li, who now eyed Peke curiously.

Naturally, I was on the defense since most pa'li tended to pick on my poor boy but it turned out that having a small number made them more tightly knit as a group and happy for new company. I found myself very surprised when the stallions didn't try to pick territory scuffles with Peke, which was good for both sides as they neighed with interest to their new friend. After a few antennae flicks between each of the pa'li for permanent recognition, Peke found his new pen mates agreeable and added an extra pat to each as his own personal flair of endless friendliness. The pa'li neighed contently to each other as they resumed their earlier actions and Anaya informed me, "We don't have many so they're always friendly to newcomers. Peke can skip the upcoming afternoon trot around the shore, seeing as he traveled such a long distance. Our pa'li can be a little restless sometimes so we let them roam on their own but with today's excitement, they could become frightened which is why they're here."

He deserved a good rest after the long journey he endured and I kneeled down to rub the top of his head with tender care as he closed his blue eyes to nap. Oh, how I loved him and I counted myself blessed for being able to maintain our bond. Smiling broadly, I complimented him proudly for everything he'd done, "You were spectacular today, Peke. Take a good rest and I'll return later with some delicious food since I doubt you'll be up for a little stroll at the beach anytime soon."

He snorted at the ground for having to take another journey and I chuckled amusingly to his subtle stubborn streak, kissing his head since he was too tired to give me an affectionate lick on the face. His tail flicked in the air with a friendly swish and I appreciated his efforts, soothing any last minute doubts away with a private whisper, "We'll be happy here, I promise."

Anaya and I exited the pen quietly to let the pa'li regain their area and followed her towards the next destination, keeping quiet as we walked deeper into the cavern. She played a wonderful tour guide as she didn't hesitate to explain every structure and its history, adding her own personal notes in some instances. As an ex-anthropologist, I loved hearing about every little tidbit of history since I would be expected to know it (and respect it) and walked behind Anaya with curiosity shining in my eyes as we headed for the base of Hometree. It was a sight unlike any other since the Omaticaya Kelutral lacked natural protection whereas the Tree of Souls had beautiful arches of rocks that eventually turned into a rock shell that surrounded the tree while its roots spread throughout the area. This one, however, was encrusted and intertwined with the gray rocks of the cavern due to its deep roots within the earth but it was an enchanting sight nonetheless (it looked very safe to climb too for future exploration). The cavern encased Hometree from the base to half of its height as it protected the trunk heavily like a shield fortress, sheltering the Atykwe home from natural or manmade disasters. My view from the ground floor allowed me to catch a glimpse of the many alcoves and levels spread throughout cavern as I craned my head upwards to see all of it.

The lower levels contained people in their work stations, similar to how the Omaticayan residents gathered at the base to begin their day's work and I admired the fact that each had a little alcove to work from. They were all in varying sizes, some open while others covered with cloth curtains, as either small or large groups shared one. A few whistled to Anaya in greeting and she returned her own tweet every once in a while but informed me about the new area with a smile, "Everyone except the hunters work in here as we store our clan's materials and food here rather than on the beach."

Her hand swept to the left where groups of residents were fixing utensils for cooking, preparing food from within the alcove, or arranging leaf plates in baskets as they happily chatted away. The smell of freshly cut fish entered my nose and the smell of spicy aromatic herbs awakened my taste buds, almost hypnotized by their allure but Anaya cut into my thoughts with a helpful hint, "The cooking and storage areas are on the left as we they carry the deepest storage space there while the right carries everything from bow makers to teachers. Natural light filters inside from above so we have no need for bladder lanterns until the evening and only the clan hearth is kept burning at the base of Hometree."

She pointed to the highest spots of the cavern donut (as I affectionately liked to call it) that served as the tree's food supply for photosynthesis. I assumed that as a logical choice but I was no botanist since plants could grow with or without direct sunlight so maybe there would be an herbalist I could seek answers from- or ask Anaya herself. She motioned to the rock arches stretching horizontally over the gap and smiled enthusiastically, "Ikran roost up there sometimes during sundown and they sleep in the alcoves during the storm season like I explained back at the lake."

We ventured forth, passing groups of mingling residents as they headed off towards the beach to enjoy themselves and relax under the sun. With a beautiful ocean at their fingertips, who didn't want to frolic in the sparkling water? The decorated roots of Kelutral brought me a small moment of homesickness but it was normally expected as I had just left my first and only na'vi home. I briefly wondered what my friends were doing at the moment (probably attending to chores) as my fingers brushed over the rough bark to accustom the feel of my new home, outlining the bark's crevices and its surface carvings spread throughout the root. Anaya patted the root affectionately and glanced towards the canopy to inform helpfully, "It's very similar to the Omaticayan Kelutral, a little smaller perhaps due to the geography but it is home. Now, let me show you the area _you_ will call home."

That part looked nothing like my old Kelutral.

Where the Omaticaya used hammocks to sleep in and the small alcoves for personal belongings, which were large enough for one couple alone, the Atykwe's were formed differently with a role reversal. Hammocks would always be an integral part of clan life but during windy storms, the alcoves protected the na'vi with its large size as entire families could sleep comfortably from within. The Omaticaya used theirs to house new mothers since climbing off a branch with a newborn could be dangerous with the accompanied fatigue so it was normal to see a baby bundled up inside. For the Atykwe, the whole family could join in with plenty of room to spare.

Anaya entered the alcove that swallowed both of us with its comfy space as it was high enough to let us walk inside without the need to bend down and she explained, "Our Kelutral is smaller but it makes up with its wider width which creates more spacious room for personal alcoves. This, along with the large canopies, is what defines our home because we'd be in imminent danger during the heavy storms when the high winds sweep across the land but our deep alcoves protect us. Right now, you will use a small one since this level is for students and as you move upwards in rank, you will find more space to live in."

If she called my current alcove small, it was an understatement because to me, it was double the size of my old one that I shared with Cheryl. I could actually hold a group gathering of three in here without anyone sticking out of the alcove, which is what usually occurred with Cheryl and I as we practiced our sewing or other crafts. My stroll through memory lane came to an abrupt stop when Anaya chuckled softly with mischief, "One day, you will find yourself with much room to spare when you have a family."

The word family brought up a crystal clear image of Tsu'tey and although he was part of my old life, I knew he'd be happy to see my new little alcove. We were never selfish or wished for each other's unhappiness, only prosperity and I spotted a natural shelf at waist level that would be perfect for his trinkets. My palms ran over the smooth brown grooves of the wood decorating my alcove and I smiled at seeing natural ridges that would serve as shelves for storage or display. I already knew the children's creations would go there but the rest was up for grabs since I didn't really own much. All I had were my small bundle of clothes, weapons, and gifts from my friends, which led to me thanking Anaya with a sheepish smile, "There's more room here than I would've hoped for. . .it will be rather bare."

"You can decorate it as you wish and finding or crafting items here will allow you to fill the empty space to your liking" she suggested with a sympathetic smile as I placed my leather bags onto the floor with care. My belongings weren't much but being a dreamwalker in a new world for under a year, I wasn't doing too shabby. It wouldn't take very long to fix my bundle of clothes and items throughout the space of my alcove- half of my trinkets would fill one or two of its seven shelves. Anaya unknowingly sent me a delightful freebie when she piped up to offer cheerfully, "Would you like to continue towards the beach or do you need time to begin fixing your new space?"

"I'd rather see everything first and then hightail it back here" I replied bashfully to finish my tour of the lands, patting my bags in farewell as Anaya nodded to continue our trip around the beach. I appreciated her help to show me around the area, voicing it with a friendly smile because it would heavily reduce my chances of becoming lost in my new home- and nix any embarrassment over it. My initial nervousness slowly melted away as I followed her back the way we came and filed away unique images of the route into memory. Mental picture snapping would be very handy in maneuvering my way back to the alcove since each level was entirely new to me but luckily, being a student, my level was closer to the base than the top canopies. Residents greeted the huntress and I shoved any wariness down into my stomach when she introduced me as the newbie since I would come to know each of them by name in time.

They would be the ones I called family for decades to come and we'd supply each other strength when hearts were tested.

* * *

My toes tingled happily as the gritty texture of single sand specks stuck between my toes to playfully scratch at my skin but lightly shaking those out during my walk took away the friction before it turned bothersome. My first experience with Pandora's beach left me giddy without cessation as Anaya had passed through the residential tents to explain the materials used were sturdy wood for the foundation, strong plant fibers to tie it all together, and stitched layers of cloths and animal hides that were impervious to low temperatures and light rain. Each held hand stitched images that were unique to each family or single resident dwelling within and helped to distinguish each private residence. It was a scientific study of a lifetime as I analyzed each home, admiring the beauty of each one and compared the living style to the Omaticaya. They dwelled entirely within Kelutral as the land was enclosed with forest life which led to each private alcove to be decorated to one's own tastes but the Atykwe took an artistic flair to it with their tepees. I would've loved to send my thoughts and questions about this to Tsu'tey since he had answers for each of my ponderings but he was many miles away.

Anaya showed me her home located between the center of the shore as it laid in the second row closest to the water, beige cloth camouflaging against the sand as bright images of historical stories were sewn against the cloth. The pictures were stitched beautifully as threads of all colors blended to depict tales that mostly dealt with clan songs, the reds and oranges of feathers in the dancers' hair told me how she'd paid perfect attention to detail. I already knew she was an avid learner of history but she'd sheepishly admitted that her mother helped to sew her first home's images since her talents laid in musical instruments. I poked fun at my own lack of sewing skills to lighten her bashful embarrassment and we'd laughed together at our similar trait. It really did feel better to know that I wasn't the only one with anti-sewing fingers on Pandora. She explained that images could be sewn over the years to mark special moments in life or just for the sheer fun of it and when two individuals mated, they could piece their cloths together to design a beautiful collage of memories and begin sewing new moments.

I'd wanted to pass by each home along the beach to see every design as all color cloths and hides decorated the shore but we had a tour to resume, leaving my mind with an itch to return here soon. My hidden disappointment dissipated instantaneously when the sand tickled my toes again and seeing the gentle waves darken the white sand called out to my skin to bathe itself in its pure water. We walked alongside the edges of the wet sand, the clear water spraying droplets onto our ankles as we strolled by and the salty fresh air of the sea brought me tranquility when it mixed with the happy echoes of ikran screeches. My new home was beautiful as earth and water met peacefully (for this season, anyway) while the na'vi simply lived off the land without disturbing the natural balance.

I was a giddy child on their birthday as my sight was bombarded with the beautiful horizon over the sea, black rock formations visible in the distance while tall cliffs lined the seashore as tiny dots of ikran flew through the sky. Tsu'tey had told me how the Atykwe ikran spent no time in Kelutral, choosing to wander the open skies until sunset but the Omaticayan ikran kept them in check before they wandered into lands with predators. I didn't know a thing about clan politics since my priority came to maintaining the clan with food one day (and babysitting) but a dead guest ikran wouldn't be a pretty note as a clan leader despite voicing the border perimeters.

Anaya pointed to two wooden canoes out at sea, the fishermen's cyan silhouettes blending into the sapphire water as they threw brown nets into the water. I couldn't see very far to get a closer look at the canoe since I'd never seen one in action. Hunters of the Omaticaya used them in the early morning and noon to fish while I was training so an opportunity never arose. Tsu'tey always preferred to fish with a net and close to land, an interesting choice since the man could swim elegantly like an Olympic swimmer. My ears caught onto a familiar chime of seashells in the wind and I tuned into the sound, Anaya following my gaze as she heard the call.

Our eyes turned east as the clan matriarch approached us, her graceful gait gliding over the small mound of white sand without effort, the small shells on her bracelets chiming sweetly. All matriarchs carried an elegance that I assumed took years to master and her manner of style in fashion added to that wonderful trait as her pastel colors showed the soothing nature of her personality but the gold paint across her shoulders brightened her complexion with a friendly ambience. Both Anaya and I bowed our heads in polite respect to Nitari and she smiled kindly, spreading her arms towards the great ocean behind us to greet me proudly, "Welcome, Joanna, to the Atykwe."

* * *

**A/N**: You guys know how rigid Tsu'tey is on his views of duty and tradition. His biggest move in this part of the story without Joanna is to learn to find new meaning to what 'duty' truly means. We'll be delving deeper into Tsu'tey's past as we travel along but our little angry coconut from the beginning certainly will keep flourishing. I love creating background histories for my characters and I keep getting addicted to the Aci-Peke history because he's so darn cute and she's the complete opposite but I wanted to include a little viewpoint on the pa'li. The Atykwe Kelutral design originated after seeing the 'lone cypress tree' online and I thought, 'it would be awesome to have a Kelutral overlooking the ocean without it being on the sand' and voila, add a protective cavern against the wind and it was born. There's a lot more stuff I'm doodling with in my mind to make them more unique since Cameron showed a glimpse of how each clan can be similar yet different in terms of land occupancy. We'll be learning more about the Atykwe in the next part as this chapter exceeded my expectations in amount of pages so I cropped it into two so the other chapter won't be far away from being posted.

I hope all of you spent your holidays happily alongside your loved ones and I wish you a happy new year as it approaches us in a few days. Thank you as always, my dear readers, for reading my story as I appreciate all of your feedback and won't hesitate to answer questions:

_Crystal_: It's okay, I do the same in other stories on so you're not the only one. lol.

_Na'viWolf_: I hope this shed some light on Tsu'tey's feelings about Joanna's leave since we'll be shifting between his and her point of views because I can't have the Atykwe taking all the spotlight. I'm going to love this new writing perspective.

_Electrogirl88_: The departure chapter was one of the saddest to write as we brought an end to their secret relationship but they'll survive it- they're stubborn ikran. The tale will focus on both the Atykwe and Omaticaya now versus how it used to be with only the Omaticaya. I have to create an entirely new environment for Joanna to live that's outside the box of what Cameron built.

_Tifa-Carbuncle_: Peke and Joanna are tightly bonded no matter what anyone tries at this point and yes, his accompaniment definitely helps lessen the culture shock she's enduring with the change. You're exactly right on Joanna and Tsu'tey further maturing into wiser individuals as they live in different locations; it's similar to modern day relationships, both individuals must know how to live independently but also as a cohesive unit before marriage. Don't worry, I'll guide you guys in the journey of Tsu'tey reuniting with Joanna to one day having stubborn little babies with her.

_Dracoessa_: I love the jojo nickname, it made me laugh when I read your review. Joanna hopes to become as good as Tsu'tey but it's taken him years but Nitari guides her steps in life so who knows. :)

_Claycarole_: Thank you so much, your reviews always make my day. I've rewritten chapters a lot in this tale but the goodbye finale was the most and probably not the last. I've grown in the southern California coast all my life and I never tire of smelling the sea air so I know where your love comes from. lol. You got my brain cooking when it comes to new meals for the Atykwe as the food staples change along with the culture; it's a new experience with Cameron's foundation work.

_Angelus288_: Yep, we all do crazy things but Tsu'tey's the toughest advocate when it comes to tradition and is all about following the principles to their fullest. A contrast to Joanna who tries to find loopholes when something doesn't work. As for Jake, I will totally tweak the personality change since he's due for a new role in the upcoming chapters.

_3_: I'm glad I could convey so many emotions because I certainly tried my best when it came to those two. The story started out pretty humorous but the genres have changed throughout the chapters when I reread them. Thanks for reading my tale, I truly appreciate it.

_FanFictionAddiction4EVER_: I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long, my studies were crazy, especially for finals week which pushed back my writing schedule.

_Owlrose_: Thank you for loving the story, I love character development which is why I try to make each character subtly change within each chapter. Tsu'tey was the main one with the attitude change, which still continues even now, but we also have Joanna that's being tweaked by Nitari's hand. I think the only character I'm happy with their current persona (or how Cameron made them) is Neytiri; I've always liked her mature and calm personality.

_sakurachibi08_: Yes, we all want more of our delightful Tsu'tey, I hope you liked the update.

_camelotprincess1_: Your question is practically the next part of the story because yes, Joanna is meant for the Atykwe but Tsu'tey isn't one of them. We have point A with our two separated lovebirds and point C with our mated couple so point B is what we need to reach now. You'll find the answers as the story progresses as both Joanna and Tsu'tey will be wondering the same while our two fairy matriarchs play matchmakers.

_Arwenia_: Thank you so much for the kind words. Most of my basis for the story comes from what Cameron has created (in the Avatar wiki) but when I can't find something that matches a human item or food, I research our own human history (sometimes my maternal background since they lived in rural undeveloped areas) and create its own background with a new alien word. I actually wanted to major in anthropology years ago but stuck with psychology instead but it teaches you a lot about other cultures which is why I incorporate small things into na'vi life in my story. Dry hollowed out calabash and cured leather were used as water canteens by humans so I shifted it to the na'vi to carry their water supply during travel. The Atykwe lands are based from beach shores around the world from Australia, Canary Islands, Ireland, and England because one similar location would be too boring for Pandora. There's other ideas I'm still working with for the Atykwe since they're entirely made up but I hope you guys will love them.

_Jack Black_: I understand, schoolwork is a whole world in itself. We'd all love for Tsu'tey to run after her like a knight in shining armor but our Joanna is in no distress as she needs to finish her training to match him as an equal. I hope you liked the new landscape I tried to design in text since my fingers are no match for Cameron's outstanding film effects.

_Laithano_: I'm glad you enjoy the story, I love new readers.

_Purplehearts_: Hope you like the update!

* * *

**Next Time**:

Nitari walked up to a man that was quite muscular for his lean form but I had seen that several Atykwe built strong upper bodies due to the constant swimming in the sea. Their physique was similar to the comparison of track runners vs. swimmers on Earth as the Omaticaya and Atykwe fit the example on Pandora. The Omaticaya were lean as they honed their flexibility and agility to master camouflaged hunting in the forests while the Atykwe had muscular upper bodies from swimming to build stamina and strength. The man's full hair was brushed back neatly into the queue braid as sections of hair were rolled into clean rows, white bone clasps decorating the rows to maintain the style. He wore the basic Atykwe hunting garb with leggings, a leather belt attached to his waist with a sheathed knife and his carved bow strapped over his back; plainly put, the man looked formidable. His angular face softened to Nitari as they spoke privately but when she motioned to me, it turned to cold professionalism.

Well, _that_ certainly sunk my optimism into the negative zone.

"This is your new student, Joanna" Nitari explained warmly with a motherly smile and brought him over by linking her left arm through his, leading him to our spot at the edge of the clearing. The hunter was older than both Tsu'tey and I, his features smoother than Tsu'tey's but his eyes didn't hold much warmth when aimed in my direction. I hoped it was reserved only for the teacher-student relationship since civility outside a partnership would be best when people didn't see eye-to-eye. The matriarch ushered me forward with a flick of her hand and I obeyed quietly to meet the two with a polite smile since they were my new superiors. Nitari smiled joyfully as she introduced us, glancing between my modest expression and the hunter's placid face, "Joanna, this is my youngest nephew, Xuret. He is an impeccable instructor and his teaching style is the most similar to Tsu'tey's so I assigned you to him to minimize drastic changes to your skills. I am most certain this partnership will grant you an ikran."

"Kaltxí, it is an honor to meet you" I greeted politely with a respectful bow of the head to establish a respectful working relationship. He was here to help me and I wouldn't disappoint his teachings by flunking the last option left to me, no matter how grueling the training would be. Unlike Tsu'tey who had shown me Iknimaya, I was blind to what Uteho'awkx meant and my new teacher found me to be puny as we would now see.

"Tsahìk, I request to start training tomorrow as looking at her tells me lacks upper body strength needed for the climb" he stated simply as he avoided meeting my gaze, shrewdly analyzing me from head to toe and I tried not to balk in surprise (or cross my arms from the unexpected scan). Anaya sent a sympathetic but amused glance my way and I smiled in return as she eased the sudden discomfort, keeping a straight face lest Xuret decided that it wasn't suitable either. His sudden attitude didn't deter me; Tsu'tey toughened me up so this wouldn't be too bad, I was accustomed to being spoken about like I wasn't there. Plus, he was being direct rather than being verbally evasive so I took the criticism with a calm mind to work on it to improve.

Nitari glanced between both of us for mutual agreement and I smiled in consensus, seeing no problem with his request, and she spoke softly with enthusiasm, "Splendid, I would like for you to show her the site of our passage so she understands what obstacles she will face. Our little headstrong Joanna attempted Iknimaya and although she failed, she did conquer the stairway to heaven."

The instructor muffled a laugh, probably because of my 'scrawny' appearance but a firm glance from Nitari ceased it immediately as he covered it with a cough. I was ready to point out that yes, I wasn't the tallest woman around but he regained his composure to state directly with no humor in his voice, "Iknimaya is revered due to its daunting height, yes, but you will do no running like in theirs. You will brave the sea's tides, tackle the earth towards the heavens, and conquer an ikran. It is no less dangerous than Iknimaya and you must finish the journey or brave the sea once more to return home empty-handed."

Nitari patted her nephew's left shoulder in an effort to lessen his tense words and smiled serenely, "Xuret has your best interest at heart despite his tough façade."

It would take earning an ikran to make the man finally smile at me but more on that later.

"I won't let you down" I assured wholeheartedly because I was ready to do what was asked of me without question. My stubborn streak, impulsive nature, and witty attitude would need to be wiped clean or heavily toned down as I was now in a new passenger seat with Xuret leading the way. I'd listened to Tsu'tey loyally but our personal feelings treaded into the border of professionalism, which allowed me to slide out of our physical or verbal scuffles. This would not be the case with my new teacher as he looked more than capable of flinging me across the field- a feat that had previously been held by my dear Tsu'tey.

"Tomorrow, at dawn" he ordered lowly to show he meant business by meeting my gaze with his sharp eyes and I nodded hastily, accustomed to the behavior as Tsu'tey had been the same. Of course, I fought back any giggles that perky Joanna wanted to bring forth with jokes and kept a neutral face throughout our locked gazes to prevent being berated. Bringing shame to Tsu'tey's teachings and appearing immature was not the way to begin this new relationship so I remained silent like a mouse as Xuret instructed carefully, "Bring everything you used to train and wear leggings- Atykwe huntresses _don't_ use loincloths."

"But they are stylish" Anaya added in with a perky smile as she'd arrived wearing one of a beige color over her violet leggings, receiving it from the Omaticayan seamstresses as a souvenir. She'd kept them company while regaling them with Atykwe history as they sewed since her skills were nonexistent but it paid off in the pretty loincloth. Her fingers smoothed over the fine cloth as she tried to sway Xuret's personal opinion but he aimed a deadpan stare to the cheerful huntress.

Her innocent smile didn't fade as she stood in her spot and it eventually caused him to sigh tiredly, "Anaya, go find Arat."

"We're not tied at the queue, you know" she pointed out bluntly since the two were always in close company, never very far from one another, and she crossed her arms to frown. I found it humorous to see Anaya behave naturally in her true environment as she'd behaved modestly at the Omaticaya clan but her brazen streak was pushing through. Her bold manner of speaking was ready to add in another reason to her free range wandering but our matriarch decided to intervene before they turned into ikran.

"All right, young ones" Nitari spoke gently to dissuade any sudden arguments, gracefully bringing the matter to an end with the tone of her voice alone and the two quieted instantly with unison apologies.

* * *

_May your days be safe and happy as we ring in a new year around the world!_


	30. The Shattering Cliff of The Eastern Sea

**The Shattering Cliff of the Eastern Sea  
**

* * *

_Anaya and I bowed our heads in polite respect to Nitari and she smiled kindly, spreading her arms towards the great ocean behind us to greet me proudly, "Welcome, Joanna, to the Atykwe."_

"Thank you for having me" I spoke breathlessly to the open landscape around me as it brought a huge sense of culture shock to this new transition from the cozy forest to the endless beach. Locations were begging to be explored, carefully of course, and my brain was processing each new area I'd visited to mentally map out my new permanent home. Nonetheless, I was eternally grateful that she'd taken the time to take an interest in a dreamwalker like me because I'd been a bookworm of a scientist- not a productive warrior like Jake that could contribute to a clan. I knew nothing of what plans were in store for me but I trusted Nitari completely to hold my best interest at heart (whether I liked it or not) and couldn't help the sappy smile on my beaming face, "Words cannot express how beautiful it is here, this entire landscape is a painter's dream. This world never ceases to amaze me, I've been learning my way around the beach with the kind help of Anaya- she is the best travel companion one could ask for."

"Well, I. . ." Anaya stammered sheepishly as she was lost for words, a rarity for the chatty huntress, and merely smiled with sincere friendliness. I'd yet to learn more about her as she'd memorized stories that could fill books and that was just one of her interesting quirks. She'd playfully reminded me during the trip that she tended to slip into detailed answers when one asked a simple question but it was her unique way of showing attentiveness. I didn't mind it one bit due to my old profession, being an avid listener rather than a talker, and enjoyed each little tidbit of information because she was a woman with a lively personality. Of course, she was modest with my being a newcomer but I hoped to seal a friendship with her. I didn't know many people yet but I wanted to fit into my new home without drama- being a dreamwalker was enough.

"I am glad you had fun learning from her" Nitari chuckled warmly, taking the words out of Anaya's mouth and the huntress's cheeks darkened as she silently agreed. Nitari motioned for us to walk with her, a hand touching Anaya's shoulder as she updated her that Taka was resting in the canopies alongside Arat's ikran, Xaza. Anaya's humble expression turned to pleased delight to the news of his safe return and the matriarch turned to me afterwards to inform, "You will learn our entire history just as you did the Omaticaya to have a true sense of home. In time, you will adjust and you will find us similar to your old home because we are all Eywa's children. Our clan ways might vary from another, which is natural, but we are all one people."

"I'm sure I will, being a dreamwalker gives me a bunch of other emotions to add to the pool" I agreed nervously to my lingering human quirks but my attention was seized by the cry of ikran overhead, unaccustomed to seeing them fly so low to land as they sought the sunbathing rock hill. It was humorous to see them behaving similarly to humans catching a tan but they were very happy, purring and growling deeply to show their content to their fellow ikran.

They truly were a different blend of color from the Omaticaya as their larger bodies soared through the air, blending against the sky and sea with their natural camouflage for protection. Their large wingspan made the sea ikran formidable in speed as the force produced in flight killed prey instantly with blunt trauma from their legs or jagged teeth and I found myself gulping nervously at facing one. The Omaticayan ikran had the disadvantage in force as their smaller wings and bodies were fit for perfect flexibility in the dense forests but that was a major disadvantage to a student for catching them off-guard. The sea ikran couldn't move as fast on land as they were built for power in the sky which handed my neurons a hint in how to tackle one. If I could move faster like an Omaticayan ikran, I would have a chance. On the other hand, they were powerhouses as my terran comparison placed the sea ikran as a powerful eagle while the forest ikran were the graceful falcons so a single strike could take me down for the count.

"It can be a little intimidating to move elsewhere at first but there is nothing to fear from us, we are your family" the matriarch advised gently to soothe the lingering nerves in my system, leading the way towards the north where I'd yet to explore. The shoreline appeared endless in the far distance as the Atykwe lived on the eastern coastline of the largest continent of Pandora but I knew the other sea clans surrounded the Atykwe to the south. The RDA had wanted a base near a waterfront in case the alien water contained useful molecules for Earth use but thankfully, none of the studies were finished by the time the rebellion took place. I'd no idea of how many settlements the company created on Pandora and in my heart, doubted that Hell's Gate had been the only military base on an entire moon. All of the avatars, including myself, agreed unanimously with Jake when he allowed one computer to remain online back at Hell's Gate to monitor any unusual activity in our side of the continent and even now, Max kept a good watch on it.

The two women left soft imprints in the sand as they walked while my own feet left deep ungraceful imprints due to the new terrain I was trying to find balance in. Ugh, I felt like I was back on my first days on Pandora and kept falling over my own two feet when chasing after Tsu'tey- wearing hiking boots hadn't helped either. My tail swung in both directions as I tried to mimic their graceful gaits, failing horribly each time, and heard Anaya ask our leader with curiosity, "Will Joanna begin training soon, Tsahìk?"

I wanted to know too.

"Yes, in two days, you will begin but luck is with you since you are a bit ahead than the other students" Nitari explained calmly, adding a satisfied smile in my direction when she saw the eager look on my face to begin training. Yes, I was ready to undertake my rite in the correct manner that Eywa expected as the previous premature attempt needed to be washed away from my memory- along with my lingering shame. We passed the last huts located along the shore, their welcoming colors of sky blue and yellow becoming my beacons in case I became lost in this area in the future. The land sloped downwards slightly as we carried on, little mounds of sand bulging from random areas which reminded of miniature sand dunes. The entire terrain was different from the Omaticaya, my feet struggling to accommodate the new sensation of the earth as brown dirt and bark were currently unavailable.

From afar, I could see green vegetation in the form of mangroves but my line of sight identified it blurrily with the distance and my attention turned to Nitari as she informed carefully, "From what Tsu'tey told me earlier today, you learned to fight rather well under his command and your archery is up to par with new hunters. Your new teacher will only evaluate and tweak what he deems to need work to adapt it to our hunting tactics in the sea. Also, you learned further Omaticayan hunting techniques but your teacher will take care of that since you lack an ikran."

My ears were filled with the crashing waves as they struck a bundle of nearby rocks gathered at the shore, inviting me to sit on the boulders to receive a cooling splash of the crystal clear water. I would take a regretful rain check for now, snapping my gaze back to the matriarch but her acute awareness saw my small lapse at attention. She chuckled gently to my curious nature as she knew my quirk for exploration, the little cone-shaped shells embedded within her braids chiming sweetly, and her soft voice encouraged me, "You were meant for this clan just as Eywa guides everyone's path and I strive to make that happen. Little Anaya thought she would be a lorekeeper but I proved otherwise as her talents lay elsewhere and she continues to make me proud every season with her skills. That's not to say she's not an excellent storyteller now because audiences are captivated."

Anaya beamed proudly to the matriarch's uplifting opinion and Nitari continued with a warm smile aimed towards the clear blue sky, "Others who are unsure of their path are always guided by a matriarch, she takes care of all of her people because none is more privileged than another. Eywa brought us to this earth in the same manner and we will return just the same into Her embrace. You are one of my own and I will be there to see you bring your ikran home just as I have all of my other children who became hunters."

I don't know how Nitari managed to knock my socks off with her wisely calm voice but the woman was brilliantly eloquent with her words. If there ever was a class that I could take to become a motivated speaker like her, I'd sign up for it in a heartbeat. I believed every word she said, especially after the Iknimaya fiasco, but her unyielding faith and ongoing advice since our first meeting couldn't help but warrant pure loyalty from me. Her smooth skin betrayed her true age as her soft-spoken way added to the elegance she radiated with her rank and I could see that she was a great role model for all. Even Mo'at admired the older woman and she was pretty spectacular herself. The matriarch beckoned us along with a steady hand aimed north towards the sand dunes, issuing her next order of business, "Come, I must introduce you to your new teacher."

Butterflies erupted in my stomach for a few seconds to the new introduction that would soon take place but it dissipated since this situation had already occurred with Tsu'tey. I highly doubted my new teacher would have his old antagonistic superiority towards me since Tsu'tey's psyche had endured years of emotional scarring. However, I was prepared to be treated like a little ant because I pretty much was in this clan. I was the new outsider who only earned her spot here due to a kind matriarch's request and would not be disappointed once the rite came; I was here for her. Anaya was optimistically upbeat about the meeting (her attitude was wonderfully infectious to me) as she grinned excitedly to speak aloud, "I wonder who you will get, they're all very good with their students. There's Zovi, Na'at, Yatu- oh, we're here."

Her cheerful voice paused as we arrived at the sparring fields located next to shore, the land entirely different from the grassy clearings of the Omaticaya or the sandy terrain as the white sand melted away to solid ground. Strangely enough, the dirt itself was a powder white resembling limestone and I silenced my inner scientist begging to nab samples for study. I don't think scientific Joanna and her tiny microscope would ever leave me. There were four adults gathered here, two that were prepping their wooden bows by checking the string's tautness, and two teaching hand-to-hand combat techniques to the concentrated students. The students appeared younger than I and felt my stomach gurgle in a brief flash of insecurity for being the oldest one; I really was a little tapiri all on my own now. Oh well, I needed to pass my rite for ultimate acceptance and this was my last shot. There was no other option left for me, except living in the wilderness like Tarzan or at Hell's Gate. I stood next to Anaya as Nitari entered the clearing, her gait confident as always as she strode forward to greet her people.

The ground was beautiful with its stone white ground, the soles of my feet testing the rigidity of the earth, and wondered if there limestone deposits nearby due to the white appearance of the coastal cliffs. The instructors stopped immediately when the matriarch entered the center of the field, all of their heads bowing as the students returned the same respect and added cheerful greetings in unison. As I'd walked through the beach, I took special notice that some of the na'vi, mostly the hunters, sported purplish undertones in their skin as the sun exposure caused the cyan pigment in their skin to darken. It was interesting to see the diversity in similarity to human cities that were bathed in strong sunlight, giving residents at seaside a nice tan, and wondered if my own skin tone would darken with extended exposure to the sun since trees lacked in the area. Either way, I couldn't wait to find out.

Nitari walked up to a man that was quite muscular for his lean form but I had seen that Atykwe hunters built muscularly lean bodies due to the constant swimming in the sea. Their physique was similar to the comparison of track runners vs. swimmers on Earth as the Omaticaya and Atykwe fit the example on Pandora. The Omaticaya were gracefully lean as they honed their flexibility and agility to master camouflaged hunting in the forests while the Atykwe had proportionate muscular bodies from swimming to build stamina and strength. The man's long hair was brushed back neatly into the queue braid as sections of hair were rolled into clean rows, white bone clasps decorating the rows to maintain the style. He wore the basic Atykwe hunting garb with navy leggings, a leather belt attached to his waist with a sheathed knife and his carved bow strapped over his back; plainly put, the man looked formidable. He wasn't as tall as Tsu'tey, I'd yet to find anyone near his height, but the man was built like a brick wall with his physique. His stern face softened to Nitari as they spoke privately but when she motioned to me, it turned to cold professionalism.

Well, _that_ certainly sunk my optimism into the negative zone.

"This is your new student, Joanna" Nitari explained warmly with a motherly smile and brought him over by linking her left arm through his, leading him to our spot at the edge of the clearing. The hunter was older than both Tsu'tey and I, his features smoother than Tsu'tey's (my hunter was quite grumpy) but his eyes didn't hold much warmth when aimed in my direction. I hoped it was reserved only for the teacher-student relationship since civility outside a partnership would be best when people didn't see eye-to-eye. The matriarch ushered me forward with a flick of her hand as the smile on her face failed to disappear and I obeyed quietly to meet the two with a polite smile since they were my new superiors. There was no way I would disobey the matriarch when her kind demeanor brought an instant sense of home to my heart.

Nitari beamed joyfully as she glanced between my modest expression and the hunter's placid face, the shells in her long braids chiming a tune once again as she introduced us, "Joanna, this is my youngest nephew, Xuret. He is an impeccable instructor and his teaching style is the most similar to Tsu'tey's so I assigned you to him to minimize drastic changes to your skills. I am most certain this partnership will grant you an ikran."

"I See you, Xuret, and it is an honor to meet you" I greeted politely with a respectful bow of the head to establish a good working relationship. He was here to help me on my journey and I wouldn't disappoint his teachings by flunking Uteho'awkx, no matter how grueling the training would be. Unlike Tsu'tey who had shown me Iknimaya, I was blind to what Uteho'awkx truly meant so it remained a mystery and my new teacher found me to be puny as we would now see.

"Tsahìk, I request to start training tomorrow as her appearance tells me she lacks the upper body strength needed for the climb" he stated astutely to change Nitari's initial plan as he avoided meeting my gaze, shrewdly analyzing me from head to toe and I tried not to balk in surprise (or cross my arms from the unexpected intrusive scan). Anaya sent a sympathetic but amused glance my way and I smiled in return as she eased the sudden discomfort with her quirky expressions, keeping a straight face lest Xuret decided that it wasn't suitable either. His calculating attitude didn't deter me; Tsu'tey had toughened me up to withstand berating so this wouldn't be too bad, I was accustomed to being spoken about like I wasn't there. It was every woman's dream to be a sideline ghost. . .not. Plus, he was being direct rather than verbally evasive so I took the criticism with a calm mind to work on it to improve.

Nitari glanced between both of us for mutual agreement and I smiled in consensus, seeing no problem with his request, and she spoke softly with enthusiasm, "Splendid! I would like for you to show her the site of Uteho'awkx so she understands what obstacles she will face. Our little headstrong Joanna attempted Iknimaya and although she failed, she did conquer the stairway to heaven."

The instructor muffled a laugh, probably because of my 'scrawny' appearance but a firm glance from Nitari ceased it immediately as he masked it with a cough. I was ready to point out that, yes, I wasn't the strongest woman around but he regained his stoic composure to state directly with no humor in his voice, "Iknimaya is revered due to its daunting height, yes, but you will do no running like in theirs. You will brave the sea's tides, tackle the earth towards the heavens, and conquer an ikran. It is no less dangerous than Iknimaya and you _must_ finish the journey or brave the sea once more to return home empty-handed."

Nitari patted her nephew's left shoulder in an effort to lessen his tense words and his expression softened immediately as he obeyed his aunt. It was obvious I had my work cut out for me since the sea was a new element to tackle and Nitari assured serenely, "Xuret has your best interest at heart despite his tough façade."

It would take earning an ikran to make the man finally smile at me but more on that later.

"I won't let you down" I assured wholeheartedly because I was ready to do what was asked of me without question. My stubborn streak, impulsive nature, and witty attitude would need to be wiped clean or heavily toned down as I was now in a new passenger seat with Xuret leading the way. I'd listened to Tsu'tey loyally but our personal feelings treaded into the border of unbiased professionalism, which allowed me to slide out of our physical or verbal scuffles during training. This would not be the case with my new teacher as he looked more than capable of flinging me across the field- a feat that had previously been held by my dear Tsu'tey.

"Tomorrow, at dawn" he ordered lowly to show he meant business by meeting my gaze with his sharp eyes and I nodded hastily, accustomed to the behavior since Tsu'tey had been the same. Of course, I fought back any giggles that perky Joanna wanted to bring forth with jokes and kept a neutral face throughout our locked gazes to prevent being berated. Bringing shame to Tsu'tey's teachings and appearing immature was not the way to begin this new relationship so I remained silent like a mouse as Xuret instructed carefully, "Bring everything you used to train with and wear leggings- Atykwe huntresses _don't_ use loincloths."

"But they are stylish" Anaya piped up with a giddy smile as she'd arrived wearing one of a beige color over her violet leggings, receiving it from the Omaticayan seamstresses as a souvenir. She'd kept them company while regaling them with Atykwe history as they sewed since her skills were nonexistent but it paid off in the pretty loincloth. Her fingers smoothed over the fine cloth that had been weaved by hand on the Omaticaya's loom, aiming to sway Xuret's personal opinion but he directed a deadpan stare to the cheerful huntress.

Her innocent smile didn't fade as she stood in her spot and it eventually caused him to relinquish his firm stand, sighing tiredly to shoo her away, "Anaya, go find Arat."

"We're not tied at the queue, you know" she pointed out bluntly since the two were always in close company, never very far from one another, and she crossed her arms to frown. I found it humorous to see Anaya behave naturally in her true environment as she'd behaved modestly at the Omaticaya clan but her brazen streak was pushing through. Her bold manner of speaking was ready to add in another reason to her free range wandering around the shore but our matriarch decided to intervene before they turned into livid ikran.

"All right, young ones" Nitari spoke gently to deter any sudden arguments, gracefully bringing the matter to an end with the tone of her voice alone and the two quieted instantly with unison apologies. It was impressive to see the power Nitari held as both their tsahìk and olo'eyktan but her behavior wasn't stoic or firm, rather reasonable and kind. She smiled with motherly affection to both as they gazed at the floor like chastised children, shameful about their conduct in front of her, but she merely told them to watch their words next time. I was new to the relationships they'd all formed but I could see they were friends when Anaya smacked his upper arm and he hissed gently, a playful smile on both their faces.

Nitari appeared pleased to their new shift in attitude and turned to me to offer a pleasant farewell, "I will see you all for last meal and I expect each of you to be jovial as we are all safely reunited once more. Joanna, if you have any questions for me, I will be at Kelutral so do not feel timid on the subject matter because I am here to help you. I have never been one to refuse counseling to one of my own, no matter how little or large of a problem."

She departed with silent footsteps as I watched her head for the sandy dunes, feeling completely safe whenever the matriarch was near and her words always heartened my spirit. The students began their combat practice again in the center of the white field to continue honing their skills, offering a shy smile to me in welcome and I granted them the same courtesy as I'd see them in the field come tomorrow. Xuret observed me quietly with a hawk-like gaze and I flashed him an innocent smile to humor him but it was swatted aside in similarity to a fly on cake, his voice stating aloofly, "Your teacher may have softened you but I will toughen you into a rock to succeed."

I felt the need to defend Tsu'tey's honor instantly, planting my feet firmly into the dirt with a straight back and puffed out my chest in an attempt to appear dominant (hey, it worked for bears). My weaknesses from my first days on Pandora had been strengthened by his hand alone and I wouldn't stand hearing any insults to the man I loved, stating strongly without fear or hesitation, "Tsu'tey te Rongloa Ateyitan is a great instructor, one- if not- _the_ best on this continent alone. It was impossible to train a person meant for something else as Nitari explained, you _cannot_ force a nantang to be a palulukan. His teachings allowed me to tread Iknimaya alone to near completion and I will not hear of him being anything but effective, regardless of my meager rank."

The sound of crashing waves on the shore filled the silence that engulfed us for the next few seconds but I wouldn't back down from protecting Tsu'tey's integrity. Yes, I could be stubborn as a mule sometimes but I defended what was right and I'd tackle the man into the ocean to prove it. Anaya simply gazed at each of us, trying to guess our next move but I was just as lost as she was as we stared at the eerily silent Xuret.

"You valued your teacher, I respect that as one myself, but you are now _my_ student and will behave accordingly" Xuret spoke slowly as he gauged my sudden exclamation but I wasn't trying to be insubordinate at all, my feelings were genuine and not a strike to professionalism. I resisted from frowning since his demeanor wasn't filling me with happy confidence but we weren't meant to be chummy friends, only partners and future clan siblings. His eyes narrowed with challenge as he observed my body language for further defiance but I stood in my spot as straight as I could while keeping my gaze locked with his, giving him the undivided attention an instructor deserved. Anaya's eyes darted between both of us until finally, Xuret spoke carefully with thinned lips, "Will we have a problem, Joanna?"

"Nope, you tell me to run, I run, and if you say to jump, I ask how high" I answered simply without hesitance since he would be the wielder and I'd be his weapon to conquer an ikran. There was no room for any kind of animosity since it had broken all of my trust with Tsu'tey when he kept his personal views of me private to the point that it became a life-death situation. Thankfully, I didn't see that type of hostility from Xuret- rather, just a tough guy exterior. I would show him the respect he deserved and listen to his lectures without question because a partnership was a two-way street. He seemed to accept my answer as his tense posture relaxed and I shot him a friendly smile to reassure him there weren't any hard feelings in my admissions.

He wasn't Tsu'tey or a replacement for my dear friend and I'd be shaming both of us by even attempting such a thing. Xuret and I would maintain a distant relationship as passing Uteho'awkx was our main priority but he wasn't necessarily a cold standoffish man. Who knows, he might even be a big old palulukan with dull claws and no bite. I would learn more about the people who would be my family as time passed and obeyed him when he dismissed me casually to return to the training field, "Run along."

I bowed politely to show my respect for the man and he paused in his steps, quietly observing my action for a split second before walking away. The man exuded authority as he began correcting the two students practicing their fighting skills and Anaya popped in beside me to offer a sympathetic smile. I chuckled softly to her upbeat attitude as her sparkling eyes brightened her soft features considerably and she reassured me, "He is a good teacher, the type that's tough but only because he cares for his students. All family members of the matriarch are always kind at heart and when he's not demanding attention from students, he is rather sociable."

I took her words to mind and she tapped my shoulder once to gain my attention, tearing my gaze away from the field, as she suggested mischievously, "Come, we must fix your hammock and Arat's strong for that- he can never say no to his _swey'eylan_."

* * *

"Your hammock is rather. . .large" Arat exhaled with a slow drawl of disbelief as he finished helping me tie the hammock safely onto the thick branch of Kelutral. When it came to hammocks, I was extremely cautious to its tightness because a loose rope spelled death for anyone and I'd rather go down fighting an ikran. The season of calm winds was quickly drawing to an end which is why Anaya advised me to use my hammock for the last sun cycles left until heavier rains approached. When that occurred, my hammock would be removed and safely stored in my alcove as it would be my new refuge for sleep. I was both curious and worried about the strong storms that would engulf the coast since it would be a new experience for me to remember, not to mention the grand respect I'd have for nature itself.

Anaya waited for us inside the alcove as she helped by emptying my bags free of belongings. I found her helpfulness endearing as she sorted through my trinkets with a curious smile, her slender fingers gently straightening each item across the floor with a careful hand. I wouldn't hesitate to return the same kindness to both of them if they ever asked and we left my hammock safely hung from the branch to head to my alcove. I didn't hold back on poking fun to my shabby sewing skills regarding my overly large hammock and admitted with a sheepish laugh, "I'm awful with sewing and my hammock transformed from a regular size to family size faster than I could end it. The seamstresses helped to correct it but there was no way to make it smaller. Tsu'tey liked-"

I stopped myself as I remembered his favorite spot on the hammock, the left side, as it allowed him a perfect view of the canopy and sunset without blocking my view of it when he rolled over to nap. He was such a considerate sweetheart despite his strict façade. It was tough to remind myself that he was no longer here in this clan and my mind remedied the anguish by avoiding the fact entirely, forcing itself to focus on something different that would keep me distracted. I cleared my throat to shoo away the light painful tingles trying to claw themselves up my throat and smiled widely to erase my slip of the tongue, "I forget that my old friends are elsewhere now. I can't wait to begin making acquaintances here to fill that void and call this home. . .but the beach is quickly remedying that nostalgia, it is the most beautiful sight I've seen."

"You have _us_" Anaya piped up with a modest tone that was very unlike her as she hid her gaze below her dark lashes, her hands stopping every once in a while to observe my trinkets with intrigue. I was no longer a private person with my items as everything was shared and let her have fun with it all, happy to bring her joy, but I knew she was evading my gaze for a reason. This was my first time seeing Anaya more open than usual since meeting her and I was humbled that she trusted me enough with her confession as her soft voice stated, "I don't have many friends, they think I'm a bit outspoken-"

"You are" Arat stated dryly with a humorous smile that showed he meant no ill will by it and she flung a random stick at his arm, widening the smile on his lips and stirring one from her. The two were the closest knit friends I'd seen in the Atykwe and their unique backgrounds would become clear to me over the weeks but I knew there had to be a reason Nitari led me to the two. She could've chosen anyone of her residents and despite they held a good rank as her private messengers, there was something that drew me to them. It was almost unnatural but at the same time, welcoming due to their pleasant manners. I wouldn't doubt the strength of a matriarch's powers and I couldn't help but smile sympathetically at Anaya when he pointed out good-naturedly, "From a family of all boys, she needs more female companionship."

"Arat, I can speak for myself" she stated snippily to downplay her sudden embarrassment about her personal life and I kept quiet to build a safety bubble that allowed her to speak freely without fear of judgment. We all had our little quirks- mine already threw me out of the Omaticaya- but I had no qualm or natural dislike with Anaya's as her fascinating tidbits kept my mind fed like a goldfish with its owner. After growing up in an authoritarian household, I knew firsthand how crushing ridiculing someone's personal views could be and strived to never allow anyone to feel that way.

Anaya's cheeks darkened to a lilac shade as she took a sudden interest in my figurines, admitting sheepishly, "I am outspoken in public due to my natural tendencies to speak my mind on any topic until I feel it is satiated but people grow bored of my talks rather quickly- well, what _I_ consider quick. I like for people to know as much history and facts as I do, not that I'm superior to them, no, not at all, I-"

"You're babbling" Arat interrupted gently with a sincere smile and gently flicked her right ear and she halted immediately, smiling in return. Her cheeks, however, darkened a shade deeper and I was tempted to grab my drinking canteen as the hollowed yellow _ikei_ fruit stood out brightly amongst the neutral colors of my bags. I didn't want Anaya to suddenly become faint with too much blood circulating around her head but Arat was faster, retrieving his leather canteen that hung off his shoulder and handing it to her. She grabbed it quickly with a smile but took little sips as she eyed us both with modesty, leading Arat to chuckle amusingly, "Anaya has been this way since childhood and although most stay to hear her shortest answers or conversations, not many stay for the rest. Nitari advised her that seeking you would unite her with a new friend after the matriarch saw complementary qualities- the same she saw in me seasons ago when I was a child and a few others. You are a very good listener and our Anaya never tires of topics to speak about."

"I'm sure there's plenty of women in the clan to spend time with rather than me. . .but I'd be honored" I stated softly with a grateful smile as the matriarch worked her abilities in subtle ways, experiencing how she guided the life of each resident to bring them happiness. Eywa's will was interpreted precisely correct with Nitari as my first interactions with Anaya had indeed brought a laugh from both of us when she explained her glee at attending the festival. Out of all of the Atykwe that I'd met so far and aside from the matriarch, Anaya's personality clicked with mine in similarity to how Cheryl's had and my heart was more than happy to accommodate a new lifelong friend.

Anaya wasn't shy to display her emotions while I'd used all defenses to protect my own embarrassed modesty from others but I couldn't say no to her large doe-shaped eyes when they met mine. The na'vi had naturally perfected the persuasive puppy dog eyes. I crawled over to sit next to her, clasping her shoulder in proud acceptance to her offer of friendship and agreed with a gracious smile, "My closest friends were only a few of the dreamwalkers due to my introverted nature and Tsu'tey was my closest na'vi friend. I miss them greatly as the hours are still fresh from my departure but I'd be more than happy to spend time with you, my schedule is rather empty now. I'm not a person that prefers big crowds for socializing but small tight knit friendships, I can definitely do."

The return of her bright smile granted me my first true friend of the Atykwe and one that would last decades alongside me.

"Arat's the popular one, being the advisor's son and all" Anaya informed casually with a playful smile towards the hunter and he groaned miserably to the ascribed rank to his name. This was news to me as the newcomer but his quiet disposition fit the rank as he usually allowed Anaya to do the talking until problems or diplomatic orders were involved. Even in private, he remained calm as a pool of water as his tone was tranquil without arising to a high level unless there was an absolute need to do so. I could see the differences in their personalities as his expression remained polite with softened features and the lightest curve of a smile on his lips- blossoming into a full one only when Anaya humored him. The tuft of her tail batted his thigh as she tilted her head to the side with a charismatic smile displaying gentle wit and she stated appreciatively, "He always has time for me though, his first little school friend."

"Actually-"

"_First_ school friend" Anaya insisted with a perky smile that distinctly told him she was right on all accounts and he followed along by agreeing flatly, but the faint smile remained. She picked up a miniature pa'li statue of a teal color with canary yellow spots on its hindquarters, her fingertips running gently over its lilac backside and she cooed fondly with a small smile, "Oh, pretty."

"The children made the little statuettes for me since I kept watch over them, that was my task in the clan" I explained softly with melancholy as their new caretaker would undoubtedly be serving their light snacks around this time and hoped Leka wasn't as upset as she'd been yesterday. It was hard not to bring heartbreak to a child without adding the same to your own but there was no easy way to remove sadness from somebody's abrupt leave. When time decided to grant me my first return to the Omaticaya, she would be one of the first I'd visit to fulfill my promise because I kept my word. I already missed holding the infants as their little fist sucking delighted me and their soft coos sent me over the moon with affection to their innocence. That thought led me to my beloved tapiri herds and hoped they'd find extra sustenance to keep them plump with the upcoming season since my food spots would be barren- oh, how I hoped Tsu'tey wouldn't chase them out.

Anaya pinpointed a nearby shelf that was high above our heads, standing up with the decorated statuettes in her hands and carefully placed them on the wooden ridge. Her tail swayed giddily as she decorated the shelf with the children's trinkets, angling most towards the entrance of the alcove and mixing the animal herds to unite all of them into one large group. Her fingertips tapped the nose of a golden tapirus and she mused with a tender smile, "There, high enough stay safe and each has a new animal friend so nobody will be lonely."

"Perfect" I smiled appreciatively and chuckled softly to her taste in interior decorating but I liked it because life on Pandora was about balance and harmony among all its inhabitants. Peke tended to become irritated whenever a hungry tapirus ate a flower he'd been eyeing but I instilled that he behave civilly with the frightened tapirus before my pa'li chased it out of Kelutral. It was hard not to teach both to be wildlife friends when one was licking my cheek for attention and the other huddling behind me for safety. Honestly, Pandora had both endearing and frightening creatures.

My belongings were all of Omaticayan origin but in time, Atykwe trinkets would fill the open spaces. I couldn't wait to peruse the sand at the shore to find seashells embedded in the wet sand and personalize my alcove to make it my own to give it a lived-in look rather than its current bare state. I truly hadn't expected such a spacious alcove and eager for decorating tips, I asked both of them with a sheepish smile, "What do you two decorate your spaces with?"

"Seashells and flutes, I like music" Anaya answered cheerfully without a second thought as she returned to her sitting spot next to me and swept her hand over the ceiling of my alcove with a proud grin, "I have shells dangling from the top so I can create merry tunes when I'm feeling tired by clicking them together. I have a few scattered around my alcove but most hang above me while musical instruments are carefully stored on the shelves."

"Mine is simplistic by keeping my hunting items only" Arat added in with a reserved smile, patting his leather satchel to emphasize his simple way of life. Anaya, on the other hand, aimed a disappointed frown towards him for a reason unknown to me and he explained amusingly, "She thinks I should add more items but I'm fine."

Anaya hissed playfully, batting his upper left arm to the revealed secret as the small hush turned into a soft laugh. Arat merely tapped the center of her forehead with an index finger to silence her ramblings about interior decorating (Atykwe style), earning another hiss from the woman as she insisted sweetly, "I'm telling you that fish statue would've been a perfect accompaniment to your nets."

They humored me already with their carefree conversations and their dynamics drew me in rather than repel me, stirring a chuckle from my throat when she began listing reasons about said fish statue. Apparently, the beige color would've complimented his nets. Arat stopped her before she delved deeper into redecorating his space and probably swaying his original say by stating aloud, "If we keep talking, Joanna won't finish settling in before last meal."

Anaya raised her chin in defiance as she bequeathed the win to her best friend but her eyes remained full of mischief, half-lidded with calculating strategies while Arat's ears flattened comically.

"Oh, don't mind me, keep talking and tell me about what your meals consist of" I replied enthusiastically while stacking a bundle of folded clothes onto a low shelf because I was a sponge for all conversations at this moment. Anaya grinned widely in triumph to my preference while Arat's ears flattened even further to the point that they camouflaged against his skin to completely disappear. We women laughed gently to his sullen expression but it blew us into another long conversation that switched into four topics entirely, leaving Arat half asleep by the end of it.

* * *

I glanced at the beautiful open sky that hovered over an endless sea and loved the gorgeous scene, the colors blending beautifully over the horizon as the day came to an end. The cheerful blue sky had turned into a neutral gray-blue as the clouds took on an intense orange-red tone that blended into purple over parts of the sky. It was a stunning scene I never tired of witnessing on a daily basis but it was different today because this spelled _home_.

Once the sun had set to return until tomorrow and last meal arrived, I felt the deep pang of loneliness because I no longer had Cheryl by my side to laugh with and neither Jake nor Neytiri would be at the head of the circle. Instead, I was faced with entirely new and unknown people as I'd tried to find a new spot to eat without treading into someone's designated seat. Or Eywa forbid, stepping on somebody's tail. Needless to say, it was a bit nerve-racking finding my way through the sea of people with no directions in hand. Eventually, I was found and rescued by a friendly face holding a leaf plate packed with food as she nibbled happily on a bladder polyp. The lively Anaya kept me company throughout the meal when she spotted me wandering for a seat with my little leaf plate in hand and I appreciated her kindness for that because I was sure she had other friends to sit by. Instead, she sheepishly explained that her time was spent with either Arat or her three brothers since her rambles tired most and at last meal, everybody was ready to retire for the night so they were the least likely to stay.

The matriarch was spot-on in friend picking for her residents because I'd certainly found myself entertained with her conversations as we traded historical stories from both clans while nibbling happily on our fried fish. And the food- oh, the _delicious_ seawater fish! The Omaticaya depended on hexapede and teylu (on average) for their protein staple as the meat could be sautéed, boiled in stew, and baked to scrumptious perfection. The fish were definitely larger here due to the open sea and today's meal consisted of a browned golden fish that had been marinated with aromatic herbs and a tart fruit to give it a salty lemony taste that overpowered my taste buds with yumminess. Not to mention, how delectable it tasted as the tender meat practically crumbled between my fingertips. Seawater teylu had been roasted and marinated in buttery sauce, served in a shish kabob style arrangement, which Anaya happily munched on with a wide smile as golden-yellow sauce coated her lips. For the vegetable portions, seaweed was the main star as it could be wrapped around pretty much anything but the Atykwe held gardens in fertile areas north of the beach where vegetables and fruits could be picked. I was more than happy to try each new food without reservation and Anaya explained the background of each as the sea provided meat and other delicacies, especially a sea cucumber called _thaig_ and oysters named _iliet_. Truly, I couldn't wait to begin exploring my new home to find new recipes to incorporate into my current memory files.

In the tranquil silence of the night and the faint crashing waves, I pulled out my journal to record what happened today because I knew this was another turning point in my life. I'd decided to jot down moments that were of importance since the pages wouldn't last me forever and I'd promised Tsu'tey that this would be my only diary until I could find an eco-friendly substitute. I wasn't very good at sewing so knitting my daily dealings didn't make a good alternative and space would grow limited with my ramblings so my journal had to be reserved for important information only. Plus, tree bark was used for daily life and healing so I wouldn't waste it but the idea was interesting enough explore as it could be used for mulch or with nontoxic paints for reuse. My fingers flipped through the crisp yellow pages but a quick gust of wind flung them with fast-forward aid and I held the pages down before the air ripped them clear off the journal.

"I'll have to watch out for this sea breeze" I chuckled softly with a fond sniff to the salty sea air and moved to the interior of my alcove where the wind couldn't enter. One thing I found myself missing immediately was the captivating sound of active nocturnal wildlife that the Omaticayan forest held at night while the Atykwe offered the gentle buzzing of nightly insects and their twitters of the night. On the upside, the sound of rolling waves on the beach substituted nicely.

My eyes landed on the thin cursive handwriting that was mine and silently read in my mind, _Oh, how that self-righteous hunter infuriates me! The cruel brute had the audacious gall to pick me up and squeeze me like a gummy bear. A gummy bear! What am I, an inanimate confection? Here I am trying to help him find his new home with nothing but kindness and he behaves in such a __xenophobic manner. . .I really wanted to tear off those little braids hanging down the side of his face for comeuppance. I could wear them as a trophy. . .actually, that would be pretty creepy but, oh, how it would rile him. It's a constant battle for dominance with that man but I am in it to win it- even if I'm a tiny flea compared to him. _

I burst into laughter to my old ramblings of the day and guffawed aloud, "Oh dear, I was a little firecracker, wasn't I? No wonder we were at each other's throats."

Flipping through a few more pages, I covered my mouth to stifle my giggle attacks as I read, _And he called me ugly! As if he's the handsomest being to hit this side of the galaxy! I was incredibly happy when I pulled him into a water pool (after he threw me in, of course) and his ensuing thrashing was hilarious to witness. Thankfully, I can finish this day by writing that I will live to fight another day with the barbaric prolemuris. . .although. . .he was kind tonight by helping me cross a stepping stone into appearing more like a na'vi. I can't chop off my extra fingers but eyebrows can be done as he showed me tonight. Maybe there's a possibility for coexistence? _

Our antics were indeed hilarious during the start but there had been a gap of civility when we were working towards the common goal of finding the new Kelutral. Perusing through more pages towards the middle, I smiled fondly to the change in attitude towards the grumpy Omaticayan hunter, _Tsu'tey took me swimming today and I must say that secretly, I loved it more than hiking. It's a wonderful freedom as you travel to its depths to glimpse into a world that's not your own. . .while avoiding the tiny claws of freshwater shellfish. He actually managed to catch one for me before letting the poor critter swim free and if my arms hadn't needed to tread water, I'd have embraced him. Tsu'tey isn't the most handsomest or sociable (although he's still a lady killer with rank alone) but I'm rather drawn to his sharp wit and hardworking nature. Of course, I could never admit that to him in a million years but. . .he makes me happy and that's something._

"And he loved me and that was more than enough" I concluded with a faint whisper of our short whirlwind romance but I wouldn't change it for the world. It was better to have experienced his love than to never have had it at all because despite both had their share of heartache, the former was attached with reciprocation. He had left a deep impact in my life but our destinies were sealed with Eywa's mysterious plans as Tsu'tey would remain forever with the Omaticaya and I would live with the Atykwe until we died.

Tears stung my eyes because it hurt to accept that I would never live alongside him and that he was miles away in a place that was no longer home. However, I took solace in knowing what he would've sought with me if I had stayed with the Omaticaya (before my blunder) and it told me that everything hadn't been a loss. We'd had plenty of witty fights, hearty laughs, and fiery kisses to last my heart with a cookie jar full of sweet memories. Romantic Joanna would hold on tightly to that little jar as her little Tsu'tey shrine would remain her sanctuary until somebody else came along. . .but I doubted that. Nobody could take Tsu'tey's place (he was unique like a snowflake) but I didn't know what the future had in store so I would remain optimistic for the far future.

When I gazed at the brown leathered covered spine of the book, nostalgia struck me in reminder to that evening we created it in my shared alcove. The man certainly surprised me with his agreement of allowing me a last remnant to my old culture with my journal and even more so when he helped me out of sheer goodwill. My cherished hunter was gone while I was here but I was going to move on with my life rather than wallowing in the past like a spring flower clinging to the last icy remnants of winter. What good would it do me? I wasn't lovesick with my coconut head because obsessing over him would help nobody (I was way past the uncomfortable angst moments of adolescent life) and I'd be spitting on his words to make him proud. We had our own identities to keep chiseling individually because although we functioned well with our similarities, we also needed to live independently to discover life outside of each other. Only time would tell but when fate decided to have our paths cross, I would be more than happy to show him what I'd done with my new life. And hey, maybe I'd give him a ride on my ikran.

* * *

Did I mention waking to the gentle rolling waves and cheerful ikran calls is a blissful song to hear?

My first morning renewed my energy after the long journey and although my butt was a little sore from traveling, I'd gotten ready (with leggings in use this time) and happily bounded down to meet Peke at the pen. Thankfully, I hadn't gotten lost and he'd been ecstatic to see me with a bundle of flowers filled with nectar and drowned insects to feed his empty stomach. His peppy energy had returned as well and I initiated tsaheylu to communicate with him to be certain his first night had gone smoothly. Thankfully, it had as he felt cozier inside the Atykwe cave rather than the open outdoors of the Omaticayan Kelutral. Pandora's animals couldn't talk but tsaheylu opened up interspecies understanding to the maximum as I soothed any lingering worries, promising to take him on a stroll in the afternoon so he could learn his way around the shore. My Peke didn't like the sand at all but I assured nothing would happen to his precious hooves and for him to compare it to the soft earth in the Omaticayan gardens after a gentle shower. He was reluctant at first but listened to me after drinking enough sweet nectar to soften his stubborn edge. I'd left extra flowers for the other pa'li as a treat as I found them to be quite tame in comparison to the Omaticayan pa'li and couldn't help but fall in love with their sparkling eyes. They were polished jewels that smiled at you whenever you approached them, holding nothing but gentle affection, and I had to tear myself away before I decided to join their little herd.

First meal once again brought a little modesty on my part as I'd greeted my way through the clan, finding a new menu of food to begin the day. I'd found myself surprised to see milk in one of the serving bowls and one of the cooks kindly informed me that grains were used to produce it (similar to rice milk) as she used a clam shell to serve it, its usage being a drinking bowl. Some residents crushed berries inside it to add flavor but it was delicious to me already as I sipped it while grabbing sweet grain bars and berries to fill my stomach. The climate was cooler at the beach but the hot food warmed me from the inside out as I'd sat on a random root, watching the matriarch address her people on a brand new day. She began the day with a prayer to Eywa for the safety of the clan, informing our people about recent news to keep everyone united as one.

My new instructor wasn't cruel like the drill sergeant from hell I'd originally expected due to his standoffish attitude during our first meeting. Instead, he was detached as he scrutinized me from head to toe when I stood before him this morning with my bola, bow, and a violet pair of leggings covering my legs, to judge whether I was ready. I wasn't going to be brash or sassy if I wanted to impress him as a dedicated student and would follow his orders without hesitation. He deemed me ready to train after I explained everything Tsu'tey had taught me since our first day together and he listened to every word as he analyzed my old training regimen to fit his own lessons. I didn't mind adapting to a hybrid between Omaticayan and Atykwe teachings which would hopefully benefit me in the end.

After I finished detailing everything, he took a few minutes for himself and I kept myself occupied by dipping my toes in the cool seawater, wiggling my feet for entertainment. The water itself was invigorating and I'd managed a taste minutes earlier, the liquid's salinity higher than the average sea but it supported abundant aquatic life. Xuret rejoined me a moment later, standing a few inches behind me in order to not touch the water, and crossed his arms over his broad chest to finally deliberate, "I need to teach you flawless dodging since I can see your flexibility is your best asset. I will be testing you on that later today. You have to strengthen your upper body mostly, especially since you've lacked water exercises and that is a major point in the journey to Uteho'awkx."

He walked away without another word towards the south where the rock mounds were located and I pocketed my bola back in its little pouch on my belt since we weren't going to do anything, apparently. I waited in my spot as my teacher kept walking with his brisk pace but halfway over the first sand dune, he turned around with a surprised expression when he didn't see me there. His brow furrowed with a blood freezing stare aimed in my direction, minimizing me to the size of a tiny flea, and beckoned sharply, _"Joanna!"_

Wait, he wanted me to follow? I quickly scampered over as fast as my feet could take me, dodging the other students gathered on the field as they watched me fly like an ikran out of its nest. This was a spectacular way of making an impression- oh, Joanna, you poor fool. I practically leapt onto the sand dune, my fingers brushing over the sand as I kept myself upright on the incline and met my instructor's firm gaze to justify calmly with a straight face, "You didn't beckon."

"As my student, you will trail my footsteps like a shadow" he ordered with an emphasis on 'shadow' and I nodded quickly to show I would obey rather than slack off. He wasn't Tsu'tey so joking or friendly banter was out of the question and faking lethargy would be the most foolhardy prank, especially when he was giving me a critical look at this very moment. Like a sweet baby tapirus, I tried to charm some friendliness into him with a small smile but his face remained neutral as he stated calmly, "I am taking you to see the site of your rite. I'm certain I don't need to remind you about avoiding an ikran's gaze?"

"I won't look, the only one who won't eat me is back at Kelutral" I assured with a pleasant tone in regards to the blue ikran, melancholy surfacing in memory to the proud Swizav and his master. I'd woken this morning, blindly optimistic that he'd be below at first meal to greet me with his pearly smile until I realized the people passing me by weren't the Omaticaya and it stung to know my stubborn warrior was eating his meal elsewhere. Regardless of the short time spent here, I missed him dearly.

I kept quiet after my little witty comment since Xuret favored the silence more than idle chatting and followed him obediently, finding delight in the white sand tickling my toes and observing random huts we passed by. The images sewn were beautiful as the tapestries depicted song, tales, family histories, animals, landscapes, and everything else imaginable. The rainy season had actually arrived to the coast a few days before our arrival and a gentle shower had drizzled late at night yesterday while I slept but thankfully, it left no cold drafts throughout the morning. Anaya informed me the rain would start gently which is why the students needed to prepare quickly before the harsher storms arrived or we'd risk mortal danger out at sea just trying to arrive to the nest. So far, there had been no mortalities at Uteho'awkx under Nitari's rule but one should never be overconfident.

We reached the 'ikran hill' as the random rock hills were commonly called by the Atykwe as the ikran loved lying around the warm rocks for fun or to relax. Their content reminded me of ikran behavior at the Iknimaya nest as they basked under the sun with gratified purrs and hisses. Xuret whistled for his partner among the many blue, white, and gray hued ikran relaxing around the area and I was met with a creamy white and sky blue blur of color erupting from the group as an ikran flew down to greet him with a screech. I lowered my gaze immediately when it landed, standing safely behind my instructor to avoid becoming an ikran snack and heard him speak calmly, "I See you, my friend. We are going for a ride today."

A flap of wings was all I heard as my eyes focused on the white sand but I managed to sneak a peek of ivory clawed feet, its black talons large enough to rip anything to shreds. Luckily, she sounded happy with her rider as she purred in agreement to a day out on the beach.

"Yatzi, this is my new student so you know where to go" he instructed the ikran without a change in his tone (really, he could win a prize for his neutrality) and strode forward to climb onto the ikran's back. I wanted to avoid the creature altogether since Swizav was the only ikran I trusted with my life and he'd spoiled me rotten in his presence as I treated him like an ikran prince with treats and brushing. I needed transportation to the site and since a new unknown ikran was my only way there . . . I sucked the fear into my gut to jump on.

I took a few steps back to ready myself for a jump but when Xuret lowered the ikran down onto the sand on its cream colored belly, a blush crept onto my cheeks for my abrupt improvisation. I had expected him to behave like Tsu'tey and have me figure it out as a student but assumed he'd done it to lessen the sudden surprise to Yatzi. I'm sure an ikran only wants their rider to latch on for dear life and nobody else. I'd yet to master mounting a new ikran since Swizav was the only one who treated me equally, due to our affection for Tsu'tey, but I'd learned how to mount my cyan ikran friend only; nobody else. I tried to hide my flustered face as I placed my hands on her backside to boost myself onto her back in a single jump this time and settled into my new seat. Yatzi simply reared back on her legs to adjust to the weight gain as if we were nothing but flies on her back but with Xuret being a teacher, it was second nature to her.

In my natural behavior of avoiding physical touch with other na'vi, Yatzi's sudden move almost knocked me off completely. My heart dropped into my stomach instantly as I yelped in surprise to the lurch of the formidable ikran, reacting instinctively to preserve my life. Thankfully, the ends of my fingers managed to grasp Xuret's shoulders before I fell onto the sand and he chastised coldly, "I don't intent to have you dead, Joanna. Keep a good hold because the air currents are different here than at the Omaticaya."

My tongue threatened to reply that I wasn't accustomed to touching new people I'd just met, per norms of society, but he answered that calmly as if he'd been reading my mind, "I will not bite you."

The ikran climbed back onto the rock hill with ease on her taloned feet and used it as her personal air field to take off into the sky with a graceful flap of her wings. My fingers did indeed keep a good grip on his shoulders because I wouldn't venture lower since I'd claimed that as my 'happy flying hug with Tsu'tey'. Not the best name but it described what I'd felt with him. Recently, he'd decided that having me as a passenger in the back wasn't acceptable and I'd been upgraded to a front view seat instead as he took the second seat but we were both content to be in each other's arms.

The view of the beach was even more breathtaking in the air as the upcoming rows of waves were visible from above but what didn't appear gorgeous from an ikran's point of view? Even I could grow addicted to their joy of endless flying during the day if their sights were always this stunning during flight. Yatzi flew east towards the open sea, greeting any nearby ikran with or without riders with a happy screech to make her presence known and I chuckled softly with wonder to what they spoke about.

The sea glittered beautifully as if it were a land of sparkling diamonds, a tiny islet located in the center of the sea that was composed of natural rock columns. I could spot wild ikran of slate gray gathered on the rock formations, deeming it as either a resting spot between flights or a suitable home away from the nest. The ikran were adaptable to all environments and just as the sea ikran used cliffs or canopies for sleep, they could find alcoves within the islet sculptures of rock or ancient coral to call home during warm rainless seasons. Yatzi swooped past the islet with break neck speed as she ascended higher into the clear blue sky, wind striking my face with the sudden increase in velocity which brought a little wariness from me as I ventured into unknown territory with the ocean lying underneath us. If I fell, it was game over for me. Nonetheless, the lack of land in our horizon brought a sense of tranquility over the minutes as we ventured between the sea and sky. The warmth of the sun bathing my skin reminded me of a mother wrapping her child in a comforting blanket while the ikran ride served as the story told to a youngster as they defined what type of adventure they sought. Obviously, mine was to conquer an ikran once and for all.

An air current pushed Yatzi sharply upwards without warning, causing me to cling on tightly for fear of falling off after carelessly allowing myself to relax under the sun. Of course, this didn't protect my brain from making an _astronomical_ embarrassment of a mistake when I yelped automatically, "Tsu'tey-"

Yeah, there were _no_ words to describe the look on my face when his name exited my lips and the situation became very awkward when Xuret turned his head sharply in a sidelong glance from up ahead. If he could've been a caricature, his pupils would've had question marks painted within them for the error. Unfortunately, imitating a tapirus running off to safety to huddle in the bushes wouldn't help me nor would spluttering over a ramble of nervous words when my teacher kept eyeing me as if I'd grown another head.

"Sorry, a moment of mistaken identity" I mumbled sheepishly without glancing at him since the color cyan would always remind me of Tsu'tey, which was a terrible memory trigger when everything around me possessed that hue. My inner romantic Joanna jiggled her little cookie jar of love as she clutched it to her chest in longing. The sun overhead would only blind me with its rays and islets became sparse as we headed west towards the rite site so I would have to control my brain carefully from spilling any other words that were suited only for Tsu'tey. I found it endearing how I'd managed to live my life without him for decades and now, seven months had brought me the most joy imaginable and caused me to question how I'd lived without him for so long. Yes, my work had brought me pride and satisfaction, especially when I'd attained my goal of reaching Pandora. However, when compared to Tsu'tey's presence in my life and his teachings of an entirely new way of living- the former didn't hold a candle to it. Both went hand in hand to mold me into the person I was now but what kind of woman would I become with this new life and without his ongoing presence?

"He meant a lot to you, I presume? I had the honor of meeting him in preparation to the tawtute battle" Xuret spoke up calmly, his face neutral from its previous shocked stupor and his voice broke me away from my ruminations on the future. Tsu'tey was surprisingly well-known throughout clans due to his previous engagement and current advisor role but it warmed my heart to know that people thought very kindly of him. That wasn't to say they would take him lightly in meetings as his silver tongue could sway matters into his hands effortlessly which made him a tough opponent in debates and one to have on your side. I'd been one of the unlucky ones as he managed to win my basket of berries from me on one warm afternoon during a debate about bows- even now, I had no idea how he'd influenced my mind to handing them over. Either way, he'd won my poor berries and had made a pie out of it. . .but he shared it as his strict principles wouldn't allow him to cheat one of his people.

Yatzi gently swerved to the right and kept the same direction over the endless sea as he continued with his neutrally calm voice, "He carried himself like a natural leader despite the devastation to his clan and sudden shift in leadership, his face stern like any warrior but his eyes were wise beyond his years. The last I heard, he'd survived critical injuries after the battle and became the new olo'eyktan's advisor, protecting his clan quite honorably."

His voice softened from its impartial tone as he added in, "My aunt Nitari always has stories to tell of her Omaticayan friends."

"He's the best the Omaticaya has to offer, he is- was one of my closest friends" I agreed quietly with a solemn smile in remembrance to our crazy spats and spur of the moment explorations. Aside from our personal lives in private, he'd taught me well enough to reach Iknimaya alone and his training would carry on helping me through my final rite. All I could hope was that it would be enough with his and Xuret's help as I asked softly, "So tell me, how will the rite begin?"

"This entire distance we've flown, you will row a canoe all the way to the cliffs of the rite" he explained carefully and my eyes widened because the distance wasn't very short and compared to an ikran's speed, it would be double the time. Also, I couldn't paddle a boat to save myself! I had lived alongside the Omaticaya, grounded to the earth and accustomed to having either dirt or wooden branches under my feet to support my travels. Xuret had informed me that the rite would be within two weeks at the most- depending on the changing weather- and if I couldn't row a boat, how would I leave the shore? I'd fail automatically and doom the matriarch's hope to appalling disappointment on my behalf. My fingers dug into his shoulders involuntarily as fearful anxiety set in to my worst case scenarios (the best weren't that better either) and he snapped tightly with a stony glare, "I forgot to mention that I will be teaching you. Now, get your ikran claws _off_, please?"

I listened obediently since marking him with scratches would only anger him and kept quiet to myself, mulling over this lengthy boat ride I would have to take. So much for an Iknimaya familiarity.

* * *

Let me tell you, the ride was not short to the site but the location was daunting when I looked upon it with my own eyes. Yatzi simply flew circles in the air surrounding the tall cliff to give a perfect viewpoint of its majestic entirety, its gray walls strong despite hairline cracks of age as white barnacles cloistered the areas where waves struck the bottom. From the second it had come into clear view, I was ready to curl into a ball and pretend to be the matriarch's foot stool.

Oh, dear me. . .why couldn't it have been on an island?

"This is Uteho'awkx" Xuret introduced proudly with a roguish grin that sucked the life out of my face because he'd yet to behave so out of character and I wasn't sure I could be the new Aquaman/Spiderman hybrid. Turbulent waves crashed loudly against the humongous rock stack protruding from the blue sea and towered over it, almost mimicking a sheer cliff in the middle of the ocean. It was unbelievable. Obviously, this rock stack had no equal when compared to others closer to shore and the fact that there was no land around it immediately told me I had my work cut out for me. The gigantic stack showed no alcoves deep enough to allow entrance as hollowed nooks depicted ikran homes of the main nest only. How would I climb this treacherous behemoth?

Below the wide rock stack, violent waves slammed against the bottom as the currents became stronger and white foam gushed against the gray walls from the strong force. As if that wasn't enough to grieve my poor heart, smaller rock stands bordered the area as a natural defense and they withstood the same impact from the waves. It was a maze to traverse as they were formed randomly around the rock precipice and the wrong current would send you hurling into one of the stacks with no means of stop. From Yatzi's vantage point, I could see openings into several sea caves at the bottom of the rock stack and silently prayed to Eywa that those would not be the entry points as the mock cliff showed no openings like the Hallelujah Mountains. I could already imagine being splattered on one of the smaller stacks or sucked into a whirlpool hidden underneath the sea caves and wondered what else lay within the stack itself. My blood pressure had to hit an all-time low as I assessed every inch of the dangerous area, trying to nab a peak at the nest itself but Xuret pointed to the water to explain with a hint of haughtiness in his tone, "Iknimaya braves the sky, you will conquer water."

"Do you not see the dangerous waves of death slamming against it?" I questioned anxiously with fright laced into my sudden squeaky voice, my eyes transfixed to the large waves crashing against the stacks. I wasn't hesitant to admit I was frightened beyond belief because churning water that could swallow you whole tended to bring a little panic into an average person's heart. Sure, I could swim quite well but what would help me in case I was knocked out of my boat and there was nothing to grip _but_ the stacks that were ready to pummel me into mush.

Xuret merely snorted with distaste and further explained the rite, "You will train to traverse the waves, traveling with them towards the cliff-"

"It's, uh, that's a rock stack" I pointed out flatly to its deceiving nature and he retorted with an offended hiss for my interruption. Well, at least I stirred forth an emotion other than his monotone speech. My sarcasm defense was threatening to rise with each moment that the waves slammed against the rocks and I breathed deeply to calm my inner turmoil.

His shoulders slumped under my fingertips to the correction and he sighed listlessly, "Of course I _know_ that but it resembles a cliff and so, we have dubbed it so."

Good point.

. . . "Carry on, teacher."

I kept mum on the matter since the Atykwe were one step ahead in naming aspects and to get our show on the road once more because I was ready to practice my butt off to survive. He shot me a quick side-glance to make sure I wasn't going to add in any last witty remarks that would need verbal stomping but I was in professional mode where he held the reigns in his hands. Yatzi screeched in welcome when a flock of five ultramarine blue ikran passed by us, their movements graceful as they swerved around the stack to disappear to the left and she followed after them at a casual pace. Since he was concentrating on explaining the rite, I assumed she'd taken control for the moment and he deliberated, "You must make it here and I will designate which cave entrance you will jump into to swim to the inside in order to gain access. Once safely inside, you will walk through the passages within until you reach the top but I must warn, some will need you to use your arms as some paths will have broken off due to age."

My mouth popped open as the next surprise knocked me back and before I could ask about the condition of the current paths, he assured simply with a serene expression, "I will be with you every step of the way as I am the most experienced of all the teachers. You will be safe until facing your ikran but if you fail, I will be there as well to restrain it from killing you."

I took solace in hearing that he wouldn't leave me to fend for myself and trust began to stem from there. The gentle sea breeze caressed my face and a swift turn to the left brought my first sight of the nest as it lay safely concealed within the stack, the opening wide enough for ikran only in familiar similarity to earth birds that nested alongside cliffs. It reminded me of a cliff swallow as ikran left in and out of the nest to join the groups flying outside but the formation of the nest was a very close replica of the Omaticaya's with its shape. It was safely embedded within the stack near the top but a natural ridge jutted out as its trademark which allowed perfect gripping or roosting for all returning or exiting ikran. This would give me a good advantage due to my previous survey of the Omaticayan nest and I verified quickly, "Will there be sufficient space? This nest contains many ikran and covers much of it."

"Yes, they will part to protect themselves from the challenge but you cannot depend on catching it inside the nest only- think outside the norm" Xuret advised with his years of teaching wisdom and I appreciated the tip because the nest was definitely similar to the other. The only difference was the adjacent walls of the stack surrounding it shrouded half of it in shadow to protect it from predators; did toruk fly this far out to sea? Hopefully, when the time for the rite came, the sun would bathe everything with its shining light but I couldn't hold my breath on that wish. I remembered Tsu'tey's words about using the environment to my needs and it gave me the second option that I was almost afraid to ask.

"Will I go against tradition if I battle it against the cliff side?" I asked warily but my lips betrayed the eager undertone as I smiled widely. Yes, I had learned to be extra cautious when it came to following the traditions of my soon-to-be people since losing Tsu'tey and the Omaticaya clan had scarred that stubborn streak in me to dust. I wouldn't dare repeat the same mistake with the Atykwe, devoting myself to following each principle to its fullest but Xuret returned the same intrigued expression in his golden eyes.

"Aunt Nitari might be right about you" he agreed slowly, his words drawling with lukewarm acceptance to whatever the matriarch had spoken with him about. I trusted her wholeheartedly about my future in her clan and knew I'd have a few eyes on me that didn't accept my new arrival with warm friendliness. It was natural to be afraid of an enemy species but I hoped to win them over eventually with my dedication by serving the matriarch loyally. I wasn't afraid to take on a challenge or I wouldn't be living on Pandora, flashing him one of my trademark witty grins to show my commitment. I had to begin developing my backup plan in case my baby didn't want to be claimed because I was ready to track her over heaven and earth to be her aerial partner. Xuret didn't hesitate to advise me with a firm voice as he stared straight ahead out to sea, "Remember, your path to the nest is within the inside of the cliff and from there, your strategy starts."

"Well, then, I need to learn how to row a boat and swim like crazy" I stated grimly to the tasks set before me because I had a close deadline to meet. The weather had placed the rite schedule on a varied timeline and the new skills from swimming to rowing a boat flawlessly wouldn't be quick to grasp so the countdown was on. I think my commitment to see this through surprised him when I asked aloud to suggest, "Is it possible to extend my training time to two sessions a day?"

Yatzi hissed softly when he swerved to the right to leave the nest, the noise of ikran decreasing as we moved over the glittering ocean and he agreed with satisfaction in his low voice, "I was hoping you would say that. We will begin immediately."

* * *

_(Elsewhere on Pandora)_

Human fingers hovered over a gray touch screen keyboard as the image screen bathed a communications room in glowing light, outlining three silhouettes occupying the area. On the screen, the lush eastern coast of Pandora's Pyrrha continent filled the screen as dots of heavy activity blinked white to its observers. Old data was continuously being reviewed by one while new recordings on the screen were observed by the other seated figure to keep a tight watch on activity.

A tall male figure standing behind the two seated individuals and shrouded within the shadows ordered simply, "Activity update?"

"The recent departures from the clans surrounding the new Omaticaya lands seems to have been as we suspect: normal activity with no knowledge of our whereabouts" a woman's voice replied calmly as relaying news was no different on a daily basis and typed into the keyboard to zoom into two specific areas on the continent. The coast of the Eastern Sea and the plains belonging to the Horse Clans illuminated the room and the woman explained evenly, "The lands belonging to the Atykwe and Vatyl have seen the return of their clans with no further activity as of yesterday. Another clan, the Azenik, left today a few hours before sunrise as the computer recorded. There is no reason for concern about a possible attack, current sleeper agents have explained interactions have increased exponentially across the continent due to Jake Sully's leadership."

"We won't need to concern the company then, as long as these barbarians stay oblivious" the man stated haughtily since their employers only wanted good news after their extensive training and failure was not an option. They wouldn't make the mistake of Hell's Gate by remaining vulnerable in the open where they could be attacked; rather using the na'vi's same tactics by blending into their surroundings. Blending well enough that they'd gone unnoticed for almost a decade and as the special team on Pyrrha, they would continue their work in the shadows.

Pleased that the aliens knew nothing of their presence, there was no need for concern anymore and he finished aloofly, "Send one of the scouts to the Omaticaya when half of those clans have left, I will not make Quaritch's mistake by leaving that marine's actions undetected. Do _not_ send Avery, the idiot was almost caught last time by one of those traitorous avatars."

"Anything else, sir?" the same woman asked quietly as the other individual sitting next to her simply typed away the orders to send them to an agent within the rank to infiltrate. Scouts were sent to monitor activity and never be detected by the na'vi; if so, the mistake would have to be rectified.

"No, I have to return topside to make sure any traveling na'vi are sent on their way elsewhere or trade quickly with Thomas" he replied coldly with a lace of distaste on his tongue since playing the part of one of them in an avatar was bad enough. Worse, all human traits reminiscent in all avatars had been surgically altered in his team so they would never be recognized as one and allow them to blend seamlessly with the natural inhabitants. The na'vi's undoing would be by the way of trust as Jake Sully's original infiltration plan had been his idea to the RDA but unlike the blasted marine, he would _not_ be led astray and disgrace his entire species by joining them. If any of his men did as such, elimination was quick.

There were many secrets on Pandora and the malevolence hidden behind the 'Azatu' clan was one of them.

* * *

_swey'eylan_: best friend; a word I combined using the na'vi dictionary.

_Uteho'awkx_: Shattering cliff; created 'uteho' but 'awkx' means cliff in na'vi.

**A/N**: At last, I am done with the first person p.o.v with Joanna and can return to the third where everyone has their own thoughts. I decided on this view to hopefully allow the readers to see her view as theirs because she didn't know a single thing about the coast. Listening to orchestral music fueled my writing frenzy with the rite site in a much needed amount. We'll be splitting the next chapter between the Omaticaya and the Atykwe as we revisit Iknimaya with Norm and Tarazi while checking in with Joanna's new life. It's definitely a new change of pace to write Tsu'tey and Joanna in different settings but it's for the best of them- after all, matriarchs know best. I love Nitari's motherly air as she protects all her 'kids' of the clan but you can read more about her on my vignettes story. Oh, and if anyone notices any smashed paragraphs, please inform me because fanfiction muddles up my formatting when I post chapters online and it can get very annoying (and embarrassing) as a writer to see computer errors.

Thanks to all of your continued support for the story, all of my OC's vow to you all (along with the adorable Peke, Aci, and Swizav) for reading their adventures and for your alerts and reviews:

_CrissYami_: Don't worry, we'll be having Tsu'tey pop up in the next chapter as he takes the students to Iknimaya. I can't keep away from writing about Tsu'tey for too long, his adventurous and tapiri chasing ways make me laugh too much.

_Laithano_: Once we have the two meet, the matriarchs will find a way to put them together. And thanks for the reviews on the vignettes!

_Lucas Bane_: And to think that Peke was originally a one chapter pa'li that I was supposed to never use again. Alas, I grow too attached to my fictional creations but I'm so in love with that pa'li too. There's an innocence about him that seems to draw everyone. . .and his twinkling blue eyes definitely help. We learned a bit about Anaya in this chapter too as she'll be around Joanna since she's too bold for the women and too feminine for her macho brothers; she's the best of both worlds, lol.

_MedjaiSheWolf_: Yep, we'll be having fun on the beach as we keep exploring the new Atykwe lands.

_Crystal_: I'm glad you like them, I love posting them since editing can take a bit with the large world of Pandora so I try to give you guys an idea of what it'll be like.

_Serpentinia Malfoy_: Thank you so much for appreciating my story, I love hearing your feedback as it tells me to continue typing away like a maniac to finish the next chapters (I'm working hard on Joanna's rite at the moment). I had to make their love progress slowly given Tsu'tey views towards the aliens wrecking his home but with time, he's overcome his antagonism. I love character development and could see Tsu'tey would be a perfect character because he already held wonderful traits with his unwavering loyalty to his people. He'll find his permanent spot next to Joanna as they chisel their paths to make their clans proud along with each other.

_Compa16_: I'm glad to keep you happy with the tale, it's what I'm here for, dear reader.

_Arwenia_: I hope this chapter gives you the idea of how dangerous the first rite will be for Joanna because dangerous waves can drown you in seconds. You gave me wonderful ideas to incorporate for the future as the poison fish fits perfectly with a scene in a future chapter where Norm and Tarazi visit the Atykwe. As for the scar, another idea that'll be used with the children at a campfire. Those future scenes will be dedicated to you for the ideas so thank you very much for giving my brain food to stew in its brainstorm bowl.

_Claycarole_: Cameron actually has an aerial jellyfish creature, the medusa, that drifts over mountaintops and their tentacles can stun an ikran or kill a human with their electric currents. I actually thought of having Tsu'tey fly by one successfully but the story was already too long for that idea. . .but maybe a vignette could use it. There's also a plant resembling a jellyfish that lure prey with its nutritional water while the na'vi use it as a healing drought and the stems are for traps or nets, even aphrodisiacs for young ladies looking for a mate. This has given me a hilarious idea for Anaya to try out in later chapters. And for your questions, the seas are completely salty as they link to the ocean in the east.

_Hecate-Luna_: Unfortunately, I don't have the extended edition and I tried to find that scene on youtube but can't find one despite numerous search attempts. I'd love a link if you have one.

_Sana-dracios_: The two definitely feel alone without each other after more than half a year together but they have to bear it. I'm sure Aci would be more than happy to have Peke back where she could keep an eye on him- not so much for Joanna though.

_Emmalime_: It's okay, I'm always happy to hear from you and hope you're enjoying this new year.

_JackBlack_: I'd buy a trip to Pandora too if there's a planet like that ever discovered. Lol. Tsu'tey's going through another rough patch but Mo'at will be there to strengthen his spirit just as Nitari will do the same for Joanna- they're quite the crafty matriarchs. I love the animals of Pandora and with tsaheylu being such an intimate bond, why not use their viewpoints similarly to the na'vi characters? Aci is one tough mother but she'll always hold on to the hope that she'll see Peke again.

_Luv4Uncas_: I didn't think it would be tough on the readers to see the two apart but they were rather attached and happy like little ikran. They'll soon find their way to be together.

_Fallenfaeangel_: Thank you for continuing to read the story and glad you still love it. Tsu'tey's learning to find his own interpretation of happiness within his clan while Joanna's finding her place with the Atykwe. The Atykwe don't surf but with Joanna's adventurous mind and Anaya's curiosity, the two will find a way in no time- even if they fall more than they can surf.

_Dracoessa_: The time will come when they reunite and the two will be more than happy to see each other, I promise. :)

_Moonlight Calls_: Thank you so much, I always try to do something different in my writing by using ideas that have been used but in a different setting. Joanna acknowledges the connection but since she's in the dark about the mating process, she feels that it's not meant to be. Nitari will be counseling her once she finishes the rite but she's been guiding Joanna subtly since meeting her.

_Srenae615_: I love getting new readers and thank you for loving the story this much, I focus a lot on character development and descriptions which is probably why action is my weakest point when writing. lol. I love Joanna and Tsu'tey, their love story too, but I wanted readers to also learn about the other characters and I'm glad my writing paid off with the rest of my OC and the canon characters. I can only wonder how the readers will react when one day, the story does end and the characters we've come to love (I adore Peke and Nitari) make their final vow on the writing stage. I hope you liked this pov in the chapter since it puts you directly in Joanna's mind as she explores her world.

* * *

**Next Time**:

Her piercing gaze lingered on his face for a few seconds, trying to decipher what lay behind the friendly twinkle in his eyes, and she murmured slowly, "You are a strange one, Normspellman."

He chuckled softly to her opinion as they resumed a calm leisurely pace back to the base level of Kelutral to join the ongoing celebratory mood after breaking away from their group to explore. The real celebration wouldn't begin until last meal so they were allowed a moment of rest and Norm was glad to spend it with Tarazi, especially since she hadn't rejected him outright to his playful challenges. He was still trying to find a common ground on how to speak with her and admitted easily with a friendly smile, "I received the same from my old people as well but strange also opens the door for intrigue and captivation."

"In the right doses, otherwise, it will turn into annoyance" Tarazi pointed out astutely, raising the emotional defense that barred any men from trying to court her. If the dreamwalker attempted the same this quickly, she would kick him down the spiral staircase until he landed on the bottom. He should consider himself lucky enough to be granted residence in her clan and shouldn't attempt further without proper courting etiquette.

Fortunately, Norm was not that type of person as he sought friendship first and foremost to gain a person's trust. On Earth, it usually worked; either that or he remained stuck in the friend zone, much to his chagrin. He nodded in agreement because the last thing he wanted was to be beaten down into a pulp and refused by the one that caused his heart to skyrocket into a tachycardia. His best path to reach Tarazi's heart was by the friendly advice of her father so appealing to her interests and displaying his skills would hopefully catch her eye, leading him to propose casually, "Of course. So, tell me, who can I seek for advice in creating my first bow? Your father briefly told me about his designs while maxpatel fixed my, uh. . ."

He coughed into his hand uncomfortably in regards to the embarrassing incident weeks ago and muttered faintly, "Yirig problem."

His sheepish words at the end brought that awful memory to surface in both their minds as his dance around the clearing wouldn't be disappearing anytime soon. Norm would be a happy man to never seeing those pesky six-legged amphibians again. Tarazi chuckled softly to that day when she witnessed his manic dance around the children and answered simply, "My father designs according to hunting styles, customizing a bow to a person's strengths but stabilizing weaknesses to help them improve. I think he's the best of anyone here but you can see for yourself."

With that said, she strolled down the path with a destination in mind as her father's workshop was located in the clearings where he could store his materials in the alcoves while working outdoors. The sound of sanding and polishing wood from Kelutral had filled her ears during many seasons for as long as she could remember and was ecstatic to go inform him of her success. Her face remained void of giddy emotion, of course, but she couldn't wait to begin crafting her first bow alongside him. Norm was taken aback to her offer since he'd been anxious to rejoin his friends to relax and stammered, "N-Now?"

"It is better to start early, it will increase your chances of being picked onto a hunting team" she stated matter-of-factly since teams were formed depending on each person's strengths and weaknesses. The best teams consisted of the most experienced but each group required a seasoned hunter to be leader in order to develop the skills of others or the clan's hunters would fall into disarray. Most new hunters were used for hunting hexapede or smaller game while the older hunters (and naturally gifted) chased after larger game on their ikran due to their experiences- Tarazi couldn't see herself hunting on an ikran just yet.

"Your wish is my command, ikran puncher" Norm joked playfully to agree to her suggestion and instead of a sharp reprimand, he received a confident little smirk. Tarazi might be ambitious enough to be placed within a good hunting group but she wouldn't mind sharing it with the amicable dreamwalker. Her group hunt with him and the other female dreamwalker allowed her a glimpse into his leadership skills and he'd taken everyone into account, keeping the ambience welcoming rather than issuing commands. Also, he'd beaten her quite well in the archery contest during the festival and that had earned him good points in her favor.

She might just allow this dreamwalker to become a- dare she say it- _friend_.

The two passed through the midlevel alcoves that specialized in family care in comparison to the lower level that accustomed single adult residents due to the structure of the residential levels. If emergencies arose, however, one master healer equipped for all ages would be on each level to provide immediate care for the injured. From within one alcove reserved for Max, Neytiri smiled in relief to seeing her student's safe return as the two ventured below to rejoin their people. The newest rite for adulthood had been successful despite the tense moments and she could add another student to her list as an accomplished teacher. Neytiri felt proud to have two students finish Iknimaya despite her young age and owed it to her father for his meticulous teachings which allowed her to pass them onto others. Her eyes had been glued to the open entrance, fingers drumming against her crossed arms in subconscious anxiousness and heard her mother advice firmly, "Calm yourself, daughter, it is not good for you to become stressed this early."

She turned to see her mother calmly fiddling through a few urns of herbs and was about to point out that the day was almost at an end but Mo'at spoke knowingly, "You know of what I speak, Neytiri. Mothers are always very intuitive and your father did the same when unsettled."

"And being tsahìk has nothing to do with interpreting my worries?" she questioned playfully to calm herself but her serene smile faded, her posture slumping as she sat down on the comfortable bundle of blankets splayed over a dry grass mat. Her fingers returned to drumming on her knees as she gazed at the wooden floor but trusted her mother enough to admit softly, "I'm scared, mother."

The matriarch cast aside her role as a spiritual leader, leaving the urns in their storage shelf to kneel down and embraced her daughter tightly to offer endless comfort as a mother. No matter how old Neytiri became, she would always be her little child. She was all that remained of her family and Mo'at would do anything to protect the last piece of her lineage. Mo'at remembered feeling the same anxiety as her daughter during that age and her own mother had been there to soothe away all of her worries, leaving behind only the pleasant anticipation of such a treasured event. Rubbing her back with motherly care, she comforted gently with a wide smile that was rarely seen by the clan, "This is just another part of life. You have begun taking charge as our new tsahìk and you will adapt to this role as well, it is the most rewarding of all."

Neytiri sighed softly as she took the advice, uncertain of the new change and leaned against her mother to whisper appreciatively, "I am so grateful to have you at my side. I miss father every time happy news arise, it has been very hard for me to accept his death despite the passage of time."

"I know" Mo'at whispered solemnly, holding her tightly and kissed the side of her head to assure that she would be there for both of them. Neytiri had been extremely attached to her father since the first time she smiled, clinging to Eytukan as he brought her joy by dangling pa'li statuettes in the air in a dance that brought her endless delight at night. Each of her milestones had occurred in her father's presence (he'd flown to Iknimaya himself to keep an eye on her) and her newest one in life brought sorrow as he couldn't be a part of it. Mo'at shared the sentiment, both of their ears flattening against their hair in remembrance but she soothed gently, "He watches over you, my child. Everyone can connect to their ancestors through tsaheylu at the Tree of Souls but a Tsahìk's special training strengthens the connection enough to touch a spirit that is with Eywa. Atokirina are more than just Eywa's emissaries, Neytiri."

Her daughter smiled faintly with renewed hope to what she subtly implied and took Moat's hands into hers to squeeze them affectionately. If she could hear her sister's or father's voice once more, outside of recorded memories, her loss wouldn't feel so deep whenever she thought of them. Both missed the other half to their family but if all went well, another addition would soon join them but Neytiri was happy enough to thank, "Well, I am very blessed to be your successor, mother."

Mo'at returned the kind smile, thankful herself for being able to guide her daughter in a new life free of danger. A shadow glided over the wooden floor and their gazes moved to the left to see Max enter the private healing alcove with a calm smile on his friendly face. The matriarch directed a firm stare towards the healer which only served to widen his smile and she gently chastised the young man, "Only a true healer would work on the day of his bonding ceremony."

Max chuckled sheepishly as the matriarch never hesitated to gently nudge him towards full status as a healer despite his rank as a hunter. His days were often spent in the alcoves and although he'd braved Iknimaya, found himself content alongside the healers as he cared over the injured and ill. He'd spoken to his soon-to-be mate, Peyral, about it and she'd agreed easily to the idea of him switching ranks since her parents were healers themselves. Peyral was more than happy to keep hunting and with her tendency to bruise, he could care for her since she avoided seeking help. . .well, until she'd met him. He would spring the pleasant surprise upon the matriarch after the new adults were officially inducted into the clan to brighten her day and replied courteously, "I serve the People and Neytiri asked for me specifically so how could I deny our new tsahìk? Otherwise, our olo'eyktan and you yourself, mother tsahìk, would be offended. Now, what can I help you with?"

Neytiri hesitated as the topic was mostly discussed with female healers due to the private nature of the na'vi but this wasn't about her anymore, not exactly. Max sat down to speak with them in a safe atmosphere where all patients could be at ease, allowing Neytiri to gather her thoughts until she spoke quietly, "You are the healer for the dreamwalkers and although I would be advised to seek a female healer, my union with Jake leads me to you. I am more than certain I carry my first child and need your help to make sure nothing goes wrong."


	31. First Breath Into Adulthood

**First Breath into Adulthood  
**

* * *

Ikran screeches singing of home filled the sky as warm radiant sunlight bathed the Hallelujah Mountains of eastern Pyrrha, flocks of forest hued ikran flying through the mountains as their nest was located nearby. It was a beautiful dancing veil in midair as colors of green, brown, and blue filtered through the sky as they assumed the role of protectors and future challengers of the nest. Their floating home was eternally sanctuary unless claimed by a na'vi as an aerial partner and today, another Omaticayan group had gathered at the nest to undergo the sacred rite. The calm sunny climate was ideal with its lack of wind to avoid sudden accidents and plenty of sunshine to give the students a perfect view of their surroundings.

This time, two teachers joined in guiding the students to the stairway to heaven to watch over the five individuals carefully. There was a maximum of three students per teacher on a rite and Neytiri had accepted the second position gladly to watch over Norm and Tarazi while Tsu'tey kept an eye on the other three due to his seasoned experience. Also, Neytiri had her own reason for traveling to Iknimaya on foot whereas Tsu'tey took to the sky in this instance to be vigilant on all of the students in case of a slip. Swizav was more than happy to join the two teachers and meet up with his brethren again as all ikran carried endless love for each of their sisters and brothers born from the nest.

Swizav circled the area gracefully as Tsu'tey surveyed the nest carefully, strictly vigilant of the students attempting the last steps of Iknimaya. If one neared the edge too closely from a toss, he would be prepared to dive and catch them before a tragedy occurred. He would not allow any of the clan's children to perish under his watch. The last time he had taken students on the path to Iknimaya, he had cackled evilly in the hopes that his current clan leader would fall to his death. In the heat of the moment, it had thrilled him to the deepest core in his heart to see an enemy's life extinguished by their own inexperienced hand but after having his eyes opened by Eywa. . .his view had changed entirely. There had been shame attached to that particular memory as he'd confided in Joanna at Grace's school that despite Jake's apology, the dishonorable feeling lingered but she'd put it to rest by comforting that his future decisions would wash it away. She'd advised that he would change for the better and looking back on everything that occurred since that day, he was no longer that spiteful man.

_I was rather insane, wasn't I?_, he thought with perplexity to his old mindset, remembering the raw hatred in his heart, and his ikran trilled in accord as the questioned poked into Swizav's mind as well. Thankfully, all of it had disappeared and a new man had sprung forth in its place and he smiled faintly in gratitude, _It is a good thing I changed for the better with Joanna's and Jakesully's help._

Swizav screeched his cheerful agreement, adding a short purr at the end because he'd love his na'vi partner for good or ill till the end.

If Joanna had stayed with his clan, she wouldn't have been ready with the current students and he truly began to believe that she wasn't meant for his clan (as much as the notion hurt). He'd tried his best fighting techniques to ensure success and she'd trained with the same intensity as the other students but something kept failing throughout it all- otherwise, Joanna would've claimed an ikran within the nest. The fact that she'd attempted Iknimaya to its _final_ step distinctly told him that it wasn't his diligent teaching that brought failure but rather, Eywa had intervened to rectify Joanna's rebellion. He respected and appreciated her dedication to fight destiny to remain at his side and clan but as a child of Eywa, they could not defy Her will- no matter how much they loved each other. A sharp screech to his left snatched away his thoughts and he watched a teal ikran fly by as its elegant wings covered his line of sight, its neutral mahogany streaks with orange blotches catching his eye the most. Upon its naturally decorated back, Neytiri beamed proudly with success to her newest partner.

She had finally finished her grieving process over the beloved Seze after Jake convinced her she was ready to carry her memory with another. She underwent the rite first to show the students how the challenge flowed and give them an idea on how to attempt it. Despite fighting an ikran was always dangerous, the new Tsahìk had tamed hers flawlessly with her years of hunting experience and thanked her father silently for the rigorous training that allowed her to become who she was. Her eyes glittered with pride and endless affection towards her new partner but she had to return to the field to monitor the students.

"Keep an eye on them" she directed firmly to the older hunter and flew into the small alcove with her ikran to return to the anxious students via the waterfall path, leaving the teal ikran to preen its wings to keep occupied. Tsu'tey obeyed without question since this special job was routine for him after consecutive seasons and ordered Swizav to circle the area beside the open nest as he kept an eye on the students. Norm had chosen to be the first to tame his ikran as he stepped into the bare field with careful steps, gauging the danger level of his surroundings vigilantly. A painted golden V decorated his forehead to signify his student status as his hair was neatly pulled back in braids to keep his eyes and queue clear of visual obstructions. Unlike Joanna who failed drawing an ikran, Tsu'tey watched one of dark brown with ivory and tawny streaks of color decorating its reptilian skin lunge ferociously for the dreamwalker within seconds. It had wasted no time leaping onto the field to shred its chosen partner apart but Norm maintained a safe distance, jumping back swiftly with a hiss of his own. It was definitely a fighter in Tsu'tey's view; most ikran confronted a student in the beginning of the challenge without attacking but others dove in without a single warning.

"Maintain eye contact, Norm!" Neytiri advised her student from her spot at the rocks bordering the waterfall, keeping her gaze locked on his back in case of anything. Her mate had almost fallen off the edge during his rite and she wouldn't allow that mistake to occur twice because the chances of Norm latching onto a protruding branch like Jake were low. Her nimble movements mimicked each that Norm took, keeping track of each but he was doing fine as he engaged the ikran to fight. She couldn't wander too closely and leave the other students vulnerable as they were her responsibility as well.

The sepia banshee was livid on tearing Norm's limbs apart as his jaws tried to bite anything in sight but Norm efficiently dodged each swing of its head, moving to the side or using his hands to push the ikran back. Tsu'tey found himself impressed with the man's flexibility since Norm's first days among their clan displayed his uncoordinated reactions to insignificant roots sticking out of the ground and slow reaction time. Instead, he found himself watching an agile man that anticipated his ikran's attacks and moved like any hunter with cunning flexibility to fend off an impending death. His clan sister had trained him well as Norm evaded the ikran's assault with each swing of his body and tried to seal its mouth shut with the bola but each failure would slowly begin to drain his stamina. Norm couldn't keep dodging the banshee forever, prompting him to tweak his plan for capture since catching it off guard face-to-face wasn't working.

Norm hissed in warning when the brown snout of his ikran came mere inches from snapping its jaws over his wrist and used his leather bola to smack it against the side of its face in return, blinding it momentarily. He didn't want to hurt his ikran but since it wanted to rip him apart limb by limb, what choice was left to him? The ikran screeched in fury and lurched forward with its jagged white teeth, causing Norm to instinctively dodge to the right before his left shoulder was torn open. His ikran tried to remedy the failing bite by trampling him into the dirt but Norm grasped a chunk of wet earth (ikran urine and dirt were of no concern during a lethal situation) and flung it right into its open mouth, effectively saving himself from a mortal bite and giving his banshee the most awful snack on Pandora.

Neytiri and Tsu'tey believed they'd seen everything as teachers but witnessing an ikran cough up dirt with a guttural growl of fury was a new sight, their eyes transfixed to the chocolate wings flaring into the sky with unbridled frustration. Even Swizav uttered a low trill of amusement. As the ikran was busy ridding his mouth clean of the gritty dirt, the small moment of the cease attack allowed Norm to find the easiest plan in immobilizing the banshee. Jake had told him his method of attack during his rite but Norm wasn't an ex-marine so direct fighting wasn't his best path for conquest which left strategic planning as his best option. Ikran were their most powerful in open areas and the sky but eliminating both options would render them weak against incoming attackers. _That's_ where he would strike.

Norm made his way to the rocky area surrounding the west area of the nest, motioning for everyone to back away for safety as he planned to use the entire field. Neytiri gathered the remaining four students near the waterfall entry to keep them safe from harm and Tsu'tey kept a keen eye on the ikran in case it accidentally neared the others. If so, he'd intervene himself to wrestle the wild ikran to the ground with Swizav and his ikran was formidable against its brethren. There was a reason the cyan ikran carried itself proudly and it was due to its natural ferocity to physically subdue other ikran, a task that was necessary if outside ikran or toruk dared to attack his brethren. Norm chose a specific spot away from the students, closer to the rear of the nest in the center of the field and whistled to catch the banshee's attention.

His ikran didn't blink twice.

The banshee was furious enough to tear through earth itself to crush him and gave chase instantly into the rocky area, wiggling through large boulders to catch the na'vi man. Its sights were set solely on him without regard to the environment around him and Norm would take full advantage of it since the other ikran weren't the slightest bit concerned about him. Rocks littered the area in various sizes but Norm chose the largest boulders that provided room in small routes for his form which allowed concealment for both na'vi and young ikran but a grown banshee would have trouble maneuvering as they traveled further down. The brown ikran tucked its wings close to follow the man, jumping over a few smaller ones in its mad haste before pushing himself between two large boulders as Norm lured it with loud noises. Claps, whistles, and whoops all did the trick as its acute hearing would discern him above all others. His plan worked perfectly as the ikran focused solely on thrashing him in its jaws, wedging itself closer to its doom in the battle, and Norm found himself both proud and frightened for being its prime target.

The ikran realized Norm's original intention too late as the student trapped him within the many rocks of the small maze in the back of the nest, completely preventing a hasty escape as his wings scraped tightly against the rocks. The pupils in its golden eyes dilated in fury and he unleashed a violent roar that sent nearby ikran scrambling onto the walls for refuge from its ferocity. Trying to climb onto the rocks to find the little sneak that had dared to restrain him, he found escape impossible. Norm used the cover of one of the rocks to observe the imprisoned ikran until it no longer faced his direction and moved quickly to finish the last step in his trap to finish the challenge. The ikran was completely immobilized in the cramped area and could only move its reptilian head to find a path towards his beloved open sky, trying to lurch its body forward to free himself. He shifted the original plan of killing the blue interloper immediately to focus on attaining freedom as natural instinct constantly called for open space and forgot about the pesky little na'vi thorn in its side.

Norm seized this chance to spring forward on the unsuspecting ikran, using the rocks themselves to fuel a jump into the air towards the ikran's bare back with stealthy silence. Neytiri held her breath tensely from her position as she watched Norm leap to make the final move in his rite, his airborne limbs guiding the balance of his momentum. Opportunity showed itself when the left antennae swung in his direction as the ikran's head swung wildly to the sides in a futile effort to flee the area and break free of the claustrophobia setting in. Norm's fingertips grasped the dark brown queue of the banshee as he landed directly on its muscularly warm back, sending the animal into a full blown screech of rage. No ikran wanted to be robbed of its flight and subdued by another creature, especially one that could be prey. Unfortunately for the feisty banshee, Norm was faster now that it was wedged between the rocks and the dreamwalker's queue connected with his instantly to seal the new bond.

The challenge ended with the na'vi victor.

Norm exclaimed aloud in shocked surprise to its natural aggression, a maelstrom of emotions flooding through him but ordered it to halt immediately which calmed the banshee's feral thrashing. The experience was similar to pa'li tsaheylu and he coaxed his new partner to relax by blending its rage with his peaceful friendship, its screeches simmering into short growls, and they began the process of freeing themselves from the rocks. Norm issued simple orders to gain control, moving the ikran backwards where the rocks were roomier and tightened its sepia wings around its body to make its body thinner. Slowly, they wriggled free from the rocks and the banshee used the single claws on its wings to add the final boost needed to lift itself onto the top of the boulders. The ikran was most eager to comply to taste its natural freedom again, forgetting its original antagonism towards Norm. Two attempts achieved it and Norm wasted no time dashing onto the open field of the nest, the brown ikran's wings spreading to their fullest length in a painter's tapestry of brown neutrals to touch the sky.

Neytiri smiled proudly from her position on the rocks as they took off from the cliff in one swoop and tamed the sky as partners. She'd worried for her student and friend like any teacher since Norm was kindhearted to all of Pandora's creatures but he'd exceeded her expectations by using the nest's structure against the ikran. Even Tarazi, who remained silent behind the huntress, was in awe to Norm's success and respect grew from that point. She'd never really thought much about the dreamwalker and expected him to use brawn against the ikran due to his tawtute origins (flaunting strength was all she'd seen them do) but completely threw her initial impression of him aside to this recent sight.

Tsu'tey kept a cautious eye on the newest adult in his clan as the sepia banshee flew awkwardly for a few moments, unfamiliar to its first bond with another but eventually straightened its flight path. Norm, on the other hand, was overjoyed and on top of the world about earning his newest companion as its original feistiness had blended away into natural curiosity about him. He smiled proudly at sensing the ikran had officially accepted his new role in his life and proceeded to explain who he was to seal their new lifelong bond with endless trust, explaining his reason for traveling to the nest. It was unnatural for him to view the landscape below him like an ikran himself, being a person tightly bound to the earth, and grinned wildly in appreciation to the new life he'd been given in comparison to the humans on Earth. They would never witness the infinite beauty of Pandora or to feel the private connection with one of its creatures as they worked as a unit in the sky and he promised to enjoy it all on behalf of those that remained there with honest hopes of a better future. A few circles around the area granted him good practice in maneuvering as a short specific order brought a graceful move from his ikran and forming the idea in his mind also helped him to interpret.

The ikran was most happy in its natural habitat flying through the air and although Norm was freshly new to that environment, he allowed the ikran to guide him through the sky. Of course, he kindly ordered him to stop any sudden mid-air belly flips or loops he wanted to perform to prevent a sudden heart attack or unfortunate death. His ikran obeyed with a small hiss but Norm assured that further flying experience would allow him to do so in the future for fun on both sides. He returned to hover over the nest to await further instructions a while later to observe Tarazi's rite with curiosity for the intense woman. If he'd achieved it, he was pretty sure her challenge would go smoother. Tsu'tey was quick to remind him on the strict rules of Iknimaya due to his personal attachment towards the young woman, "You can only watch. No interference."

Tarazi entered the field with slow deliberate steps towards the center to await her ikran for battle, her face stoically calm but her flattened ears betrayed her anxiety. Her fingers held her bola tightly since it would protect her from any incoming jaws, if she acted quickly enough, and kept her eyes wide open for her challenger. She'd never admit it aloud but seeing the numerous ikran around the nest unnerved her, there were so many! Her countless hours of intense preparation trickled down to this moment and even so, Tarazi still felt a twinge of uncertainty in her skills as she waited to face her ikran. Being a huntress was all she'd wanted to be since childhood as her mother, a huntress herself, spoke of the great honor held within a hunt and maintaining the balance of their world while supplying the clan with sustenance. She _needed_ to succeed to make her parents proud and secure her own future within the clan. As long as she claimed her ikran, her future among the Omaticaya would be sealed with an attained status as an adult.

Unlike Norm's wild banshee, Tarazi's offered her a few seconds of time before hissing at her from within the crowd gathered at the eastern edge where most had scattered for refuge during the previous challenge. A jade green banshee leapt onto the field, her majestic wings of jade with tawny and yellow splotches folding neatly against her back as flexible muscle rippled with each movement. It pinned her with a dangerous golden glower before hissing and charging forward but Tarazi was ready for its first attack, releasing her bola with precise accuracy to snap the ikran's mouth shut. Norm was surprised to her quick attack as she managed to restrain the ikran's most powerful weapon in under a minute. His ikran trilled softly and reasoned it was due to its natural aggression to protect the nest against him which caused him to smile to the open-ended connection. It was the type of telekinetic connection every young boy had dreamt of! Grinning with success, Tarazi ran forward with careful haste to initiate tsaheylu while watching its flapping jade wings carefully as one cut of its single claw at the ends could rip someone's side open with a critical wound.

Her right fingers were ready to grasp the end of the ikran's green antennae when it unexpectedly broke its jaws free of the bola strap and screeched furiously into the air. Fear struck her heart at the sound of the leather bola snapping into several pieces, her ears ringing with the fearsome roar of the banshee at such close range, and she aborted her plan immediately as the antennae moved far out of her reach. Her frightened face met the ikran's unforgiving gaze as she turned to flee its vicinity immediately but the banshee had already spotted her, ready to bite her head off. Neytiri dashed forward with an alarmed shout to snatch the ikran's attention, ready to wrestle it herself to protect Tarazi but it was solely focused on the other woman.

Norm was ready to dive into the nest with his ikran to save her but Tsu'tey hissed that he remain in place as he flew lower rapidly in preparation to tackle the ikran if needed. Unlike the new adult, Tsu'tey knew exactly what precise actions would subdue an ikran without causing harm whereas Norm did not. The inexperienced ikran rider could accidentally kill an innocent banshee or endure damage to his own. Also, this was Tarazi's test to either succeed or fail by her hand alone but neither instructor would allow her to be killed right before their eyes. The young woman could only defend herself from the sharp open jaws with her own natural weapons of defense to avoid demise.

When Tarazi punched her own ikran's face to the side with all the force she could muster in one hand, Norm felt his heart flutter with endless affection with the defiance she showed in the face of death. As for Tarazi, she reacted in one last stand to prevent being slaughtered in front of her people and rolled under the ikran before its jaws tried to bite her again. Being underneath its green belly allowed her access to the queue easily as she used its blind spot and the precious few seconds awarded allowed her to swiftly yank the queue with a strong hand. It would hurt her ikran for a split second but the outcome heavily outweighed the consequences of dying and leaving her ikran without a rider for life. The ikran screeched in alarm to the sudden pull, catching a full glimpse of the young woman and Neytiri crept closer in case another incident occurred. This time, however, Tarazi was ready to risk it all or fail. Pulling her own queue, Tarazi connected both for tsaheylu just as the ikran's mouth was ready to snap its jaws down onto her lower left leg.

_"Halt!,"_ her shout echoed through the field as the bond was sealed and wide eyes watched the jagged teeth stop a single breath away from her vulnerable flesh. A shaky breath of relief escaped her mouth as she met the firm gaze of her ikran and proceeded to stand on her feet quickly. The instructors relaxed visibly as the tense moment ended, Neytiri retreating back to her students for protection but Tsu'tey lingered on the boulders he'd landed on after being ready to restrain the ikran. This rite had definitely brought forth strong ikran as the first two students had stirred suspension and anticipation but thankfully, succeeded without grievous wounds.

The jade ikran hissed crossly to being commanded for the first time but obeyed its new master when Tarazi jumped onto its green back effortlessly, trying to control the frightened trembling in her limbs from the ordeal. Remembering her teacher's words about sealing the bond quickly, she guided her carefully to the edge of the mountain nest while panting tiredly from the scuffle to rid herself of the frantic beating of her heart. She couldn't believe her direct tactics had worked in her favor, thanking Eywa for sparing her life and allowing her continued existence by serving the clan. Her aerial partner was formidable in strength but Tarazi certainly earned her new rank as a huntress, flying off into the endless abyss of the sky to meet the earth lingering below. The ability to soar the sky for the first time was unbelievable as she feared she'd fall off after seasons of being grounded safely to the earth and her throat released a laugh of joy that couldn't be contained any longer.

Norm couldn't help himself from following after to keep a friendly eye on the young huntress and his ikran obeyed since any trip within the sky brought him endless happiness. He'd only issued commands to his aerial partner and had yet to ask for its name, sending the thought through their connection to show him courteous respect. How could he forget to do such an important task? He couldn't exactly call him 'chocolate' (although it would be a humorous moniker), could he? His ikran answered that they held no names, identifying themselves by scent alone and a name would be required if Norm wished it. He humorously enlightened Norm by stating that he smelled of leaves after a morning rain and the man chuckled to knowing his real scent among the ikran. It was definitely better than tapirus poo. A few names were offered by Norm as he wanted him to make the unique pick himself and his ikran finally agreed on one- Telas.

'_Telas, I am Norm,'_ he introduced himself with a kind voice as his ikran was stronger than originally expected and was proud to have him as a partner.

* * *

All of the students gained their new ikran without any further complications and Tsu'tey led them away from the nest to return to Kelutral for much needed rest. Neytiri congratulated them happily as she swooped by each student to offer her kindest of compliments, lingering on Tarazi as she'd earned herself the nickname 'daring Tarazi' over what she'd done. Norm also received the amusing name 'ikran deceiver' for his smart tactics from throwing dirt into his ikran's mouth and wedging it into the rocks. Telas wasn't hesitant to demand that he never do either again or he'd fly upside down for being caused such unsavory humiliation and Norm agreed wholeheartedly, promising a nice piece of meat back at Kelutral. Their actions hadn't been done under the teaching years of Tsu'tey and the hunter had to admit he was impressed with Norm's technique since he'd used brute force and flexibility like Tarazi to claim Swizav.

His ikran purred softly with pride since he'd almost taken a chunk out of Tsu'tey's foot during the challenge but the man had wedged a sturdy stick between its jaws to save his limb and keep him at bay. Swizav would never forget seeing his honorable rider use the wall to twist his body into the air in a graceful backwards flip and climb onto his back to grasp his antennae to seal the bond. It was a reason he was proud to call Tsu'tey his partner and he'd never failed him in life, following him with blind loyalty into the dangerous burning forest when he'd fallen from the large skyship. He had been extremely fearful that day at the possibility of losing his dearest friend to the arms of Eywa, ready to follow him into death itself, leading Tsu'tey to return the same kindness, _'I am proud to call you my own as well.'_

Norm swooped to Tarazi's side with a playful grin on his radiant face as Telas called out to her ikran in a friendly challenge for a race as he flew close to them. They were officially adults and he was ready to gain her attention with kind friendliness and his hunting skills to light a match of interest in her eyes. The new huntress maneuvered her ikran flawlessly against the sky to avoid a collision and muttered flatly with a proud lift of her chin, "Skxawng."

The rare smile on her face, however, made the word fall on deaf ears as Norm watched her with joyous eyes as she tried to hide her enthusiasm about flying. A second later, she met his gaze with a modest twinkle in hers that betrayed her true happiness of overcoming Iknimaya unscathed. Each student was joyous to accomplishing their first rite and gaining a new lifelong friend but Uniltaron awaited them on another day so today was to be savored by the new adults. Norm wasn't going to waste it in the slightest as there were many things to do.

Norm could see she was overjoyed with her success- which she deserved by fighting at such close range- and decided to take a leap of faith at finding a way to seize her attention without appearing too obvious. He wasn't going to ruin his chances by appearing immature or needy since it would be a catastrophic turn-off for the tenacious Tarazi and would allow his heart to speak for him. Jake told him to carry himself confidently with cool finesse while her father advised to use his skills to match hers, which led him to ask charmingly with a mischievous smile, "Race you to Kelutral?"

One thing Tarazi enjoyed was a challenge and she grinned widely with glad acceptance but bold words, "Prepare to lose."

"I'd be more than honored to lose to you" Norm replied smoothly to praise her skills but she looked away flustered as she was unprepared for any flirtatious talk. Her first thought was to push him aside like she did anyone who dared to approach her with mating and children in mind, not ready to make such a commitment. Her most important goal was to be a capable huntress and only until then, would she accept the notion of welcoming another permanently into her life. However, Norm proved that he wasn't trying to wedge himself into her life without invitation when he added in confidently, "But don't count me out as a winner yet."

The friendly dreamwalker lit one of the bladder lanterns leading to her heart with his self-assured remark.

Neytiri smiled knowingly as she'd behaved in the same spirited manner with her mate after his successful rite as she'd hidden her true feelings and hoped the two would find their own happiness, whether together or with another. Her hand stroked the taut teal neck of her ikran, Valya, and vowed to protect her new partner as she'd done with the cheerful Seze (knowing she was safe in Eywa's eternal embrace). Valya wouldn't be a replacement as Seze held a sentimental spot in her heart after all they endured against the sky people and Neytiri hoped Valya would be able to enjoy the freedom that Seze fought for. Her Seze had been feisty to those she didn't know particularly well but she was the friendliest ikran she'd met throughout her life. Valya appeared to be quite tame and gentle after the fierce challenge which gave her hope that they'd bond perfectly well over time. All in all, she couldn't wait to show her mate and enjoy a day out across the sky with his ikran. Surprisingly, his toruk had somehow decided to leave the Omaticayan lands off its menu list after its countless returns to Kelutral- her mate really did try his hardest to tell him that he was free- and became an eccentric addition to their ikran family.

From his lead position of the ikran group, Tsu'tey was growing rather weary of their flirty playfulness next to him since his own heart was being torn apart between a thanator's teeth on a daily basis. The hurt left behind from Joanna's leave hadn't lessened the crippling anguish despite his visits to the matriarch for counseling and always felt that painful gap in his heart when he witnessed happy couples spending time together. Why couldn't he share in what they had? He missed spending his days alongside the woman he loved and privately kept to himself during leisure hours, keeping Aci company for sympathetic comfort. Why had Eywa torn away the woman he cherished as dearly as his animal companions? If he was expected to overcome another obstacle in his path to enlightenment, he didn't understand how removing Joanna from his life would accomplish it as she'd helped to release the old hatred in his heart. They were each other's sturdy rocks between the heavy storms brewing in their hearts and now, he had been left defenseless to endure another without her. It was agonizing to the depths of his heart as his idyllic life had come to an abrupt end, crushing the figurative home he'd been building with Joanna's love.

His pearly teeth glinted against the bright sunlight as he hissed authoritatively to quiet the laughing duo, "Enough! Leave for your little race but if you do not return-"

"We'll look for you" Neytiri finished gently as she flew in next to Tsu'tey, blocking his sight of them and watched the two new adults leave for their friendly race. She wasn't one to be stern with her people and the two had become rather playful after enduring a shared moment that bonded them. Tsu'tey's scornful words were easy to interpret as the origin of his pain related to that same affection Norm was radiating towards Tarazi and it had been a harsh reminder to the hunter of what he'd lost. Her gaze shifted from the clear sky towards her curt friend and she calmly stated with a kind voice to soothe his heartache, "Tsu'tey, I understand that you are hurting terribly these days but you must remember that our people come first. Norm cares for Tarazi, please do not ruin his show of affection when you've done the very same with another."

Tsu'tey sighed softly under his breath because he understood the courting dance firsthand and he'd had a tough time admitting his true sentiments to Joanna from the start. He had been anxiously afraid of his new feelings as they shared a professional relationship and the fact they were alien in birthright had unnerved his courage to profess his affection. This lapse in bravery allowed Joanna to take the plunge and he'd been glad for it because she'd blown away his doubts like a storm by enforcing that he was all she wanted, nobody else. He remembered the night she confessed at the water pool, his heart soaring happily to the news and of her beautiful appearance but misfortune seemed to follow their every step afterwards. He'd almost ruined Norm's first chance of impressing Tarazi and guilt webbed into his heart after knowing how hard and fragile gaining someone's affection could be. After all, he and Joanna had their equal share of spats on the field- he'd beaten her into submission to protect her life once!

_That woman left quite the bundle of memories for me,_ he thought longingly as her changing temperaments stirred a range of emotions within him over the changing seasons. Whether she was meek, furious, sarcastic, upset, or loving, he reciprocated each with his own to either fuel or quell their moments together. He almost missed being tossed into a water pool or watching her devour food within minutes while he remembered gently teasing her skills to hear her little hisses and leading her to new hikes to explore the lush world around them.

He couldn't allow himself to return to his old mindset, disliking that forgotten part of himself, and agreed quietly with solemnity, "You're right. I have had my emotions break to the surface quite often since Joanna's leave but with your mother's wise counsel, I will have everything under control. Let us return home to begin the festivities for today."

He led the way towards Kelutral, closing his golden eyes for a moment of tranquility to seal away his underlying emotions of mourning as he allowed Swizav control. The days, sixteen by his octal count, had been drearily long without her company and found himself very surprised to how much time he'd truly spent at her side on an average day. His life with the little spitfire of a woman had changed his daily activities drastically but he didn't regret a single moment, relishing his new life rather than the old. Unfortunately, his newfound happiness was over and he had readjusted to living privately as only the clan came first for the stern hunter, nothing else. The soothing wind caressed his cheeks and he took solace in what Eywa provided for him during this tough time but his heart yearned deeply for its other half; in his mind, no other would match up to Joanna.

"You will see her again, my brother" Neytiri spoke up with optimism in her gentle voice, snapping the hunter from his private reverie and he turned to glance at her with bordering skepticism. Joanna was destined to undergo the Atykwe rite of passage and knowing her, she would be dedicated fiercely to completing it. If there was one trait the woman held deeply embedded in her heart since meeting that witty dreamwalker, it was perseverance. The clan heiress simply smiled to reassure him of her words to boost his morale and explained, "If your heart is true, Eywa will find a way to reunite you. Also, you and Joanna have always been very hard to keep apart for very long so I am most certain you will find a way back to each other."

Tsu'tey couldn't interpret whether she meant it as a friendly reunion or more but he would be grateful to see her face one day, to touch her smooth skin under his fingertips as he whispered how much he'd missed her. If she kept her love for him alight throughout their time apart, he would be even happier and honored for the privilege. The unyielding hope in his faith was all he could hold onto until that fateful day.

* * *

"A tie, can you believe that?" Norm preened wittily with a disbelieving whistle as he and Tarazi departed from the canopies to return to their festive clan below to partake in congratulatory welcome into adulthood. They had waited for their new ikran to choose their permanent spots for sleep, watching as they meticulously sniffed areas for current inhabitants and burrowed into hollow nooks to find their specific place to call home. Tarazi's chose a small space near the first level of the ikran canopies, a small indent in the wooden ground that she littered with leaves for comfort. Norm's ikran, however, decided to skyrocket deep into the higher canopies to leave them all in his trail of dust and Norm had yet to see Telas return. That stubborn ikran would turn his hair gray, he just knew it.

"You were lucky" she stated stiffly with a slow drawl to emphasize that there would be another aerial race to win and he smiled brightly to the notion. He was rather persistent in initiating conversations with the reluctant woman and although most people left by the third snap of her tongue, he obstinately stayed. The man was either hardheaded or her methods were backfiring horribly, Tarazi didn't know which was worse.

"Says the huntress that punched her own ikran to tame it" he shot back with a friendly laugh to her unorthodox tactics and she found her rebuttal hiss turning into a small laugh. Yes, that had been very reckless of her but it paid off exceptionally well with a pretty jade ikran to call her own. Norm admired her daring spur of the moment plan to tame the ikran head-on with her own hands, different from his own strategic plan, and complimented casually to prevent sounding like a sugary flatterer, "Very ingenious though, seeing how dangerous they are."

Tarazi wasn't ready to admit her fear about that moment to anyone, especially a dreamwalker, and kept her comments to herself about the truth. She hadn't realized how large ikran truly were in person and there was a quick instant when she'd wished to flee the area but seeing Norm, an alien to her world, battle one with admirable valor allowed her to cast aside the worry. It was a flicker of shame that remained in her heart for the moment of weakness and she'd remedy it by becoming stronger, especially now that she could train alongside her ikran. She kept her gaze locked straight ahead and chose to simply state with her low voice, "Improvisation on the field will always arise and you must be ready to act."

Norm didn't want to lose the friendly pitch in her voice that he'd achieved during the race and flicked his thumb towards the base of Kelutral to entice amicably, "I hear the cooks have snacks for us and I do love polyps."

The reserved smile returned to her face, displaying that she favored the idea (the entire rite left her hungry) and challenged in friendly competition, "First one to the residential level caters to the loser?"

He grinned with interested amusement to her request, hoping that she wasn't a bad mistress if he lost horribly but favored the prize at stake because food was food. After the energy spent arriving to the rite, he was famished and anything would suffice. This was his first time interacting with Tarazi outside of the training field and spontaneous incidents that brought them together so he would play the game to keep a favorable image in her eyes. He would've never figured that she held the slightest speck of a playful side due to her reserved nature in public among her friends and grinned mischievously to preen, "Prepare to lose-"

Tarazi shot off like a bullet down the path without uttering a single peep to claim a huge leap of an advantage as she left him behind in her trail of dust, grinning like a madwoman for the first time in her life. She was destined to win this time! Norm took chase to salvage for lost time, using the last energy in his reserves to keep running after the feisty roadrunner leading the race and called out to protest fairness, "I didn't get to finish!"

"Your loss is my gain" she called back haughtily as she stuck to the lead fiercely, timing each step and her angle on each path to make sure she kept her pace steadily safe. After almost becoming ikran food, she was determined to redeem her lapse in strategic fighting as her pride took a strike to that public event. She'd been confident throughout everything until that fateful moment when staring death in the eye and needed to find a way to break free of another possible moment occurring in her future. Even a small race offered the chance to improve her skills in agility, flexibility, and reaction time.

"What happened to mercy?" Norm joked with a charming voice as he jumped over a bumpy branch on the path to avoid tripping painfully, trying to find an opening within the route but she was too fast. He was certain that she'd hunt formidably in a real fight since bravery wasn't lacking and her days were always spent training, whether required for honing her skills or not. Norm took a little pride in knowing his archery skills surpassed hers since he'd spent time training with Tsu'tey and Neytiri for fun but it seemed her agility was faster. Hmm, he'd have to ask her to a friendly archery competition next time.

"I believe in no such thing" she replied as a carefree grin broke over her face for the first time since meeting him and found herself having fun outside of a training arena. After succeeding in her rite, she deserved that small measure of peace in life, didn't she? She'd never been one for children's games since her mother wanted her to train early for ensured success at Iknimaya (she would be proud of that today) which led Tarazi towards following her father around in his profession. There was never a day she didn't have fun with him, seeing her training as more of a school time chore until adolescence arrived and her mind took a sharper focus towards it. Even so, her free time was always spent at his side whether by helping with his creations or sharing a snack together during the day. Tarazi's true passion laid in maintaining and creating bows, already efficient enough to decipher what a hunter needed depending on their hunting preference.

If anyone asked, her chosen rank would be a dedicated huntress but her heart was deeply embedded in her father's field of work as the scents of different wood always delighted her nose since childhood. Each colorful glaze held its own quality whether to enhance a bow's natural ability or for durable maintenance over the seasons. Of course, there were no women bow makers in the Omaticaya clan- nor were there ever- and the notion of it forced her mother to point out that males dominated the rank. Obviously, Tarazi's only choice was to hunt like her mother and make her clan proud with that rank as the other was unobtainable . . . for now. Nonetheless, her father didn't hesitate to help her skills grow throughout the years to satisfy her secret passion and she was proud to say she'd designed at least two bows for hunters in her clan without anyone being none the wiser. There was a time when she'd wanted to seek the matriarch's counsel about her true path but seeing her parents happy about her hunting talent . . . well, she'd stuck with her destined rank instead.

She jumped victoriously with a happy whoop when she reached the finish line, the area lined with private nooks as white hammocks dangled from the sturdy branches to prove that she'd landed on the residential levels for families. The newest victory of the day was well deserved and she let out a breath of success to winning her second match against Norm, enjoying the sweet victory since she deemed her competitor worthy. A second later, she concealed her outburst of excitement with a subtle cough when Norm approached with an exhausted pant and Tarazi simply stated cheekily to reap her prize, "I win."

Norm's shoulders slumped comically to the loss and he feigned a deep sigh of intense disappointment, bowing majestically to her victory as he declared, "Of course, who could defeat the mighty Tarazi? I will be your loyal server for the evening, my lady."

Her piercing gaze lingered on his face for a few seconds, trying to decipher what lay behind the friendly twinkle in his eyes, and she murmured slowly, "You are a strange one, Normspellman."

He chuckled softly to her confused opinion as they resumed a calm leisurely pace back to the base level of Kelutral to join the ongoing celebratory mood after breaking away from their group to explore. The real celebration wouldn't begin until last meal so they were allowed a moment of rest and Norm was glad to spend some of it with Tarazi, especially since she hadn't rejected him outright to his playful challenges. He was still trying to find a common ground on how to speak with her due to her detached nature and admitted easily with a friendly smile, "I received the same from my old people as well but strange also opens the door for intrigue and captivation."

"In the right doses, otherwise, it will turn into annoyance" Tarazi pointed out astutely, raising the emotional defense that barred any men from trying to court her. She had enough friends to fill her cup for a day and males of sentimental interest were not welcome in her life at the moment. If the dreamwalker attempted the same this quickly, she would kick him down the spiral staircase until he landed on the bottom and would continue doing so until he fell into a water pool. He should consider himself lucky enough to be granted residence in her clan and shouldn't attempt further without proper courting etiquette.

Fortunately, Norm was not a rash kind of man as he sought friendship first and foremost to gain a person's trust. On Earth, it usually worked; either that or he remained permanently stuck in the friend zone, much to his chagrin. He nodded in agreement because the last thing he wanted was to be beaten down into a pulp and refused by the one that caused his heart to skyrocket into a tachycardia. His best path to reach Tarazi's heart was by the friendly advice of her father so appealing to her interests and displaying his skills would hopefully catch her eye, leading him to propose casually, "Of course. So, tell me, who can I seek for advice in creating my first bow? Your father briefly told me about his designs while Maxpatel fixed my, uh. . ."

He coughed into his hand uncomfortably in regards to the embarrassing incident weeks ago and muttered faintly under his breath, "Yirig problem."

His sheepish words at the end brought that awful memory to surface in both their minds as his frantic dance around the clearing wouldn't be disappearing anytime soon. Norm would be an extremely happy man for eternity if he never saw those pesky six-legged amphibians again. Tarazi chuckled softly to that day when she witnessed his manic dance around the giddy children (the little ones lost to the allergic reaction occurring) and answered simply, "My father designs according to one's hunting style, customizing a bow to a person's strengths but stabilizing weaknesses to help them improve. I think he's the best of all the bow makers here but you can judge for yourself."

With that said, she strolled down the path with a destination in mind as her father's workshop was located in the eastern clearings where he could store his materials in the alcoves while working outdoors. Bow makers had the freedom to use workshops at the base of Kelutral or outside in the sun so her father had chosen the latter to work underneath the bathing sunlight while his alcove allowed protection during rain. The sound of whittling and polishing wood from Kelutral had filled her ears during many seasons for as long as she could remember and was ecstatic to inform him of her success. Her face remained void of giddy emotion, of course, but she couldn't wait to begin crafting her first bow alongside him where she wouldn't have to appear firm and unyielding.

Norm was taken aback to her generous offer since he'd been anxious to rejoin his friends to relax and stammered, "N-Now?"

"It is better to start early, it will increase your chances of being picked onto a hunting team" she stated matter-of-factly since teams were formed depending on each person's strengths and weaknesses in all hunting environments. The best teams consisted of the most experienced but each group required a seasoned hunter to be leader in order to develop the skills of others or the clan's hunters would fall into disarray. Most new hunters were used for hunting hexapede or smaller game while the older hunters (and naturally gifted) chased after larger game like sturmbeest on their ikran due to their experiences- Tarazi couldn't see herself hunting on an ikran just yet.

"Your wish is my command, ikran puncher" Norm joked playfully to agree to her suggestion and instead of a sharp reprimand, he received a confident little smirk from her full lips. Ah-hah, so there _was_ an amused woman beneath the firm gaze. Tarazi might be ambitious enough to be placed within a good hunting group but she wouldn't mind sharing it with the amicable dreamwalker. Her first hexapede group hunt with him and the other female dreamwalker allowed her a glimpse into his leadership skills and he'd taken everyone's opinions into account, keeping the ambience welcoming rather than issuing commands. Also, he'd beaten her quite well in the archery contest during the festival and that had earned him good points in her favor.

She might just allow this dreamwalker to become a- dare she say it- _friend_.

The two passed through the midlevel alcoves that specialized in family care in comparison to the lower level that accustomed single adult residents due to the structure of the residential levels. If emergencies arose, however, one master healer equipped for all ages would be on hand at each level to provide immediate care for the injured. From within one alcove reserved for Max, Neytiri smiled in relief to seeing her student's safe return as the two new adults ventured below to rejoin their people. The newest rite for adulthood had been successful despite the tense moments and she could add another student to her list as an accomplished teacher. Neytiri felt proud to have two students finish Iknimaya despite her young age and owed it to her father for his meticulous teachings which allowed her to pass them onto others. Her eyes had been glued to the open entrance, fingers drumming against her crossed arms in subconscious anxiousness and heard her mother advice firmly, "Calm yourself, daughter, it is not good for you to become stressed this early."

She turned to find her mother calmly fiddling through a few urns of herbs on the shelves, behaving quite serenely despite the news that Neytiri was ready to reveal (then again, her mother _was_ an emotionally skilled matriarch). The huntress was about to point out that the day was almost at an end but Mo'at spoke knowingly with a no nonsense gaze, "You know of what I speak, Neytiri. Mothers are always very intuitive and your father did the same when unsettled."

"And being tsahìk has nothing to do with interpreting my worries?" she questioned playfully to calm herself but her serene smile faded, her posture slumping as she sat down on the comfortable bundle of blankets splayed over a dry grass mat. Her fingers returned to drumming on her knees as she gazed at the wooden floor but trusted her mother enough to admit softly, "I'm scared, mother."

The matriarch cast aside her role as a spiritual leader, leaving the urns in their storage shelf to kneel down and embraced her daughter tightly to offer endless comfort as a mother. No matter how old Neytiri became, she would always be her little child that came running for help with skinned knees and unkempt hair. She was all that remained of her dear family and Mo'at would do anything to protect the last piece of her lineage. Mo'at remembered feeling the same fretful anxiety as her daughter during that age and her own mother had been there to soothe away all of her worries, leaving behind only the pleasant anticipation of such a treasured event. Rubbing her back with motherly care, she comforted gently with a wide smile that was rarely seen by the clan and encouraged, "This is just another part of life, my dear one. You have begun taking charge as our new Tsahìk and you will adapt to this role as well, it is the most rewarding of all."

Neytiri sighed softly as she took the advice, uncertain of the new change occurring in her life and leaned against her mother for support to whisper appreciatively, "I am so grateful to have you at my side. I miss father every time happy news arise, it has been very hard for me to accept his death despite the passage of time."

"I know" Mo'at whispered solemnly, holding her tightly and kissed the side of her head to assure that she would be there for both of them. Neytiri had been extremely attached to her father since the first time she smiled, clinging to Eytukan as he brought her joy by dangling pa'li statuettes in the air in a dance that brought her endless delight at night. Mo'at had never seen a happier child as she'd watched their young infant in his arms while Sylwanin had laughed to the perky pa'li dance. Each of Neytiri's milestones had occurred in her father's presence (he'd flown to Iknimaya himself to keep an eye on her) and her newest one in life brought sorrow because he wouldn't be a part of it. Mo'at shared the sentiment, both of their ears flattening against their braided raven hair in remembrance and she soothed gently, "He watches over you, my child. Everyone can connect to their ancestors' memories through tsaheylu at the Tree of Souls but a Tsahìk's special training strengthens the bond enough to touch a spirit that is with Eywa. Atokirina are more than just Eywa's emissaries, Neytiri."

Her daughter smiled faintly with renewed hope to what she subtly implied and took Moat's hands into hers to squeeze them affectionately. If she could hear her sister's or father's voice once more, outside of recorded memories, her loss wouldn't feel so deep whenever she thought of them. Both missed the other half to their family but if all went well, another addition would soon join them but Neytiri was happy enough to thank, "Well, I am very blessed to be your successor, mother."

Mo'at returned the kind smile, thankful herself for being able to guide her daughter in a new life free of danger. A shadow glided over the wooden floor and their gazes moved to the left to see Max enter the private healing alcove with a calm smile on his friendly face. The matriarch directed a firm stare towards the healer which only served to widen his smile when she gently chastised the young man, "Only a true healer would work on the day of his bonding ceremony."

Max chuckled sheepishly as the matriarch never hesitated to gently nudge him towards full status as a healer despite his official rank as a hunter. His days were often spent in the alcoves and although he'd braved Iknimaya, found himself content alongside the healers rather than the hunters as he cared over the injured and ill. He'd spoken to his soon-to-be mate, Peyral, about the concept and she'd agreed easily to the idea of switching ranks since her parents were healers themselves. Peyral was more than happy to keep hunting for both of them and with her tendency to bruise, he could care for her since she avoided seeking help. . .well, until she'd met him. He would spring the pleasant surprise upon the matriarch after the new adults were officially inducted into the clan to brighten her day even further and replied courteously, "I serve the People and Neytiri asked for me specifically so how could I deny our new Tsahìk? Otherwise, our Olo'eyktan and you yourself, mother Tsahìk, would be offended. Now, what can I help you with?"

Neytiri hesitated as the topic was mostly discussed with female healers due to the private nature of the na'vi but this wasn't about her anymore, not exactly. Max sat down to speak with them in a safe atmosphere where all patients could be at ease, allowing Neytiri to gather her thoughts until she spoke quietly, "You are the healer for the dreamwalkers and although I would be advised to seek a female healer for this, my union with Jake leads me to you. I am more than certain I carry my first child and need your help to make sure nothing goes wrong."

The words felt surreal leaving her lips but enough time had passed to produce the next heir to the Omaticaya since she and her mate weren't exactly conservative about preventing their first pregnancy; it was a joy to create life. Neytiri didn't feel ready enough as she would've liked due to her recent rank change but welcoming a small piece of herself and her beloved mate was worth everything. It would certainly be a new experience to embrace but she would learn all that she could from her own mother until it was time to hold a tiny living breathing person safely in her arms.

Max said nothing as he took in his patient's words, assessing his medical advice with consideration to what Neytiri sought since human and na'vi mothers-to-be varied differently in the field of gynecology. Neytiri gazed down at her nervous hands, wringing a small yellow cloth between them to pent her sudden anxiety but continued steadily without faltering, "I have felt very fatigued on more than one occasion, I have not been in heat for my last cycle and I'm always on schedule- my Jake can verify that."

Her smooth cheeks darkened to the last admission about their private time as a couple but added in helpfully, "I've been quite hungry recently and there are days when I simply want to sleep or kick my mate for trying to rouse me. My pregnancy is unique compared to full-blooded residents since the tawtute designed your bodies to resemble ours quite intricately," she paused as her ears lowered and admitted sheepishly, "I am afraid because I don't know very much about the origins of the dreamwalkers, neither does my mate, as he tells me he's not the '_brainy_' type."

"I can assure you she is, a mother _knows_" Mo'at added in confidently with her vote as she pulled out a few dark green herbs from a brown urn, offering her daughter a space of privacy while simultaneously giving motherly support. If her youngest daughter was ready to embark in a new path in her life, she would be most proud to walk it alongside her and hold a newborn babe to call her first grandchild. Knowing her daughter and son, the little one would be more than ready to show the world its bravery with a firm round face. Oh, Mo'at could already imagine herself doting on that little child with grandmotherly love as they cooed for innocent attention. She turned around to inform the healer with a few more pieces of information to assure him of Neytiri's new condition, "I've been giving her medicine to settle her stomach cycles before the festival began. Today, I prepared a draught myself to ensure her safety during her ikran challenge."

"Ah, well, I cannot argue with a matriarch's word" Max smiled warmly as he'd grown attached to Mo'at's healing wisdom over the months, seeing her as a medicinal role model, and turned back to Neytiri with a comforting smile. Taking care of an expectant mother would be a new task for him but no rock would be unturned to provide the clan leader's spouse a healthy delivery. Her union with Jake had allowed for shaky rifts to mend between the dreamwalkers and the Omaticaya, which in turn permitted his own upcoming union to Peyral as acceptable. Otherwise, he doubted his ability to wordplay would be enough because he lacked Jake's contagious charisma.

He smiled widely to guarantee the safety of her baby (and his friend's) wholeheartedly and tapped the ground enthusiastically with his hand to assure, "I will do everything in my knowledge to monitor your pregnancy, even if I must return to Hell's Gate to gather medical items for you. With you permission, I will request a female healer to watch over you as well to ensure the best care," she agreed to this quickly for her baby and he continued, "Thankfully, our bodies were created to match yours which allows for flawless procreation but at the same time, there has never been a documented case. Your child with Jake's will be the first, a union of both worlds, so we will make sure that baby is in your arms healthy and safe when it is time."

Her ears flattened against her braided hair as she smiled thankfully, feeling fortunate for her support group but would soon have to tell her mate of the good news. The question of Jake's reaction burned in her mind but Neytiri was certain he would be overflowing with pride. What else could an expectant father feel for the arrival of his first child?

"I will begin by detailing a new diet rich in nutrients to fortify your health" Max explained carefully since the na'vi differed from humans by being non-placental beings during gestation. The developing embryo separated from the mother's body by the amniotic membrane which surrounds the egg, permitting the embryo to take on its own existence as a separate organism after fertilization. The tiny embryo contains specific feeding nutrients within its egg during the stay in its temporary home but a mother needs to maintain her strength nonetheless as the child develops within the womb. The amniotic membrane isolates the young embryo from all biological interaction with its parent, thus protecting it from an unexpected internal attack. This occurs for the sole reason of the mother's auto-immune system (her internal defense mechanism), which could recognize the new embryo as a foreign body and attack it- leaving it dangerously vulnerable to diseases and genetic alterations. The fact that na'vi fetuses held no attached placenta was a heavy advantage against human mothers who could unknowingly cause Rh disease to their fetus due to blood incompatibility, which had led to the creation of injection treatments of anti-Rh antibodies to protect both the human mother and child.

Due to an absent placenta, however, na'vi newborns varied with their human counterparts as they were born with closed eyes and weaker sensory systems for their first days of life. Also, they were born a few weeks earlier than human children due to the nutrients in the embryo diminishing completely (different from the continuous nourishment via a placenta) and needed sustenance from the mother herself. It was similar to marsupials of Earth, who depended heavily on the mother, but the na'vi were extremely attentive parents once a child was born and provided everything they required. The birth was not only a joy to the family but to the entire clan as another beating heart was added to their rich lineage and their name was written in the family alcove. Max had observed the family dynamics as a learning healer of how newborns were quickly cleaned and pressed against the new mother's bare chest to initiate the parent-child bond by hearing each other's heartbeat. He'd never seen a baby happier than when cozied up against his or her devoted mother, wrapped warmly in a blanket as they slept comfortably. Children were incredibly vulnerable without them (a tragedy when either was lost through a difficult childbirth) but a few days granted the first sight into their new world as a baby opened its eyes and strengthened over the week to match a human newborn. All in all, each respective species had its advantages and disadvantages during pregnancy.

"I'm going to be a mother" Neytiri whispered breathlessly but beamed happily to the little life growing within her, gingerly touching her flat stomach to the pleasant truth. Tears stung her eyes as her life had reached an idyllic peak that she wasn't quite ready to hike down from after seasons of endured stress with the tawtute and wrapped her arms around her sides, thanking Eywa for blessing her with such a precious gift.

"And as _nawm sa'nok_, I will be taking great care of both of you" her mother chuckled softly with doting care because she'd nurture her daughter just as Neytiri would do to her own growing child. It was an exuberantly heartwarming moment for their small family as they'd never expected it to grow so soon but would cherish the months leading up to the birth of the next Omaticayan heir.

Max chuckled softly to the matriarch's gentle words and smiled widely to compliment, "Of that, I am most certain."

* * *

**A/N**: And we have new Omaticayan ikran! I decided to cut the chapter in half to post it sooner for you guys so we'll check in for the bonding union/Iknimaya celebration and Joanna's training next time. After that, only two more chapters will be left until we finish the first volume of the story. I've been waiting like crazy to begin writing the NormxTarazi romance (it was a bit obvious with Joanna prodding Jake about it throughout the chapters) since their relationship starts near the end of the first volume and continues till the end of the story as the Atykwe help to guide them in the right direction as they'll be traveling there together. As for the lingering RDA humans, I'm not making a huge fuss over them yet as they remain subtle during the first and second volume since I use a different plot for each but they're definitely in the last volume of the story. For now, however, we shall focus on Joanna's and Tsu'tey's adventurous lives without each other. Oh, and since Cameron stated the na'vi were non-placental mammals for reproduction, my research struck up marsupials and that led me to craft the physiology of such a pregnancy for the na'vi since they still hold humanoid qualities. Hopefully, that's to your liking and we'll see how Neytiri's new pregnancy goes over with Jake.

_Arwenia_: Yay, a movie-like experience is what I'm trying to make. I always love taking suggestions for ideas, it could be a diamond in the sand. My brother has come up with hilarious ideas to be crafted into other stories I write and have paid off so I'm never one to reject ideas. I'm still figuring where to have the atokirina float through, they could pop in over the long shoreline since they remind me of tiny jellyfish sometimes.

_Crystal_: Yeah, those pesky humans will return eventually but for now, they're keeping pretty covert on their activities.

_Na'viRabbit_: Don't worry, she'll be ready when it's time to kick butt. Unfortunately, the bad guys won't be showing up soon since they're sneaky that way and it would add to much context in the plots for the first two volumes.

_Lucas Bane_: lol, I'd paddle my way back to land when I realize there are underwater caverns to traverse and the mysterious 'will this break under me?' paths inside the stack. Yep, the RDA are staying subtle in my story for now which is why they've only had two cameos in the first volume and will have about the same in the next. I'll have to keep the readers in suspense about each little piece like an episode from Lost. I'll be posting the Max and Peyral connection in the next chapter since it was originally meant to be a vignette storyline as Norm was my main male avatar focus besides Jake. However, you'll see next time since there was a reason she liked going to the alcoves for healing by Max's hands alone. lol

_MarkDr_: I'll keep you guys guessing for a while with the secretive RDA.

_Laithano_: The training will only incorporate efficient oceanic swimming and maneuvering a boat through tough currents. I plan to design one similar to the Peruvian surf boats made of reeds for the Atykwe so we'll see that one during her rite.

_Astra-The-Goddess_: I'm with ya, I love the water as well and respect the heck out of it due to its destructive nature (which is why I like living far yet near it). And yes, Jake is indeed going to be a daddy and we'll see his reaction in the next chapter when the news is revealed.

_Dracoessa_: Yep, those RDA bugs will be hiding like little maggots but they will meet our dear Tsu'Tsu and Jojo in the farther future of the story. Thank you for the extra review, I've actually looked into DIY e-book programs since my iPad can transform chapters into a pdf format but I'd still need a decent cover for the story- maybe a film screenshot? I could also doodle something for each little chapter like the Harry Potter illustrations for cuteness. My brain's stewing with ideas now!

_CrissYami_: We'll be seeing more of Tsu'tey in the next chapter, I love the grumpy yet heartbroken hunter.

_Claycarole_: I love using the vignettes to fill out the story more, I was going to use the origins of Max and Peyral next but decided to include it in the main storyline since I didn't focus much of their romance, sticking more to Norm and Tarazi. I'd like to think the clans within that large area use one Tree of Souls but each clan contains a Tree of Voices to distinguish their rich history so the Atykwe definitely have their own further north, past the training clearings. We'll see it in the next volume once Tsu'tey and Joanna reunite because the motherly matriarchs do love playing fairy godmothers. As for Arat and Anaya, we'll learn more about their hidden affection at the end of this volume when Joanna completes her rite.

_Slaxl_: I think we'd all like to ditch our realities and fly over Pandora in the search of a new home while hugging a na'vi all our own. I'd become Tsu'tey's newest living barnacle on his back in a second. I'm glad you loved the story, especially the parting of the two since there were many ways it could've gone but Tsu'tey's matured from his flaming coconut stubbornness at the start and Joanna finally allowed herself to be vulnerable in front of him. They still have a long road ahead to being what Eywa wants and what will bring the best to their clans but when they reunite, it will be a joyous event for both.

_compa16_: Thanks, I'm glad you love each chapter and I will certainly keep them coming.

_sparkalie_: Yay, I'm glad I swayed you towards my story; Tsu'tey graciously offers you cookies as a staying incentive.

_Jack Black_: Iknimaya is fearsome due to heights that will splatter you while Uteho'awkx is daunting due to the raging water that can smash you like a toy; either way, you lose. Lol. All environments have their ups and downs but the sea truly is wonderful, Joanna just needs to be careful not to attract predators on her tail. With her uncanny luck, she probably will.

_camelotprincess1_: True, the journal was an amusingly cute moment of closure for Joanna with her requited love since they were rather rambunctious when they disliked each other. Arat and Anaya will be her companions in the Atykwe, mostly Anaya though since her adorably perky ramblings will entertain Joanna for hours.

_lacrima-tuja_: I'm glad you're loving the story but since it's pretty long, I'm not going to clutter it with too many plots; it's the main reason why I broke it into three volumes. The first, which is now ending, deals with Joanna's acceptance with the Atykwe to become as the story title implies. The second shifts focus onto Joanna's and Tsu'tey's reunion as they will finally walk the path as mates. The human RDA will be pretty subtle as the first volume only shows them twice so we won't be seeing them for a while. The third is what focuses on them and the future of the clans as their children need to grow in a safe environment without human interference; Tsu'tey can be quite a mad daddy ikran.

* * *

**Next Time**:

"Congratulation, Mr. Peyral" Jake joked playfully as the bonding ceremony had concluded beautifully without an issue, leading the entire clan into a jovial frenzy of dancing as the new couple and adults from Iknimaya sent the Omaticaya into cheers. It was a good day for all of them and Jake couldn't be happier to see both his friend and people happy, it rejuvenated his soul from his daily toils and could go to sleep tonight with a clear head by knowing his clan was content. He hoped the good times would never end since the festival had brightened everyone, the spirit of their reunion lingering over the weeks, and today's events added warmth from the oldest to youngest heart.

"Knowing her tenacity, I would not mind adopting the name" Max chuckled happily in regards to his new mate, watching her from nearby as she mingled with her younger sisters and friends. Peyral was usually firm and sharp in public due to her huntress status to maintain dominance but today, her façade melted into sheer delight as her complexion radiated her inner merriment. Rich handcrafted fabrics of violet draped over her shoulders in a delicate shawl to add further femininity to her willowy figure, a flowing skirt in a matching tone with silver stitching and white appliques billowing behind her as she spoke to everyone about their union. Really, he couldn't take his eyes off of her and the fact that she wasn't hiding her attraction with a sultry gaze of her own turned his ears purple in the glowing fires of the base. Most of his friends had been extremely surprised to hear of his union since they'd never heard of a woman in his life but Max kept such things private until he deemed the moment right.

Obviously, a sacred union would call for such and he hadn't hesitated to inform the clan two nights ago during last meal.

Clan residents had expected Peyral to marry a strong warrior of renown due to her natural prowess but the surprise that a new hunter would be her mate was a shocker. This had thrown them both for laughs in private when they visited the fan lizard fields to enjoy each other's company. Her attraction stemmed from his talents as a healer due to his pre-med curriculum back on Earth before he'd been chosen as Dr. Augustine's second on the avatar team to Pandora. She'd specifically picked him as her healer after numerous scuffles in the forest since she liked his gentle reprimands, lavishing the attention as it reminded her of old times when she'd sought her mother for treatment. Soon afterwards, the two had easily become friends by speaking as he'd patched her up; she refused to leave with a small scratch until she deemed it fit. It had definitely been a welcome surprise when she asked him outright to court her without hesitance, rather than sticking to tradition where a man asked but Max didn't mind one bit.

He'd accepted the request with open arms as they'd been preparing arrows for a hexapede hunt and eventually met her parents, feeling quite at home with the healers. His own parents back on Earth had been doctors themselves, proud to see their son heading to a space expedition where he could discover a better life and never return to the horrible political and environmental mess that Earth had become. Max found peace within Peyral's family her friendly parents reminded him of his while her younger sisters, three of them, plagued him with questions and stuffed him with snacks whenever he visited as Peyral tried to shoo them away. It was the perfect image of home for him and Max wasn't going to give that up, ready to fight like his parents told him to many years ago and hoped they were proud of what he created out of his life on Pandora.

"A celebration of life, it's the best feeling in the world" he grinned cheerfully with a fond chuckle to the lively celebration of his marriage and the new adults, thankful for being able to witness it all. Peyral embraced her mother with a bright smile, the older healing chuckling modestly to her public display of affection and he excused himself from his clan leader to rejoin them with eager steps. Max remembered the day his new mate popped into his alcove unexpectedly, as was her trademark, and had proposed that they become bonded to live a life together. He hadn't been entirely sure but there was no way to deny the fire in that woman's eyes. . .

_(Two weeks ago)_

_There was no question that Peyral was Max's popular visitor to the healing alcoves since she always brought back some kind of injury, whether minute or large, for being a little reckless in her hunts. The woman was ferocious in battle to a point that she could've put Tsu'tey himself in second place and the man was pinpoint accurate and merciless. Healer gossip pointed elsewhere for the true reason for the light bruises and superficial cuts but they wouldn't dare say it aloud for fear of her wrath. Nonetheless, the healers rejoiced when the festival began because it meant no Peyral visits since the woman could bite heads off when she was in a bad mood and only Max could quiet her hisses. A sleeping drought usually knocked her out for the count but when she was up again, she told them she'd be back in a few days and exited the alcoves like the proud thanator she was._

_Day two of the festival signaled the return of the fearsome huntress during the late afternoon when Max was restocking materials on the shelves to keep everything running smoothly. He always checked each of the alcoves to ask the healers if they needed any urns refilled before the end of their working shifts and never hesitated to help them in any way. Injuries could happen at any time and he was more than ready to lend aid, especially when many clans were gathered at his home. It was a gentle act of kindness and the subtlety of it attracted Mo'at's eye since the man had the makings of a master healer._

_"You really should listen to the matriarch's advice and become a full status healer" a female voice spoke up behind him, her calm but firm voice familiar to his ears after hearing both reprimands and feminine laughter from those lips. She was an ever loyal presence for the last months as her injuries were cared for only by him and nobody else, an honor he held dear as her old student. Not many stuck around Peyral after she finished teaching them, especially when they faced not only one ikran but two- her little dash of spice to guarantee success at Iknimaya. Max was pretty certain that her ikran was the most feared by old students after having to stare it down in a battle._

_The scrupulous Max didn't leave his work until he checked every last urn for sufficient herbs but smiled to reply, "I undertook Iknimaya to belong as a hunter-"_

_"And you do belong . . . just not as a hunter" her voice stated softly, a tone rarely heard outside of the alcove walls._


	32. Looking Towards The Future

**Looking Towards the Future  
**

* * *

"Congratulation, Mr. Peyral" Jake joked playfully as the bonding ceremony had concluded beautifully without any issue, leading the entire clan into a jovial frenzy of dancing as the new couple and adults from Iknimaya sent the Omaticaya into cheers. It was a well-deserved good day for all of them and Jake couldn't be happier to see both his friend and people happy; the ambience rejuvenating his soul from his daily toils and he could go to sleep tonight with a clear head by knowing his clan was content. He hoped the good times would never end since the festival had brightened everyone considerably, the spirit of the reunion lingering over the weeks, and today's events added warmth from the oldest to youngest of hearts.

"Knowing her tenacity firsthand, I would not mind adopting the name" Max chuckled happily in regards to his new mate, watching her from nearby as she mingled lively with her younger sisters and friends. Peyral was usually firm and sharp in public due to her huntress status to maintain dominance but today, her façade melted into sheer warmhearted delight as her complexion radiated her inner merriment. Rich handcrafted fabrics of violet draped over her shoulders in a delicate shawl to add further femininity to her willowy figure, a flowing skirt in a matching tone with silver stitching and white appliques billowing behind her as she spoke to everyone about their union. Really, he couldn't take his eyes off of her and the fact that she wasn't hiding her attraction with a sultry gaze aimed privately towards him turned his ears purple in the glowing fires of the base. Most of his friends had been extremely surprised to hear of his union since they'd never heard of a special woman in his life but Max kept such things private until he deemed the moment right.

Obviously, a sacred union would call for such and he hadn't hesitated to inform the clan two nights ago during last meal.

Clan residents had expected Peyral to marry a strong warrior of renown due to her natural prowess but the surprise that a new hunter would be her mate was a shocker. This had thrown them both into winded laughs in private when they visited the fan lizard fields to enjoy each other's company. Her attraction stemmed from his talents as a healer due to his pre-med curriculum back on Earth before he'd been chosen as Dr. Augustine's second on the avatar team to Pandora. She'd specifically picked him as her healer after numerous scuffles in the forest since she liked his gentle reprimands, lavishing the attention as it reminded her of old times when she'd sought her mother for treatment. Soon afterwards, the two had easily become friends by speaking as he'd patched her up; she refused to leave with a small scratch until _she_ deemed it fixed. It had definitely been a welcome surprise when she asked him outright to court her without hesitance, rather than sticking to tradition where a man asked but Max didn't mind one bit.

He'd accepted the request with open arms as they'd been preparing arrows for a hexapede hunt and eventually met her parents, feeling quite at home with the healers. His own parents back on Earth had been doctors themselves, proud to see their son heading to a space expedition where he could discover a better life and never return to the horrible political and environmental mess that Earth had become. Max found peace within Peyral's family as her friendly parents reminded him of his while her younger sisters, three of them, plagued him with inquisitive questions. They stuffed him full of snacks whenever he visited as Peyral tried to shoo them away before they caused him a stomachache. It was the perfect image of home for him and Max wasn't going to give that up, ready to fight like his parents told him to years ago and hoped they were proud of what he created out of his life on Pandora.

"A celebration of life, it's the best feeling in the world" he grinned cheerfully with a fond chuckle to the lively celebration of his marriage and the new adults, thankful for being able to witness it all. Peyral embraced her mother with a bright smile, the older healing chuckling modestly to her public display of affection and he excused himself from his clan leader to rejoin his new family with eager steps. Max remembered the day his new mate popped into his alcove unexpectedly, as was her trademark, and had proposed that they become bonded to live a life together. He hadn't been entirely sure but there was no way to deny the fire in that woman's eyes. . .

_(Two weeks ago)_

_There was no question that Peyral was Max's popular visitor to the healing alcoves since she always brought back some kind of injury, whether minute or large, for being a little reckless in her hunts. The woman was ferocious in battle to a point that she could've put Tsu'tey himself in second place and the man was pinpoint accurate and merciless. Healer gossip pointed elsewhere for the true reason for the light bruises and superficial cuts but they wouldn't dare say it aloud for fear of her wrath. Nonetheless, the healers rejoiced when the festival began because it meant no Peyral visits since the woman could bite heads off when she was in a bad mood and only Max could quiet her hisses. A sleeping drought usually knocked her out for the count but when she was up again, she told them she'd be back in a few days and exited the alcoves like the proud thanator she was._

_Day two of the festival signaled the return of the fearsome huntress during the late afternoon when Max was restocking materials on the shelves to keep everything running smoothly. He always checked each of the alcoves to ask whether the healers needed any urns refilled before the end of their working shifts and never hesitated to help them in any way. Injuries could happen at any time and he was more than ready to lend aid, especially when many clans were gathered at his home. It was a gentle act of kindness and the subtlety of it attracted Mo'at's eye since the man had the makings of a master healer._

_"You really should listen to the matriarch's advice and become a full status healer" a female voice spoke up behind him, her calm but firm voice familiar to his ears after hearing both reprimands and feminine laughter from those lips. She was an ever loyal presence for the last months as her injuries were cared for only by him and nobody else, an honor he held dear as her old student. Not many stuck around Peyral after she finished teaching them, especially when they faced not only one ikran but two- her little dash of spice to guarantee success at Iknimaya. Max was pretty certain that her ikran was the most feared by old students after having to stare it down in a battle._

_The scrupulous Max didn't leave his work until he checked every last urn for sufficient herbs but smiled to reply, "I undertook Iknimaya to belong as a hunter-"_

_"And you do belong . . . just not as a hunter" her voice stated softly, a tone rarely heard outside of the alcove walls. Peyral approached him from behind, her hands smoothing over his lean shoulders and gently breathed against the nape of his neck, "I have seen you work since arriving and your skills are best used with our people. You should heed the words of both a matriarch and a child of healers."_

_"Who am I to argue with the best hunts-woman of the clan?" he feigned a defeated sigh, his tone playful as he turned around to meet the huntress, her face void of its usual fierceness. Instead, he found the woman who he'd fallen quite in love with after months of long talks in the alcoves and a sweet face he'd come to adore. She was always rough around the edges, firm with her people, but it came from a good place in her heart as she provided for the clan. He didn't know when they began to shift into a field apart from their original role as healer and huntress but he was glad for it._

_"Exactly, it would be most unwise" she teased charmingly to his easygoing nature, a balance she found soothing in her life. As a huntress, she was strong like a rock fortress and calm as a pool of water but she needed a balance which the friendly and kind dreamwalker brought into her life. She wasn't blind to the happy beats in her heart when she visited the healer and initiated their private courtship despite tradition going to the male first. Besides, it wasn't a story she'd share with anyone- she'd never told anyone they were even courting. There were no regrets as he brightened her days and her parents were more than pleased with her choice in man._

_He chuckled softly to her remark and observed her from head to toe for any bruises, already knowing her tendencies to get into scuffles and raised his brow to state with pleasant surprise, "You're not injured."_

_"No, I came here for a different reason" she informed him cryptically with neither a happy or worried face, always reasonably calm. Max was immediately curious to her visit since he didn't have to patch her up or lecture her, his face shifting from medical relief as a healer to her caring partner. He could tell that this topic was private to her as her shoulders squared to straighten her posture, standing tall as she proposed calmly, "We have been courting for one season, most would be preparing for a mating ceremony. I am ready to be your mate, especially since we've received the tsahìk's blessing."_

_Max was taken aback since he'd become comfortable courting Peyral and assumed he'd have more time before marrying, similar to a human couple. There was no question whether she was 'the one' but as his old human trait of finishing all unfinished business before tying the knot, he was naturally anxious. He'd forgotten na'vi customs were different than what he'd grown up to on Earth. Could he provide what she needed? Would he be able to appease the little Max-Peyral toddlers that poked his knees with sticks as they imitated grown hunters? His mind began to swim in circles to the possibilities of a mated life and the internal worry leaked through when he stammered nervously, "I . . . I thought we agreed to wait longer."_

_"You test my patience, Max" she smiled softly since his tendency to take matters in stride was one of his allures but now, it was a bothersome itch. Her life had become idyllic since training him and she was ready for the next step in her journey as an adult since she was the last of her peers to choose a mate- if Max agreed. Her fingers reached out to sweep through his tied unbraided hair with gentle affection as she smiled warmly, "I am ready to start a life with you and this festival is full with cheer, a perfect time to bind ourselves under the eyes of Eywa. You can continue on your path, whether healer or hunter, I support you fully but I long for a day when we can greet each other and spend our time together. It is exciting to hide our love from others but eventually, it will fade and I am ready for the day when I can come home to my mate to share my newest stories. You can either be at my side hunting or cleansing my wounds, feasting upon my catch together at last meal as a bonded man and woman- not across from each other in the circle as if we were mere strangers."_

_Max didn't know how to respond to her eloquent words, tender and passionate compared to her outer façade, and felt guilty for trying to deny her happiness on cloud nine. He wasn't against the idea but nervous about the future, protesting lightly, "But Peyral-"_

_"Is my love and never-ending support not enough?" she asked quietly but a firm edge of disappointment was attached as she tried not to let her pride take a hit. She'd willingly chosen to involve herself with a dreamwalker, knowing that their minds worked differently than hers and mating for life might not be in store for them. Nonetheless, she loved him- for good or ill- and if Eywa didn't see them as a good match. . .she would have to find the true second half to her heart._

_"Of course it is, I just. . ." he assured quickly, trying to find a way to voice his feelings without hurting hers. His life was perfect since completing Iknimaya and he wanted to keep her in his life forever but his main fear was failing her. Failing himself was one thing but failing the woman he loved within a marriage was not ideal- was he ready for such a commitment? Or making fuss over nothing? He scratched his forehead, a nervous habit of his and one she knew well, and added in hastily, "I'm nervous-"_

"_Don't you think I'm a little nervous myself?" she admitted quietly with her own insecurities towards the future and that helped him a tiny bit to know he wasn't the only one. Her hands clasped his shoulders to squeeze them affectionately and stated matter-of-factly, "But we work well together and whatever problems we face, we will solve them as one."_

_It should've boosted his resolve into a positive zone but Max's confidence wasn't convinced._

_"You answer me now, Max" Peyral stated firmly with her chin held high as she took on a defensive stance on the topic. She was doing all she could to show they were compatible as a couple but if he wasn't ready in regards to a permanent life as she was, a tough decision would have to be made. Despite her throat stung to voice her fears and have the possibility of being heartbroken come true, she spoke evenly to push her question across, "Do you take me as your mate or not?"_

_Max coughed nervously to being asked outright but he wouldn't evade her question and be seen as less of a man by Peyral of all people. He couldn't bear the idea of losing her to someone else after involving themselves deeply into each other's lives and his heart fought his mind's irrational fear. If he could fight the hell out of an ikran and survive, then building a life with Peyral would be easy. His mind finally managed to push the words out of his reluctant mouth as he declared wholeheartedly, "Yes, of course! Wait. . .isn't it usually the other way around?"_

_"Maxpatel!" she snapped, using his entire name to show she meant business on the mating matter. If he wasn't interested in choosing her as a mate in the near or far future, she would force herself to look elsewhere. Not that many caught her eye at all, anyway._

_He raised his hands peacefully before she grew angrier and knew his pause hurt her feelings while incensing the enraging fire burning within her. She was tough on the outside as she used her warrior prowess to demand respect but she was still a woman, fit with fragile heart tugging emotions as any other being. Max didn't want her to feel rejected or undervalued in any way because he did want to make that commitment and tried the peaceful approach by joking lightly, "You know I do so yes, a hundred times, yes. Otherwise, I would have sent you to another healer by now."_

_She slapped his arm for the jest, a part of her lightly irritated for being worried that her affection wasn't enough, but he pulled her into a tight embrace to ensure his own love. Peyral was one step ahead and captured the healer into a firm kiss to show why she was the woman in his life, causing the healer's tail to curl on end. He could definitely get used to such ardent kisses for the rest of his life and she surprised him by stating silkily, "I'm not waiting for a ceremony to mate you."_

_"But the Tsahìk, tradition demands-" Max pointed out hesitantly since the na'vi were strict with tradition, especially a huntress like her, and fought off her wandering hands. Also, an alcove could easily be walked into as they were public places and causing mortification to a resident was not a way to reveal to the clan they were courting._

_"She gave her blessing, I think she was relieved to see me mated off after all the women in my age group were happily paired off" she grinned mischievously to seeking the matriarch's blessing herself since men were the norm when it came to asking. Max was trapped between continuing their amorous kisses or closing access to his alcove for a few minutes but her hold was stronger than his (he rather liked that). Her face was void of any firmness, jovial with hope to what would come next for them and smiled widely to share her ideas on the event, "I don't want the festival taking away the moment of our ceremony, a small one, mind you, and the Tsahìk will have one for us after it ends. But until then, you are going to tame this mighty huntress- you are not the docile healer you appear to be."_

_Max was certain the tips of his ears were lilac to her insinuation but who was he to deny the wishes of his future mate?_

_"I will do my best" Max smiled charmingly since she was eager to get it done during the jubilant mood of the festival but hoped Eywa wouldn't be shaking a motherly finger at them. This would be a big step but he wanted to provide a perfect ceremony day for her but Peyral was just plain happy being at his side. She could be mated to him by the matriarch while leisurely arranging leaves inside urns or hunting down a sturmbeest and it would be perfect to her as long as he was there. Max, however, had one special request to ask and tapped the bottom of her nose gently to catch her attention. Peyral playfully bit the end of his finger to maintain her tenacity and he chuckled softly, pointing out with a light warning to her bravery, "But you must promise me that as my mate, you will stop coming to the alcoves with injuries."_

_Peyral didn't really want to agree to that since she enjoyed receiving scuffles during her hunts as it gave her a nice rush of danger. Knowing that her beloved wouldn't back down easily, she lowered the brown cloth keeping her chest concealed to draw his attention there and sway him with female attraction. Max didn't fall for it (his objective medical training helped), despite the heavy allure of it, and broke his gaze away from her bare bosom before chastising, "Oh no, you don't. My willpower is stronger than your womanly charms, Peyral."_

_"Fine, I promise" she agreed reluctantly with a small hiss to her failure, readjusting her clothing back to its original position to cover herself. Hmm, she would've thought that would've had him retracting his request immediately but her Max was quite obstinate towards her well-being. . .she had picked a worthy mate indeed. She understood the reason for his worry, given the dangerous creatures of their planet, and stroked the apple of his cheek to reassure impishly, "Once a week only?"_

_"Three times each season, I don't want to find you back here in a critical condition due to your warrior prowess" he compromised with the ultimatum since once a week was her average and didn't want to drum his fingers on his knees in worried expectation that she'd eventually find herself in his alcove. It was fine for superficial injuries since she enjoyed spending time with him and her parents but real injuries were one thing he didn't want to face anytime soon. He would protect her as a healer, a mate, and a friend._

"Why didn't we bond earlier?," was his witty question as he joined Peyral with a bright playful smile on his lips in regards to his original wariness. She chuckled softly to the remark since he'd been the nervous one out of both, obstinate to agree immediately, and merely grabbed his wrist to pull him into the crowd to dance.

* * *

Within the large crowds gathered at the base, a solemn Tsu'tey watched the festivities with a heavy heart as he'd imagined that same tearfully euphoric setting for he and Joanna but it would never be. The fact was agonizing as he'd stood next to his mated clan leader during the ceremony, realizing that most of the people he'd grown alongside with and even the new dreamwalkers had found their kindred heart while he was alone. It was. . .unbelievably tormenting to know that everything he'd wanted, which everyone now seemed to have, had been yanked away from him in the blink of an eye! Even he wouldn't tease a plump hungry tapirus by dangling its coveted leaf far from reach. He spent time with his friends to dull the loneliness as food and drink helped somewhat with their rich flavors but the wounds were still raw from her leave. Nonetheless, he was happy for the new adults entering into their clan- Norm had danced manically until his stomach hurt- and for the new couple, who'd quietly disappeared from sight.

"Are you all right, Tsu'tey?" a soft voice asked and he turned to find Cheryl offering him a kind smile and a leaf plate of banana fritters. If anybody held an inkling of how he felt, it was the meek dreamwalker closest to Joanna. Cheryl's sisterly friendship with her had come to an unfortunate end as the two forged their own separate roads but she had taken solace with their other friends to mend her little broken heart. Besides, Joanna told her not to shed tears when there was Noren to share laughs with and he kept her quite happy. Unfortunately, Tsu'tey didn't have his significant other available to lean on for support.

He wanted to lie outright but he wasn't that type of person, gratefully accepting a fritter to munch on and sighed quietly, "No, my days aren't what they were before. I'm trying to find some peace but I find myself missing her and that usually ruins my entire mood. Although, these fritters do help."

He couldn't bring himself to say her name without breaking his stoic mask, surprised to how profound of an effect she'd had in his life. If he'd had the same on hers. . .he treasured the devoted affection but guilt was laced into it for bestowing such emotional pain as well. Love was not an easy tale, was it?

"You two were very close, weren't you?" she asked kindly as the pity he depicted in her eyes told him she knew a lot more than she let on. Cheryl was similar to him when it came to reading others, quietly interpreting body movements and utterances but where he socialized to further confirm his beliefs- she did not. He liked that about the quiet woman, appreciating her friendly and open personality in comparison to the other dreamwalkers he'd met (current friends aside). As for Cheryl, she could only watch over the man her best friend had loved with the eye of an older sister because the poor hunter was heartbroken. Time, however, was remedying his heart as he occupied himself by helping his clan thrive like always. There had been a few instances when even the matriarch shooed him away for working too hard throughout Kelutral and leaving no time to tend to himself.

"She told you we were . . .?," he wouldn't dare say it aloud for fear that someone would overhear his secret and she nodded quietly, biting into a fritter to appear nonchalant. It hadn't taken her very long to reach the truth, given Joanna's tearful affection in regards to him at their shared alcove, and she'd gently prodded her about the underlying reason until she admitted it. It hadn't been easy due to the social norms on tradition but Cheryl was certain that their love surpassed the required social rankings. Apparently, Tsu'tey did too when he confessed quietly while surveying the area for any curious ears, "She was all I wanted, Cheryl, and I thought we were building a future as we spent our days together. Maybe our own fears undid our hopes . . . but I wanted her to be my mate, Cheryl, to share my life with her. I've never felt such strong feelings for anyone in my life-"

"Really?" an upbeat voice gushed excitedly from behind and his eyes widened in dismay to discover Sahí standing there with a friend as she beamed happily at him. Wiya, what did he get himself into this time? The seamstress rushed forward to grasp his lower arm with a gleeful squeak, lost to the true meaning behind his words, and rambled perkily, "You have to ask my parents and I know they'll agree, you're the most honorable within the clan- apart from the Olo'eyktan. Imagine us, a mated couple like Maxpatel and Peyral."

_Oh, Eywa, what have I done?_, he berated himself mentally for opening his mouth and allowing his senses not to detect the seamstress, restraining his hand from slapping his forehead. The last thing he wanted was to have a false bonding announcement traveling through the clan, especially when everyone was gathered on one level.

Cheryl stammered as she tried to unfortunately crush the woman's hopes gently (how could it be done _gently_?) but Tsu'tey took the honorable route as a man to clear the air on everything. He disentangled his limb from hers, empathetically patting the top of it because disappointing a woman wasn't a personal hobby of his and carefully explained, "Sahí, no. I do not know where you've gotten the idea that I am courting you, we have barely spoken in more than four occasions and half of those were orders that I made for attire for someone I held dear. Our interactions during the festival were due to my friend's request because he fancies one of yours; that was all."

His voice softened to keep their conversation private and wanted to avoid hurting her deeply as he stated tentatively, "Now, I am not looking to be mated with anyone nor am I interested which is what I did tell your parents when they asked me. I apologize greatly if I gave you the wrong impression but I am not the man you should seek."

Her delighted expression turned to instant disappointment as she faced the worst nightmare in her courtship life and looked to Cheryl to question incredulously, "Why? Is she the one your heart is set on?"

Cheryl's mouth popped open for such a horrible insinuation since their personalities were polar opposites and didn't dare herself to state she didn't find the man attractive in the least. No, beauty was in the eye of the beholder and Joanna had been the one who held it for him as she'd transformed her former rage into love for the hunter. Cheryl found Tsu'tey's strict façade in similarity to a protective older brother and treated him as such, especially when his emotions were in disarray. There was never a time she didn't lend a hand. . .but where was Noren when she needed him? He was more eloquent with words when it came to soothing upset people and in tune with them due to his origins.

"No, she is my friend and Noren's future mate" Tsu'tey stated firmly since he wouldn't let his mild mannered friend get verbally bitten into and Cheryl blushed at being called a bride of sort already. It hadn't been made official yet as they continued to talk about a future life and wished she could've shushed Tsu'tey before he let the cat out of the bag. Thankfully, he caught sight of her darkened cheeks and kept on topic to gently dissuade Sahí about any kind of relationship since his heart had taken quite a beating. His lies to the hunters carried heavy guilt since they'd brought unfortunate heartache to both Joanna, he, and the poor seamstress. He would've preferred a slap to the face for being so convincingly credible to everyone as he'd kept his secret relationship in the dark but it had been for nothing. He maintained eye contact to show her the respect she deserved and spoke gently, "When I am ready to court, I will keep you in mind but I am certain a talented seamstress like yourself will have no trouble finding a man. They will be lucky to have such a devoted woman by their side. Enjoy the celebration, there are many eligible men available and the dancing brings all hearts together."

"But I want _you_ as my mate" she pouted with disillusion to what the hunter had laid out for her but he didn't reply, afraid any other words would have her bursting into tears. Crying was one thing he could never handle, whether from a woman or child. The familiar words struck a chord in him from all of his private moments with Joanna and hated having their relationship cut so short, falling into the same heartbroken boat. Rather than figuratively rowing into the lonely sea, he took solace with her last words, cherishing that she'd admitted to being in love with him because he loved her more than anything. In a way, it was both a blessing and curse as they avoided delving deeper towards a future. . .but it would've been nice to dream of such.

Cheryl called out to the nearest bachelor near their vicinity and forced an introduction between the flustered woman and puzzled man. Tsu'tey never would've expected the meek herbalist to play matchmaker like their olo'eyktan but found himself surprised when the young man invited the heartbroken seamstress to dance to cheer her up. He decided to believe that they would turn into a happy, rather than disastrous, couple on their own and managed a faint smile when Cheryl soothed kindly, "It will get better. The heart is a very strong muscle and it will heal with adequate time, don't force it."

"Will it? Or should I force myself to choose a woman and keep our clan thriving" he sighed sullenly because he definitely wasn't getting any younger and with his status as the clan advisor, he could choose _any_ woman available of all ranks. There was no question whether there were ample women vying for his attention but he wanted the playful little tapirus known as Joanna. He craved adventure after exploring every area of the forest bordering Kelutral since the Omaticayan land was quite extensive while other forest clans resided to the north. As far as he knew, the rest of the southern land on the continent was unclaimed while the coastal east belonged to the sea clans and the west melted into prairie land for the horse clans. His long-distance travels had ended years ago but he remembered the freedom and adventure they brought, eager to experience the same again if his clan leader decided to send him as ambassador to other clans. Cheryl offered her plate of fritters with an encouraging smile and he gladly took another with polite thanks, confessing quietly, "She told me to keep the clan safe and be happy here but how can I do so when she has been part of that happiness? I don't know what Eywa plans for us or if this really is our end but I don't find it fair to agonize my heart continuously after losing my parents, two of my intendeds, and now, the possible third."

Cheryl winced visibly with empathy to his love life, not to mention his deceased family, and caught sight of the lonely man that Joanna often spoke of. For all of his honor and skill, Tsu'tey longed for emotional support from his destined equal partner but kept being robbed of the chance throughout the years. It was a painful sting that caused Cheryl to sympathize with him, lending her own sisterly support as she'd done with Joanna and advised tentatively, "Only _you_ know what is right for yourself, Tsu'tey, nobody else can force what they think onto you. Regardless of what decisions you make, I'm here to talk to as a friend because everyone needs a shoulder once in a while- no matter how brave you are. Joanna would've wanted me to keep a sisterly eye on you and both of us want you to find your true happiness. And then there's Jake-"

The current clan leader was trying to dance a romantically intimate waltz with his beloved mate despite the upbeat music echoing through the air and Cheryl chuckled amusingly to the scene, "He needs no explanation but he's our brother, especially yours. I don't think you'll find a better friend there."

"Thank you, Cherylsmith" he said appreciatively for her warm company, knowing she chose to spend some time with him to help with his life's dilemmas rather than make idle chat that led nowhere. She was a good soul (given her original species) and was glad she belonged in his clan, especially since she made one of his clan brothers quite happy. She patted his shoulder gently in camaraderie to boost his morale and quietly left to rejoin Noren, who was happily playing a flute among the singers. If she could find the man who filled her heart with warm content on an alien planet, then she was more than certain Tsu'tey would find his other half.

What did the future hold for him? Would Eywa guide him to his future mate? Or lead him to unforeseen danger?

"You miss her more than you admit" the matriarch's voice spoke up behind him and he turned around swiftly to greet her politely, bowing his head to show his loyalty. Mo'at, of course, needed no such thing from the warrior as his actions spoke louder than words and wanted to encourage his interactions with his friends to knock a little pep back in his step. Although the celebration was one to cheer about, there was one little bird of the clan that had yet to reach that joyful plateau in life and she spoke knowingly, "The weeks have not lessened the hurt and although you've tried, you cannot return to the man you once were. You have changed from one filled with unbridled anger to one filled with renewed hope; I do not want to see despair in your eyes again. Use the optimism she stirred within you and walk the path towards the wise man Eywa seeks, She has very high hopes for you, child."

"How can I start on this path? I need to be rid of this pain first-" he asked softly, eager to cast aside the sadness of being left alone and concentrating on an important task could help exponentially. He was the type of man that could endure great amounts of physical pain but emotional damage was an arena that held a low threshold for pain. His heart had been shattered enough times throughout his seasons of life and he wanted Joanna's leave to be the last. If Eywa sought him for something important, how could he begin? He had passed through so many obstacles for Her and wanted at least _one_ tiny sign that the future would become better, that his perseverance wouldn't be in vain.

"It will be another gained experience but I cannot remove it in the blink of an eye, Tsu'tey" she informed regrettably since observing the hunter's discomfort was not an easy sight to bear but wanted to nudge him gently towards the right path. The sooner he began, the faster he would find fulfillment with his life and that is what Mo'at wanted to witness with her most loyal resident. He deserved to reap the benefits of his hard work and she advised kindly with a motherly tone, "Your steps will start out small like any man on life's great journey but in the end, you _will_ find your happiness. In the coming months, Jake will need you by his side and I want you to observe each task that is assigned to you. Question how you can make it better, what would you change, what choices are best and which are undesirable, and how you fit into each."

"With respect, Tsahìk, I am already advisor and my task is to make sure the clan functions under Jakesully's rule" he stated carefully since overstepping his bounds beyond his assigned responsibilities would be frowned upon but Mo'at merely smiled to his loyalty to the clan. She'd taught him very well over the years, maybe _too_ well, but this was all for his benefit in the end. The young man was ready to put everything aside for their people, even sacrificing his own personal needs to make sure everybody else was happy and safe.

It was time for him to See that he needed both parts to function flawlessly as a wiser man and she deliberated further to clarify, "You carry out your orders to the best of your abilities to suit everyone but when a situation arises that is aimed specifically for _you_, you must act accordingly. It is time you begin living your life for your own happiness as well as the clan's, we are safe and cannot ask any more of you. You are a hunter and our advisor but you're also a man, one that has yet to find his purpose within that specific role. I'm certain that if Joanna had remained here as a huntress but I denied your union- not that I would have- you would've obeyed my judgment, wouldn't you?"

"You are the matriarch and I must uphold our principles, who will do so if I do not?" he asked skeptically to her question since his values were deeply imbedded into their traditions rather than his personal opinions. His secret relationship with Joanna brought intense happiness, yes, but betraying his values also brought shame when they were torn apart. It would've stung deeply to hear such words from his motherly role model since she'd always sought what was best for him and his strict adherence to his principles would've carried out that order. He would always choose the clan above everything else, even Joanna, and couldn't see himself reversing that.

That was one of the traits Mo'at hoped to tweak because although he was admirable in following her orders, he refused to budge if he believed otherwise. A wise individual would know when to follow and when to question orders, which is what he needed when it came to his interpersonal decisions. Her Neytiri had no problem deciding what was right, even if it defied Mo'at's orders, but the matriarch was proud to see her daughter fight for her moral ground with unyielding determination. Eventually, Eywa would bring the right answer and they would both learn from it.

"You must follow your heart and matriarchs can be mistaken every decade or so- I was wrong about your union with Neytiri, wasn't I?" Mo'at admitted openly to her only mistake because despite how much she interpreted of Eywa's will, she could be wrong. Her powers weren't all-knowing, although she honed her skills continually, but Eywa would eventually rectify it to make everything balanced. Tsu'tey's ears flattened to that stroke of bad luck in life, igniting guilt within the matriarch for the mistake but she continued calmly, "You must allow yourself to blend in our traditions with what you believe, otherwise, how will you be happy? Would you have rather obeyed my judgment that I refuse your union or taken a chance by uniting the bond under Eywa for Her ultimate judgment? After all, in the end, She is the one who judges accordingly."

"You would've been furious and I couldn't risk such shame to my honor, to all of our names" he reasoned since he respected her highly than anybody else and defying her would fill him with sick disgrace. To him, the clan came first and foremost above everything else- even his own nonexistent love life. Was that what the matriarch was trying to hint towards? How could finding and carving out his life (which he was pretty proud of in regards to status) correlate to following tradition? In fact, everything he'd done with Joanna seemed to defy it and that certainly hadn't made him feel proud. He couldn't be Neytiri, who had been more than ready to abandon her role as future matriarch to keep her mate, and wondered if that in itself made him weak.

"Keep to our traditions but be flexible when it comes to your true emotions, you must be able to make decisions for both yourself and your clan" she advised gently to hearten the man's spirit since he _was_ a part of the clan and seemed to forget that himself sometimes. The little boy that always ran behind people to happily lend a hand hadn't changed and it was time the grown man sat down to take a moment to breathe for himself to ponder about how he could help himself. Change would come a day at a time but Mo'at would stick to her plan because there would be great ending for the young hunter and inspired his hopes, "I will keep guiding you on your path and when the time is right, Eywa will reunite you with Joanna."

She clasped his shoulder to deliver a motherly squeeze as his mind begged to ask when that time would be but Mo'at simply smiled to give him a cryptic response, "Enjoy the festivities, young one. One day I will witness your own bonding ceremony and on that day, you will know that Eywa's grace shines upon you."

The matriarch departed to return to her people, receiving greetings as she passed through the crowds and Tsu'tey decided to eat more of the crispy banana fritters he loved. At least _they_ would never leave him.

At the head of the dance area, Neytiri drew away her mate from the festivities with a bright smile towards a private area that granted them obscurity from sight behind a wooden pillar. The night was alive with joyous emotions and happy laughs from all residents which gave her the perfect time to deliver her news to Jake. She'd been pondering on how to word 'you're going to be a father' but her mate's straightforward mind allowed her to be direct in case her prepared speeches failed. Jake followed closely behind with confusion written on his face since she wasn't leading him toward the cooks area, a common occurrence in the evening as of late but he wouldn't complain (the food was fantastic). She took a deep breath to calm any sudden nerves crawling through the body and turned around to square her shoulders, placing her palms on his chest for support.

"I have exciting news for you" Neytiri whispered mischievously with a happy smile on her face and Jake's brow rose with curiosity. What could she be inferring to? Given the nature of the festivities, he assumed either something regarding the new adults or a couple ready to undergo a bonding ceremony. His hands covered hers as he felt her fingers shake slightly and he tilted his head to the side with apparent worry, wondering how good news could make her react oddly like that. Neytiri's smile didn't falter as she leaned forward to whisper softly against his right ear, bypassing the music, "Our new life has been nothing but wonderful since purging the tawtute from our world. My role as the new Tsahìk has brought me enlightenment but. . .there is something that will change our lives in the coming months."

Jake was at a loss to the riddle she'd given him since direct statements usually did the job for his military brain but his mate was completely ecstatic. He couldn't think of what she implied until he took notice of her joyous smile and the subtle glow of her bioluminescent dots. His mother always did say women had a certain glow when pregnant but Neytiri wasn't exactly human. . .but she had gotten quite the odd food cravings recently and a hankering for taking naps. Did she mean. . .? All he could do was stammer out his assumption and allowed his body to speak for him when he pointed towards her stomach, "D-Do you mean. . .you- I mean. . ."

Her fingertips caressed his jaw affectionately, lightly pecking his bottom lip as she enjoyed seeing the sudden fluster on his face and divulged breathlessly, "Yes, my Jake, I am expecting our first child."

Most new fathers rejoiced, freaked out, or hyperventilated to the new event and Jake was no less as he was stunned to the floor to the news. As a trained marine, Jake went with the first choice as he accepted the fact with an ecstatic heart and embraced his mate tightly. A baby! Who would have thought. . .well, yes, he knew where they came from but he hadn't expected one so soon. Again, they were approaching a year since that fateful meeting in the forest and found himself incredibly blessed for the monumental changes in his life since that day. It wasn't something he took for granted as each decision he'd made carried its sacrifice but he would make sure his child and mate were protected.

"You're. . .Eywa, Neytiri. . .," he was struck speechless by her revelation, kissing her right temple firmly with devoted love as his entire body felt electrified to it. His day had become better by a hundredfold, chuckling softly in disbelief that they would be seeing a little part of themselves in future months. Would they take after him or Neytiri? He hoped Neytiri, she was definitely more cautious and he didn't want his child running off into the forest looking for adventure (or in his case, playing with flora for fun and challenging titanotheres). He smiled widely in remembrance to his careless actions from his first tour on Pandora and grazed his mate's cheek with his thumb to state amusingly, "I hope they have your good looks and smart mind, I don't want to have to rescue them from a nantang pack during the night. I'd rather they be safe in your arms while you chastise me about my recent insane escapades into the wild."

She chuckled tearfully as the idea of impending motherhood had brought a surge of emotions but having her mate support her the entire way was unbelievably soothing. His playful humor kept her occupied for hours during the night when they would watch the stars, a trait she wanted her child to obtain because her humor wasn't quite as witty as his. A cooing child with his features and peppy demeanor would bring her endless delight, leading her to squeeze her mate appreciatively as she added in, "We also need a little humor from his brave father, how else will they charm the hearts of our residents one day? Not to mention, it is a part of you that I would want preserved when we pass away from this world."

"You're making me blush now" Jake chuckled fondly to her admission since he wanted all of his future children to take after Neytiri, little feet speeding off to hear stories by the hearth. He was certain that Mo'at would be more than happy to divulge clan stories and would seek her tomorrow to ask how he could help Neytiri transition to this new role without problems. The coupled shared a kiss within the obscurity provided as the new event in their lives would bring memorable moments and rewards in years to come. Neytiri happily embraced him to bathe his face in butterfly kisses, not worried in the least if anyone caught the public affection as some of his human traits had rubbed off on her throughout the months. He smiled joyfully to the happiness radiating from his mate and whispered caringly, "I hope it's a girl so she takes after her mother, a beautiful and strong Tsahìk."

Neytiri didn't have time to bashfully downplay his words since any child would be welcomed in their arms, ready to bathe the little one in undying love. Jake grasped her hand quickly to pull her out of the darkness provided by the column and she followed along but had no idea to his plan in mind. The clan leader, however, was ready to serve a platter of food to his mate to keep her energy running because a baby would be zapping away that energy.

"Where are we going?" Neytiri asked with confusion to where her mate was leading her and hoped it wasn't to declare the news publicly since she wanted to savor it for a few more days. He led her around the bustling dancing crowds, greeting their people as they smiled widely at them, and she relaxed to enjoy the small things in life as the celebration united them all as one. Oh, she couldn't wait to watch her little toddler try to mimic dancing one day.

Jake glanced over his right shoulder to smile widely and answered enthusiastically, "To the food benches. With today's delicacies, I want our little one to enjoy the delicious food. I'm going to love that little baby until they get sick of their old father."

"Oh, my Jake, na'vi bodies don't work like that during pregnancies" she chuckled amusingly since their humanoid features didn't mean they reproduced in the same manners as humans. Jake halted immediately, his face shifting into bewilderment and before he could ask whether they laid an egg, she squeezed his hand and offered helpfully, "Come, I will inform this clan leader what a na'vi pregnancy is. . .after a light snack."

"So you do have food cravings?" he preened playfully as one thing remained similar between both species and she hissed softly about her recent eating bouts, her ears lowering sheepishly to being caught. Her new position in the clan would keep her safe at Kelutral but she hoped the lack of constant exercise wouldn't leave her with an overly plump belly because she'd give up meditating for venturing through the outskirts.

All in all, this was a night to remember for the young clan leaders.

* * *

Joanna growled furiously as she struck the side of an ikran's snout with the weights tied at the ends of the bola to dodge its razor sharp jaws and used its moment of imbalance to jump onto its back in one graceful move, dodging another quick bite as its back became inaccessible. The banshee thrashed its blue wings wildly as it tried to knock her off by sheer force but Joanna held onto its reptilian hide tightly with her fingers and reached out with one hand to grasp the ikran's left antennae. It wasn't hard to ignore as it flailed through the air, leaving the ikran vulnerable to instant tsaheylu and Joanna would take full advantage of it. She moved her head to bring her own queue forward over her shoulder but the ikran fell onto her back as she unveiled her own ingenious strategy, trapping Joanna's body under hers with her heavy body weight. It was an immediate intense pressure on her legs as the upper half of the ikran's back pinned her lower body in place but it only served to hasten Joanna's resolve. Quickly, Joanna's free hand grasped her queue to bring it to her left hand holding the ikran's and-

"Stop!" Xuret called out and Yatzi rolled off Joanna immediately to relieve her of the pressure, stretching her blue speckled wings from the scuffle. The instructor patted the blue ikran on the neck for the good job since a wild ikran would've crushed his student without remorse with its entire weight but Yatzi was perfectly trained. Joanna caught her breath as she remained on the floor, wiggling her lower legs to make sure Yatzi hadn't dislocated one of her joints. She still held her own queue, surprised she'd gotten to the point of initiating the bond and watched Xuret approach her from the left, his stoic features melting slightly as he congratulated, "You are ready."

"I hope so because Yatzi is getting a little fat" she joked gently since she'd done the same exercise four times already until she'd perfected it under his watch and stood up to brush off the sand from her back. The sky blue ikran hissed in protest to being called plump, swaying to the sides on her taloned feet but Joanna waved a hand to chuckle amusingly, "I'm kidding, you're a gorgeous ikran and the boys fight for you."

Yatzi was immediately satisfied, deciding to preen her wings and left the na'vi to tend to their business.

Almost three weeks had passed by and everything Xuret promised that she would achieve had been crossed off the list with time to spare. It had been tough swimming endlessly for hours but she felt perfectly at home as she'd watched other residents swim alongside her for fun or hunters peruse the sandy bottom for shellfish. She wasn't hesitant to add another training session when Xuret offered and sometimes she'd dragged _him_ away from Kelutral to keep on track to make sure she would be perfectly prepared- there was no room for mistake in her book. The easiest lesson to learn had been rowing a wooden canoe as she guided it using her body's movements similar to kayaking and he taught her on different water scenarios from calm to downright crazy waves. The rougher waves were located south of the coast and served as a natural division between the Atykwe and Zakali clan, one that happily traded goods by sea routes during non-rainy seasons.

There were days she'd fallen into her hammock to sleep deeply from exhaustion, skipping last meal completely but the sacrifice was worth it. With Xuret being professionally distant, this allowed Joanna to keep her mind on completing her tasks and wasted no time with chitchat as she'd done with Tsu'tey. Anaya gave her tips for swimming and had helped to increase her lung capacity as they spent their free time together roaming the Atykwe land. Joanna met up with the matriarch whenever she could since Nitari had her own bundle of responsibilities but her heart soared happily when they spoke together, sharing stories to learn more about the other. It was an honor Joanna held dear as her admiration for Nitari continually grew and the Tsahìk was more than pleased to see her determination to contribute to the clan.

Joanna smiled modestly to his claim, torn between hesitance to feel proud or anxious to his sudden declaration and asked for further deliberation, "Really? You truly think I'm ready?"

"I wouldn't say it if I believed otherwise" he answered matter-of-factly with a calm tone, his brow lifting when he watched her feet wiggle in the sand ecstatically. Her face remained neutral to the welcome news but her feet and tail were her instant tells which made him sigh softly to her behavior. He'd been tweaking it over the weeks, lowering her sarcasm to nonexistence around him and quirky behavior to an ultimate low. Joanna's inner spirit, however, could be quite defiant subconsciously and he stated simply, "Your enthusiasm is well-deserved, Joanna, you have worked quite hard since arriving."

"You're my teacher so you can join in anytime" she smiled charismatically to see if it made him crack a microscopic smile but received nothing; wow, he was tougher than a rock. The hunter merely crossed his arms over his broad chest to pin her with a firm glare that distinctly read 'stop before I make you swim laps across the entire Eastern Sea' and her lips broke into a large smile. Well, he might not smile but that didn't mean she couldn't. His 'all work and no play' attitude tickled her humor bone quite often, especially when he crossed his arms huffily to direct a stony glare but it rolled off her back like nothing (she blamed Tsu'tey's hundred glares for desensitizing her). She held her thumb and index finger closely together at eye level and smiled innocently to preen, "I accept testing tips."

"I want you to keep practicing until it is time but if the other three students aren't ready, I will take you myself" he ordered coolly to maintain professional decorum and she nodded obediently, wiping off sand from her clothes but halted a second later. She knew the instant remedy already: go wash it in the sea. Xuret observed the witty dreamwalker as she gazed at him with an expression fit for a tapirus watching its mother: loyally expectant. He'd never dreamt of having a dreamwalker student in all of his twenty-nine seasons of life but after being saddled with her, Xuret found himself slowly admiring her determination. The humor, he could do without, and reminded carefully to instill her with Atykwe pride, "You'll be the first dreamwalker of our clan to do this if you finish. There is honor to be held in that so try your best."

"And I will owe it to you and Tsu'tey" Joanna smiled gratefully with respect to their teachings since both had different approaches but in the end, success was the final result they desired. Hopefully, she would make them proud by either taming an ikran without severe injuries or die in a blaze of glory between serrated teeth and sharp talons (she really didn't want the latter). Standing straight with an erect posture, she nodded confidently to assure him she'd try her best and grinned impishly, "If I fail, then there's no hope for me and I'll hightail it to live among the wild prolemuris or the tapirus. . .they, uh, tend to follow me now after prolonged exposure."

_I think their pheromones must've rubbed off on me after all of my time among them. . .but they're so hard to deny_, she thought pensively about the adorably small groups back at the Omaticaya that she'd come to know by naming them. Had they kept themselves well-fed after her leave? Were they still alive and safe within the boundaries of the clan? She really did miss feeding them at her usual spots and patting their backs as they'd grown used to her presence (and Tsu'tey's oddly enough).

He stared back with a flat expression to her ramblings, catching hints about the grazers from old conversations between her and Anaya that echoed during last meal, and shook his head to her taste in humor. Or maybe he lacked that personality trait, as Anaya tended to poke him about. Joanna sighed miserably to another failure to make the hunter smile, automatically owing Anaya four more seashells to add to her alcove's chime collection, and tried to persuade with a lopsided smile, "Not even a little tiny laugh?"

Xuret ignored her request and lowered his piercing gaze to her skinned knees, noticing the broken skin, and suggested kindly, "Go see a healer and eat a light snack to replenish your energy. After all of your scuffles, you need to restock your on-hand amount of healing items. My tip is this: bring any kind of quick healing aid because bruises and scratches are bound to happen on the journey and the last thing you want is an open bleeding injury while fighting an ikran."

"Thank you, I'll be here tomorrow morning for another lesson because you can never be too prepared" she informed confidently with an eager smile, bowing her head respectfully for his advice before running off to the healers. Oh, she couldn't believe it! It would soon be time to undergo the rite and this time, she was deemed ready; there was no question about her preparedness. Her chest filled with pride, allowing the small moment because her hard work was paying and finally, ever since arriving on Pandora. . .she was on the right track. There was no defiance or second-guessing in her demeanor as the Atykwe molded her into the perfect clan member and her teachings from the Omaticaya would mix into her experiences.

_I wish there was a way I could let him know that I'm ready for this,_ she thought longingly in regards to her beloved hunter and hoped his days were looking brighter as hers were. Her old habits alongside him were hard to wean off during her first week after becoming incredibly accustomed to having him in her life but continuous interactions with Anaya and other Atykwe residents helped to develop her new hobbies. She was becoming better as a student in the art of hunting and an individual as she chiseled the kind of person she wanted to be, already having a mental image in mind that she wanted to take after both Tsu'tey and the honorable Nitari; they were the two that she admired greatly.

Xuret watched his student disappear over the sand dunes with a happy kick in her run, expecting her to run to Anaya afterwards to tell her the news, and murmured privately under his breath, "She'll be a good addition to the clan."

His ikran flared her powerful large wings before rolling onto her back humorously and he chastised gently, "Yatzi."

* * *

Joanna scuttled into the healing alcoves located on the lowest levels of Kelutral, a difference in comparison to the Omaticaya that divided them between residential levels for quick access. With the Atykwe living interchangeably along the shore and Kelutral levels, having the alcoves between both locations seemed appropriate. The healing area was usually quiet, with the exception of crying babies receiving medicine, since patients wanted relief from their ailments and the peaceful atmosphere helped.

She checked the closest alcoves on the right to check whether they were empty or occupied since her shallow cuts could be cleaned up quickly with antiseptic and a healing salve would prevent infection. Her own healing supplies had diminished quickly as she'd trained her hardest against Xuret (and the energetic Yatzi) and appreciated that he didn't hold back on flattening her against the dirt. His bruises and cuts were one thing but when Yatzi joined in, Joanna treaded carefully since ikran could unknowingly injure you due to their natural physique. Yatzi, however, did try her best to leave students uninjured and nudged their lower back with her snout to show no ill will after training. Swizav took after Tsu'tey, hissing with disappointment when she'd done a wrong move and didn't approve until she snapped his jaws shut with a bola.

Joanna enjoyed the serene ambience around the alcoves, their natural nooks giving a homely vibe and those that were constructed over the handmade platforms between adjacent branches carried their own beauty with handmade carvings to add variety. Nitari would soon assign a healer for Joanna to train under due to her natural talents with herbalism that she'd noticed back on Kelutral but Mo'at had been the one to request that she continue her lessons. Joanna was more than happy to make the matriarchs proud since herbalism brought her delight from all area, from foraging to preparing medicine. Her fondest memory was foraging for herbs alongside Tsu'tey, remembering the way he'd languidly chew on the tooth cleaning stick plant like an old prairie farmer from Earth history while keeping watch for predators. She'd thank him by giving him one of the medicinal packets she put together for the healers since hunters carried one with them at all times in case of sudden lacerations and she wanted Tsu'tey to come back home safely without harm.

The matriarch had counseled her that the arts were not in her bloodstream, with the exception of her sketching hobby, but rather herbalism and cooking was her path. It had seemed a little old-fashioned to the independent Joanna but if the matriarch believed that was her path, she would obey loyally. Besides, it had been a little guilty pleasure of hers to modify recipes back at the Omaticaya and have Tsu'tey play the part of her private taste tester (he'd loved most of them). Her fancy for knowledge, however, made her a perfect candidate for learning extensive clan history and Nitari brought her along for all of the stories told throughout the clan. The lorekeeper, Laara, was a kind elderly lady with older years than Nitari but carried a sweet grandmotherly disposition that had Joanna hanging onto her words because despite the age, she carried great energy to narrate tales. Apparently, she'd even taught a young Nitari tales as well! Anaya was a resident that never failed to appear, wedging herself between the eager children when it was their time for a story circle. Laara allowed her stays since Anaya had found refuge with stories during childhood to escape the other children, always close to the lorekeeper which developed her extensive knowledge on the clan's history. The children delighted Joanna when they replayed a tale of Olo'eyktan Akon against a toruk- a remarkable story of a man facing a fearsome predator during a tense moment where it almost killed Nitari after they ventured to collect herbs in the interior of the forest to cure a winter ailment for their people. There was no question how devoted the clan leaders were to protect their clan and a mate's courage to save his other half.

Joanna peeked into a handmade hut that had its sapphire curtain pulled open for welcome and spotted a woman sitting on a mat of dry reeds, a cheerful yellow blanket lying on top for extra comfort. She crushed fresh herbs into a poultice within a stone mortar and pestle, her features smoothly calm with concentration as her hair was neatly pulled back into one braid over her right shoulder. Little green leaves were entwined within the braid, giving the healer a unique appearance as a yellow sash draped over one shoulder, pockets sewn onto it as Joanna could see herbs and phials stored within each. Healers were as distinguishable as hunters with their garb as they carried satchels, sashes, or necklaces that stored medicinal items for emergency use.

The woman took notice of the shadow blocking the sunlight from the canopies and lifted her head from her work to smile in greeting, "I See you, young one. How can I help?"

"Kaltxí, I was training with Xuret and received a few cuts" Joanna explained politely, taking a step inside the hut but remained by the doorway until the healer allowed her to sit down. She didn't want to be a bother and receiving a medicine kit would have her on the way out to treat them herself. Her fingers motioned to her ripped leggings (she had quite a few of those in the mending pile back in her alcove) and explained modestly with a shy smile, "I ran out of supplies to tend to them myself and would appreciate help."

"Ah, you are the one that came from the Omaticaya?" she asked with intrigue in her eyes and Joanna smiled courteously to agree, delighting the healer as she placed her trituration aside. Standing up gracefully, she moved to the shelves to grab the healing packs that were stacked together for easy access and grabbed two for use. Accustomed to helping students on their rite by patching them up, she wasn't surprised by the new arrival. She motioned for Joanna to sit down, following her afterwards as she set the carefully assembled leaf packs on the floor and spoke warmly, "They deserve good fortune after what happened seasons ago, Nitari speaks so highly of that clan and I haven't seen her this happy in years. She and the Omaticaya matriarch were close as sisters before the tawtute brought an end to long-distance travel."

"I am no longer affiliated with the Omaticaya, especially since I'm wearing the standard although ripped Atykwe leggings, but I treasure them" Joanna answered sheepishly since the nickname 'Omaticayan' had been dubbed on her since arrival but once the rite was completed, it would proudly be replaced with Atykwe. The kind healer opened the leaf pack to grab a green phial (made of polished stone) to pull open the cork and grabbed a sterilized cloth from a nearby closed basket to deposit a small amount of the clear liquid. She dabbed gently at her bleeding knees to clear away sand particles and caked crimson blood, peeling away the torn cloth to leave her skin free. After so many scuffles, the sting of the antiseptic barely stung her skin and remembered the first time she'd used it- trying to wriggle free of Tsu'tey's vice grip since it resembled scorching iodine. Lightly tapping the wooden floor to occupy her hands, she licked her lips to moisten the dry skin since today had brought a dry breeze and piped up courteously to introduce herself, "I am Joanna, may I ask your name?"

"I am Zika, general healer with a specialty in child delivery" she smiled pleasantly, briefly glancing away from cleaning the cuts on her knees to acknowledge her. Joanna found the healers to be quite the amicable types as they carried conversations on just about anything, giving that natural ambience of comfort to patients that desired company through their ailments. Zika was no different as her youthful face brightened, folding the cleaning cloth in half once more to add further sanitation to her dabs as she moved to the broken skin on Joanna's elbows and spoke warmly, "You must be excited for your rite, the entire clan will be cheering for your safe return. As a healer, I was required to undergo it since an emergency can always occur out at sea or the cliffs and ikran are fast. Thankfully, my ikran was a bit smaller than the rest but she did try to take bites out of me despite her petite size."

Oh, she'd have to keep an eye out for that petite ikran- it was destined to appear endearingly humorous.

"They do have that unbridled fury" Joanna agreed with a small laugh, wondering how small grown banshees could be and almost cooed mentally at imagining one half of Swizav's size, it would be adorable. Zika joined with a modest chuckle as she closed the antiseptic phial to replace it back in the pack, grabbing a closed white clam shell from within to carefully open it with her fingertips. Healing salve was stored in the shells for quick access by residents and the medicine was handy for all cuts, her fingertips dabbing into the clear ointment to run it over the cuts on her legs. Joanna appreciated her help since Zika could've given her the packs to carry on her way but healers weren't like modern doctors on Earth who diagnosed and prescribed medication to dissipate illnesses. They had a nurse's comforting flair with the dexterous touches of a surgeon as they worked and Joanna couldn't help but mingle further, "Yatzi is energetic but I won't dare myself to touch her outside of training. My previous teacher's ikran is the only one that would let me touch him. Tsu'tey even-"

"Did you say Tsu'tey? Tsu'tey, the son of Ateyo and Kaana?" she asked curiously as her eyes brightened considerably to the name and Joanna hoped this wasn't another admirer from across the river. That man carried an attraction towards the opposite gender that could swallow the entire eastern coast with its potency. She'd heard his name passed around by the single women that had gone to the festival and Anaya had chuckled amusingly, telling her he was too tall for her liking (Joanna felt even smaller at that point since Anaya was taller). Joanna answered positively since he was greatly admired outside of a 'potential mate' setting and Zika's smile widened considerably as she gushed affectionately, "Oh, how is my oldest nephew? Is he well? He's always been so introverted but he has such a good heart."

Joanna's mind went blank as this new development arose in front of her, completely baffling her, and that's when she learned more about Tsu'tey's private history.

"He was well the last time I saw him" Joanna informed helpfully since she didn't mind talking about him and discovering her prideful hunter had a family there that was recently unknown to her, it was wonderful! It brought her a small connection to bridge the loss as his blood was tied to theirs and found herself eager to learn as much as she could without overstepping her boundaries. Zika tied cloth bandages over her knees carefully with the gentlest of hands and Joanna indulged the healer by stating admirably, "He's happy serving the Omaticaya as their advisor, probably the youngest in the clan's history. He amazes me with how much he gives to the clan and never hesitates to add further tasks to his responsibilities. He has the most prideful mare named Aci and a beautiful ikran named Swizav; he always manages to lead a hunt despite his advisor duties. That's a child you can be proud of."

Her fingertips briefly grazed the end of her teal feather earrings, never parting from her beloved gift and she whispered gingerly, "I didn't know he had any other family, he told me he was an only child."

Zika smiled nostalgically while tying the last cloth over Joanna's left elbow and explained softly, "Kaana was an only child and belonged to the Omaticaya, her entire lineage originated there and she was a sweet devoted mother. Ateyo was one of ours, my second eldest sibling, and moved to the Omaticaya as tradition dictates for a man who mates with a woman from another clan. They became respected members of the Omaticaya and visited us often since Ateyo could become a little homesick within the forest," her ears flattened slightly in fond remembrance and she whispered tenderly, "he missed the sea and we missed our only brother."

"When Tsu'tey was born, they suspended their visits until he was old enough for travel and we watched our little nephew bound up to us with a toothy grin" she chuckled gently as she used her fingers to imitate the young Tsu'tey on the first day she'd met him, watching him stumble through the sand but determined to greet his father's family. Zika had been an adolescent then since she was the youngest one out of her four siblings and incredibly joyful to carry her little nephew throughout the beach, answering all of his excited questions. Sighing softly at the fresh memory in her mind, she smiled at Joanna to admit amusingly, "He loved watching the tiny crabs walk over the wet sand in their little shells, he even tried swimming before he was ready- I can tell you that their parents weren't pleased to his boldness."

Her perky smile faded a second later as the interactions with her nephew lessened over the years and she explained solemnly, "The visits stopped when the tawtute became troublesome and years later, I learned from a messenger that my brother and sister had passed into Eywa's embrace- not very far apart from each other in time. It was a very hard blow to us, knowing that we would never see them again in this life but at least Tsu'tey remained safe in the care of Kaana's mother. I didn't see him until the Omaticaya Kelutral was destroyed so that wasn't the best reunion setting for anyone but he was so incensed in destroying the tawtute. The little boy that had chased waves on this beach had grown into a battle hardened warrior. . .oh, you can't imagine the paralyzing fright that struck me when I was called to help the critical injuries pouring in and saw him lying there."

Her left hand curled weakly against her sash as her head lowered and she whispered sadly, "I'd held that little boy in my arms for years and to see him bleeding profusely under my fingertips, my own kin, it was traumatizing. . .but thankfully, Eywa spared him. He always puts up a brave front for his clan but I praised Eywa for protecting him, a child that young should not enter her embrace like that- not with so much potential burning in his heart. Nonetheless, I am glad to hear he is well at home so thank you for lightening my heart."

"He is, he's always looking for projects so I wasn't far behind by handing him a decent snack to keep his energy running" Joanna smiled softly as she gathered the bloodstained cloth and cut snippets of her leggings to clean up the floor for the healer; it was the least she could do. There was no question Tsu'tey meant a lot to this side of his family and hoped he'd been keeping in touch with them, especially after hearing Zika's concern. She'd been trying her hardest to stomp her feelings into the darkest vault in her mind to forget Tsu'tey since she'd realized her tight bond with him would both fuel and hinder her efforts to succeed. Right now, she was using the fuel portion as his words of encouragement ran through her mind repeatedly but the other portion. . .they were best suited for a weary mind in her empty alcove where memories could be replayed. His family had a nephew to be proud of and she restrained her emotions as she commented truthfully, "He was my closest friend among the Omaticaya, I owe everything I know about this world to him. He is a man to honor, revere, and follow without question. . .I miss him dearly."

"He sent us a package with the returning clan and wrote us a message on a leaf, never have I seen anyone write a letter like he did" she chuckled affectionately to the ingenuity of her nephew as he'd written portions for each of his aunts to let them know he thought of them often and wished them well. Joanna smiled broadly since she'd watched him practice his penmanship during the nights in her hammock, a large leaf in his hand as he used washable paints with a sharpened stick to write. The na'vi contained fewer letters in their alphabets than most human languages but unique symbols that were added to the letters carried different meanings, whether to express sorrow or anger. He'd taught her to write, one of the first tasks accomplished under his tutelage and she'd passed with flying colors when she wrote him a detailed description of his solar system. Eywa, she still remembered the faint scribbles against the leaves as he accentuated the clan name neatly and the inaudible murmurs between his lips as he edited his writing.

"Tsu'tey said he would visit as soon as the clan was safe but knowing my cautious nephew, everything can breach security" Zika informed cheerfully as reestablishing a system of communication excited families living between clans across the continent and Joanna hoped the leaf method would work well. Tsu'tey deserved to keep in touch with the remnants of his family and if she could help by figuring out a way to ensure their continued communication, she would find it without hesitation. There wasn't anything she wouldn't do for the man she loved and hoped he'd visit someday, just to see the exuberant smile on his face when he met his paternal family.

A sheepish smile crossed the healer's lips as an idea sprung forth and she asked kindly, "If you wouldn't mind, could you tell me more of him? He is all that is left of my brother and his mate."

Joanna couldn't deny her request because he was dear to both their hearts and found solace with someone who knew him, agreeing wholeheartedly with a friendly smile, "I will tell you everything you want to know, he's told me quite a few tales of adventure himself."

"Oh, my sisters will be overjoyed" she laughed merrily with a giddy clap of her hands, gathering the recyclable items to store them in a basket located in the back of the alcove. Joanna could see the energy rolling off the healer's body as her steps hitched with delight and Zika grabbed the healing packs to hand them over to the young student. She laid a hand over Joanna's when she took the items with a grateful thank you and Zika requested politely with a warm smile, "I would appreciate it if you could drop by our homes before last meal, we are all scattered throughout the clan during the afternoon but our children would love to hear about their cousin. We would be very grateful."

Joanna couldn't refuse the kind invitation from his family, knowing they were a part of the man she loved and counted herself incredibly lucky for stepping into this specific alcove. Eywa was truly smiling upon her today. She'd have to get a snack for Yatzi for sending her to the healers in the first place but the ikran was happy enough rolling through warm sand. Her day was looking brighter than she'd ever expected, more than happy to oblige the healer to learn a few tidbits herself and smiled broadly with sincerity, "Of course, just try to stop me."

Zika chuckled softly to her light humor, remembering a note in his letter about the new resident, and was glad the two knew each other quite amicably. Before she could get ahead of her enthusiasm, she chuckled sheepishly to her lapse in finishing her healer duties and quickly piped up, "But first, let me finish here and allow you to be on your way."

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_Inspired by: "Peace of Mind" and "Earthgirl" by Two Steps from Hell _(I love orchestral music; links in profile)

**A/N**: There's nothing like a big cheerful Na'vi style wedding to be told you're going to be a father; Jake's going to be one happy soon-to-be daddy as he tends to Neytiri. I just love building Tsu'tey's back story from his days as a newborn babe to the present. We'll be seeing more of Zika in further chapters and his family will pop out for a descriptive reunion to give it more emotion rather than having Joanna meet them for the readers first introduction- Tsu'tey is the dashing hunter, after all. In the next chapter, we finally begin the rite for Joanna and we'll be meeting her stubborn ikran.

Thank you for your never-ending support and to my new readers who've put this story on alert, it brings a smile to my face on days when I don't feel my best.

_Na'viRabbit_: Lol, he is a love machine and has a lot more charisma than the flustered Norm when it comes to romance. The poor thing's lost in trying to gain Tarazi's heart so he definitely needs a few pointers from Jake.

_supanovart123_: Thanks, I was actually using a different site for creating names but this one will come in handy too since Tsu'tey is going to have a lot of little cousins yanking on his tail when he visits the Atykwe. And yes, eventually, Norm will get his love.

_CrissYami_: Thanks, hope you loved this one!

Laithano: Great, I'm glad you love it!

_FightingDreamersLoverForever_: I appreciate the kind words, the chapter was a toughie to write out and Tsu'tey and Joanna's relationship does indeed have their obstacles to face. I love hearing music when I write each because it definitely helps to get the words flowing.

_Dracoessa_: Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure I'd break the disclaimer since Cameron did invent everything relating to Pandora. . .but a girl can dream. Norm will be pursuing his love interest now and we'll have the two tagging along after Tsu'tey to keep him out of trouble when he begins traveling to the Atykwe.

_deep blue dragon_: I've been a little slow in posting this month due to a huge workload in my pharmacology class but I'm glad you had a lot to catch up on since the length is pretty long on each. I'm glad you still love it since the two lovers are now apart.

_rosiepine_: Thanks so much, I love building characters in stories and Tsu'tey has definitely made the most progress so I love him for that. I agree, I don't like progressing plots or romances too quickly (or too slowly) since the dreamwalkers are still aliens and they have to grow accustomed to the changes like any one of us would, especially for Tsu'tey to fall in love with Joanna but they've managed it. I hope you enjoy each chapter you read and thanks for the kind words.

_007secretservice_: I love getting new readers and reviewers, it brings a sappy smile to my face. I hope you liked this chapter as we move closer to Joanna's rite and an impending reuinion.

_Mrs Capt Jack Sparrows_: Hope you liked this chapter of the tale!

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**Next Time**: _Conquering Uteho'awkx_

My breath was heavy from the jumps and runs throughout the dimly lit passages, pressing a hand to my chest to calm my pounding heart quickly since I was now in the heart of it all. The turbulent ocean and dark paths had been conquered and this last step awaited me to either succeed or fail. Xuret entered the ikran nest first, engulfed in the bright light exuding from the opening and I followed after with careful steps while using my hand to shield my eyes from the stinging light. Blinking my eyes quickly to readjust to the sunlight bathing the area, I took notice of the tall gray rock walls of the nest encasing us cozily within the stack. The start of the nest next to the passage exit was bathed in cool shade from the sun's angle but the rest was brightly lit and allowed a perfect view to analyze the terrain. Screeches expressing various emotions filled my ears as the rocky land was packed with marine colors of all kinds on the ground floor and gasped with awe when part of the rock wall shifted, realizing that slate gray _ikran_ covered the wall like a second skin. Amazing. Their camouflage was flawless as they clung to the wall but upon closer inspection, you could see the yellow eyes and sharp teeth hissing in our direction.

Ikran of blue, ivory, and gray littered the entire field as they had been basking over rocks and enjoying themselves at home until our unexpected arrival. Irritated hisses and growls covered my hearing as we disturbed their normal peace of the nest, especially when Xuret and the other instructor cleared the center field of extra ikran to provide a clearing for the fight. I can tell you now, the ikran weren't very happy about that as they hissed indignantly at Xuret but climbed onto boulders and the surrounding walls to seek cover. It would definitely be a tighter squeeze than the Omaticaya nest as the area almost overflowed with the beautiful (yet dangerous) ikran and kept my hand steady on the leather pouch at my side in case an ikran decided to jump at me. The other students stuck close to me since we were all in the same boat, struck with awe and fear at facing one of these formidable creatures in a battle of strength and wit.

The million dollar question on all of our minds was: who would go first?

Xuret stood confidently in the center of the open clearing, his posture dominant towards the observant ikran as he turned around to gaze at each of us with a calculating gaze. Damn, that man was certainly fearless standing there like that. . .I almost envied his bravery as we students huddled together like tapiri for protection. His piercing gaze locked onto mine and immediately, my stomach erupted into butterflies as I read the distinct expression within them from afar and he called out, "Joanna, _you_ will be first."

Dreamwalkers were certainly popular for going first, weren't they?

My mouth dried instantly as the final moment came down to this and my hands shook with sudden nervousness because I didn't want to become an ikran's chew toy. Even my poor toes curled into the dirt as the never ceasing hisses echoed through the nest and I eyed the walls suspiciously while trying to pinpoint whether my ikran was giving me the evil eye from within one of those crowds. Xuret wasn't a man you left waiting, especially when surrounded by wild ikran, and his stern voice carried across the distance when he commanded, "Joanna, this is your test. Everything you've worked for has led to this moment, do not disappoint me or our Tsahìk."

He was absolutely right; I wasn't doing this just for myself.

Breathing deeply to shove down the initial fear of this moment, I broke away from the group after wishing them good luck and opened the pouch on my left side that contained my handy bola. I had trained with them continuously and with Yatzi's help, this would give me a good advantage. . .or so, I hoped. I approached my instructor with a confident posture to show him I was ready for this, drilling it into my head because a lack of certainty could bode dangerously in the fight. My fingers tightened over the bola, a sense of security springing forth from the soft leather and I faced my instructor with a firm expression to request calmly, "Please keep back, I don't want anyone to become hurt. Xuret. . .thank you, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you."

"Make me proud, make yourself proud, Joanna" he encouraged one last time, his detached voice lightening and he reminded me that Yatzi would be watching in case of any danger. It helped my anxiousness somewhat and he returned to the others to keep them safe at the passage exit while I remained alone to undergo the final step of this rite. I took my spot in the dead center as I'd done at the Omaticaya nest and kept my eyes locked onto every inch of the nest, whether in front, back, or above me. Ikran could never be underestimated as they carried a heavy advantage, already knowing Jake's close call over the edge of the floating mountain and Tsu'tey's near miss of losing his lower limb so caution was mandatory. Tsu'tey's stealth skills and Xuret's blindfolded training helped exponentially in picking up sounds in all directions to catch enemies that wanted to catch me unguarded.

A part of me worried that history would repeat itself again when the ikran began to disperse towards the walls and I hissed loudly in challenge to match the level of their deep growls. The fierce insistence shown during Iknimaya remained within me and I would exhaust all available strategies or spots where the ikran resided to make sure one attacked. A sharp growl that pitched higher than the rest filled my ears with delight as one finally broke forth from the masses located in a large group towards the back of the nest. The ikran cluster scuttled back into the natural grooves of the wall for safety while this one jumped over the boulders with its powerful leg muscles as its large wings guided its graceful movements. The ikran leapt onto the center of the field with a fierce growl, its sharp claws raking into the dirt as it broke the ground open and its wings extended fully into the air to pose its challenge clearly.

Oh, _she_ was beautiful.

Her reptilian hide was a rich sapphire color that matched the tone of the deep ocean, the sides of her head splotched in ivory and a slate gray as they blended into the back of her wings. She was quite larger than I expected, definitely bigger than Yatzi, her wings flaring to give her a domineering stance as her golden eyes were ablaze with defiance. I needed her to be at my side while she was more than ready to disembowel me to prove she was mightier. She hissed menacingly, the exhale of air striking my face despite the distance between us and I returned the same ferocity to show I was strong enough to challenge her.

"I am Joanna and here to prove I am worthy of being your partner" I declared firmly with a strong voice because ikran were intelligent creatures and deserved the same respect as a na'vi. Her golden eyes flickered for a moment as her strong neck reared back a few inches but the next second, her jaws released a furious screech. There was no calming this ferocious ikran down, was there?

The ikran leapt forward with open jaws to tear my skin open but I dodged to the right side, biting down my beating heart for the close call but kept her within my peripheral vision. I could not lose track of her for a mere second or it would all be over, kicking myself up as my fingers tightened on the bola and prepared to use it. She leapt at me once more with her talons at the forefront, sapphire wings spreading to aid her with extra force to gut her prey but I used the sweeping cover of her wings to roll out of the way. Her sharp talons tore into the earth to cover the field in a translucent veil of dust as she missed the target, her tail flailing in anger as she roared into the heavens with unacceptable disappointment. There was no question this ikran was fierce but I had to defeat her in any way possible. . .and my chance came soon.

Her mouth was her biggest weapon on land so incapacitating it would bring instant victory by dodging any strikes from her wings and neck. When she neared me again to strategize her next attack, I released my bola with perfect accuracy to wrap it around her snout since Yatzi had performed the same maneuver of attack many times. The leather strings snapped closed around her mouth, incapacitating her main offense and her wings expanded to their full length in fury. She looked gigantic as she reared back on her legs, reminding me of a majestic mythical dragon as she sent a gust of wind flying towards me.

The sapphire ikran issued me a despising glare, a furious growl rumbling from within its throat for being restrained in such a way and I grinned proudly with admiration, "Oh, you are a big 'un."

It was time to tackle her headfirst to grasp onto her queue and I ran forward with quick speed to initiate the bond, but she was defiant to allow the connection. I'd heard of different accounts on how students achieved their rite but mine decided to change the whole game altogether to get rid of me. I was more than ready to jump onto her speckled sapphire back to grasp her queue but when I reached her reptilian neck, her head collided into my left side to knock me away and I struck the ground on my back. If she'd had no bola keeping her mouth shut, she would've severed my side and that would've been the end of the battle along with my life. Regardless of her attack, I stood up with protesting muscles to climb back onto my feet as the hit knocked the breath out of me but she was already one step ahead in defying me.

Xuret's wild idea about the environment was about to come true.

My savvy ikran decided to give me the slip by climbing onto the nearest wall of the cliff, climbing upwards to escape me as other ikran scattered away from the wall for refuge. This obscured my view of her for a few seconds but gave chase with the same determination, ikran parting without a concern for me as I ascended the cliff wall to follow the stubborn banshee. Rock climbing had become quite fun for me during training and Iknimaya had allowed me to conquer my fear of climbing at such unbelievable heights so my fingers were more than ready to wedge between grooves to propel myself upwards. She moved to the right side when her head tilted to the side to glimpse at what happened to pesky little me and I grinned manically to show I wasn't giving up on her. If anything, this served to fuel her movements farther away from me towards the right side that faced the endless ocean and heard Xuret yell from below, "Think and act, Joanna! Do not leap without cause!"

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_Thank you for reading my tale and I hope you've enjoyed this latest chapter. May each of you find yourselves safe and happy throughout the world!_


	33. Conquering Uteho'awkx

**Conquering Uteho'awkx  
**

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Today was the morning of the Atykwe rite of passage into adulthood and excitement filled the dewy sea air as cheerful voices echoed throughout the base of Hometree. Children stuck close to their parents with bright golden eyes that rivaled the sun, eager to know more about the rite as elders shared memorable stories and words of encouragement with the students. Laara had been quite upbeat, gathering the children for a story about the origins of the rite and Anaya had been sitting there with her own bright smile (despite hearing it many times). The healers were busy answering any student questions and checking their pouches to make sure each had emergency supplies for injuries. Injuries could happen easily out there in the field and each student had to be capable of fixing it temporarily until reaching home for thorough medical aid.

The students had eaten their morning meal early to prevent stomach issues by adding further time between ingesting food and their rowing. That wasn't to say their nerves weren't on edge already since facing down an ikran wasn't an everyday event as the moment would be a one in a lifetime chance (unless an ikran died prematurely). Joanna sat alongside Anaya as she checked her waist pouches for all her mandatory items while her friends finished their morning meal of warm cereal and sweet grain squares. She had gone to sleep immediately after last meal yesterday because knowing her nerves, she would've been up all night twisting and turning due to the impending excitement. Getting to bed early allowed her a decent sleep through all of her nervous fumbling and received a comforting dream where she fed a happy Swizav with fresh whole fish.

"We will await your return, Eywa watches over you" Anaya encouraged with a comforting smile to ease her friend's nerves since she'd felt the same during her own. By the end of it, she was certain Joanna would need to take a nap. Thankfully, their instructors were capable enough to prevent most dangerous accidents and injuries from occurring during a fight but added a helpful tip nonetheless, "Remember to keep rowing and watch your footing."

"Thank you for everything, you two have been my beacons of friendship here and I will be back to build sandhomes with you" she smiled gratefully to Anaya as their free time was spent having fun in the sand while swapping tales, both women enjoying the most out of their new friendship. Joanna had delighted her by showing her the old pastime of creating sandcastles and the huntress had happily begun to build her creations. Unfortunately, Anaya wanted to keep them permanently and had been depressed every time the tide came rushing in to slowly disintegrate her little huts. Anaya wasn't the new Cheryl to fill the void left by her absence but Joanna found sisterly camaraderie with the huntress as her rambles and humorous nature was quite the opposite of her old dear friend; their personalities simply fit together like a puzzle piece.

Joanna didn't leave Arat out of their little fun as he ate his breakfast quietly as always, sipping his cereal with the silence of a mouse, and she smiled playfully to tease, "And putting that fish statue in your alcove, Arat."

Yes, Anaya had finally managed to win the bet of putting the ridiculously smiling fish in his alcove after winning a trivia game designed by Joanna. Arat had ample reason to believe the two conspired against him, especially when most of the questions related to clan history . . . worldwide. How could he not lose? His forte was tradition and clan laws! Either way, he was glad to see Anaya happy and if he had to bear a humorous looking statue in the back of his alcove, so be it.

Arat chuckled softly as he added warm milk to his cereal (he always filled a cup to add to make it thinner) and agreed with a small smile, "I will hold you to that then. Good luck on your rite, Joanna, we will be waiting for you."

Time seemed to pass by fast in Joanna's mind (she blamed it on the nerves) as she went from chatting with friends to standing in front of the shore where three individual canoes laid on the sand. Each was made of wood from the unidelta tree but unlike Earth's historic canoes, these weren't indented deeply to protect the rower as a shallow bowl served as the seat. Leather straps tied from one width end to the other served as a makeshift seatbelt to keep the rower in place since stronger tides could tip one over in a heartbeat. Luckily, Joanna had trained tirelessly with Xuret throughout the Eastern Sea and hoped her acquired skills would be enough to get her to the rock stack. Her fingers patted her pouches at the sides of her hips to make sure everything was inside for her challenge while a twine necklace around her neck held a pouch with emergency items of bandages and a healing salve. Any tips that Xuret had shared about the rite, Joanna had listened.

The matriarch stood before them wearing garbs of a rich vibrant emerald, the trademark thorn (sheathed, of course) necklace always around her neck, as her hair was tied neatly into one braided bun with tiny seashells interwoven within it. Her humble appearance always depicted her graceful nature, her delicate fingers painting a V shape on the students' forehead in sky blue paint and Joanna remembered Jake stating the same but in gold for his clan. Did the paint vary by clan since the symbols remained the same? The shape reminded her of a floating atokirina but she could've been wrong- her scientific mind was bound to pop in at such a tense moment. Nitari smiled encouragingly when she finally painted Joanna's forehead with gentle strokes, whispering softly, "Calm your heart, you will make me proud today, young Joanna. Keep your hand steady like the calm river and your aim will not fail."

_I hope so, matriarch_, she thought nervously to herself since her success at conquering Iknimaya didn't mean she'd succeed at Uteho'awkx.

"Today, three of ours embark on a journey that will bring them triumph and their first taste of adulthood" Nitari stated aloud with a calm voice that projected throughout the open area as the entire clan was gathered at shore for the special moment. Joanna had never seen so many Na'vi gathered in one spot that wasn't the base of Kelutral but their numbers were a little larger than the Omaticaya due to the large beachside. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves, keeping her gaze on Nitari as she continued her speech, "Their bodies and minds will be tested to the limit by an equally strong opponent that will serve as their partner for life. Each of you have prepared as best you can and all of your hard work will come to fruition on this day."

Her gaze lingered on the three students standing before her, two grown within her clan since their first breaths and another that she'd adopted into hers, and spoke warmly, "You are in the hearts of each clan member and they in yours, carry yourself to triumph. Remember the song of Uteho'awkx on this day, for you will sing it for others in the future and one day, your own children."

The adult clan residents laid their hands over each other's shoulders in the form of a circle, similar to what she'd witnessed with the Omaticaya. This time, however, she was a part of it and didn't have to sit on a rock all by herself as she'd watched Tsu'tey welcome new adults into their clan while she lingered. No, on this day, _she_ was within that circle of trust and smiled appreciatively with optimism when two hands rested on her own shoulders in support. It was heartwarming and a feeling that left her breathless as she stood on the sandy shore, gazing into the calm sea alongside the ones that would be her people- her family. The other two students beside her, Raya and Tzumu, held the same humbled expressions on their painted faces as the matriarch raised her hands to begin the chant:

"_There comes the break of dawn  
Her young children rise as it is morn  
Each will journey with the clan's protection  
The test will bring each one years of reflection  
You will heed Eywa's call to succeed  
Turbulent waters will cleanse and hearten a spirit  
Endless depths open the doors of perception  
Walk on the footpath to success and don't be playful  
You will be in the ikran's protected home so be respectful._

_For seasons, we nourished your heart  
The Atykwe is with you so we will not be apart  
Every act, no matter how small  
Has molded you into a strong pillar for the benefit of all  
You will brave Uteho'awkx as all before you  
Another heart to beat proudly for the Atykwe  
You will be remembered by all on this day  
And with our hopes and protection,  
You will carry on your way."_

When the song finished, the matriarch instructed them to begin with her best wishes and the circle broke apart as encouraging words were shouted to the young adults. The crashing waves joined the sea of voices as the clan wished them well on their journey, lingering on the shore to watch them leave as any parent would their own young children. It humbled Joanna to know how emotionally invested each clan member was with another, whether related by blood or not, and humanity could definitely learn a thing or two. The three students approached their boats to start their journey with optimism and anxiousness, eager to see the rite site in their midst to begin the ascent.

"Joanna" Xuret called quickly for her attention and she turned around swiftly on her heels, her face nervous to the task ahead but ready to face it head-on. Her instructor, however, appeared ready to battle an ikran himself as his hair was neatly tied back in a tight ponytail while sporting the Atykwe hunting garb, knives sheathed at the hips and a medicine pouch in case the students became injured. He couldn't have his student question herself now at this pivotal moment that would define who she was meant to be and instructed carefully, "You cannot falter, take heart and know I will be by your side while Yatzi will be keeping watch. Pace yourself and do not hasten to arrive first or catch up to whoever is first, I cannot stress that enough. When you near the smaller stacks, I will be alongside the three of you and you must adhere to my instructions."

Joanna nodded affirmatively, shaking out the lingering nerves with her hands because they wouldn't help her at all and spoke softly, "Thank you for everything. I'll try to make you proud."

"No 'try', you _will_ make me proud" Xuret stated firmly to instill courage in her heart because failure was not an option for both of them and motioned to the canoe. Hopefully, she would keep her head free of any contradictory thoughts and listen to every word he'd uttered since meeting. It would be a shame if she didn't, given how determined the dreamwalker was, and told himself he'd send word to the Omaticayan advisor if she succeeded. Looking into the clear glittering blue water that remained endless in the horizon, he ordered gently to coax her along to the canoes, "Go, Joanna."

With a firm nod, she scampered off to push her wooden canoe into the calm water and boarded it carefully by balancing her body against the smooth sepia toned wood. Quickly, she wrapped the two leather belts over her legs to secure herself in the seat and grabbed the wooden paddle into her hands to begin rowing slowly towards the east. Settling in to make sure the canoe would be evenly balanced with the first pushes into the cold water, the small boat didn't threaten to tip over and Joanna smiled confidently. She dipped one end of the paddle into the calm sea and began to row towards the site of Uteho'awkx, a smile of content on her face as she started the journey without embarrassing herself. Xuret took the lead quite easily with his skilled canoeing, bringing awe from the students to his flawless maneuvers across the water. He practically glided over the water with nimble finesse as he directed the students towards the site while another instructor, Kor, stayed at the end of the group to make sure nobody lagged behind or became lost.

_Showtime_, Joanna thought amusingly to keep heavily concentrated on her task and kept rowing steadily.

From the shoreline, gentle waves crashed upon the bare feet of matriarch Nitari as she watched them leave with a faint smile on her lips. She had complete faith in Eywa that her three children would return soon and would await them with open arms.

* * *

Xuret brought everyone to a complete halt when they were a safe distance from the rock stack barrier surrounding the rite site, turning towards them in his canoe, and Joanna gulped thickly at seeing waves crash against them. This was it. If she couldn't pass the barrier, she was down and out (possibly, permanently). Her eyes remained entranced by the thundering waves of white foam that slammed against the natural barrier but Xuret snatched her gaze away when he instructed firmly, "You must maneuver yourselves through this field of stacks as you test your flexibility and strength against the elements. I will lead you through the maze but you must follow me or risk becoming swept away by the other currents. All will lead you to the cliff but with that being the only direction, the danger is becoming trapped against one of the smaller stacks."

Joanna quickly wiped her hands over a dry spot on her leggings to prevent the paddle from slipping in her grip when she ventured within the rolling waves. Her eyes were trained on Xuret since he was the queen bee to follow as he turned around, waiting for a few seconds until a decent wave would pull them in for a safe approach to the rock stack and shouted, "Now!"

He couldn't use any fancy maneuvers that the young students hadn't mastered since the route had to be at the beginner's level for safety and tried to make the easiest beeline for the underwater cave that they would enter. Water crashed upon each of the students as they fell into the turbulent waters that only grew in strength as they crashed with the sound of thunder around the small stacks. Joanna shoved her paddle into the water on the right side of the canoe to dodge a different current that would've led her straight into a stack, keeping her eyes focused on her teacher while simultaneously watching any looming stacks that threatened to draw her in. It brought serious multitasking to her five senses as each was overloaded to keep cautious with sight and hearing being the most utilized, remaining observant of her turbulent environment.

Water slapped her face continuously, clouding her vision for a few moments but she shook her head to clear away the droplets from her lashes and blinked them away. A single blur in vision could hinder her path and it would only take a mere second for the sea to crush her against the stacks or swallow her into its depths. She managed to row her way into second place behind Xuret so she would hold the line to make sure the other students didn't face any unforeseen dangers. The waves didn't relent as they almost threatened to tip the canoe over in their haste to slam against the stacks to complete their journey but Joanna simply dug into the water with all of her strength to push in the opposite direction. However, the first test came when she managed to evade one strong current that diverted away from Xuret's path but another from up ahead trapped her into its grasp to steer her away from the group.

"Oh, shit!" she yelped in surprise to the harsh yank that almost knocked her back as it pulled her towards the right and tried to row away but a small stack approached with fast speed. That wasn't good in the slightest. She wasn't about to lose to a stack after all of her hard work through the months and heard Kor leaving the students to help her since Xuret needed to keep the momentum going with the other two. She was on her own so a quick plan had to be implemented immediately to prevent crashing and possibly, dying against it. Joanna knew that if the canoe slammed its front against the rock, it would shatter into pieces of debris and quickly shifted it to the side to avoid such a catastrophe. Her excursions with Xuret had also given her a handy tip that would change the tide and she implemented the maneuver when the wave threw her in the rock stack's direction.

Using all of the strength in her arms, she slammed the end of the paddle against the rock's surface as she bore the entire weight of the crashing wave. Despite the heavy weight bearing down on her muscles, her hold didn't falter as she fought through it. She kept the canoe from touching the stack as water bathed her completely but the paddle playing as her resilient shield prevented her from crashing into it. Kor arrived with aid as he instructed her to bear the wave until it finished, paddling quickly to the young student as the water calmed for a brief moment. This allowed him to snatch her away from the area by using his paddle against the back of her canoe to push her forward to aid her escape rather than allowing the retreating wave to leave with her. Joanna left the area gladly with tired arms when he told her to row away quickly since braving an entire wave wasn't easy, admiring the sheer strength of the elements against her lone form. Kor rowed behind her as he directed to where the other three party members were located as he made sure no other wave caught her off-guard.

"Very good maneuver, Joanna" he complimented her implementation and she managed a shaky smile since the moment had left her adrenaline pumping. Her poor heart rate was barely down to its normal range as she expected another current to pull her away but she kept her arms rowing without halt. She'd come quite close to drowning or having her head bashed open like a watermelon but it only encouraged her resolve to see everything to the end; nothing was stopping her from getting her ikran.

They found their way back to the other three as they neared the last boundary line of stacks and Kor ordered her to fall in line as he fell behind to keep them all in check. Joanna reminded herself to make him a nice batch of banana fritters when she returned because the rite teachers were phenomenal when it came to protecting the students. She managed to stay in line this time but couldn't help but have fear punch her stomach when one of the other students, Tzumu, almost lost his own control with a current in eerie similarity. Of course, she wanted to jump in immediately to help like a good clan sister but Kor stopped her when Xuret managed to grasp the student's arm to yank him back into their current with his strength alone. Truly, Nitari's family was quite awe inspiring.

Joanna was sure she'd unwillingly drank a day's worth of sea water before the currents joined as one to bring unsteady calm around the cliff. That wasn't to say it wouldn't lure you to crash against the wall of the rock stack and Xuret instructed them to keep rowing as they slowed their momentum. Joanna kept a careful eye for any mischievous currents that wanted to play the invisible enemy and heard Xuret instruct over the crashing waves, "When I tell you to jump, you will hold your breath and swim to that cave right there. It has an underwater passage so you will need to hold your breath carefully. Again, I will lead and Kor will keep an eye out for any of you so follow me without stop."

Immediately, Joanna began to practice her deep breathing skills as she calculated how long she could hold her breath and hoped the passage wasn't too long. Otherwise, Kor was going to have to drag a drowned corpse all the way to shore. It wasn't as humorous in mind as she faced the harsh reality and Joanna cursed her defensive shield for backfiring on her. Her hands remained steady on the paddle as she treaded the water to maintain her speed and watched the currents lead to the underwater cave she'd noticed on her first trip with Yatzi, the waves crashing onto the opening to fade into the dark depths of what lurked beneath.

_Eywa, keep my hands steady and guide my passage,_ Joanna ruminated solemnly since this would be the second trial to reach the nest and hoped the passage was a one corridor path because if it branched. . .Eywa help her.

"At the first sight of the calm water, jump!" Xuret instructed firmly over the rushing water of the sea and Joanna kept a cautious eye on the turbulent waves under her canoe. She bore the current until the strong flow broke into calm waters once the rock columns passed her by, looming over their small group like giant obelisks of protection and Joanna was glad they didn't have to pass them on their way back home. The undersea cave approached quickly from the force of the wave and she watched Xuret tip himself over the boat to dive into the water headfirst, the wooden canoe floating elsewhere by itself as the paddle had been strapped alongside for the journey. After the ikran were claimed, teachers and students would return to the area to search for them in order to prevent a loss of fishing equipment since everything was handmade.

Joanna felt the sharp pull when the water released her into calm waters, telling her it was time to go. Quickly, she unstrapped the leather belts from her legs to wrap them around her handy paddle since somebody had created this with their bare hands and she would bring it back to the clan in one piece. Using her balance for leverage, she leaned sideways as she took a deep breath and dove headfirst into the cold water with her arms pointing forward to break the surface cleanly. Her hearing and other senses were decreased heavily as the blue water obstructed them, leaving only touch and blurry vision available.

Nonetheless, she swam forward to find the underwater cave but stopped with natural wariness when a dark shadow loomed at the stack. Was that the entrance? Or something else? It really was hard to see clearly despite the crystal clear water that inhabited the moon and Joanna fought whether to take her chance since she didn't spot Xuret or any of the other students. Another figure swam past her like a missile in hot water and she recognized Xuret's outline, his fingers signaling towards the dark area and he kept the same speed before disappearing into the dark void. Joanna noticed two other figures nearby with na'vi silhouettes outlined and followed quickly since her oxygen would eventually run out, swimming with full speed ahead. The black void widened in size considerably as she approached, her eyes cautiously open for any sudden predatory shadows that could strike or invisible suctions of whirlpools. She entered the large space as it engulfed her into pitch black darkness, using her hands to scope out the area for any rocky protrusions that could harm her and kept on the same path since no other passages branched (thankfully). It was nothing short of eerie and alien to be in a world different from the earth as she traversed the domain of the ocean with caution, her hands constantly investigating the passage for any sudden surprises.

The dark underwater passage brought relief to Joanna's heart when it brought filtrated dim lighting when she neared the end, her vision clearing as the water turned a calming gray-blue. It was a small comfort since swimming blind had heightened her heart rate and required more oxygen exchange, which she didn't have. She caught a glimpse of Xuret's feet fading upwards and quickened her swim to catch him until the water became a clear blue hue and she felt the roof of the passage open. Blue light filtrated from above in the form of a circle, beckoning her in safe welcome and Joanna smiled with a closed mouth in relief as she clung to the walls of the passage. The route ended entirely and she swam upwards, firmly grasping the rocky ground with steady fingers to pull herself into the open space within the rock stack. Warm air struck her body as the weight of gravity weakened her limbs for a moment but she fought through it as she broke to the surface, finishing the second test of the trial. Oh, she'd never felt more relived in her life and for two times within a twenty-four hour period.

Breathing deeply to replenish her lungs of much needed oxygen, she crawled onto the rocky earth with relief that the treacherous part of the journey had been overcome. The same suspense from Iknimaya kept the adrenaline pumping through her bloodstream, maintaining that fight-or-flight mechanism that kept pushing her to survive. Wiping her face clear of dripping water, she scrambled onto shaky feet to leave room for the other students to fall onto when they surfaced and scanned the cavern for Xuret.

"I see you made it first" he spoke evenly with a hint of approval as he moved to the entryway of the water pool to help the other students. Joanna had to admire the man's stamina because he endured the first two obstacles without breaking a sweat and even now, could barely detect a hint of the heaving chest she had. She assumed constant trips every season to Uteho'awkx conditioned him to the harsh physical demands but couldn't help but feel like a little ant as she hunched over to relax while he stood like a stone statue. Maybe it was the confident ambience hunters exceeded because Tsu'tey had been the same, resilient against all obstacles and hardly broke into a sweat. If he could see her now. . .she straightened her posture quickly and wiped off any droplets dripping down her limbs to air dry herself quickly. Xuret kept watch over the pool but his stoic voice echoed over the stone walls as he asked quietly, "You almost had an accident at the stack, did you gain injuries?"

"No, I survived unscathed" she replied easily as she'd surprised herself when her body reacted instinctively, toughing out the current all on her own. Hmm, if she found that paddle, she might just hang it over one of her alcove shelves in honorable remembrance to the rite. The little guy deserved recognition too.

Xuret grunted softly in approval, his wet ponytail sticking to the nape of his neck as he waited for the others and pointed to a dark entryway at the end of the room, informing simply, "You can wait by the passage until the others arrive."

She listened to the suggestion and walked away to find a decent boulder to sit on to wait until it was time. She glad to take a short rest from moving her arms since rowing and swimming were quite the energy zappers, finding her little spot near the dark entryway that would lead them to the ikran nest. A na'vi sized boulder was her chosen spot as she took the free time to massage any limbs and joints that tingled from overuse, glimpsing over her shoulder towards the dark cavern with a curious eye. There was no light within the passage which puzzled her completely and withheld her questions as Xuret and the other instructor helped the other students' surface onto land. She was glad they'd all arrived in one piece and didn't want to return to the rock stack again until she was more experienced- and much older.

Her questions regarding light were answered when Xuret found a portable bladder lantern for use in one hand rather than those propped throughout Hometree. It had lain in a corner of the open area and the hunter placed it on a boulder for the moment as he opened his satchel to fish out an enclosed wooden container with engraved decorations and a closed clam shell. He popped open the gray clam shell to smear orange nectar gathered within onto the inside of the portable bladder lantern and wiped his fingers on a brown cloth as Kor explained the purpose of it. Apparently, the lantern would guide their way through the dark passage and in its place, Xuret would leave another that was void of its contents for the next group in the upcoming season. Joanna watched from her spot on the rock as he opened the wooden spherical container to empty the illuminating teal bugs that filled the lanterns to bathe the area with light, as was their purpose. The blue light emitted an ethereal glow against the rock walls immediately as they buzzed around for nectar but Xuret would release them once they reached the nest to grant them freedom for their help. He placed everything back within his satchel for future reuse, picking up the small circular lantern in one hand as he would lead the way. He ushered everyone along into a single file line for safekeeping and Joanna slipped into the group once more with a focused alert mind as Kor took up the rear to keep watch.

"Keep your senses sharp, paths are old and shadows can be deceiving" Xuret instructed carefully to each awaiting student as he led the way, jumping over a bundle of small rocks obstructing the illuminated path. The students followed diligently with perk ears and watchful eyes, taking each step carefully within the dimly lit passageway as they gazed in all directions to avoid being pulled into a false sense of security. The passage was cozy for one group alone as they were protected by rock walls on all sides, the lantern burning brightly within the small space as Joanna took the third spot between both students to make sure she didn't become lost early in the trip. For a moment, she led herself to believe the passage would lead her to the nest in similarity to Iknimaya where a single path led to the top but she was horribly mistaken.

The passage eventually transformed into an open space as the rock wall receded upwards into the stack and a variety of single paths were revealed, open abysses with underlying threat dividing each path. Joanna's heart skipped a few beats at seeing the lack of a decent hold or railing on the side, reminding her of the hovering vines towards Iknimaya. Hugging the wall was the safest bet but one had to remain sharp at detecting loose footholds within the path and there were instances when Joanna heard loose rocks falling into the abyss to their left. It was unbelievable to witness a different setting within the rock stack but Pandora always wowed her with her diversity.

The path ascended upwards as it twisted into circular turns within the stack, small areas crumbling away into the dark abyss from old age but Xuret led the way without halting. It reminded Joanna of Tolkien's old Lord of the Rings series as they traveled within the dark, using their sharp senses to stay on guard. When Xuret began hopping over broken parts of the path to show which parts needed to be avoided, Joanna focused her eyes solely on the ground to make sure she didn't accidentally tumble into the unknown abyss- it was entirely unnerving. It could've been a foot deep or hundreds in the pitch black darkness! All she knew was that following the glowing lamp was her salvation and didn't know how long they'd been climbing as their previous paths fell into darkness while they kept moving upwards in the spiral road.

A few long jumps over broken areas earned Joanna a little confidence that she wasn't too shabby in her skills but soon, another area opened up along the path which led them into a large cavity. The walls ascended upwards into the stack until they stopped at a high ceiling but no paths were seen diverting from it. Rather, there were rocky platforms spread throughout the walls as they jutted outwards naturally and Xuret pointed towards them to explain, "We hiked the spiral paths to reach this area but now, we will be climbing those rocky platforms to reach the last path. . .up there."

Joanna saw the opening at about sixty feet off the floor and caught sight of the platforms that naturally led to the opening but one would have to jump strategically to grip each from a short distance. It wasn't too bad after practicing such climbing with both Tsu'tey and Xuret but without a rope of any kind for suspension in case of a misstep, Joanna would have to be extremely careful with each platform. Xuret placed the small lantern in his satchel for safekeeping as filtering white light emanating from their target beckoned them to the sacred nest of the ikran, testing their strength one last time before the ikran challenge.

Xuret began the climb on the lowest platform, digging his feet into the grooves as his hands grabbed secure protrusions on the rock to lift himself upwards. Constant practice and his natural reach allowed him to ascend easily in two moves but he took his time to allow the novice hunters to catch up to him, making sure they caught sight of his footings to follow. He didn't want any of them to fall and risk a serious injury, climbing onto the top of the first platform before standing up to pinpoint the next one that stood at a higher elevation and within his grasp.

He'd memorized each of the platform after years of bringing the young ones there, leaving Joanna with bewilderment when he jumped onto the next one without halt. Oh man, he gave Olympic high jumpers a run for their money with his skills. She followed carefully after watching each of his movements to mimic, calculating each jump onto the next ascending platform before launching herself into the air to grip the cold rock into her hands. Her toes dug into the nearest grooves to propel herself upwards and onto the flat earth of the platform before standing up to regain her stamina. She kept the same game plan as all five individuals rounded the platforms around the circular area, traversing the entire cavity more than twice as each level raised their altitude by ten feet. The structure of the platforms kept the same spiral formation to ascend them to the top and she admired the ingenuity of nature along with the Atykwe's creativity to have their rite there.

Kor and Xuret were proud of their students as neither slipped on their climbs, latching onto the rock wall with perfect grips and requiring no assistance as they reached the top of each platform. Joanna kept her eyes fixated on each rocky platform, refusing to look down for fear she'd falter before jumping and to prevent becoming dizzy with each roundabout around the open area. She felt like an acrobat by the end of it all, running to jump onto the gritty earth above her as the strength in her legs gave her the momentum needed to boost herself over the distance. How did prolemuris do this on a daily basis?

Her arms struck the top of the last platform, lifting a heavy cloud of dust that had fallen from the ceiling into the air as her fingers grabbed hold of grooves and cracks within the rock. With a small determined hiss that dissipated the bothersome particles, she kicked her legs to propel herself onto the platform as she tugged her entire body onto the cold hard floor. Dust coated her palms, arms, and legs in a thin film but as long as she was safe and in one piece at the top, it sufficed. She had made it all the way to the top in the last test before fighting her ikran and although her muscles wanted a little rest, they would have to wait a little longer. Crawling towards the entrance that shone with light from within, she wiped her limbs clean with her hands and caught her breath for the moment since climbing over fifty feet into the air was something to be proud of.

"Gather your bearings, we will start once Kor arrives" Xuret ordered the two students gathered alongside him and Joanna quickly wiped herself clean of dust to maintain a decent appearance (she had an ikran to meet, after all), smiling at Raya as she held the same nervousness. Both were curious to peek over the platform to see the height they'd climbed but Xuret kept them by the entrance by stating simply, "It's in your best interest not to glance down."

And that was that.

When all five members of the group were gathered at the top, Xuret retrieved the portable lantern from his satchel to bathe the entrance with its bioluminescence. The last passage to the nest held its own light from the outside that poured in but Xuret wasn't leaving anything to chance since the path could have small cracks that could give way or fallen debris that would obstruct their footing. He cleared the way for the students as the stone corridor enclosed them safely, holding no narrow paths with endless abysses to the sides but the hunter still had to jump over a few broken pieces of the trail.

Joanna kept her stamina despite the canoeing, swimming, and climbing as she performed a few long jumps to carry her across the way. Anaya had told her that Uteho'awkx was an old rite and over time, paths had become obstructed or decayed which led to finding new paths to complete the rite of passage. In a few hundred years or so, new paths would have to be explored to prevent accidents from occurring to the students. Joanna could only wonder how the clan would be then, after she and everyone she knew passed away into Eywa's arms, but it was comforting to know the rock stack that bonded them all as one would remain standing strong through the passage of time.

The entrance to the nest widened as they all approached it with hasty excisted feet and the white light exploded into a multitude of colors as the nest thrived with life from outside, calls echoing within the passage. Joanna completed the last hurdle, a tiny job, as she jumped over a bundle of rocks protruding on the path and finally stepped into the nest as filtrating bright light blinded her momentarily.

* * *

_(Joanna's POV)_

My breath was heavy from the jumps and runs throughout the dimly lit passages, pressing a hand to my chest to calm my pounding heart quickly since I was now in the center of it all. The turbulent ocean and dark paths had been conquered and this last step awaited me to either succeed or fail but I would give it my all to claim my ikran. Xuret entered the ikran nest first, engulfed in the bright light exuding from the opening and I followed after with careful steps while using my hand to shield my eyes from the stinging light. Blinking my eyes quickly to readjust to the sunlight bathing the area, I took instant notice of the tall gray rock walls of the nest encasing us cozily within the stack. The start of the nest next to the passage exit was bathed in cool shade from the sun's current angle but the rest was brightly lit and allowed a perfect view to analyze the terrain. Screeches expressing various emotions filled my ears as the rocky gray land was packed with marine colors of all kinds on the ground floor and gasped with awe when part of the rock wall shifted, realizing that slate gray _ikran_ covered the wall like a second skin. Amazing. Their camouflage was flawless as they clung to the wall but upon closer inspection, you could see the yellow eyes and sharp teeth hissing in our direction.

Ikran of blue, ivory, and gray littered the entire field as they had been basking over rocks and enjoying themselves at home until our unexpected arrival. Irritated hisses and growls covered my hearing as we disturbed their normal peace of the nest, especially when Xuret and the other instructor cleared the center field of extra ikran by issuing hisses to provide a clearing for the fight. I can tell you now, the ikran weren't very happy about that as they hissed indignantly at Xuret but climbed onto boulders and the surrounding walls to seek cover. The dynamics between ikran and na'vi were worth a study as each regarded the other highly and wouldn't attack unless viciously provoked. It would definitely be a tighter squeeze than the Omaticaya nest as the area almost overflowed with the beautiful (yet dangerous) ikran and kept my hand steady on the leather pouch at my side in case an ikran decided to jump at me. The other students stuck close to me since we were all in the same boat, struck with awe and fear at facing one of these formidable creatures in a battle of strength and wit.

The million dollar question on all of our minds was: who would go first?

Xuret stood confidently in the center of the open clearing, his posture dominant towards the observant ikran as he turned around to gaze at each of us with a calculating stare. Damn, that man was certainly fearless standing there like that . . . I almost envied his bravery as we students huddled together like tapiri for protection. His piercing gaze locked onto mine and immediately, my stomach erupted into butterflies as I read the distinct expression within them from afar and he called out, "Joanna, _you_ will be first."

Dreamwalkers were certainly popular for going first, weren't they?

My mouth dried instantly as the final moment came down to this and my hands shook with sudden nervousness because I didn't want to become an ikran's chew toy. Even my poor toes curled into the dirt as the never ceasing hisses echoed through the nest and I eyed the walls suspiciously while trying to pinpoint whether my ikran was giving me the evil eye from within one of those crowds. Xuret wasn't a man you left waiting, especially when surrounded by wild ikran, and his stern voice carried across the distance when he commanded, "Joanna, this is your test. Everything you've worked for has led to this moment, do not disappoint me or our Tsahìk."

He was absolutely right; I wasn't doing this just for myself.

Breathing deeply to shove down the initial fear of this moment, I broke away from the group after wishing them good luck and opened the pouch on my left side that contained my handy bola. I had trained with them continuously and with Yatzi's help, this would give me a good advantage . . . or so, I hoped. I approached my instructor with a confident posture to show him I was ready for this, drilling it into my head because a lack of certainty could bode dangerously in the fight. My fingers tightened over the bola, a sense of security springing forth from the soft leather and I faced my instructor with a firm expression to request calmly, "Please keep back, I don't want anyone to become hurt. Xuret. . .thank you, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you."

"Make me proud, make yourself proud, Joanna" he encouraged one last time, his detached voice lightening and he reminded me that Yatzi would be watching in case of any danger. It helped my anxiousness somewhat and he returned to the others to keep them safe at the passage exit while I remained alone to undergo the final step of this rite. I took my spot in the dead center as I'd done at the Omaticaya nest and kept my eyes locked onto every inch of the nest, whether in front, back, or above me. Ikran could never be underestimated as they carried a heavy advantage, already knowing Jake's close call over the edge of the floating mountain and Tsu'tey's near miss of losing his lower limb so caution was mandatory. Tsu'tey's stealth skills and Xuret's blindfolded training helped exponentially in picking up sounds in all directions to detect enemies that wanted to catch me unguarded.

A part of me worried that history would repeat itself again when the ikran began to disperse towards the walls and I hissed loudly in challenge to match the level of their deep growls. I _needed_ an ikran to heed my call. The fierce insistence shown during Iknimaya remained within me and I would exhaust all available strategies or spots where the ikran resided to make sure one attacked. A sharp growl that pitched higher than the rest filled my ears with delight as one finally broke forth from the masses located in a large group towards the back of the nest. The ikran cluster scuttled back into the natural grooves of the wall for safety while this one jumped over the boulders with its powerful leg muscles as its large wings guided its graceful movements. The ikran leapt onto the center of the field with a fierce growl, its sharp claws raking into the dirt as it broke the ground open with heavy force and its wings extended fully into the air to pose its challenge clearly.

Oh, _she_ was beautiful.

Her reptilian hide was a rich sapphire color that matched the tone of the deep ocean, the sides of her head splotched in ivory and a slate gray as they blended into the back of her wings. She was quite larger than I expected, definitely bigger than Yatzi, her wings flaring to give her a domineering stance as her golden eyes were ablaze with defiance. I needed her to be at my side while she was more than ready to disembowel me to prove she was mightier. She hissed menacingly, the exhale of hot air striking my face despite the distance between us and I returned the same ferocity to show I was strong enough to challenge her.

"I am Joanna and here to prove I am worthy of being your partner" I declared firmly with a strong voice because ikran were intelligent creatures and deserved the same respect as a na'vi. Her golden eyes flickered for a moment as her strong neck reared back a few inches but the next second, her jaws released a furious screech. There was no calming this ferocious ikran down, was there?

The ikran leapt forward with open jaws to tear my skin open but I dodged to the right side, biting down my beating heart for the close call but kept her within my peripheral vision. I could not lose track of her for a mere second or it would all be over, kicking myself up as my fingers tightened on the bola and prepared to use it. She leapt at me once more with her talons at the forefront, sapphire wings spreading to aid her with extra force to gut her prey but I used the sweeping cover of her wings to roll out of the way. Her sharp talons tore into the earth to cover the field in a translucent veil of brown dust as she missed the target, her tail flailing in anger as she roared into the heavens with unacceptable disappointment. There was no question this ikran was fierce but I had to defeat her in any way possible. . .and my chance came soon.

Her mouth was her biggest weapon on land so incapacitating it would bring instant victory by dodging any strikes from her wings and neck. When she neared me again to strategize her next attack, I released my bola with perfect accuracy to wrap it around her snout since Yatzi had performed the same maneuver of attack many times. The leather strings snapped closed around her mouth, incapacitating her main offense and her wings expanded to their full length in fury. She looked gigantic as she reared back on her legs, reminding me of a majestic mythical dragon as she sent a gust of wind flying towards me.

The sapphire ikran issued me a despising glare, a furious growl rumbling from within her throat for being restrained in such a way and I grinned proudly with admiration, "Oh, you are a big 'un."

It was time to tackle her headfirst to grasp onto her queue and I ran forward with quick speed to initiate the bond, but she was notoriously defiant to allow the connection. I'd heard of different accounts on how students achieved their rite but mine decided to change the whole game altogether to get rid of me. I was more than ready to jump onto her speckled sapphire back to grasp her queue but when I reached her reptilian neck, her head collided into my left side to knock me away and I struck the ground on my back. If she'd had no bola keeping her mouth shut, she would've severed my side immediately and that would've been the end of the battle along with my life. Regardless of her attack, I stood up with protesting muscles to climb back onto my feet as the hit knocked the breath out of me but she was already one step ahead in defying me.

Xuret's wild idea about the environment was about to come true.

My savvy ikran decided to give me the slip by climbing onto the nearest wall of the cliff, climbing upwards to escape me as other ikran scattered away from the wall for refuge. This obscured my view of her for a few seconds as wings of multiple colors blocked me but I gave chase with the same determination, ikran parting without a concern for me as I ascended the cliff wall to follow the stubborn banshee. Rock climbing had become quite fun for me during training and Iknimaya had allowed me to conquer my fear of climbing at such unbelievable heights so my fingers were more than ready to wedge between grooves to propel myself upwards. She moved to the right side in avoidance when her head tilted to the side to glimpse at what happened to pesky little me and I grinned manically to show I wasn't giving up on her. If anything, this served to fuel her movements farther away from me towards the right side that faced the endless ocean and heard Xuret yell from below, "Think and act, Joanna! Do not leap without cause!"

The cliff was a rougher climb than a floating mountain due to the lack of ledges and ignored the scratches on my palms as I moved after the ikran without stop. We were alone on this wall of the rock stack as all ikran had vacated the area, aware that they could become hurt during our chase if my ikran decided to bolt into the air. I gave her no option of such as I aimed another bola (I'd brought four to be prepared) towards the nearest wing to prevent her sudden departure and her left leg lashed out towards me. There was a hint of surprise in her predatory orbs as she'd never expected me to chase her at this height but I was ready to risk everything for her. I was daring enough to pull on the end of her beautiful sapphire tail, yanking it once to unsettle her to my close proximity but released it quickly because a powerful swing could send me flying down the wall. Nonetheless, I remained insistent by wasting another bola to knock the talon on her left wing off the wall and this time, she had enough of my attacks.

Thankfully, my original bola remained tightly wrapped around her snout but she gave chase towards me as she spun in the opposite direction. If you thought ikran weren't fast on a cliff wall, let me tell you, we were both wrong because this one was on me like an insect on sweet nectar. Quickly, I retraced my previous steps on the rock wall to avoid her and began my own path around the cliff wall as I made sure to grab stable wedges while keeping her at a safe distance.

Oh-ho, my precious big 'un was mad now.

Her muffled screech echoed through the calm air as her claws scraped along the wall, ripping off pieces of old stone to make her way to eating the pesky dreamwalker chasing her. I kept a firm hold on each groove that I found, carefully wedging my toes into the cracks to maintain my hold but I needed to pin her to connect our queues. Obviously, there was no way she would allow it and this wall was her best defense at keeping me away while she was chasing me. I didn't have much time to formulate my plan and quickly surveyed the environment we were in: rock wall around us, the nest was now to the right of us and at a short distance, we were closer to the top of the stack, and the thundering ocean lay below us.

I noticed a small ledge below us and found a possible answer to my question since she was adamant on following me. Crawling like the amazing Spiderman towards a ridge between us, the ikran screeched above me as she dared me to come closer but I merely opened the pouch on my left side. I retrieved a rope that held a spiny but tough black plant seed that hunters used to wedge between rocks or branches to scale heights due to their portable palm size. My plans of attack on an ikran had been carefully detailed back at home, asking Xuret what was permitted on the rite and scaling a wall qualified due to the nest's location. The spiny seed prickled my hand but I sucked down the burning pain (hunters used a leather glove to avoid the sharp sturdy needles) when I jammed it into a tight spot within the opening, using my last bola to carefully wedge it inside to support my weight.

I would use the environment for amateur cliff climbing, throwing the rope down but tied a secure knot around a protruding rock to add further security. I wasn't looking forward to dying this far in my rite when I was facing down my future aerial partner. My ikran caught up to me in a flash, the hot breath exhaled from her spiracles struck my face but I was ready to rebuff her attack when she used the force in her body to head-butt me on the head. My bleeding hand struck out to strike her left eyes to temporarily blind her, blocking the full force of the attack and used the excess force in my advantage.

My sapphire ikran's rage went over the meter when I descended the rope towards the ledge below with her added boost but surprise overcame me when her jaws snapped the bola into pieces. Her strength overpowered the leather straps (which were reinforced, mind you) and a victorious roar echoed off the walls as she regained her most powerful weapon. It wasn't good but I couldn't dwell on it as she continued barreling down towards me, calculating my movements and mimicking them. This called for another swift alteration and I waited for her on the rock wall, praying to Eywa that my rope would hold because my ikran was about to join the fight. I used the rope to my advantage for maneuvering when she reached my previous spot but I'd jumped over to the right to maintain a safe distance, both of us facing off in a determined gaze. I didn't have serrated teeth and wings but I wouldn't let that stop me.

I hated having to kick her pretty head to the side when her jaws snapped towards my arms but I wasn't about to be eaten, eluding her attack with a fierce growl. My bola's were out so all I could do was tear off the leather pouch from my belt to let her bite into it, trapping her serrated teeth into the leather for a moment but it was all I needed. With my feet firmly attached to the wall, I used my weight to pick up momentum to jump around her and away from the wall in an arch over the air to land on her thick neck. She screeched angrily to the immediate skin contact, arching her strong neck towards me to snap her jagged teeth over my rope to cut my lifeline to the wall. My fingers dug deeply into her neck for a good hold with one arm and with her trying to tear my rope in half, I gave my girl a helping hand by pulling it backwards to crane her head closer me for access to the queue.

"C'mon, big girl, just a little closer!" I yelled to motivate both of us in this fight as my queue hung from my shoulder and hers was so close but yet so far, blood smearing the rope from my hand injury as pressure was applied.

My left leg managed to curl around her strong neck with my foot tucking under her left wing as she ripped the rope to shreds but she caught notice of my sudden presence on her back. The single glance as our determined eyes met allowed my free hand to grasp that coveted queue and clung onto her antennae when she tried to fight me off by wriggling wildly. I yelled angrily to show her I wasn't quitting this easily as I tried to connect our queues and hang onto dear life as my bloody right hand kept slipping over her skin. That's when she released her hold of the cliff to dive into the sky as both my hands gripped her for the unexpected ride over the ocean. Her daring attempt for freedom was to throw me off by flying belly side up but when she realized that my weight would drag her down as I kept a tight hold on her neck and queue, she corrected it immediately. After all, she wasn't looking to die in this encounter.

She twisted to fly into the air normally as I fell hard on her back from the change in gravity, my mind briefly dizzy to the change in balance. She was going to use the wind against me this time but that was her downfall as I released the hand on her neck to quickly grasp my queue and united it to the one in my left, finally uniting us in tsaheylu. She had been cunningly smart in her attacks but luck was on my side today to win this battle.

Her screech echoed against the rock stack as defeat came hard for the powerful ikran and before she decided to summersault to knock me off, I ordered carefully in our minds, "Calm down. It's all right, I won't harm you."

I sensed defiance in her at first but it turned to reluctant acceptance when I issued orders similar to what I'd used with Peke and the instruction Xuret had told me to keep her flying straight. I'm sure she wouldn't have wanted me to plunge her right into the sea within the first minutes of our new bond. It took effort to control her nimble movements since she was much more flexible than Peke and unlike the ikran, we were land beings so we knew what to move. The ikran was entirely different as the sky was their domain to control in many ways as she used her body to maneuver through it and that was nothing short of amazing. A single rise of either wing would send her flying in a different altitude and her tail's movements kept her right on course, correcting any angles that her wings missed.

My free hand smoothed over the warm sapphire skin of her back, feeling her strong muscles flex with each breath and movement in the air as her bright eyes blinked to the world around her. Our bond had been sealed after many months of waiting and it was. . . extremely relieving and rewarding. It was a strong feeling that swept through me and tears stung my eyes for achieving this moment after countless months- seasons- of endless training. Everything I'd worked for had not been in vain and I could rest easy in knowing that I had made the Atykwe clan proud. There had been no time lapse from the moment I entered the field and I chided myself for ever daring to defy a matriarch due to my heart's inklings, making damn sure I'd never do something so idiotic again. Nitari had brought all of this into my hands, already knowing each of my steps since meeting and I would make her proud by serving her as best as I could.

_Eywa told me to name you Xeki, do you accept?_, I asked gently to further tighten our new bond and instead of rebellion, the ikran chirped with acceptance. This girl already knew her name before I'd uttered it, didn't she? A wavering smile crossed my lips as the adrenaline left my system and tears stung my eyes for this success in my life, trying out the short affectionate name. It felt perfect leaving my lips as the sun bathed us in its warm comforting light and the ocean glittered beautifully below us, breathing softly with disbelief, "Xeki, you are my brave Xeki. I am Joanna, your loyal partner."

She seemed content as we flew gently towards the nest again, not as combatants on opposite sides but as willing partners this time. I took my time becoming accustomed to each shift of her wings, deciding to stick with straightforward orders than anything fancy because causing us both harm was not on the agenda. That and she'd probably take a bite out of me for doing so. The other students were taming their ikran now and I assumed it was due to our sudden exit off the clearing towards the top of the stack. I didn't catch sight of my teacher on the ground floor, hearing Kor call out quickly from below as he kept his concentration on the current student, "Xuret is looking for you around the cliffs! He was worried for your safety!"

Returning my appreciative thanks, Xeki turned back towards the area of our battle and I smiled amusingly when I felt the pride in her mind as my shredded rope billowed against the sea breeze. Well, at least she admired my perseverance and I definitely admired her tenacity. The crashing ocean waves from below calmed my tense body from the adrenaline that had previously pumped like crazy throughout the match and hoped my energy would last till reaching the shores of home. After everything that had occurred since morning, I was exhausted down to my bare bones but there was still another rite that awaited me later tonight. If I passed the dream hunt, I was in the Atykwe clan until death and that suited me wonderfully. Xeki called out to the flying ikran roaming the skies for an afternoon stroll and their marine colors contrasted beautifully against the azure sky, some disappearing entirely in camouflage when Xeki rose higher as they blended with the dark ocean.

"Joanna!"

Being wary of my new altitude, I kept a good grip on Xeki's blue antennae to angle my head without risking my stability and caught glimpse of Xuret as Yatzi carried him. The azure ikran screeched cheerfully and I greeted both with a broad smile because their hard work alongside me had paid off with taming Xeki, remembering my tangles with Yatzi as she tried to flatten me into a pancake. They were indeed a welcome sight after setting out in the early morning with butterflies in my stomach and called over with an impish smile, "I heard you went looking for me. I didn't do too badly for a dreamwalker, did I?"

"Not bad, indeed" he replied back with approval to my success and the day brightened tenfold when I finally witnessed a friendly smile on his face. Yes! I could finally earn back those four seashells from Anaya. . .but they did look prettier in her alcove. Xeki hissed softly as her tail lowered to maintain her steady altitude and chided me about not falling off of her since my surprise echoed through our bond. I withheld a chuckle to her comment as Xuret flew closer to us to lead us back to the nest and he explained carefully with friendliness, "Since you're no longer my student, I won't be chastising you until there's a good enough reason to. Besides, you're not a dreamwalker anymore, Joanna, you're an Atykwe."

"And proud to be one" I called over with a giddy grin because I could finally do away with being called dreamwalker but my experiences since day one as an avatar would still carry weight in my life. I wasn't a new person but each test shed away part of my old life like a moth's cocoon and paved the way for the new, transforming who I had been into the na'vi the clan would need. There were certainly a few changes within my demeanor since my first days on the moon, the most pronounced occurring from ongoing interaction with Tsu'tey but the Atykwe was also picking away to spring forth a balanced woman out of me. This wasn't to say I'd give up my humor anytime soon but the rest was up for grabs, smiling eagerly as I pointed out, "All I have to do now is the dream hunt and it will all be finished."

Xuret motioned for us to circle the nest while waiting for the last student to finish their rite, something that I didn't want to redo again in my life and would take great care of Xeki to the best of my abilities to prevent anything from happening to her. Yatzi flew in long lazy circles, screeching in greeting to any ikran that flew by with her energetic attitude while Xuret sat comfortably on her and suggested, "I would take a nap first to make sure your mind is sharp when it comes time to undertake it."

"Message received" I thanked with a quick grin since maintaining my connection to Xeki and keeping aware of my surroundings was a new experience. Hopefully, I'd learn to relax on my ikran without the fear of falling over as I clutched her close while Xuret didn't even bother to grab Yatzi's antennae. I'd become accustomed to Peke's mind since he took the reins while I kept a watchful eye of our environment but Xeki was different, she required input since staying in one spot was a definite no. This new relationship, not to mention maneuvering, would definitely need to build over time and requested politely with a hopeful smile, "Mind giving this novice a few flying pointers while we look for those canoes?"

* * *

"Look at the gorgeous ikran our newest hunters have claimed" Nitari spoke proudly as each student bowed politely to our revered leader and I did the same, unable to hold back the sappy proud grin on my face. We were gathered at the canopies as she'd been waiting to greet us, upholding her promises as always and I had found myself pleasantly surprised. Our teachers had left to prepare the next rite and had left us in the care of the matriarch, her caring demeanor bringing a calming aura to the twittering chirps of ikran wandering the area. Her eyes paused on each of the new ikran to observe them with a fond gaze as they studied their new surroundings and she spoke cheerfully, "I am relieved to see that all of you are without serious injury and now that you are all gathered here, I can give you a few words about the ikran. This is based solely on experience but if any of you are interested in following a path in caring for our beautiful partners or have questions about their care, Kunu will be happy to answer once he returns from the nest. He has to make sure the ikran remain undisturbed and without stress from the recent rite so he is removing all traces of our recent presence there. Now. . ."

With a sharp whistle that echoed, a white blur shot out from above the thick concealing canopies to land on the ground with a predatory screech and we stared in awe to the ikran before us. Nitari smiled fondly to the bone white ikran that held emerald blotches on its wings and head, a stunningly beautiful contrast to the blue and gray ikran gathered around her. Only a matriarch could have such a beautiful creature to match her powerful status. How had such a gorgeous banshee camouflaged over the ocean? Most banshees that didn't match their environment could become easy pickings for predators if their riders weren't careful and although the porcelain ikran carried a few scars alongside its body in experience, it spoke highly of its flying skills. We lowered our gazes when the white ikran turned its fierce golden gaze upon us but I could hear the communication between the four ikran, all of the newer ones purring softly in respect to their elder. The matriarch chuckled softly to her ikran's protectiveness over her as it flared its wings to conceal her and introduced fondly, "This is my precious Stxeli, and he has been my loyal partner for as long as I've been matriarch. He's not as fast as he used to be in his youthful days but he'll protect each of our ikran with ferocious courage to match a toruk. Cherish your ikran because they will be by your side with unyielding loyalty and friendship for many years."

She instructed us on the basics of having an ikran since they were our partners and looked to us for their care so we would uphold it or risk them leaving us. I didn't know such a thing was possible due to the intimate bond of tsaheylu but Nitari explained there had been instances in the past where an ikran and na'vi didn't see eye-to-eye despite Eywa's original plan and She commanded the separation. It was a somber thought since the ikran species were fiercely loyal, remembering Swizav's protectiveness over his master, and hoped that I could provide everything Xeki needed.

Afterwards, she took the time to speak to each of us about the upcoming rite since the poison of the spider would be excruciating (despite the powerful antivenom) and I appreciated the time she took out of her schedule to see each of us. Nitari was admirable enough as a Tsahìk and to play the dual role of Olo'eyktan as well. . .she carried herself with such humble grace despite the ruling power she wielded. I smiled courteously when she approached me with her gliding gait as I'd been removing the leather pouch wedged between Xeki's sharp teeth, something she'd wanted removed adamantly since we arrived. I hid the bag behind my back to appear presentable to the matriarch while Xeki merely snapped her jaws with satisfaction, arching her back in complete attention to follow my lead. Stxeli followed the matriarch's movements wherever she wandered, fiercely protective as she moved towards us but stayed behind obediently when she stood before us. I kept my eyes locked on Nitari because I wasn't going to risk a look that would have me attacked but Xeki showed her own protectiveness staying next to me, her left sapphire wing brushing against my shoulder.

It was a humbling experience.

"Look at this marvel, she is almost as big as a male ikran" Nitari chuckled softly when I introduced Xeki, who had graciously dipped her head to the matriarch in her own form of respect. She returned the same polite gesture, placing a hand on the center of her head while I stared in admiration to the fearless move. Weren't ikran wary of newcomers? Xeki merely blinked with content to her touch as she stretched her speckled blue wings to show approval and Nitari greeted warmly with a tender smile lighting up her face, "I have seen you many times in my meditations, Xeki, and you are a most welcome sight after all this time. I can assume by the small bruise on her right eyes and your bleeding hand, Joanna, that the fight was not an easy one?"

"She engaged me in an admirable fight" I answered with an amused smile to the sapphire ikran, whose speckled white chest puffed slightly to the comment but she'd definitely earned it. I'd never expected to fight such a tenacious creature and she'd put out all the stops to see me fail horribly and leave her be- luckily, I was too stubborn to do so. The blood on my hand had clotted and caked around my palm but I would patch it up with a visit to the healer's in a moment's time. My clean hand, however, ran over the top of her head with a caring touch as I stated softly, "I will see the ikran breeder for some medicine, I don't want any damage from that fight to linger."

Nitari smiled with satisfaction to my dedication to keep her safe, her hands gently gliding over Xeki's snout as my ikran watched us with curiosity in her eyes, and remarked warmly, "I am proud of your accomplishments today, Joanna. Once you finish Uniltaron, you will be an integral part of our clan and will be free to choose a class to branch from. I will be advising you once you complete this but for now, let me tell you, hunting and herbalism come naturally to you. Time and apprenticing will help flourish your skills so that will be your main focus as you help our clan. Now, let me carry on to the next student so you can allow Xeki to pick her new living area."

I bowed my head politely with thanks for her advice, smiling confidently as she left because I'd kept my promise to her and brought back a formidable ikran for the clan. Otherwise, I would've crawled back up the stack to redo the entire rite or tackled Xeki into the ocean to complete it- thankfully, it didn't come to that. Stxeli followed his rider, exhaling hot air from his spiracles in our direction to show that he was the top ikran above all, and walked behind the matriarch to keep close as he inspected the new ikran himself for judgment. They made quite a formidable pair as Nitari was a gentle soul while Stxeli was a cautious protector.

I allowed Xeki to pick her spot for sleep, watching as she sniffed each area meticulously to see whether an ikran had claimed it but she found a suitable area on the branches above me. As her rider, I ascended the main trunk of Kelutral by gripping onto protrusions or grooves until reaching the next level and hopped onto the branch with ease. I laughed amusingly as she scratched an oval groove on the branch with her sharp talons until it was deemed to her liking or 'lived in', watching her sapphire wings flare out to test the depth since ikran liked to fan out their wings to relax completely. I merely watched her with warmth because I'd give her anything she wanted to be comfortable, smiling fondly when she'd sniffed me for a few good minutes to memorize my scent. I talked to her for voice recognition while stroking her head with undying affection, gazing into her golden eyes to sink in the fact that she was now with me. She was my own now, my baby, and I hoped she and Peke would get along; they were my kids.

"You are so beautiful" I doted fondly with happiness to my new partner and smiled gratefully since I could see her initial defiance had faded completely. Instead of narrowed eyes and hissing irritably, Xeki's eyes were wide with intrigue about Kelutral as a soft chirp echoed from within her throat. The merry chirps increased in pace when I brushed her head clean of dust gathered at the cliff, making sure to keep her spotless as I smiled amusingly to the content noises mixing into the wildlife twittering around us and informed gently, "I'll brush you every day if you want."

My ikran decided to purr with delight this time, settling into her new nook in the canopy as I brushed her sapphire face clear of any dust while smiling proudly. She was my partner, my living and breathing ikran who would stay at my side for years to come. What adventures would we experience? My fingers traced over the ivory splotches mixed into the sapphire tone of the underside of her head and smiled confidently, "I will keep you happy among the Atykwe, Xeki, because this is your home and family now. There will be nothing to fear and I will protect you as best as I can, my dear ikran."

Her head nudged my right shoulder in agreement as she chirped once, settling into her new home to relax the day away, and I grinned with amusement to her new upbeat attitude, "Sleep all you want, I'll be showing you the rock hills tomorrow which I think you're going to love."

Xeki wiggled into her self-made groove to find the right spot and looked to me questioningly when I didn't leave the area, which led me to say with a motherly tone, "You didn't think I'd leave without getting that salve for your eye, did you?"

A sharp exhale from her chest spiracles told me she was laughing on the inside.

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Inspired by "_Reluctant Warrior_" and "_Pandora_" by Immediate, "_Jake's First Flight_" by James Horner (Song links in profile).

**A/N**: This chapter is late due to the abrupt death of my laptop back in early April and I've just got my new (and improved) laptop with my saved hard drive data. Thankfully, I can continue this story without any trouble and can finish the last chapter of the first volume since I've fallen behind. We'll be seeing the next rite as Joanna's journey into the Atykwe clan concludes. I find myself missing the Tsu'tey-Joanna interaction so I can't wait to reunite the two in the future.

Thanks for all of your continued reading because I definitely appreciate all of it!

_Laithano_: Yeah, Joanna will undergo training with Tsu'tey's aunt as the story progresses and Zika will be happy when she's reunited with him.

_CrissYami_: I've enjoyed building Tsu'tey's origins throughout the story and just as Joanna learns more, we learn the same, but he'll definitely be visiting his family- once Jake pokes him hard enough to travel.

_distant-echoes_: Joanna's character has evolved slowly from the distrustful stubborn woman that mouthed off to the angry Tsu'tey, towards a more calmer persona that keeps changing now that Nitari has adopted her into the clan. I'm glad you love my Tsu'tey, I really want to make his character into a wise even-tempered man that still manages to make us laugh with Joanna as his counterpart.

_Arwenia_: The wait must've been a little frustrating so I apologize, we can both blame my laptop for dying but at least the work was saved. Joanna and Tsu'tey will definitely tell their stories, I plan on having Tsu'tey play the thanator since he has a hankering for scaring children.

_Lucas Bane_: Thank you very much for the compliment but alas, no. I'm not in the writing game, unfortunately, but in the nursing arena as I learn the ropes so I've loved doing these stories to de-stress from classes. I've never actually tried the creative fiction arena so who knows?

_Dracoessa_: Yep, we're going to have a little Jaktiri running around in future chapters and yes, Nitari's crafty mind will put Joanna as a representative of sorts when Tsu'tey visits for the first time in decades.

_compa16_: Lol, you always get stared at for making any noise in those places and yes, the two definitely miss each other.

_lovely charlene_: Nope, the avatars aren't sterile and can reproduce as much as they want. As for Joanna and Cheryl, they have their heating cycles but since they've never really mated, couldn't verify it themselves since Jake is the only one that can prove that. Plus, I'm certain Tsu'tey's eyes would've popped out of his head if Joanna had openly asked about going into heat. Lol.

_Claycarole_: I've never tried a fried banana but in my mind, they remind me of fried plantain chips since I've always loved eating them since a child. I imagine since they call it a banana fruit, it has to have some kind of similar resemblance. I thought of leaves as the first form of communication since they're reusable with washable ink but I'm always thinking of ideas to improve it for the future since the story will keep going for over a year from the current time.

_Jack Black_: I completely understand, life can become hectic in a mere second. My idea for Peyral and Max reminded me of Neytiri's and Jake's beginnings but while the latter pair was bonded over saving the Omaticaya, the former was created from simple friendship. She's tough as nails while Max holds a calmness she's drawn to as I decided to give her a healer's family background. Peyral's a warrior but she's also a woman, one that Max adores as she has a gumption that his scientific mind needs to bolster his own courage. We'll reunite Tsu'tey and Joanna in a few more chapters, less than three I believe, since this volume needs to be tied up.

_simple-memories_: Thank you very much for loving the story and I try my best with the characters, canon and OC, to make them believable yet unique in their own way. I'm always happy to hear from new readers.

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**Next Time**: Joanna Of The Atykwe

Each little chirp echoing through Kelutral increased my joy tenfold as everything was now a part of me. . .well, until I succeeded in the next rite. I didn't know how much pain I would endure or what awaited me in the land of unconsciousness but I would do my best to make my matriarch proud. My Xeki roamed her new home within the canopies as she relaxed her day away or did whatever ikran did when moving away from the nest. I couldn't help myself from heading up to make sure she was all right after I'd awoken from my nap as concern for my new friend poked me to keep tabs on her. Of course, I'd found her asleep in her new dome within the branch and had assured myself she'd be all right, make new ikran friends, and would see her tomorrow as dusk approached. My destination was the base of Kelutral as Xuret awaited me to prepare for the last rite and I was already running a little behind due to my deviation.

His acute hearing picked up my footsteps as I entered the assigned alcove for preparation, scooting inside quickly before he reminded me about tardiness. I was never one to be late, always extremely early to the point that it drove him to scratch his head, and he didn't chastise me. Instead, he merely pointed to a log bench in front of him as he sat cross-legged on the ground while mixing together a white goop within a wooden bowl with his fingers.

"I am glad you heeded my advice because your mind will take the next test" Xuret stated simply without breaking his gaze away from his work as I sat down on a log bench, my tail swishing in curiosity to the bowl. My arm muscles stung lightly since they'd done the most work from rowing to guiding Xeki home; they had earned their break. My scrapes and bruises had been taken care of by Zika at her healing hut, as well as Xeki's by Kunu's salve, and I took pride in each that I'd earned because the road to success had not been easy (not that it should be). The next rite would be soon and my teacher had summoned me to show the decorating technique given to each student before undergoing the last rite. Each body painting was unique to each individual and the hunters wore the most elaborate spread due to the completion of Uteho'awkx so that meant we had to get started in order to finish with time to spare.

"What do I do?" I asked nervously as this part had been kept hidden until today and I didn't know very much about it. Tsu'tey had admitted that his dream hunt had consisted of a battle with a shadowed enemy that held the outlined anatomy of a human but an ikran had stepped in to banish the darkness surrounding him. Ikran were seen as protective and loyal entities, powerful against their enemies and they were traits that Tsu'tey carried throughout his life. Each experience was different but it consisted heavily on what you could decipher from the dream with the matriarch's help. The other two students, Raya and Tzumu, were midway through their white designs as they sat within the open alcove at the base that had been reserved for our small group. Two wooden bowls filled with white paint laid by Xuret's legs as he moved to kneel on the ground, testing the consistency of the current bowl in his hand. I reached down to dip my fingers into the paint of one of the bowls on the ground to start things off and regain any lost time since I'd arrived a little late.

Xuret immediately slapped my hands away like a stern parent, baring his sharp teeth at me in reprimand, and I rubbed the tops of each as he stated firmly, "Only _instructors_ decorate their student."

With that said, he dipped his fingers into a bowl with white paint and grabbed my left leg to paint two thick stripes in a vertical angle south of my kneecap. I was a little surprised to the physical contact since we were fighting each other for weeks in the training fields but that had been a given. It was a new fact to seal away as the rites of adulthood brought everyone together, giving way for a congratulatory pat on the back or painting your student as the social norm of touching was allowed for the briefest of moments. I watched the direction of his fingers and each dab along my skin with an intrigued eye since this would only occur once in my lifetime. And who knows, I might see the same elaborate paint on a child of my own one day. He drew circles on top of my foot as the lines transformed into an endless flow of lines as each circle began with one line and closed by making a new trail that traveled north, explaining evenly without breaking concentration, "You are the result of my teachings and you carry what I've taught you, along with your Omaticayan teacher. I am proud to see each of my students succeed so carry that honor well."

"Does that mean I can finally share a joke with you?" I asked freely with a witty smile and he slathered the paint onto my lips, causing me to yelp with dismay as I closed my mouth to prevent it from entering. Well, that was one way of shutting me up. In an ironic way, that was a humorous action in itself since he'd never done anything like that to quiet my playful preens as he resorted to lecturing. When he resumed painting my legs once more with vertical lines, I sighed woefully to my new appearance and mumbled under my breath, "I'm going to look like the bowl exploded on my mouth."

"Judging by your character, I would believe it" he replied casually without remorse to the crazy paint that resembled a circus clown and I searched for a rag to wipe it off before it dried. I would never live down being 'the woman with the crazy white painted face', especially within a public space where Nitari would be. It would bring extreme shame to me if I ever brought her embarrassment or disappointment; she was our leader, after all. There was nothing in sight for use and lifted my hand to rub it off somehow but once again, my teacher thwarted me with a reprimanding slap of the hand and scolded, "Stop squirming, I will remove it. I can't have my student appearing atrocious in front of the tsahìk."

"Do you think I made her proud? She's done so much for me, I hope this is a small repayment for what she's given me" I sighed softly because everything I did was for her and I certainly wouldn't be happy if I'd stayed with the Omaticaya, knowing I could never be one of their clan. If anything, I would've been sitting next to the foraging tapiri and twiddling my thumbs in uselessness due to my own hindering stubbornness. Nitari had approved of my Xeki and I would continue to do everything in my power to show her that I was one of her people, one that would contribute to the clan however she could. I was no longer a child in their eyes after enduring Uteho'awkx and if I survived the next rite of Uniltaron, I was a full-fledged hunting adult.

Xuret grabbed my right arm to draw dots over the tops of my hand and replied earnestly as he narrowed his eyes with focus, "Keeping the clan safe is the key to her happiness, everything my aunt Nitari does is for us. We all make her proud in our own ways but you must carry yourself as an adult now. Your sarcasm and stubbornness has lessened since arriving, although I'm sure advisor Tsu'tey helped with some of that beforehand, but you must carry yourself with dignity and elegance."

I agreed on his opinion since my personality had slowly been shifting throughout the months but something bit at my mind and I spoke uncertainly for clarification, "But I'm a new huntress, it will take years to master such and most traits like that are a natural given to high-ranked individuals."

"Have I steered you wrong?" he asked calmly while adorning my abdomen with dots, followed by intricate swirls that melted into another design alongside my back. It was hard not to giggle to the ticklish sensation and bit my lips behind my teeth to muffle any that tried to surface. I answered with a negative since he was a stickler when it came to being entirely correct and he paused his painting to gaze at me to admit honestly, "Eywa sees all and your path continues to be one that only my aunt can See, she describes each person's life journey as a tapestry that is continuously being written by the All-Mother. I will never understand her abilities but she has helped to mold the lives of many, including my own. As family, her wishes are my own and I will carry out what she asks of me."

"You're fortunate to have such a person like her, I. . .my immediate family and I parted ways many seasons ago when we didn't agree on my life choices" I admitted softly with solemnity to the past but I had overcome it because it led me to a better life than I could've imagined. All of my sacrifices weren't in vain and the Atykwe offered me support in a way that I never imagined (as well as the Omaticaya). I halted his hand before he could resume the intricate painting by grasping him by the wrist and promised wholeheartedly with determination, "The _clan_ is my family now and I will do everything that I can to keep it safe and prosperous. I am very proud as well as humbled to be Atykwe and my life is Nitari's."

"Spoken like a true clan sister" he stated approvingly with a faint smile on his lips and pulled his wrist free with a gentle tug to add in, "Now, let us finish before the rite starts."

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_Thank you for reading my story, I appreciate each of your views on my page and wish you a safe happy day or night._


	34. Joanna Of The Atykwe

**Joanna of the Atykwe  
**

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Each little chirp echoing through Kelutral increased my joy tenfold as everything was now a part of me . . . well, until I succeeded in the next rite. I didn't know how much pain I would endure or what awaited me in the land of unconsciousness but I would do my best to make my matriarch proud. My Xeki roamed in her new home within the canopies as she relaxed her day away or did whatever ikran did when moving away from the nest. I couldn't help myself from heading up to make sure she was all right after I'd awoken from my nap as concern for my new friend poked me to keep tabs on her. Oh, and be certain that I hadn't blissfully dreamt all of it in my head. Of course, I'd found her asleep in her new dome within the branch and had assured myself she'd be all right, make new ikran friends, and would see her tomorrow as dusk approached. My destination was the base of Kelutral as Xuret awaited me to prepare for the last rite and I was already running a little behind due to my deviation.

His acute hearing picked up my footsteps as I entered the assigned alcove for preparation, scooting inside quickly before he reminded me about tardiness. His piercing stare was already enough to show he knew I was tardy without having to say anything. I was never one to be late, always extremely early to the point that it drove him to scratch his head, and he didn't chastise me. Instead, he merely pointed to a log bench in front of him as he sat cross-legged on the ground while mixing together a white goop within a wooden bowl with his fingers.

"I am glad you heeded my advice because your mind will take the next test" Xuret stated simply without breaking his gaze away from his work as I sat down on a log bench, my tail swishing in curiosity to the bowl. My arm muscles stung lightly since they'd done the most work from rowing to guiding Xeki home; they had earned their break. My scrapes and bruises had been taken care of by Zika at her healing hut, as well as Xeki's by Kunu's salve, and I took pride in each that I'd earned because the road to success had not been easy (not that it should be). The next rite would be soon and my teacher had summoned me to show the decorating technique given to each student before undergoing the last rite. Each body painting was unique to each individual and the hunters wore the most elaborate spread due to the completion of Uteho'awkx so that meant we had to get started in order to finish with time to spare.

"What do I do?" I asked nervously as this part had been kept hidden until today and I didn't know very much about it. Tsu'tey had admitted that his dream hunt had consisted of a battle with a shadowed enemy that held the outlined anatomy of a human but an ikran had stepped in to banish the ominous darkness surrounding him. Ikran were seen as protective and loyal entities, powerful against their enemies and they were admirable traits that Tsu'tey carried throughout his life. Each experience was different but it consisted heavily on what you could decipher from the dream with the matriarch's help. The other two students, Raya and Tzumu, were midway through their white designs as they sat within the open alcove at the base that had been reserved for our small group. Two wooden bowls filled with white paint laid by Xuret's legs as he moved to kneel on the ground, testing the consistency of the liquid in the current bowl in his hand. I reached down to dip my fingers into the paint of one of the bowls on the ground to start things off and regain any lost time since I'd arrived a little late.

Xuret immediately slapped my hands away like a stern parent, baring his sharp teeth at me in reprimand, and I rubbed the tops of each as he stated firmly, "Only _instructors_ decorate their student."

With that said, he dipped his fingers into a bowl with white paint and grabbed my left leg to paint two thick stripes in a vertical angle south of my kneecap. I was a little surprised to the physical contact since we were fighting each other for weeks in the training fields but that had been a given. It was a new fact to seal away as the rites of adulthood brought everyone together, giving way for a congratulatory pat on the back or painting your student as the social norm of touching was allowed for the briefest of moments. I watched the direction of his fingers and each dab along my skin with an intrigued eye since this would only occur once in my lifetime. And who knows, I might just see the same elaborate paint on a child of my own one day. He drew circles on top of my foot as the lines transformed into an endless flow of art as each circle began with one line and closed by making a new trail that traveled north, explaining evenly without breaking concentration, "You are the result of my teachings and you carry what I've taught you, along with your Omaticayan teacher. I am proud to see each of my students succeed so carry that honor well."

"Does that mean I can finally share a joke with you?" I asked freely with a witty smile as I hoped to score that triumphant result but he slathered the paint onto my lips, causing me to yelp with dismay as I closed my mouth to prevent it from entering. Well, that was one way of shutting me up. In an ironic way, that was a humorous action in itself since he'd never done anything like that to quiet my playful preens as he resorted to lecturing. When he resumed painting my legs once more with vertical lines, I sighed woefully to my new untidy appearance and mumbled under my breath, "I'm going to look like the bowl exploded on my mouth."

"Judging by your character, I would believe it" he replied casually without remorse to the crazy paint that resembled a circus clown and I searched for a rag to wipe it off before it dried. I would never live down being 'the woman with the crazy white painted face', especially within a public space where Nitari would be. It would bring extreme shame to me if I ever brought her embarrassment or disappointment; she was our leader, after all. There was nothing in sight for use and lifted my hand to rub it off somehow but once again, my teacher thwarted me with a reprimanding slap of the hand and scolded, "Stop squirming, I will remove it. I can't have my student appearing atrocious in front of the tsahìk."

"Do you think I made her proud? She's done so much for me, I hope this is a small repayment for what she's given me" I sighed softly because everything I did was for her and I certainly wouldn't be happy if I'd stayed with the Omaticaya, knowing I could never be one of their clan. If anything, I would've been sitting next to the foraging tapiri and twiddling my thumbs in uselessness due to my own hindering stubbornness. Nitari had approved of my Xeki and I would continue to do everything in my power to show her that I was one of her people, one that would contribute to the clan however she could. I was no longer a child in their eyes after enduring Uteho'awkx and if I survived the next rite of Uniltaron, I was a full-fledged hunting adult.

Xuret grabbed my right arm to draw dots over the tops of my hand and replied earnestly as he narrowed his eyes with focus, "Keeping the clan safe is the key to her happiness, everything my aunt Nitari does is for us. We all make her proud in our own ways but you must carry yourself as an adult now. Your sarcasm and stubbornness has lessened since arriving, although I'm sure advisor Tsu'tey helped with some of that beforehand, but you must carry yourself with dignity and elegance."

I agreed on his opinion since my personality had slowly been shifting throughout the months but something bit at my mind and I spoke uncertainly for clarification, "But I'm a new huntress, it will take years to master such and most traits like that are a natural given to high-ranked individuals."

"Have I steered you wrong?" he asked calmly while adorning my abdomen with dots, followed by intricate swirls that melted into another design alongside my back. It was hard not to giggle to the ticklish sensation and bit my lips behind my teeth to muffle any that tried to surface. I answered with a negative since he was a stickler when it came to being entirely correct and he paused his painting to gaze at me to admit honestly, "Eywa sees all and your path continues to be one that only my aunt can See, she describes each person's life journey as a tapestry that is continuously being written by the All-Mother. I will never understand her abilities but she has helped to mold the lives of many, including my own, for the better. As family, her wishes are my own and I will carry out what she asks of me."

"You're fortunate to have such a person like her, I. . .my immediate family and I parted ways many seasons ago when we didn't agree on my life choices" I admitted softly with solemnity to the past but I had overcome it because it led me to a better life than I could've imagined. They might have been biological relatives that held my genetics but that didn't make them family in the loving sense that Nitari's clan provided. All of my sacrifices weren't in vain and the Atykwe offered me support in a way that I never imagined (as well as the Omaticaya), securing my loyalty for their kind treatment of me. I halted his hand before he could resume the intricate painting by gently grasping his wrist and promised wholeheartedly with determination, "The _clan_ is my family now and I will do everything that I can to keep it safe and prosperous. I am very proud as well as humbled to be Atykwe and my life is Nitari's."

"Spoken like a true clan sister" he stated approvingly with a faint smile on his lips and pulled his wrist free with a gentle tug to add in, "Now, let us finish before the rite starts."

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_(Third person POV)_

She stood alongside the other two students, the familiar setting from the moment bringing a sense of déjà vu to Joanna as the clan watched the rite from all around them just as they had in the morning. They stood united as one at all hours and their binds would never be broken. Nitari stood at the front with a brown clay urn in her hands, one hand supporting the bottom while the other held the top as gold inscriptions heavily decorated it. They were all gathered inside the base of Kelutral as the matriarch had chosen three empty alcoves to hold the students during their dream hunt but it would begin there in front of their clan, the hearth's flames casting its orange glow over them all. She smiled kindly at each of the nervous faces glancing at her since they knew nothing of what would occur and spoke softly to hearten their spirits, "Tonight, you will face your last challenge to cast aside the role of a child and we will welcome you into adulthood with loving hearts. Each of you will swallow the worm your teachers handed you in that leaf and afterwards, place your hand inside this urn."

Her palm lay flat over the top of the urn that hid the poisonous arachnoid and she explained slowly to instruct, "You will feel a painful prick and will fall into the realm of unconsciousness to seek Eywa's guidance. You will find your animal spirit, whether an ikran, nantang, or even a tapirus, waiting for you somewhere in this realm."

Joanna smiled widely at the latter since she'd spent quite some time among the lovable grazers, remembering their personal nicknames, and the matriarch finished by lending a tip, "Keep an eye for details in your dream, Eywa will show you what is important and we will be here awaiting your return. May the All-Mother keep you safe on your journey."

This time, Joanna was lucky number two on the drawing board and strolled up to the matriarch without hesitation when her time came to finish the last step in her journey. She'd fought an ikran by the side of a rock stack that overlooked the ocean so she would head in with the same courage to tackle the next rite. Apologizing to the little purple glow worm wiggling between her fingers, she swallowed it in one gulp (imagining she was eating a gummy worm) before placing her hand inside the dark urn to await the pinch. Nitari quickly withdrew Joanna's hand when she saw her flinch to prevent another sting, carefully making sure that each student only received one sting from the arachnoid. Her task was to protect each of them from further stings that could poison them and require immediate attention and Nitari had yet to fail at that responsibility.

Joanna returned to the spot where she'd been but halfway there, the synergistic effects from both creatures had begun to take their physiological toll on her mind. Her central nervous system depressed quickly into a sleepy state and she felt her feet give way involuntarily, falling onto the ground but Xuret was there to catch her as a dutiful teacher. Her vision blurred within seconds as she began seeing double and in two blinks of an eye, Xuret's face was obscured by a black cloud as it sent her into the realm of unconsciousness.

She didn't have a recollection of time as her consciousness surfaced by the beachside where white sand pooled between her toes, reminding her of home as the blue waves gently crashed onto the sand. However, she could only see the colorful huts of the Atykwe over the horizon on the right and when she attempted to move, the homes receded further. Halting, she realized that morning had not arrived to bring her a new day because she'd been bathed in dim lighting not too long ago. Her mind was wandering through her personal depiction of the clan and she had to find her way to her animal guide.

Her gaze was mysteriously drawn towards the left and that's where she spotted a natural formation that she'd yet to discover on the Atykwe lands. There was no way it could've been this close to their land without her noticing as she'd explored the close vicinities along the shore and knew this was a major clue. It was certainly different than the white and gray cliffs surrounding their land in the distance and she approached the large landmark with cautious steps. The warm rocks under her bare feet were not the smooth or jagged types she'd encountered on Pandora, resembling volcanic basalt columns that protruded from below sea level to form its own cliff. It was a beautiful area as the hexagon shaped rocks formed intricate stepping stones for travelers and she ascended higher to the cliff, her mouth widening into a smile when she made a new discovery halfway through.

It was a cave.

The calm tide splashed along the bottom of the cliff, coating the slate gray basalt rocks in a pristine shine as the foamy waves failed to enter the cave itself. Its natural formation from centuries prior had not allowed it to reach sea level yet as it stood meters higher than the water, telling Joanna that it would be completely dry inside. She ascended the stone path with careful steps, admiring the natural column formation that spread around the cavern's sides in similarity to old Greek structures before transforming into vesicular rock over the top as tiny pores dotted the volcanic rock. It was a gorgeous contrast from its smooth columns to the gritty enclosure, beckoning her in welcome to explore inside.

Joanna had never seen anything that could've resembled a temple of any sort until now, the majestic cavern giving her a sense of ethereality that made her hair stand on end. The Atykwe cavern provided safety with its friendly antiquity but this cavern exuded a different ambience of revering and peace to travelers. Its high position above the glittering ocean also gave the cave a perfect view of the horizon and a vantage position for defense. Venturing inside, Joanna's stature was dwarfed by the sheer size of the cave and walked further inside as that same unknown force beckoned her in its direction.

She had only felt that way under Eywa's direct judgment, during the soul transfer, and would follow Her guidance as she observed everything around her for clues to keep on her journey back home. The rocky ground lay flat under her feet, broken in several areas from the passage of time (maybe even an earthquake) as stalagmites decorated the ceiling to form natural chandeliers. The path split into three passages further along at the end but Joanna didn't falter on which one to choose, taking the route on the right to continue onwards. Time had no reign in the realm of dreams as the sun's tilt failed to angle elsewhere while she traveled down the path that was lit by its light.

Another light source soon met her gaze at the end of the passage, surprising her when little blades of green grass poked through the ground with each step. The natural sunlight from the other source must've allowed for growth within the passage, different from the mouth of the cave where nothing grew. She narrowed her eyes and placed hand over them to filter some of the bright light that engulfed the exit, blinking rapidly to prevent it from stinging. Her vision adjusted to the open area quickly to check for any dangers but the sighting that greeted her brought the same awe and respect that the ikran nest had brought.

A Tree of Voices.

She'd only visited the Tree of Souls but Tsu'tey had told her countless stories about the treasured willow tree they'd lost that sheltered old memories of past generations as each clan held one on their lands. The spirit that guided her filled every fiber of her being with warmth to show its approval, bringing a modest smile to her face at seeing the pink tendrils sway gently in the sea breeze. It was an invisible comforting hug that she wanted to melt into, the blades of grass tickling her feet as the blue sky hovered above. Joanna approached the beautiful tree slowly, apprehensive that she wasn't worthy of even glancing at such a revered tree in her dreams. The na'vi had protected such sights from humans under the threat of death and she'd only gone to the Tree of Souls with Tsu'tey since her dreamwalker status would've kept her from wandering there alone. Joanna halted in her spot because she'd never been this close to such a beautiful tree that was heavily valued by the na'vi, wondering what Eywa would think of her if she attempted tsaheylu within a dream. Was it even possible? Who knew. Many na'vi believed She spoke to them within dreams to deliver messages of goodwill and omens for the future.

Her growing hesitance was a darkness that brought immediate pain to the center of her chest, prompting her to touch the left side in reflexive reaction. There were lingers of doubts that she could prove herself worthy to be one of the clan and her eyes widened to see navy veins sprouting over her cyan skin from the center of her chest. Her fingers tried to rub them away but they spread over her shoulders and over her arms, striking further fear that allowed the ominous roots to spread with the speed of a wildfire. The hue darkened into a malevolent onyx black that contrasted against her skin when it descended down her elbows and her own negative thoughts echoed in her ears to fuel that power. How could she fight something like this?

A beacon of hope floated her way as Joanna demanded for the sinister markings to leave, wondering if her doubts had allowed for those seeds to blossom into that. She didn't want to keep second guessing herself about the future but as a dreamwalker by origin, would she ever be good enough? Her hectic fears paused when an atokirina entered her line of vision, its ethereal white body beckoning her to place her palm out. Instinctively, her right palm rose to provide the atokirina its simple desire and the woodsprite landed delicately in the center.

Immediately, its bright bioluminescence caused the black roots to recede back towards their origin site with haste and her hand returned to its healthy original color. Joanna watched with silent awe as its tiny little tendrils floated down her forearm, banishing that festering darkness by bathing her limb in its warm luminescence. She'd never witnessed such a sight and thanked each delicate flutter of its body that kept the darkness at bay. The tiny atokirina was soon joined by one, two. . .dozens as they left their home at Tree of Voices to coat every inch of her body where those dark rivers ran. The doubts, worries, and fears that lingered from the echoes of the past banished as she could feel their caring love that distinctly proved otherwise. The dark voices from past conversations and private thoughts banished, being replaced by others that held only laughter and encouragement. She didn't recognize most of the voices but caught a few words from her history with Tsu'tey, Cheryl, Nitari, and others she held dear. They were protecting her.

She was one of them, one of The People, since the moment she drew her first breath on Pandora.

Inhaling deeply with tearful gratuity, she basked in that love Eywa held for all of Her children and expelled all of those negative thoughts from her psyche. If they would hinder her success and relationships with her clan, she wanted none of it. Her eyes caught sight of an ill-omened black orb exiting her body from where it had taken hold, sharply ordering it to leave as she held her arms close to her chest to protect the little atokirina that shielded her. Although they had protected her from that black mass, she wouldn't hesitate to do the same for the wandering woodsprites.

The dark orb dissipated into nothing after a few seconds, leaving her alone in the grassy field with the benevolent atokirina and smiled with pure appreciation for their help, "Thank you for helping me. I. . .I see now that doubting myself will only bring that and I won't."

Her smile widened when she realized the meaning by their interference and asked tentatively with a low voice, "Does this mean. . .are _you_ my protecting spirit?"

The multitude of voices strengthened but this time, her friends familiar voices faded to leave behind others that she'd never heard- from the past or future, she didn't know. There were songs and conversations in symphony, voices of all ages mixed in that delighted her ears as to who they were. Were they all from the Atykwe? The continent of Pyrrha? Or all of Pandora? They were in great multitude and it brought joy to her heart to hear all of them, wishing she could clear them individually to partake in the conversations.

The white bioluminescence began to fade as the little atokirina disappeared from sight, although she held them inches from her sight, and her senses became duller. No, she couldn't go back yet, the atokirina still lingered around her with their protective warmth. For a moment, her clarity in the dream realm sharpened and witnessed the atokirina departing from her body to float over her in a glowing white veil that brought immediate warmth to her heart. They were departing but she would meet them again among the living and in dreams, smiling with longing as they danced gracefully in the air to return to the Tree of Voices. With them, they carried the jovial sea of voices that she yearned to hear again one day as the atokirina flew through the air in a beautiful cloud of glowing white.

And just like that, the dream ended.

Her hearing sharpened first, followed by the sense of smell as murmuring voices and the smell of strong spicy incense filled her nose to ensure she was back among her people. Joanna awoke to find herself lying on the ground, drawing a sharp breath into her lungs as she awoke to the realm of the living to rejoin her friends and clan. Her vision remained blurry for a few seconds as she blinked but her fingers traced over a straw mat to clue her into where she could possibly be and assumed Xuret had placed her onto it after slipped into her dream-like state.

Sitting up slowly to regain her bearings, Joanna's golden eyes focused as she expected the clan around her but found herself inside one of the alcoves at the base of Kelutral. A bladder lantern burned within the nook to provide lighting since the glow of the hearth couldn't penetrate the shadows at that distance and she spotted Xuret sitting beside her patiently, a relieved expression on his face. She smiled amicably to their reunion, wiping the side of her mouth absentmindedly in case she'd drooled in her sleep and he held a cup of water to her lips as he spoke softly, "I am glad to see you are all right. You took a little longer than the previous student."

"I . . . time seemed to go rather fast, I was very well protected" she admitted sheepishly since the atokirina had done a beautifully kind gesture for her and wondered just how long she'd been unconscious. Grateful, she leaned forward to take a sip of the cool water as her mouth had dried (an effect of the poison, she assumed) and lifted her hands to grasp the cup. Instantly, the sting of the arachnoid brought pain to her hand with its lingering myalgia and she found it wrapped in a brown cloth bandage.

"Healer Zika treated you and the water was to be given to dull the pain" he informed in regards to the minty taste of the liquid and she nodded quietly, finding it rather yummy for pain medicine. She rested her stung hand in her lap to keep it comfy from any accidental bumps that would trigger extra pain and hoped it wouldn't swell too badly. He placed his palm on top of her head as he lowered the bowl on the ground, his normally stoic gaze softening as he congratulated her achievement, "You have finished your rite and have proven yourself worthy of your new rank. There is nothing more I can train you with and you will report to Nitari tomorrow morning for your first counsel."

She smiled with intense relief as the cathartic experience was unique and adventurous to say the least. This would never happen again in her lifetime and treasured each memory that had led up to her current moment, awaiting orders for the next step to finalizing the passage to adulthood. Her ears stood on end perkily with anticipation because the lively night had yet to begin and she asked eagerly with glittering eyes, "What happens now?"

"Well, you must wait to hear Nitari's closing speech and there is a celebration for all of you so enjoy yourself" Xuret explained calmly since he'd done this many times but each of his students had always been anxious to see the end of their hard work. He was more than certain she and Anaya would eat until they couldn't walk, already certain that he'd never see a banana fritter that night if they found the platter first. The duo could devour food in minutes and blamed their endless energy on their eating speeds, not surprised in the slightest to the two women as they'd become close friends since Joanna's arrival.

She raised her sore hand to gently move it with emphasis, his gaze lowering for a brief second towards it and Joanna groaned woefully, "With this? I can't dip banana fritters in sauce and hold a leaf plate at the same time, I'll have to sacrifice one."

"Not all meals have to have banana fritters" he sighed with dismay to her favorite snack as he fought a smile for his ex-student, resorting to a lecturing frown to stifle her soft laugher. He would no longer have to hold himself detached from his charge since she was now free to roam on her own and do as she wished; he truly hoped he wouldn't see her playing in the sand with Anaya come tomorrow morning. There was a passionate drive within the woman to accomplish everything that she needed and now, whatever Nitari wished, so Xuret wanted that particular trait to flourish to its fullest. That was where her potential was held and one day, Joanna would see it as well.

"But you can't agree that they're worse _without_ them" she disagreed with a playful smile as banter took her mind away from the pain, finding delight with his low hiss as he tried to avoid partaking in her humor. Anaya brought her the most delight in conversation but Xuret and Arat were quite calm in their demeanors while moments spent with the matriarch filled her with warmth and a thirst for tales. She missed Tsu'tey greatly at times like this, he'd been her unyielding rock for months and would've had her smiling from ear to ear with his own banter. Her ears dipped slightly since she'd yet to find her footing in holding a conversation with Xuret and admitted modestly with a small smile, "Joking eases tension for me and with the bite, it's rather helpful."

"Do you want me to help you find Anaya?" he asked gently since the two women offered each other support and Joanna felt at ease by her side at all times. They might have been born as two different species on separate planets but Xuret had never seen two people become quick friends as they had. She smiled widely to the idea since they were now officially clan sisters and Joanna couldn't wait to try out the name with her friend, the past hours seeming like days since they last had eaten together.

He helped her stand on unsteady legs and she balanced herself before stepping out of the alcove, being met by Zika as she'd been assigned to be Joanna's personal healer. Each student was granted a healer in case of adverse reactions from the poison or glow worm and quick action was necessary to stabilize a student's health. Thankfully, Joanna hadn't needed such as the only thing she retained was pain and smiled at the kind herbalist as her right hand steadied over her yellow sash in case she needed anything. Her left hand roamed over her shoulder to check on the carotid pulse on her neck for a quick measurement of her heart rate and Zika asked gently, "How are you feeling?"

"I never want to see an arachnoid ever again" she chuckled softly but her expression faltered when a jolt of pain worked its way to her elbow joint and the healer smiled sympathetically. Zika was lucky to have tended to students that had only held pain, swollen hands, and the occasional headache from the poison so she was confident that Joanna was in the safety margin for side effects. Her left hand massaged the aching forearm in an attempt to alleviate the pain and Joanna winced visibly to honestly admit, "My hand really hurts."

"The pain will subside by drinking the entire elixir but no intoxicating beverages, it will lower its potency" she advised carefully as she took the small bowl from Xuret's hands to give to Joanna, directing her to swallow all of it. Her patient gladly obeyed in order to be rid of the throbbing ache, gulping down the minty medicine, and showed her the empty bowl once finished. Zika placed a hand on Joanna's forehead to check her temperature for any rises since she'd last seen her in the alcove and felt no dramatic changes. Deeming her fit for clearance from her watch (at least for tonight), the healer smiled approvingly and advised her carefully, "A little fresh air will do you good and food will give you much needed energy. If you don't feel better by morning or you've developed a fever, come find me immediately."

Zika pulled a small dried ikei canteen from the satchel she carried with her today, always having her entire medical arsenal at her disposal for any emergency. Analgesic droughts were always in stock for adults or children and she handed it to Joanna, placing her hands over Joanna's pain-free left as she ordered gently, "Make sure you drink this before going to bed and after you've had food in your stomach. It will help you sleep through the night and keep away any lingering pain."

Joanna was relieved instantly to the last bit of help from the healer, her fingers curling over the small bottle, and smiled gratefully, "Thank you so much, Zika, truly."

"It is no problem, young one" she smiled widely with warmth, reminding Joanna of Tsu'tey's pearly smile as the two shared that similar physical characteristic. Joanna counted herself fortunate at finding one last piece to grasp onto that would prevent his memory from fading. One of her worries were forgetting how he looked like with the passage of time, remembering how many nights she spent outlining the darker blue stripes on his face while trying not to get caught by the unsuspecting hunter. Once that was all out in the open, she'd enjoyed tracing her fingers over his skin to see where they all led while he'd smiled to her innocent curiosity.

Nitari finished advising Tzumu as the newest adult of the clan since he'd gone first and with a motherly squeeze to the shoulder, turned to Joanna to continue the process. The young huntress pulled herself from Xuret's supportive grasp to meet her leader on her own two feet to give her that respect and the matriarch smiled warmly. Her guidance of Joanna brought her fulfillment as the young woman tackled all obstacles set before her and would keep advising her since she'd yet to cause a flicker of doubt in Nitari's heart. She was a child to be proud of and although she didn't have blood relations to speak of, Nitari would subtly take her under her wing. Orphaned children of young ages remained with one parent but if catastrophe struck and both were lost, they were taken in by family or another that desired another child. Joanna was a particular case as she searched for her sense of family as an adult and Nitari would light her way to it, her gentle voice containing her muted excitement on the festivities, "Our newest huntress. How was your journey, Joanna?"

"Safe and. . .warm" she admitted softly to the overall sense of her dream and spotted the gathered students off to the side with similar expressions. Seeing everyone brought calmness to her heart as she'd never been happier to see her clan, smiling faintly as she murmured modestly, "I'm very glad to see you again."

"Eywa must have either liked or been confused by you to hold you in the dream realm for quite a bit" she chuckled warmly with a tender smile since her nephew had been close to scratching his head on her lengthy stay. The matriarch placed a hand on both Xuret's and Joanna's cheek to compliment the two with a proud tone, "You have never disappointed me with your students, nephew, and am glad to see everything went well for both of you. Joanna, never doubt what you can accomplish because I am always striving for your success."

Releasing the two adults with an affectionate pat to the cheek, she looked to Joanna and reminded with a knowing smile, "Remember to drink your drought, young one. You and I will discuss your dream later but for now, join your new brothers and sisters."

She ushered her towards the new students to bundle them together in one single group at the center of the clan. Each of them held a bandaged hand and worn faces of exhaustion from the day's events but the proud congratulations from clan members rejuvenated their energy as that encouragement fueled them to continue. Joanna willed herself to stay standing on her own two feet, blocking away the pain that was slowly dulling away, and smiled widely at the nearest residents for their words. How could she _not_ love her newest brothers and sisters?

Nitari joined Joanna's hands with the other two students, the bond forming from the youngest members of the clan to the oldest as each age group had done this for countless seasons throughout time. At the center, Nitari laid one hand on Joanna's chest and the other on Tzumu's chest as she spoke proudly over the adult crowd to conclude the rite of Uniltaron, "You have fulfilled the clan's rites and passed Eywa's judgment once more, releasing the binds holding you to childhood and forming new ones that will carry you onwards as adults. Enjoy the celebration because this night was well-deserved for each of you through your hard work. May this matriarch ask for you to share your spirit animal?"

Who could ever deny the kind matriarch such a request, especially with her polite mannerisms? Tzumu had seen one of the azure whales that wandered the deep ocean, which caused him to laugh since he enjoyed watching them since childhood while Raya had received a pa'li in hers, a symbol displaying friendship and courage. Joanna wrung her fingers when her turn came to sharing her vision, glancing at the curious crowd that stared at her with bright eyes, and her brow furrowed as she stated tentatively, "I had atokirina in mine, nothing else."

Nitari lingered her gaze on Joanna's thoughtful face, understanding the meaning of the woodsprites but raised a hand to keep clan members from asking for further deliberation. A dream hunt could be either public or private and in this case, Nitari wanted it to be private. Usually, clan members could ask questions to help the students find hidden meanings but Joanna's had been a little unexpected and Nitari knew that would bring rise to many. That vision was meant to be picked apart piece by piece and only Nitari could make certain of it, with the help of the oldest lorekeeper, Laara. She dispersed the students and her clan to let them carry on their merry way, smiling encouragingly when Joanna glanced back with hesitance to move forward. The young woman was definitely flourishing as she'd imagined and would keep an eye on her development as she did for every member of her clan.

"Honorable choices, I am proud of each of you so run along to enjoy this night" Nitari encouraged with a warm chuckle to shoo the young ones along with a soft wave of her hands and Joanna smiled politely before departing. She wanted to find her friends to join in the happy celebration and eat until she felt ready to explode. Despite the pain in her arm, she'd never felt more happy and alive in one single moment as her training came to an end.

Xuret helped her search for Anaya since leaving her alone could send her tumbling through the moving crowds as the poison weakened an adult's strength for the first few hours. Her decorative white paint stood out amongst the sea of cyan and Joanna warmly received compliments on her rite, each resident urging her to fill her stomach for energy as she chuckled with thanks for their kind words. Minutes of searching through the crowds of her clan brought her to where Anaya nibbled on two kinds of cooked saltwater fish, one steamed and another roasted. Young children gathered around her in a circle as they tested their own little pieces on a leaf plate, their eyes bright with intrigue for the huntress, and she mused aloud with a perky smile, "I think the roasted one is spicier but the steamed one is so soft to the touch. They're both very yummy though."

"Yummy!" the children echoed happily in unison with broad grins and Joanna chuckled to their jovial faces. Their little fingers dug into the fish to nibble on the soft pieces of meat with peppy 'mmm's leaving their lips.

"Why am I not surprised to Anaya's location?" Xuret mused aloud to her whereabouts, always finding her in the oddest of places as she tried to find answers to all of her questions. Arat was usually the one that kept a vigilant eye on her to make sure she didn't do anything daring but when he wasn't around, it fell to him. He didn't know how but through association, that task had been unwillingly assigned to him. This time, Anaya had found herself by one of the short vertical logs that served as tables for the food trays as she tested each of the dishes around the area with a perky smile. With Joanna around to keep her company, he didn't expect too much mayhem from the two women at this hour of the night and politely excused himself from his ex-student, "Enjoy your night, Joanna. You have truly earned it."

"Thank you. . .brother" she smiled sincerely because she couldn't have done it without him and would share that credit without hesitance. Xuret smiled faintly for her thanks and with a courteous bow of the head to both women, departed to find his own brother and friends within the festivities. Joanna breathed deeply with happiness to the carefree ambience floating in the air and watched her teacher walk away to disappear within the lively crowds.

Anaya caught sight of her painted friend and raised her leaf plate to proclaim cheerfully to the food bounty she'd been given that night, "The food is absolutely delicious, you have to get your share. After all, we wouldn't be having this celebration if it weren't for your success."

The children quickly told Joanna what the best pick of the food platters were and she found herself chuckling amusingly when they chose almost everything. What could she say? Their cooks were fabulous. She found a leaf plate within the large wicker basket used to keep them clean from dust or bugs during meals and passed by each of the wooden platters, picking an item from each to savor the hard work and love put into making it. Saltwater teylu in a buttery marinade was always a favorite but chowder made from clams and fish drew Joanna like a happy honey bee because it bested any made on Earth with its purity. The taste was obviously different due to the alien foods but the creamy and thick consistency had Joanna coming back for more when she'd discovered it weeks ago. Also, she could add little crackers made of grain to soak in the soup for an extra taste as well. Zika's husband- who was a talented cook- made it himself as a specialty so she knew it was good.

She quickly picked food for her plate since there were other clan members gathering with an eager eye to see the platters and she wouldn't deny them of the chance. Anaya was stumped between deciding on what type of banana fritters to choose, those doused in sweet brown syrup or stuffed with sweet cream; it was a conundrum. Joanna made the choice for her confused friend by grabbing one of each to place on her plate and chuckled softly to suggest, "Try each and decide which one is best. If both, come back for one of each again."

"Two heads are better than one" Anaya laughed amusingly with agreement as she used the Terran term she'd heard Joanna use when they were working on a project together. She excused herself from the little gang of children as they sought for the wooden cups stored within the baskets and both women couldn't help but lend a hand to the little ones, earning happy thanks in return. They filled their cups with whatever drink they desired to help them on their way since their short statures would've kept them there for a while until their parents arrived and the duo watched them depart back to where their families were with a warm smile.

"There are no words for this deliciousness" Joanna sighed blissfully when she and Anaya managed to find an empty log bench to sit on to eat their meals, watching the moving crowds that had decided to dance first and eat later. Joanna's toes curled into the earth gleefully to the sweet taste of a fresh roll mixed with crushed grains that gave it an added texture. Oh, how she wished her Xeki could've eaten this to share in the wonderful flavors. Dipping the bread into the creamy white chowder complemented it divinely and she smiled amusingly to Anaya's nimble bites on her fish to preserve her meal.

"This is what happens every time we gain new adults into the clan, we welcome them with open arms and food made with love" Anaya explained warmly and licked her lips since mirrors were lacking, using that easy method to tell her whether sauce was smeared on her face. Joanna chuckled to her comical appearance since she wasn't releasing the food in her hands and the huntress laughed at her own quirkiness. Anaya hadn't felt such camaraderie with another female in the clan, apart from her own mother and the matriarch, and stopped her cleaning attempts to smile brightly, "You are my sister now, just as your ikran is family to my own, and we will spend the rest of our lives on this beach."

"I will love that, we can crack open a fera seed to drink the sweet water as we lie back and watch our ikran roll in the sand" Joanna chuckled humorously to the idea since her training was officially over but she would practice every day to hone her skills. She would need to find a hunting team to join since the rainy season would require more hunters to venture into the forest for sustenance when their stored food supplies ran low. Nonetheless, she was optimistic towards the future as she'd gained a new family, an ikran, and would protect all of them fiercely from harm. The charming sound of flutes echoed through the calm air as the drum beats fell silent and she smiled widely with excitement to suggest to her sister, "Or find materials to make Arat another statue to match that funny smiling fish."

Anaya bit back her laughter as she swallowed her food in one gulp, preventing an accidental choke and filled the air with her ecstatic giggles to the idea. This is why she loved Joanna's company as the two were kindred spirits of humor and adventure, happily awaiting what the future would bring for them. Her fingers were coated with sauce from her roasted fish but she shook one with eager merriment as she blurted with the utmost agreement, "That one!"

Both women laughed to the image of Arat's horror stricken face at seeing an exact double of the fish statue he was adamant on keeping out of his alcove.

"And you will be able to pick a mate now" Anaya beamed impishly with a wag of her brow and Joanna chuckled to the sly tone in her voice, bumping her shoulder with hers. Over the past weeks, the two had plenty of time to bond and Anaya had learned the truth about Tsu'tey's true relationship with her friend as they collected clams from the sea by using reeds for snorkeling. Unfortunately, the man was from the Omaticaya and Joanna could not move away from the clan unless someone intervened on her behalf- Anaya hoped nobody would. She wanted to keep her friend to maintain their sisterhood bond and suggested helpfully with a kind smile, "There are many strong men and now that you can adorn yourself like a true woman, you will catch a few gazes."

Joanna winced with an immediate frown crossing her lips since the idea of courting hadn't entered her mind as her heart lingered on the hope of seeing Tsu'tey one day. On the other hand, who was to say that he wouldn't find his other half in his clan? The fatigue in her weary body gave way for her emotional shell to detach from her strong mental barrier as the glow worm had numbed some of her awareness. She blinked away the sudden tingling in her eyes, biting into the bread she'd soaked in the chowder to warm her stomach, and admitted solemnly to the idea of courting, "I'm not ready to think of such right now or anytime soon. My heart is already filled with love for another and I'm keeping myself occupied by helping the clan only."

"I understand love can be very complicated" Anaya supplied softly with sympathy to her friend's woe of the heart and finished her last nibbles of the fishes on her plate, gently tapping her fingers on the empty spots coated with specks of oil. Her gaze briefly lifted to stare into the dancing crowds and she confessed her own progress with courting with a sheepish smile, "I've refused my share of suitors, not that there's been many since my chattiness can drive them away. I might not have the best qualities but apparently, I have very good childbearing hips."

"Oh, Anaya" Joanna chuckled gently to her subtle joking, laughing when she wiggled her hips to emphasize the only trait males found interesting with her. What would she ever do without her upbeat jokes? How did others not find the gabby Anaya endearing? Maybe her quirks brought the two together like two peas in a pod. Joanna smiled brightly against the glow of the burning fires that bathed the base in ample lighting, grateful to her recent luck in life, and sighed out her last chuckles to confess amicably, "I don't think I've met anyone who has made me laugh as much as you have but don't you worry, we'll find a man that will love every bit of you."

Her cyan cheeks darkened against the orange glow of the fire, biting into the cream filled banana fritter to simmer the growing blush on her face as the sweetness took most of it away. Joanna hadn't seen her this modest for quite a while, the last being when a bird flew off with her clothing while she'd swum in the sea, and she'd gone back home to fetch her a new set of dry clothes. Anaya chuckled softly to the unfathomable idea of having a line of suitors because most sought the other women and spoke tentatively, "You are a very good friend, Joanna, even with the short time that has bonded us well. If I could ask a favor from you. . ."

"Of course, you don't need to ask" she smiled earnestly to help her friend in any way possible (wrestling dangerous prey included) and watched her cheeks darken further. There was something dwelling on the mind of the chatty huntress and gently tried to coax her out of that shell by asking gently, "Anaya, what is it?"

Anaya's demeanor turned bashful as her ears dipped and decided to trust in her friend just as Joanna had done about her harbored affection for the advisor of the Omaticaya. She leaned in to keep everything confidential, not that the music didn't add to it, and Joanna blinked curiously when Anaya finally asked quietly, "If Arat ever requests to court you-"

"I don't find him attractive, Anaya" Joanna refused gently in case she was trying to push him in her direction because her eyes were solely for a grumpy hunter that crushed enemies without fear but became unnerved by little children. Her misconception was realized when she heard Anaya sigh in relief from her spot and her ears perked upwards to Joanna's answer. Oh, _now_ she put two and two together as to why she asked about Arat in the first place; why, that sly little friend of hers. Joanna couldn't help but reassure she'd never get a foot within the hunter and clasped her shoulder to offer a friendly squeeze as she soothed, "That's a guarantee. Although I don't understand, you've known him since childhood, so why. . . .why haven't you asked him?"

"The men usually initiate courting and we either accept or refuse" she explained sheepishly and quickly devoured her other banana fritter to hide her nervousness, her cheeks bulging comically as she chewed quietly. Joanna finished her soup with regret as she picked the bowl clean with her remaining bread, hungry for another bowl of the tasty chowder. The sweet fritter did nothing to fade away the old memories of Anaya's past because she couldn't change it and her best efforts in the present didn't seem to improve any of it. She placed her empty leaf plate on the floor, her shoulders sagging depressively as she admitted sullenly, "Arat is being molded for a role as future advisor and I . . . I'm not exactly the quietest on clan matters. I come from a musical family and tradition is strict when molding our new leaders. Nitari brought many great changes to our clan and is wise beyond her years, even though she started her training late, but she is a powerful icon for us. She changed the courting procedures within classes for future generations but sometimes, there are a few that want to retain the old ways."

Her ears flattened against her head because Arat's parents fell into that category and although they respected Nitari highly for what she'd brought to the clan in terms of strength and valor, Anaya held none of that. What could she provide to show she was worthy? Her brow furrowed as she looked into the dancing crowds, her soft features appearing even more delicate in the orange glow of the fires and she mused forlornly, "I am not strong like Nitari and Arat's family is quite embedded in tradition, I've never been an option in their eyes. Yes, my rank speaks very well for me but they see me better equipped as his friend- not an equal to carry on his lineage. I've. . .they've made it quite clear."

Joanna was almost tempted to bawl her eyes out to the somber tone in her voice as both of them rowed the same boat of unluckiness in love in the sea of loneliness.

"Have they not seen you hunt and watch over Arat? That should be enough" Joanna sizzled to hearing her heart wrenching dilemma and wondered if rank was what defined your future life with some of the families in the Atykwe. She remembered several anti-dreamwalker na'vi suggested breaking Neytiri's life bond and replacing Tsu'tey to keep the bloodline pure but all three refuted it, especially poor Neytiri as she snapped that she was a person and not an heir maker. There was no need for Mo'at's input as she sent them scrambling for cover with her glare alone for daring to question Eywa. Nitari allowed for na'vi to mate as they wished but at the same time, she couldn't force parents of two individuals to sanctify a union and that is what Anaya sought. Joanna sighed with empathy for her friend, her ears flattening against her head to match Anaya's as she murmured sympathetically, "Oh, I'm tempted to wrap you in a blanket and feed you sugary food just to remove that sad look off your pretty face."

Anaya chuckled softly to her comforting words, the sadness over her obstacles in life subsiding for a brief moment, and she whispered appreciatively, "Thank you for staying by my side, I couldn't ask for a better friend."

"Sister, they couldn't tear me away" Joanna assured with a confident smile and caught a glimpse of Arat moving through the dancing crowd, no doubt searching for Anaya. He'd added a few colorful feathers of cerulean to his hair to brighten his appearance for the celebration and Joanna waved her left arm for his attention, her white paint lending her aid to beckon him like a lighthouse to shore. Anaya's eyes lit up to his presence and Joanna saw the two in a different light than before, seeing the quiet but strong devotion between the two and smiled encouragingly, "Go to him, enjoy this night."

Anaya was torn between both but Joanna added a quick shoo of her good hand to scoot her along in his direction because they deserved it, chuckling softly to the haste in her steps. Again, that could've been regular Anaya since she was giddy to head anywhere but the two were definitely glad to see one another as they disappeared into the crowds. She'd never have imagined the two regarding each other in such a way but Arat was very subtle and quiet in his demeanor with others, Anaya being the exception. They fit together quite well, especially with their varying personalities and hoped the two would find a solution that could grant them that happiness they sought. She already knew how agonizing it felt to be denied of the one you loved with every fiber of your being and wouldn't wish that feeling on anyone. Even now, she yearned just to hear Tsu'tey's voice and his stiff remarks about his awful dancing skills. At this hour of the night, her valiant warrior was either spending time with friends at the clan's hearth or relaxing in his hammock with a hundred thoughts in his head on what he could do to improve the Omaticaya's wellbeing.

Nitari approached Joanna from behind with silent steps as the young woman pondered on Tsu'tey's whereabouts. She had finished with her duties as hostess of the night, conversing with each student about their rites to learn more from each to further guide them along when the next morning came. The matriarch knew slumped shoulders meant either exhaustion or regrets and drew her attention from whatever plagued the young huntress' mind with her soft voice, "If you are weary, you can go to sleep, young one."

Joanna turned around instantly and almost fell off the log from the force, quickly correcting the mistake by using her left hand to propel herself up into a standing position. The corners of Nitari's lips lifted slightly as she caught it but always felt humbled by Joanna's respect, and adoration on the side, as she tried to prove herself capable. The new Atykwe adult didn't have to do any of that after exceeding her expectations because there had been flickers of doubt before meeting 'Joanna Reynolds' after the battle with the tawtute but Eywa had been correct. The aliens had brought destructive malevolence to their world but they also carried seeds of hope that blossomed within those that abandoned their own species to protect theirs and Nitari would groom the one that Eywa had guided her way just as Mo'at did hers (the same for the other clan leaders that had adopted others).

Joanna placed her empty leaf plate on the log bench before bowing politely with a friendly smile and replied earnestly, "In a moment but everyone's so happy, I can't just leave them."

The matriarch agreed to her response since the jovial mood heartened any weary spirit, the small seashsell strands dangling from her crown of hair chiming against the breeze as she watched her people with warmth in her golden eyes. She never tired of moments like this, treasuring each that didn't bring pain to her people and advised wisely, "Your mind and body must be strong for the clan from this day onwards but I am happy to know your heart is joyous, especially after enduring both your rites. I wanted to discuss your dream hunt's experience to further clarify the meaning. I left you for last since you fill my heart with merry warmth and a matriarch needs a good laugh between her duties."

Joanna appreciated her words immensely since there were times she wondered if the matriarch would finally tell her to shoo because Nitari always made time for her between duties. She'd never interacted very much with a tsahìk but Nitari was more than that, it wasn't something Joanna could truly put into words as the condensed meaning defied a name. Clasping her hands in front of her to show attention, she agreed to her request without hesitation and commented tentatively, "I will oblige in any way that I can. You have many tasks as tsahìk and olo'eyktan, a true leader and an honorable icon for your people, you humble me."

Nitari dismissed her courteous words with a hearty laugh and smiled fondly to admit, "My mother always told me that happiness lay with your family and Eywa. Life is not an easy journey but when you've found your family in the clan, taking care of them eases a lot of the burden. My life is never more interesting than that of the newest hunter, a singer, or a mother of two children; we are all interweaved in this life as one and carry into Eywa's arms just the same. No one is above or below another, always remember that."

She laid a dainty palm on top of Joanna's head and sighed gently with a motherly smile on her smooth face, "You are a young one, Joanna, ready to experience life but you carry the wisdom from your old. You have learned what is fit to thrive and what brings blight upon others, you continuously learn wisdom and have cast aside unfavorable traits, many things. The smallest of actions can change the future and you're contributing to the clan quite well, you've made our Anaya quite happy since arriving and I am quite fond of learning about the stars from you."

"I've found my home and that's more than I could've ever asked for" Joanna admitted gratefully with tears rising in her eyes because her family was here. She finally found her sense of belonging, remembering her childhood days in the library when she would read about the ocean before its pollution and wishing to bathe in a pure sea without manmade contaminations. Who would've thought Pandora would lead her straight to it? The hardships she'd endured had paid off with a trip to the lush alien moon and her defiance to her biological species had granted her entrance into an entirely new culture that brought her the closest to home she'd felt in ages.

"And we welcome you with our hearts, we are all one on this beautiful shore" Nitari comforted warmly with her nurturing aura as she'd met dozens of new babies and adults to welcome into the clan for many seasons. She remembered her own rites of passage, both as an adult and tsahìk, and the pure joy she felt for having her family beside her but solemnity tainted it due to the old traditions that followed rankings. There had been no public congratulations for her as only the high classes received the prestige of accomplishment but her heart had been happy for them nonetheless as she watched from within the crowds with her own swollen hand. When she became tsahìk, she vowed to abolish the class distinctions as everyone was equal under Eywa's eyes and remembered the first students she'd inducted into adulthood- all from different origins.

Joanna was the newest distinction in her clan and there would be no indifference or favoritism as other generations had done before. Nitari withdrew her hand with a kind smile, smoothing out any frizzes in Joanna's hair with a motherly touch, and requested sweetly with her soft-spoken voice, "Now, will you humble this matriarch with your dream hunt?"

"I . . . well, I found myself in front of a large cave near our shore that led to a Tree of Voices" she began slowly as she tried to explain every detail from her dream, using her hands as a visual aid if she missed something. Nitari listened carefully to each word, her brow lightly furrowing in concentration as Joanna divulged the entire trip from the ocean to the cave, "I didn't see myself worthy of approaching the tree due to my past mistakes and feared Eywa would perceive my entrance as disrespectful. My lingering insecurities caused a black darkness to spread over me, I've never seen anything so . . . ominous, but a little atokirina came to stop it. It caused that cold constricting feeling to leave my body as it brought my skin tone back, along with friendly warmth. Soon, I was covered in shield of them as they expelled that malevolence from my heart and every negative thought they had brought."

She smiled faintly with fond remembrance to their aid, wistful that she could no longer feel their tender warmth in her heart and confessed with curiosity, "They lingered on my body after it faded into nothingness but I could hear. . .voices. The ones containing the voices of my friends and yours faded when I asked if the atokirina was my protecting spirit. They weren't clear but rather, blended together in a choral symphony and inaudible despite the volume they exuded in my mind. I did try to hear but my time in that realm finished and they left in a cascade similar to flower petals, a blinding white light ending it all."

Nitari read into it clearly but would need further meditation on how to approach her path subtly and Joanna couldn't help but confirm the itch in the back of her mind concerning the atokirina, "Did my rite go as planned? I expected to see, well, an animal-"

"Yes, young one, most see an animal but remember that Eywa has many children that live in all realms whether it's the sea, earth, or sky" the matriarch assured with a soft chuckle to any lingering doubts since the atokirina did qualify as beings they shared their world with. The atokirina were elusive enough that all considered them sacred spirits but they also served as protective spirits for the living as well, not simply in dreams alone.

Joanna's face relaxed in relief after expecting a pa'li or tapirus (the logical choice given her previous pet herds) and counted herself lucky for having such a spirit. She hadn't seen an atokirina since that day she and Tsu'tey faced the thanator and longed to meet one of the precious woodsprites, wondering if they traveled to the beach or stayed within the forest alone. Her fingertips wrung together as she felt embarrassed for asking so many questions of the matriarch and kindly asked for clarification, "What does it mean, if I may ask?"

"Atokirina are pure, neutral beings that carry out Eywa's will, quite similar to a matriarch" Nitari deliberated with her knowledge of the revered beings and always enjoyed a visit from the ethereal wanderers when she couldn't reach the willow trees. She was due to visit her old friends soon and would bring Joanna to them when the time came to reunite her to Tsu'tey through the distance, smiling serenely to soothe, "You hold no malice or selfish ways, only seeking tranquility for the clan as you expel every unfavorable trait from your heart. You will change people's views about the dreamwalkers, that not all are evil and you will guard us against any sudden dangers."

"Of course, I'd never let anything happen" she vowed firmly without hesitation as the thought of any of her friends, the matriarch, or children, in fear or danger brought fierce protectiveness from her heart. She'd waited years to find her home and after securing her nest on which to build on, would destroy anything that threatened to hurt her beloved clan and their world. Placing a palm over her heart, she bowed her head and assured with an everlasting promise, "You're my family, I will _always_ protect you."

Nitari was satisfied with her response and she would be there to guide her path as Eywa had accepted her into their clan. There was much for the matriarch to do if she hoped to achieve what the All-Mother asked but the timing had to be perfect. Otherwise, young Joanna could veer off her path but Nitari would fix any type of detours as she'd done back at the Omaticayan lands. She smiled appreciatively for her loyalty, stating softly, "I believe you, young one. You have confided your encounters with the atokirina to me so I am not surprised to your spirit partner."

A rabble of children ran by with happy laughter that nabbed Nitari's interest as they greeted her politely, her eyes brightening when they told her they were going to find an empty campfire to sit by. Joanna smiled brightly to their untamed excitement as the group of six left giddily, shouting amongst themselves on who would get the front seats, and Nitari chuckled warmly to their enthusiasm, "Oh, how the little ones delight me. I will be telling the story of my mate's rite to the youngsters in a moment, would you like to join me? Although, you should sleep your exhaustion away."

"How can I deny hearing a good story, especially about Olo'eyktan Akon?" Joanna piped up cheerfully because she was always eager to hear a story about the two since the deceased leader's memory was never forgotten, especially by his loving mate. There was no melancholy tone whenever she spoke of him, her tone full of pride and respect for the man she loved for decades and Joanna wanted to learn as much as she could to honor his memory. He and Nitari made the clan as strong as it was now, he was the beloved patriarch of them all, and Joanna was the newest addition to their growing children.

"Yes, the children never tire of hearing about his adventures either" Nitari chuckled fondly since her mate had opened an entirely new world for her and everything she did was to continue the work they'd started together. The previous generation of her clan had expected her to doom their clan but she flourished it into a new era of strength and honor that represented the ancient ways as Eywa intended.

Joanna gave one last glance into the dancing crowds of her people and smiled brightly to the new sense of belonging, the intense glow of the open fires representing the flame of loyalty in her own heart. She was home, they were _her_ people.

She was finally Joanna of the Atykwe; one of The People.

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_**End of Volume 1.**_

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Inspired by:_ "Immediate- Turning Home"_**  
**

**A/N**: The area Joanna visited in her mind was inspired by the exact appearance of Fingal's Cave on Staff Island in Scotland so you guys can look it up and get an exact picture. Its rock composition is amazing and seeing as how it's right along the ocean made it the perfect example for a Tree of Voices. We'll be seeing more of this cave in the future. As much as I love Joanna's character, I've taken quite a shining to how I've designed Nitari's character as the protective rock of the entire clan. She's their pillar of strength and when her old mate was alive, he represented the brave aspect of the Atykwe. We'll be shifting the time frame to a few months forward as we see how Joanna and Tsu'tey have fared throughout the passing time as we begin volume 2.

Thanks for the many reviews on the last chapter, I love you guys and Tsu'tey happily munches on cookies for each of them.

_lacrima-tuja_: It's about time she was part of that clan, right? And yes, I can't wait to bring the two back together.

_Arwenia_: For each update, my chapters are usually 20 or more pages long (this one was 22). This is the only story that has that amount, the second would probably be my Assassin's Creed story. This one has a lot of culture, settings, characters, and other stuff to put in so it always has me editing. I edited the rite in my outline about two times because I didn't like how it was, originally, they were meant to climb the stack from the outside but decided to make them work for it a little more. Thanks so much for loving the story, I always love reading your reviews.

_Crystal_: Unfortunately, I have a maximum load already with my current stories in progress- about 6, I believe- and I've never delved into that genre (my only story in anime is for Bleach). I'm sorry I can't fulfill that challenge but it's a great idea for another writer in that fandom since they would have a good hold on the background of both realms.

_Dracoessa_: Little Jaktiri will unknowingly help the two come together without lifting a finger in the chapter after the next. The matriarchs are crafty so they won't be telling either Joanna or Tsu'tey information about their visits.

_Laithano_: Yep, she has her own little ikran to call her own.

_Claycarole_: I'm glad I could take you through that wild ride with words. Xeki will in fact meet Swizav when Tsu'tey visits but she'll find him irritating, not hesitating to voice it to Joanna. Doesn't that remind us of their own riders that started out that way?

_Dracoessa_: We'll see where Joanna's path has led her and the others in the next chapter as we fast forward a few months.

_distant-echoes_: I know, I'm missing the dynamics between the two horribly and could only imagine the happiness between them when they reunite. I didn't think my OC's would be such a hit with the readers and I'm glad you like Xuret's character. I haven't thought of a spin-off for our stoic rite teacher but I can write a short story of him to post in the vignette spin-off of this story or include him more in the chapters since he is part of Nitari's family.

_Lucas Bane_: Thanks so much for the vote of confidence and Cameron can use parts of the environments I've built for his own future sequel because I want it to be great. Lol. Joanna's ikran greatly represents the sea she's loved since her childhood with her sapphire hue but yes, Nitari's ikran is a knockout despite his older age. I will totally keep my word on their meeting, it should be in the next two chapters.

_Emmalime_: Yep, he'll get the news and although he's happy for her success, the poor dear knows that she's no longer a part of his clan.

_compa16_: I'm glad you loved the chapter!

_CrissYami_: I'm so happy to hear that readers miss their interactions, I'm definitely glad I posted this story rather than keeping the first chapter in my hard drive.

_Sarabqh_: I can't say but I hope the clues in future chapters will help because it will definitely give you an answer by the end of the second volume.

_camelotprincess1_: The part with Xeki breaking in her new home came from my pet turtle, who has to have the bottom of her tank just right to fall asleep or she'll be lifting rocks and hiding under large shells until she deems it fit. Joanna and Tsu'tey will meet again in the chapter after next so it's coming.

_mmgig85_: Yeah, their departure was sad and abrupt for Tsu'tey, who thought he actually had more time with her. They won't be kept apart for too long now.

_Owlrose_: And I'm glad to be back (Diablo 3 did hypnotize me for a few days though). I can't wait to reunite them either as I get to work on a new plot for the new volume since Joanna's acceptance has been completed and we can head on to a new journey.

_Mia_: Thank you for loving the story, I hope you liked this chapter too.

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**Next Time**: _A New Path In Life_

"Well, we must dry these little limbs and dress her warmly for last meal because sempu wants his little Leti to stay healthy" Zika chuckled affectionately as she hugged her daughter, Leti's lips pouting because she wanted to keep splashing in the cool water and searching for little crabs hidden in the sand. Nitari chuckled softly to her crestfallen expression, caressing her right cheek with the palm of her hand to fade that little pout. Leti smiled brightly at the matriarch, loving the attention from her leader, and Zika excused herself politely to finish her tasks for the day, "May Eywa watch over you two."

Joanna cooed her farewell to Leti as she peeked over her mother's shoulder with a perky smile, the two leaving the shore with the boys running behind them and Nitari mused with a calm voice, "You grow much attached to children. Mo'at told me of your caretaking experience with them. Have you given any thought of seeking a mate? You've been with us for more than a season now."

"I. . .," Joanna hesitated because she did imagine a future where she could have a little one rolling around in the sand as they called her name but the one she loved lived elsewhere, apart from her clan. Despite the passage of time, she held their memories dear and couldn't imagine a day where she wouldn't think of him. They hadn't seen each other in months, more than a season, and she could only wonder if she'd be forced to move on towards a future where another would fill his spot in her heart. The idea nauseated her and her ears flattened somberly as she admitted softly, "My heart still belongs to another from the Omaticaya. I truly found myself falling in love with him, part of me even hoped to. . .well, build a family with him."

Her continuous meetings with the matriarch had pieced together portions from her past and personality that Nitari couldn't access through her meditations with Eywa. There was no question whether she trusted the matriarch and saw her as a motherly figure due to her caring demeanor, a stark difference to her own biological parent. Nitari saw a piece of herself in the young huntress as she'd had her precious family but yearned to be included in the activities of the clan that only high classes were privileged to, feeling ostracized in her own home, while Joanna had yearned for a true sense of home and family. In the end, they both achieved their goals and gazed into the glittering sea before them with content as it spelled home. Nitari smiled sympathetically to her woe of the heart since she wanted all of her children to find their destined life partners and sincerely stated, "I did regret pulling you from Tsu'tey but it was for your best interest and I know he wanted the same for you."

Joanna blushed deeply for having her secret known without admitting it by the matriarch since she and Tsu'tey had tried to keep themselves distant in public. Her words and facial expressions, however, tended to be her undoing since she spoke highly of the hunter in a way that reminded the matriarch of her own youth when she'd courted her mate. The same glowing cheeks, bright eyes, and broad smile had been on her face decades ago just as they were on Joanna's when she'd reunited with her at the Omaticaya. Nitari merely chuckled to her flustered expression as the secret turned her cheeks lilac and teased gently, "Oh, Joanna, I am a matriarch and have been through your stage in life myself. I know these things naturally."

Joanna chuckled with relief that she wasn't chastised for her heart's desire but apologized with true honesty, "I didn't want you to be disappointed in me for seeking his affection despite my lack of rank and it is why I underwent Iknimaya without approval. My heart wanted to stay with his so we could build a future but you and Eywa had different plans for me, better ones than what my stubbornly brash mind wanted. You inspire me to be better than what I am."

"All will come with good timing, young one" Nitari assured with encouragement because the young woman was still flourishing under the clan's guidance, whether by Anaya's hunting tips or Zika's medicinal teachings. Joanna had definitely been a short-tempered spitfire when she arrived on their world, especially against Tsu'tey, but he'd helped to clear away the first layer of self-destructive traits just as she'd diminished his. The young huntress appreciated all of the help, never hesitating to return the same kindness, and Nitari asked warmly for clarification, "So I can assume that you do not want me to assign possible suitors for you?"

"With all respect, tsahìk, I don't see myself finding a mate very quickly" Joanna admitted modestly with respect for her leader as she watched the gentle waves strike the shore, darkening the white sand with the liquid of life. The soft breeze swayed the small green seashells dangling on the earrings in her ears and she smiled fondly in regards to the tireless hunter, "I loved Tsu'tey dearly and I've yet to meet anyone who can capture my eye like he did. I actually never thought anybody would feel that way about me and he was a person at a much higher rank than me. . .but he did and I felt such honor for that. My heart is a very deep cup to fill," she paused and finished meekly, "I hope that doesn't make me sound picky."

Nitari offered a sympathetic gaze because everyone was entitled to love who they chose and soothed gently, "No, it is completely understandable. I was expected to find a mate quickly after performing my dream hunt but I refused to do so until _I_ deemed myself ready."

Joanna's eyes shone with captivation to her words for sagely advise and Nitari continued, "I was adamant that I find myself, my passion, before I was ready to share a life with another who understood me as well as I could myself. I didn't have a class in mind but I was certain the artisan ranks would suit me. . .oh, how wrong I was."

Nitari chuckled bashfully, youthful femininity lighting her face as she smiled modestly to tell her tale, "The clan heir had befriended me a short time before my rite after my mother designed an item for him and we met for the first time despite living on the same beach. He fascinated me like no other man, not because of his rank, but what lay in his heart. He held such kindness and camaraderie that reminded me of my own family, he encouraged me to find _my_ true passion and not to settle with what everyone else deemed fit for me. It was no secret between us that we held each other with great affection but traditions were different then."

Joanna often heard about the leadership of the older generation but her friends didn't comment much because they were still their elders and had to be respected, regardless of their opinions. Nitari slowly shed light on the past through the conversations and this one added another piece to their history, "The previous clan leaders wanted highly ranked individuals for future clan leadership to keep lineages elegant and charismatic- it is one reason why some tsahìk's are weaker or stronger than others. It is why I was endeared with young Mo'at when I saw a healer's child in an uprising position that would keep a clan strong with good guidance and she is marvelous. Others, I am sad to say are concerned about other matters rather than interpreting the will of Eywa; again, they might prefer hunting or history to be their focus point. Back to this little story, my Akon managed to charm a yes from me to court but not everyone was happy to the possibility of an artisan's daughter as a future tsahìk."

Joanna gaped in shock to the revelation since Nitari was always so beautifully graceful and kind to everyone she met, a diplomatic but sympathetic soul. She'd never really known much about the origins of Nitari and Akon, simply that one had belonged to a rank that wasn't fit to fall under tutelage for future leadership. The matriarch always appeared immaculate and respectful, a confident aura that had caused Joanna to believe that her parents had been the previous leaders of the Atykwe. Apparently, it had been the opposite but it was hard to fathom such a thing could be thought about Nitari's abilities and Joanna remarked with disbelief, "But you're such an adored matriarch. You are my role model, I do not understand how you could be questioned or seen in such a way when you interpreted my path before even meeting me."

"Again, these were different times and I changed that slowly when I rose to my new rank" she stated softly with a fond smile towards the peaceful sea but in her mind, the image of her mate lay within the diamond glitter of the blue water. Eywa had been kind in his passing and Nitari had laid his body to rest in a solitary place that overlooked their entire land so he would never be far from their home. She hadn't the heart to carry him to the Tree of Souls, far inland where he would be away from their people, choosing the Tree of Voices as his final resting place. Her voice lowered as she ruminated privately about her past, "The person I am now was carefully molded over the years but I kept firm to my virtues. I was a frightened girl for daring to question our strict traditions, afraid I would be exiled for doing so, but my Akon would not take no for an answer. There was such love in his eyes that I couldn't crush that same love _I_ harbored for him."

They had shared so many conversations about their union.

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_Thank you again for your review and I will see you all next time to begin the next arc of this story!  
_


	35. A New Path In Life

_"But where was sempu? Sa'nu and sempu must stay together" a soft voice pleaded somberly because the story didn't end with the two reuniting like she'd hoped. Why had they remained separate? The pretty animals delighted her heart to no end, her young mind imagining the plump tapiri foraging for food and the happy pa'li drinking nectar in her young creative mind. She loved playing with Aci and Peke, they were the nicest animals she'd met and always brought them goodies. Her little ears dipped as the entertaining tale came to a completely different end, her flexible tail slapping the sand in protest as she murmured dejectedly with a crestfallen expression, "They can't be separated."_

_A gentle chuckle caused her little ears to flatten against her loose hair and an older female voice assured her concern, "Stories come in many numbers and not all end happily, especially when concerning the strong bonds of love. This one continues and you will see that while sa'nu finished her rite, sempu was finding his way back to her one day at a time because his journey was not over."_

_Of course, she'd. . .uh. . .keep the tidbits that weren't children friendly out of the tale and heavily tone them down for their delicate ears._

_"But it's prettier when it starts and ends happy" the little voice replied with optimism and small hands outstretched towards the main speaker, requesting to be enveloped in their comforting warmth. The woman embraced the young na'vi child in their arms to soothe away her emotional upset and the little girl's upbeat voice piped up, "It started with adventure against the bad people but sempu is so sad. I don't like hearing him sad. . .he's sempu."_

_"We still have sempu, you're stalling the story" a young boy's voice interjected with a feisty hiss and playfully pulled on her left toe to quiet her little ramblings. She wriggled her foot to wrench free of his grasp and hissed sharply to being warned, the boy's voice ordering hastily, "Let sanok continue, Tanhí."_

_Small golden eyes narrowed in defiance to her sibling's insistence to hear the next part of the tale but their mother hushed them gently to halt their small spat. Tanhí squeezed her mother to show her compliance, little ears dipping as she apologized for fighting with her brother while Kanei batted her foot with his to bring a smile to both their lips. Their mother approved of their respectful behavior and smiled warmly at both of her endeared children to continue gently, "Your brother is right but only because sempu makes his return and shows us just how a boy born into a humble family without high rank can become one of the most admired throughout this land."_

_This appeased the young children of Joanna and Tsu'tey, their bright eyes holding the same optimism as their parents._

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**VOLUME II  
**

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**A New Path In Life**

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"This is a fine catch if I don't say so myself" Anaya grinned proudly to the fat teal fish she'd caught alongside Joanna as it had led them on a good fight far out into the ocean on their ikran. It had tried to bring down Taka with its strength by using the net it had been caught in against the huntress but Joanna had released another when he'd begun to descend towards the water to keep her sister safe. The extra net balanced Taka's altitude as the weight of her own Xeki was added in to overpower the fighting fish until it had given up the fight. Joanna commended the brave fish as it fought valiantly against its restraints and granted it a sudden death to prevent any further pain or distress since no living creature deserved it when facing their demise. Since they were close to shore already on their return trip, Anaya quickly shot an arrow into the fish's heart to give it a humane instantaneous death and would remember the feisty fish.

Joanna had joined Arat's hunting group at Anaya's request and she couldn't turn her down after becoming fast friends, enjoying her time with the huntress as she'd found her equal in adventuring. The two were currently inseparable as they happily dubbed each other sister and explored the Atykwe lands for adventure, catching sights of migrating whale-like creatures that traveled south during the season or racing against the towering white cliffs. Being in a family of all boys, Anaya had been eager for the chance to partake in female conversations and other activities that she couldn't share with her brothers or other women in the clan. Of course, with the two carrying wanderlust in their bloodstream, they explored together more than they chatted inside Kelutral while Arat accompanied the two for protection or stayed at home when they became too much to bear (he drew the line at testing urine bombs to ward away predators).

Taka and Xeki released the fish onto the ground where the catch of the day was being prepared, surprising the nearby hunters when the fat fish plopped down right out of the sky. Their startled expressions led Arat to excuse the women's unexpected drop by stating it was their first sizable catch together, turning swiftly to glare at the two ikran that landed a few feet away to prevent sand from falling into the prepared meat. The two huntresses happily joined in to help prepare the fish for storage, patting the teal skin of the dead fish with pride as they quickly apologized to their flustered brethren for the sudden incoming drop (especially with Arat's rare glare aimed at them). Their two ikran headed off to the rock hill to clean themselves in the loose white sand since the gritty particles smoothed their scaly skin to the velvety perfection that rivaled a newborn's and all ikran plopped down to relax after a recent hunt, especially when they hauled a good catch. Joanna chuckled softly with amusement as she watched Taka playfully chase Xeki towards the hill, his smaller form appearing comical in comparison to her ikran as Xeki scattered off hastily to play the game.

Anaya patted her catch on the side with a gentle hand, appreciating the fight between her and the defiant fish, to smile softly with pride, "You tried your best but my, you are a plump one."

"I've caught larger" Arat tried to rile with a nonchalant voice as he grabbed one of his sharp deboning knives to clean a small fish that ran the length of his forearm and she batted his shoulder with her hand to avoid disrupting him. His tail batted in her direction as she sat next to him to begin working, diving his knife into its belly to begin cutting it.

"Maybe but this is _my_ catch" Anaya chided gently with a cheeky grin and grasped the polished hilt of her knife to slide it behind the teal-lilac gills of the large fish in one careful swipe. Joanna helped her by using the net around its large body to hoist it onto the nearest wooden pole, embedded deeply into the portions of flat earth gathered only at the hunters fields, that helped to bleed out their catch by using gravity. Children didn't gather in this particular area since seeing food bleed out into bowls gathered underneath the animal could frighten them but at this particular moment, the fish remained stubborn in death as well. She found it humorous as she balanced the large teal fish against her back, its size similar to the large extinct tuna of Earth, while hoping the bleeding wouldn't pool around her feet rather than the bowl to cause an accidental slip. Anaya muffled a laugh behind her lips when Joanna grunted to wrap the netting over the hook, bearing the weight of the fish on her back while hunching over, and offered kindly, "Here, let me help you."

"Next time, let's make sure we can carry it here _without_ our ikran's help" she panted heavily with tremendous relief when Anaya stood up to help her push the opens holes of the netting through the hook. She could see how the fish had managed to bring Taka towards the water with its weight alone and rubbed her lower back since she hadn't used her legs to lift. Anaya's taller height helped tremendously since Joanna was a little shorter than the average na'vi, smiling gratefully that she wasn't flattened under the heavy fish because Xeki would've been a lonely ikran for the rest of her days. Her partner was quite protective, continuously sniffing her friends and their ikran to make sure they wouldn't try anything funny but Joanna assured her that they were all family. Xeki rebutted through their bond that the matriarch's ikran did that to everyone and she was simply trying to remain sharp as well for the protection of their clan. Joann quickly learned her ikran was not one to argue with because it was her way or the highway; Xeki reminded her exactly of her old smart-alecky self but she was a terrifically dear ikran she adored.

The women proceeded to help the other hunters slice their catch of the day into separate pieces for storage while they waited for the fish to be void of blood since the end of the heavy storm season brought back their old routine. The turbulent storms drove the hunters inland for extra sustenance when the storage alcoves were depleted since the sea was too dangerous to venture into, especially when rain storms could arrive within minutes. Joanna hadn't caught anything during her first trips into the forest since she was a new huntress, merely observing Arat's techniques to incorporate into her own style when the next year came to pass. The sea, however, was fair game and she was happy to return to the calm ocean since the raging storms had brought nervousness into her heart whenever she heard the tide crashing ferociously upon the rocks (not to mention the raging lighting).

Anaya and Joanna quickly passed the time by discussing the symbolism used in the last historical tale they heard from Laara's lore circle since Nitari had asked Joanna to continuously study their history since arriving. As an ex-anthropologist, her researching mind itched to satiate the endless knowledge awaiting her and Anaya made a great study partner since she never missed a meeting- whether for the children, adults, or elderly lore circles. When the two finally finished cutting their prized fish into neat filet portions and dropped them off in neat leaf package to the cooks, the two headed to the shore where their living huts were.

For the past two months, the two had been working on creating the first na'vi surf board that was both safe and environmentally friendly to enjoy the rolling waves of the sea. Joanna had first mused on the idea during one of her swims with Anaya and explained the sport of surfing while they played with a ball made from the same hexapede bladders used for the glowing lanterns, using a piece of brown string to keep the exhaled air trapped inside. The children of the Atykwe loved playing with them all over the place and almost each child owned their own, kicking or hurling one everywhere with a joyous laugh. As for the women, they used it as a beach ball in the water to have their own fun as the sea provided endless possibilities. With Anaya's natural knack for seeking adventure, she was hooked to the idea of creating a new type of water craft for fun and the two had begun working on the foundation of the first Pandoran surf board.

Their hard work would hopefully work this time since their last prototype sunk when it came time to board and they had searched for different materials that would be buoyant yet sturdy. It had brought the women despair to see their creation sink to the bottom within minutes but stirred laughter from Arat as he watched their woeful exclamations, leaving the women to their strange creation as he'd headed off to canoe around their borders. Joanna tugged the front of the vessel while Anaya pushed it from behind until it touched the shoreline, the lapping water painting the brown reeds a sepia tone. They had created the nose of the board to be pointier than the tip of their fishing canoes to part the waves quicker but took a tip from ancient Peruvian boards that matched the available materials needed for its creation. They had used sealants (from glazes used on tools) to create the waterproof vessel they desired and had created a comfy scoop at the end of the board- although some could say it resembled an eccentric alien kayak- to hold the feet for directional guidance. After all, not everyone could stand on a flat board and ride the waves with natural finesse that wasn't acquired by learning so the two would have to learn one step at a time. When it came to research and results, patience was one area Joanna dominated as each step was crucial in the scientific method and she'd learned that Anaya was a great partner as her endless questions brought excellent valid points to consider.

Arat found the two women with their strange flotation device in the water as the gentle waves lapped at their waists while they held onto the reed boat. He really didn't know what to call it; the design appeared as a cross between a canoe and a vessel of some sort. He'd come to the shore to whittle a flute out of wood from Kelutral's tree as the storms caused a bit of shedding from the older parts of the tree to allow growth for the new and he'd saved a few pieces for items he wanted to create. Instead, he placed his idea on hold as he approached the two women with a curious glint in his eye because he didn't know whether this was a good or bad plan waiting to happen. He uttered a low whistle to draw their attention and let them know that their little project had caught his eye, tipping his head to Anaya in respect as he caught her gaze and spoke up calmly, "I see you two are being productive already. What are you making there?"

"A board for surfing" Joanna declared giddily with pride as they allowed the thin but long board to float around them to ensure its water resilience and capacity to stay afloat for more than five minutes. Their first prototype sunk in less than two minutes as they desperately tried to scoop out the water and had to call it quits once it sank to the bottom. It had taken a while for Anaya to relinquish any hope that it would magically resurface and she'd brought her back to land to encourage her to keep trying, dragging their prototype to break it down for mulch.

"Sur-fang?" Arat pronounced slowly to the strange word, uncertain to this new idea of theirs. He and Anaya weren't as opposed to tawtute inventions as Tsu'tey had been but Joanna only spoke on those that were completely harmless and brought fun to all age groups of their clan. This would one bring leisured enjoyment to those from age ten to late adulthood- except the elderly- once the two figured out how to use their creation.

"Yes, a flotation board that can be used to run over the waves" Joanna smiled enthusiastically as she pressed the board against the water to test its resistance against sinking, smiling as it pushed back with the same force to stay afloat. Well, that was certainly good news. Anaya treaded back to the shore with hasty footsteps of excitement to grasp his arm to bring him to their finished prototype, his eyes full of uncertainty to their invention. Joanna chuckled softly since he usually expected all of their creations to malfunction or break at the slightest touch but they were optimistic on this one, explaining their carefully constructed plan, "We used dry reeds with strong twine and glue to hold it all together, testing it against the water continually as we build it and none has entered. Similar to a canoe, you step onto it but instead of being in the center- you occupy the back. The front is the directional portion that cuts through the wave while you steer from behind with your balance as you and the ocean share a wonderful bond as one. The structure comes from a land on my old planet, this is similar to the shapes of their first boards and with the available materials. . .this is our board."

The hunter stared oddly at the women as they held their creation in place with smiles fit for new mothers and he sighed morosely with a crestfallen face, "You couldn't just sew a tapestry like the rest of the women, could you?"

Truly, Eywa must've created Anaya and Joanna with kindred souls because only _their_ friendship could result with inventions like that.

"We have very large ideas" Anaya piped up brightly with a witty grin since she was always in search of new hobbies and this one sounded perfect for her wanderlust in knowledge. The concept of 'surfing' intrigued her since their clan respected and admired the formidable sea so a closer relationship would captivate almost any resident, especially if you could practically glide over the water. It would take patience and time to learn the strange tawtute activity but Joanna never steered her wrong in their thirst for knowledge, drawing Arat's reluctant approval on this. He was cautious as any hunter, calculating all risks before daring to attempt anything and perked her ears in an attempt to sway a more liberal agreement from him.

Arat was the only one outside of her family that encouraged her expansion for knowledge since childhood, appreciating the man she held dear for loving her quirks. He could organize a list of reasons for and against an idea but if her heart was set on it, he'd encourage her wholeheartedly (unless it was truly dangerous). Her gaze met his briefly as she observed the reed board for any leaks and called out without breaking her concentration, "The tsahìk encourages unbelievable ideas, they broaden our horizon and bring chance for adventure."

"It's ready for testing so I'll start to make the first ungraceful splash" Joanna grinned excitedly as the next phase of their plan, sustaining weight, was cleared for either success or failure. Their modifications to the board brought them joy as they checked the first stage off their mental list and hoped the next one would pass with flying colors as well. She wanted to show Anaya the old surfer's stance just as she'd drawn it on a wet patch of sand weeks ago to show her the graceful moves she'd seen in vids back on Earth. Her hands guided the boat deeper into the water until it touched her chest to provide room for treading water, allowing her body to float to the surface as she used her arms to grip the end of the board to stay on the surface. Her lips broke into an ecstatic smile as she failed to sink and pedaled out to sea with a happy kick in her feet to begin the next test.

Anaya stayed close to shore as she watched her friend's movements, following her swim out to the incoming waves and tilted her head to the left in curiosity to why she was heading far into the rolling waves. Of course! The force from the waves would propel the board towards shore and allow directional guidance as it would cut through the water in similarity to canoes, except the ocean would be the driving force rather than paddles. Her hands shook with excitement to the incoming arrival as Joanna found a strong wave to ride towards shore, anticipating the moment when she would stand above the water without a paddle for guidance but her own balance alone.

Arat found himself rather curious to the results of their experiment, remaining at his spot in the shallow ends of shore where he wouldn't become soaked by the incoming waves. Joanna was winging all of it from memories on the sport, waiting for the tug of the wave on her board to spring forward to crouch onto it with the finesse all surfers carried. Of course, being completely untrained was the horrible disadvantage and Arat tried not to visibly wince when she jerked forward to mount the board with the dexterity fit for any Atykwe hunter. . .

Only to fall backwards into the rolling waves to disappear under the white surf of the blue sea while the board returned inland without its passenger.

Anaya quickly moved forward to grab their reed board before it decided to float elsewhere and jumped in place to crane her head high enough to search for her friend among the rolling waves. This time, Arat remained silent rather than teasing her since the waves had a forceful pull that could sweep one underneath the water rather than to the surface. She released a breath of relief when Joanna surfaced safely, waving one arm in the air while the other treaded water and called out with a modest chuckle that echoed through the gentle breeze, "It seems we have a bump in our road."

Joanna swam back to land as her first attempt failed but it only encouraged her to keep persevering because either of them would succeed in the end. Anaya was more than giddy to try out the board and she allowed her to have fun since she'd grasped the concept quickly by merely observing her. Joanna couldn't have asked for a better partner. She decided to stay in the water rather than leave to dry herself since they would be doing this for quite a while, maybe weeks, and brushed her wet braids behind her ears to keep them away from her face. Turning to the mildly curious Arat, she smiled sneakily to entice him to join in their fun for Anaya's sake and asked, "Care to join our flailing?"

Arat's gaze turned towards the horizon, pinpointing Anaya's form as she rode the incoming waves to perform the same action as her partner. Just as he declined the invitation with a polite faint smile, Anaya toppled into the water to sink like a rock as it signaled another failure for the two. Joanna quickly moved deeper into the sea to fetch the board to repeat the same process, placing her torso on the end for flotation and headed out to meet the waves. Anaya surfaced seconds later, allowing the tide to pull her inwards rather than swim as she groaned with defeat and added a crestfallen pout to match. The tide left her in front of Arat as if sensing their lifelong connection, gazing at the hunter as she caught a glint of amusement in his eyes and hissed lowly to protect her creation, "Don't you laugh."

The hunter watched the resilient duo repeat the cycle but became weary after the sixth time, sighing under his breath to their resilience against failure when Anaya fell to the left side of the water in another ruined try. Well, the matriarch could rest happy at knowing the two women kept persevering to rectify their failure with this 'surfing' and conquer the waves. Nonetheless, he encouraged his friends since the board was certainly an interesting creation and called out to them in farewell, "Keep trying, you two."

"Will do" Anaya assured confidently as water droplets rained down her smooth face, brushing back stray braids of raven hair behind her ears while treading water in the distance. She looked positively carefree in the endless sea, drawing a soft fond smile from the quiet hunter as he left the shoreline to head for his hut and whittle his musical flute. Anaya's gaze lingered on his departing back as he headed north to his azure hut, already knowing that he'd either whittle something or take a nap until last meal, and smiled privately to his serene temperament. A moment later, a large splash of water struck the left side of Anaya's face as Joanna fell into the water with another failed attempt and she helped her sister surface while grasping the reed board.

* * *

Joanna whistled a peppy tune as she strained thick leaves of herbs with their concentrated tea water to create the purest solvent possible. She would mix this with a jade green plant powder held inside a separate bowl later on to create the healing ointment that every resident in the clan used, from the smallest child to the oldest adult. Her fingertips were coated with a light green tint from the pulp of the leaves but she loved every minute of the work, inhaling the fresh aroma the pureed herbs emitted.

A few days after completing her rite, Joanna was invited for a private meeting with Nitari to discuss her path in the clan as any new adult was required to. The matriarch deemed her hunting skills acceptable as she learned every day from her hunting companions but foresaw the greatest improvement in her herbalism. Her meditations had shown Joanna's journey seasons ahead and herbalism would be a rewarding skill in the future that awaited her. She had assigned her to Zika as the two had become acquainted over the months due to their connection with Tsu'tey and Joanna had fallen in love with her youngest child, a one year-old toddler named Leti. Joanna followed her teacher's teachings with a keen eye because healing was an art and she would learn from a master. There were no other skills that Nitari wanted Joanna to pursue diligently since sewing, cooking, music, and jewel crafting would not be as needed as healing and hunting would be. Also, her future mate would contain the skills she lacked to balance those she would master.

"I don't think you'll get anymore drops from that, Joanna" Zika advised with a gentle chuckle to her enthusiasm to conserve every drop, appreciating her passion for preservation. Joanna listened to her instructions and withdrew her hands from the straining cloth with a sheepish smile, moving the green stained brown cloth to an empty bowl to store the excess contents in it. The healer grabbed the clay bowl into her hands to dump the contents in another that held its own similar pile of freshly pulped plants and informed her student with a knowing smile, "We'll leave this to use on the garden to help the fertilizer."

Joanna grabbed a clean cloth that lay in her lap to wipe her hands dry and dropped it back in its spot to continue on with her work. Grasping the bowl with the green liquid, she poured it over the larger bowl containing the green root powder that held the most potent properties of analgesic while the liquid contained the healing portion. Slowly, she used a medium sized clam shell in place of a spoon to mix the two ingredients to create the popular salve that would be neither solid nor liquid- a perfect gel substance. Her eyes carefully calculated the ratio portions since too much liquid could ruin the batch but her endless practice throughout the months had prepared her to titrate the drug perfectly.

There was excess liquid left in this particular portion as the herbs had provided extra but Zika would bottle it in vials, always prepared to handle any leftovers. The healing properties of the water were extremely gentle for children with fevers or inflammation so she could use it for all of her patients that required such medicine without concern for side effects. Joanna watched her retrieve clean vials from a closed basket on one of the bottom shelves of the alcoves where all of their supplies were stored for preparing medicine. Zika's mastered knowledge already dictated how many stone vials she would need and pulled out three to fill them slowly, measuring each with her eye until they satisfied her judgment. Pushing three polished wooden corks (glazed to prevent any absorption) into each vial, she handed the bowl to her student as Joanna grabbed their used materials to either wash or properly discard.

Water had already been boiled after their first batches of the herb tea had been made so their workload was finished at a faster rate. Joanna quickly filled a large container with cool water from the large urns they kept inside the handmade hut, using handmade soap to clean the bowls and other items with a yellow sea sponge. While Joanna cleaned, Zika prepared the finished salve by carefully spooning the concoction into sterilized clams since they neither absorbed nor left residue in medicine like wood (which is what some clans used). She was still trying to create another source for bottling but elongated cone shells or crafted stone made it quite convenient for their clan. Joanna darted a quick glance to her teacher's work since filling the clams was the best part, kneeling down with her washed bowls to carefully place each into the boiling water for sterilization. The na'vi might not be medically advanced like humankind with their gadgets but their naturalistic ways worked just the same to maintain sanitation and good patient care.

"You may spend the rest of your day as you like, Joanna" Zika informed kindly as she finished the last clam and closed it gently, placing it within one of the new leaf packets to finish the healing bundles. The popular packets would be placed in the most accessible middle shelves that spanned the entire east wall of their hut since each single resident and family was required to have one in their alcove at all times. Tomorrow, they would have their most influx of patients as check-ups for the new babies of the clan were due and mothers were eager to make sure their little ones were healthy. Joanna enjoyed working with children and the elderly the most since one group craved mental stimulation and the other chatted away to leave her satiated with delight. Zika turned around with a wide smile as she finished her day with a new bundle of medicine and clapped her hands to declare with delight, "I have no more patients for today and have to help Avi finish the family quilt she wants to give Nara before the baby arrives. I've still no idea on my design; Avi outdid herself by sewing Nara's portrait as a child from memory. I'll be fetching the children so if you see them by the shore, tell them I'll be there soon."

Tsu'tey's middle aunt out of the three was due to have her second child in a few weeks and the entire family was ecstatic, hoping for the best. Nara had trouble conceiving since bonding to her mate twelve years ago and the two had been trying their best to have a second child to grant their first of seven years a sibling (the first pregnancy had also been difficult). With her being a huntress, pregnancies became riskier as statistics for a miscarriage rose and Zika had ordered her to stay on the beach without rigorous exercise for the last months of her pregnancy. Avi was the second oldest of all the children and their unofficial leader of the family tree since their own parents were with Eywa, along with their eldest brother, taking care of her siblings however she could. There were traits in each of the women that gave Joanna a perfect picture of Tsu'tey because although she hadn't known his parents, his aunts held the same mirroring qualities. Avi held the same protective nature as she lectured her younger sisters while Nara's determined (sometimes headstrong) personality reflected Tsu'tey's attitude with his clan while Zika's helpful and compassionate characteristics matched the hidden personality that had been buried underneath all of his anger. She really hoped Tsu'tey would visit them one day, just so he could see the wonderful family he held miles away from the forest.

"Of course" Joanna agreed with a perky smile since she was always happy to meet with her children, their curious nature filling her heart with warm laughter. Leti was the youngest out of three and the baby of the entire family, her outgoing personality drawing attention as she followed just about anyone around the beach. Keron was the middle child at four years old and the polar opposite of his sister as he was shy around others but was always found alongside the pa'li, feeding them flowers he found at random. Sifu was the oldest at seven, watching over his siblings while his parents attended to their tasks by wandering around Kelutral but kept a good eye on them like any good future hunter would. Joanna rarely spent time with the children of the Atykwe as she had with the Omaticaya's due to her new duties but Zika's children were the only ones she encountered on a daily basis, enjoying their lively company.

Joanna exited the hut to return back to shore where the crashing waves brought her endless calm after a long day, the cool water welcoming her as it lapped at her ankles. Whenever she wasn't exhausted from training in her specialty areas, she wandered the wet sand to forage for shells to decorate her alcove or Anaya's. If she found particular shells to use in the healing alcoves, she sterilized them at the hut so they wouldn't run out of supplies. The rainy season had left and wouldn't return for two more seasons but sometimes, a light drizzling would occur from lingering clouds and spray the land to cool the warm earth. She had had the most fun building her hut after her rite as her friends helped teach her the entire process from gathering materials to tying the last layers of cloth on the hut. . .with the exception Xuret after she accidentally bonked him on the head with a piece of wood. Her chosen color of cloth was sapphire to match Xeki's skin and she'd begun to slowly weave artwork of the willow trees in light pink to complement the blue hue. A portrait of Peke already occupied the brown leather cloths of the entrance, his sparkling baby blue eyes being the most prominent of the image because her journey wouldn't have been complete without him (he'd pawed proudly at the sand when she revealed it to him on one of their strolls). She couldn't sew decently but the seamstresses were more than happy to help, especially Avi, since she worked in that specialty as Joanna supplied all of the materials with grateful appreciation.

The beach was gently calm today, the low tides lightly rolling onto the sand without force to envelop the white earth with its eternal embrace. She caught sight of Zika's children playing alongside the border of the shore, just as their mother predicted, as her two boys played with a ball while keeping watch of little Leti as she splashed her hands in the water. Children were endlessly curious of the world around them, ready to learn, and Joanna smiled broadly when Leti's cheerful voice called out with beckoning, "Na-Na!"

Leti had dubbed her that short moniker since she was still learning her vocabulary and had shortened Joanna's name down to its last letters for easier recognition. The little toddler was dressed in a violet loincloth, a necklace of bright yellow feathers covering her chest as she frolicked on the shore with a wide carefree smile. Her unbraided short black hair stuck to her round cheeks in places that had been struck by water, drawing a grin from the amused Joanna as she approached the splashing toddler. Leti's little white teeth shined as she smiled perkily to the welcome company and Joanna kneeled down to greet warmly, "I See you, little Leti. What have you found?"

Hopefully, it wasn't a small shell since children put just about anything in their mouth and Joanna did a quick scan with her eyes to make sure nothing suspicious was inside those tiny hands. Leti simply shook her head with a shy smile and splashed the incoming surge of water with open hands to laugh gleefully, "Water!"

"Are you soaking your little toes?" Joanna cooed sweetly and gently tickled the ends of her toes, stirring giddy laughter from her lips. Leti was soaked from the stomach downwards as she played along the shore, keeping her mother's rules in mind as her round face gazed at the glittering blue sea. Her brothers threw their inflated ball between the sandy beach and the water, switching between both playing fields as they frolicked with boisterous laughter.

"Where's sa'nu?" Leti asked hopefully with expectant eyes since she usually visited in Zika's company, water dripping down her pudgy wrists as she halted her splashing. The small toddler constantly yearned for her parents company when they were away tending to their duties, never far behind from either when they were in sight. She loved watching the sun set over the azure horizon because it meant that the rest of the day would be spent alongside them until it was time for sleep.

"At the alcoves, she'll be here soon" she assured gently and patted the top of her head, smoothing out the frizzes in her dry hair as damp locks obscured her vision. Leti smiled widely with appreciation to the gentle grooming, her peppy demeanor bringing Joanna delight and she tucked her short hair behind her pointy ears to keep it in place. Zika always tied her hair with a band early in the morning to keep her straight hair in place but by last meal, Leti's hair was loose and disheveled from her daily adventuring.

"Na-Na, sweets?" Leti piped up hopefully since she knew Joanna carried sweets in her satchel to keep her energy running throughout the day. Her golden eyes glittered against the sunlight, her dark lashes batting rapidly to the thought that the woman carried goodies that she could munch on. Her little hands clapped with anticipation but Joanna had to inform her gently that she didn't have any on hand since Zika didn't want the toddler eating before last meal or she'd never fall asleep at night. Her lips fell into a disappointed frown as her tongue expected to taste a sweet pastry or a soft chewy candy, small shoulders slumping as she slapped the water lethargically to the unfortunate answer.

Leti's delicate facial expressions always stirred Joanna's maternal side as she'd grown to adore her teacher's child and gently stroked her back with a sympathetic smile. It was best to have a mildly disappointed toddler than a hyperactive one that Zika couldn't put into bed to sleep. A new but familiar feminine voice entered their conversation about the upcoming last meal as the two sat by the shoreline, "Last meal will be soon, you don't want to spoil your appetite with sweets. Our hunters caught very yummy fish for us today and we must thank the sea dwellers for giving their lives so we could eat."

Joanna bowed her head politely with a warm smile as the matriarch had approached the two, her graceful steps silent in the sand as they lightly indented the sand. Her maroon clothing contrasted beautifully against the white earth, her knee-length skirt billowing against the incoming breeze of the late afternoon. Her long hair was tightly bound in braids and wrapped around the crown of her head as blunt thorns with tiny glued seashells, which served as decorating hair pins, were randomly tucked within her hair to heighten her natural beauty. Joanna had never seen the matriarch with her hair loose, her shiny raven hair was always braided in an intricate style and found it curious since the other women of the clan always gave their hair a breather from the braiding. Joanna's own hair had been cropped to shoulder-length since it made easier maintenance now that she was hunting while allowing her queue braid to roam free in its own Dutch braid, not wanting to hassle with hairstyles her fingers couldn't comprehend. Leti paused her splashing as the matriarch always brought her delight, smiling broadly to her regal appearance as she asked enthusiastically, "Fishies?"

Nitari chuckled softly to agree with Leti's eagerness, sitting down gracefully on the dry sand to watch over the little girl to allow her brothers playtime without babysitting. The boys were able to let loose as they watched both women care over their small sister, leading them to play freely with their ball across the beach. Joanna watched quietly as her leader drew on the wet sand with a dexterous finger, using her other hand to grab Leti's tiny one to entice her to follow her example by helping her sketch. Leti's ears perked immediately with interest to the eye pleasing creation that her own little hands were making, leading her to beckon the matriarch for help in finishing that outline of an atokirina she'd begun to draw. Joanna could only chuckle to her giddy enthusiasm as she gave up splashing in the water to draw in the wet sand, enthralled with the new activity as Nitari kept her occupied until Zika arrived.

It wasn't long before the healer arrived at the shore since the first places to look for her children were either the cooks' area where their father worked on the delicious food served at all meals or the shoreline. After her mate informed her that the children decided to walk around the shore where adult supervision was ample, Zika had headed in their direction to retrieve their little ones. Leti had become completely engrossed to her little bundles of drawings, ranging from everyday objects to her own parents (in stick-form figures) but Nitari announced her arrival to the child and Leti was nothing short but ecstatic. She wiggled in her seat happily to the sight of her mother as she'd caught her familiar face in the distance, waving her arms to beckon her and didn't hesitate to call out to her. There was nothing she wouldn't do to be in her mother's arms that spelled endless safety and Zika smiled caringly as she called out dotingly, "There you are, my little one, and what good company you keep."

"Sa'nu, sa'nu" she cooed affectionately with bright golden eyes, giggling happily when her mother leaned down to pick her up in one easy scoop and hugged her close. To Joanna, Leti reminded her of a delicate little porcelain doll as her eyes glittered like pools of molten gold with joy to her mother's presence. She'd never seen the mother-daughter bond look as beautiful as Leti clung to Zika with a content smile, her small tail gently swishing through the air while her eyes closed for a brief moment.

Zika smiled in welcome to everyone as she tickled her daughter's bare stomach, eliciting a giggle of protest from Leti and gazed at the two women to say warmly, "Thank you for keeping her occupied, the boys need to keep a better eye on her."

At this, her oldest son waved his arms to prove his mother wrong and pointed out, "We are. . .we're just playing at the same time."

"It is no trouble when she is such a delight" Nitari cooed softly with affection as she patted the top of Leti's head, stirring an instant smile from her little lips. Her bright eyes were pinned on the matriarch since Leti felt at ease with just about anyone but adored those that spent time with her, always finding her way to visit them when she wandered the beach with her brothers. In this case, Nitari had found her first and chuckled with amusement when Leti's fingers tentatively touched the shell bracelets decorating her wrists with natural curiosity. She watched the child's study of her jewelry with kind eyes as she never tired of the adorable sight, smiling at Zika to state fondly, "She really is a sweet child."

"Thank you, matriarch" the healer chuckled modestly since her youngest child was the glittering stone of their family as she was cooed over and Leti didn't hesitate to bring a smile to people's faces. Zika attributed that trait to both herself and her mate, who were never anything but kind and cheerful towards others as their own parents had taught them to be. Soon, her little one would have a new playmate once her sister's upcoming baby was old enough to crawl around safely. She tickled Leti's sides to draw an instant giggle from her daughter, smiling widely when she batted her hands and chuckled softly, "And what do we say when our tsahìk compliments you, my dear Leti?"

"Tha-a-a-nk you" she drawled slowly to enunciate the first letter in a near replica to her mother's, smiling broadly at the matriarch to show that she was trying her best. Nitari could only chuckle amusingly to her attempt and tickled her chin to encourage her to keep learning new words to expand her growing mind.

"Well, we must dry these little limbs and dress her warmly for last meal because sempu wants his dear Leti to stay healthy" Zika chuckled affectionately as she hugged her daughter, Leti's lips pouting because she wanted to keep splashing in the cool water and searching for little crabs hidden beneath the sand. Nitari smiled warmly to her crestfallen expression, caressing her right cheek with the palm of her hand to fade that little pout. Leti smiled brightly with renewed vigor at the matriarch, loving the attention from her leader, and Zika excused herself politely to finish her tasks for the day, "May Eywa watch over you two."

Joanna cooed her farewell to Leti as she peeked over her mother's shoulder with a perky smile, the two leaving the shore with the boys running behind them and Nitari mused with a calm voice, "You grow much attached to children. Mo'at told me of your caretaking experience with them. Have you given any thought of seeking a mate? You've been with us for more than a season now."

"I. . .," Joanna hesitated because she did imagine a future where she could have a little one rolling around in the sand as they called her name but the one she loved lived elsewhere, apart from her clan. Despite the passage of time, she held their memories dear and couldn't imagine a day where she wouldn't think of him. They hadn't seen each other in months, more than a season, and she could only wonder if she'd be forced to move on towards a future where another would fill his spot in her heart. The idea nauseated her and her ears flattened somberly as she admitted softly, "My heart still belongs to another from the Omaticaya. I truly found myself falling in love with him, part of me even hoped to. . .well, build a family with him."

Her continuous meetings with the matriarch had pieced together portions from her past and personality that Nitari couldn't access through her meditations with Eywa. There was no question whether she trusted the matriarch and saw her as a motherly figure due to her caring demeanor, a stark difference to her own biological parent. Nitari saw a piece of herself in the young huntress as she'd had her precious family but yearned to be included in the activities of the clan that only high classes were privileged to, feeling ostracized in her own home, while Joanna had yearned for a true sense of home and family. In the end, they both achieved their goals and currently gazed into the glittering sea before them with content as it spelled home. Nitari smiled sympathetically to her woe of the heart since she wanted all of her children to find their destined life partners and sincerely stated, "I did regret pulling you from Tsu'tey but it was for your best interest and I know he wanted the same for you, child."

Joanna blushed deeply for having her secret known without admitting it by the matriarch since she and Tsu'tey had tried to keep themselves distant in public. Her words and facial expressions, however, tended to be her undoing since she spoke highly of the hunter in a way that reminded the matriarch of her own youth when she'd courted her mate. The same glowing cheeks, bright eyes full of admiration, and broad smile had been on her face decades ago just as they were on Joanna's when she'd reunited with her at the Omaticaya. Nitari merely chuckled to her flustered expression as the secret turned her cheeks lilac and teased gently, "Oh, Joanna, I am a matriarch and have been through your stage in life myself. I know these things naturally."

Joanna chuckled with relief that she wasn't chastised for her heart's desire but apologized with true honesty, "I didn't want you to be disappointed in me for seeking his affection despite my lack of rank and it is why I underwent Iknimaya without approval. My heart wanted to stay with his so we could build a future but you and Eywa had different plans for me, better ones than what my stubbornly brash mind wanted. You inspire me to be better than what I am."

"All will come with good timing, young one" Nitari assured with encouragement because the young woman was still flourishing under the clan's guidance, whether by Anaya's hunting tips or Zika's medicinal teachings. Joanna had definitely been a short-tempered spitfire when she arrived on their world, especially against Tsu'tey, but he'd helped to clear away the first layer of self-destructive traits just as she'd diminished his. The young huntress appreciated all of the help, never hesitating to return the same kindness, and Nitari asked warmly for clarification, "So I can assume that you do not want me to assign possible suitors for you?"

"With all respect, tsahìk, I don't see myself finding a mate very quickly" Joanna admitted modestly with respect for her leader as she watched the gentle waves strike the shore, darkening the white sand with the liquid of life. The soft breeze swayed the small green seashells dangling on the earrings in her ears and she smiled fondly in regards to the tireless hunter, "I loved Tsu'tey dearly and I've yet to meet anyone who can capture my eye like he did. I actually never thought anybody would feel that way about me and he was a person at a much higher rank than me. . .but he did and I felt such honor for that. My heart is a very deep cup to fill," she paused and finished meekly, "I hope that doesn't make me sound picky."

Nitari offered a sympathetic gaze because everyone was entitled to love who they chose and soothed gently, "No, it is completely understandable. I was expected to find a mate quickly after performing my dream hunt but I refused to do so until _I_ deemed myself ready."

Joanna's eyes shone with captivation to her words for sagely advice and Nitari continued, "I was adamant that I find myself, my passion, before I was ready to share a life with another who understood me as well as I could myself. I didn't have a specific class in mind but I was certain the artisan ranks would suit me. . .oh, how wrong I was."

Nitari chuckled bashfully, youthful femininity lighting her angular face as she smiled modestly to tell her tale, "The clan heir had befriended me a short time before my rite after my mother designed an item for him and we met for the first time despite living on the same beach for years. He fascinated me like no other man, not because of his rank, but what lay in his heart. He held such kindness and camaraderie that reminded me of my own family, he encouraged me to find _my_ true passion and not to settle with what everyone else deemed fit for me. It was no secret between us that we held each other with great affection but traditions were different then."

Joanna often heard about the leadership of the older generation but her friends didn't comment much because they were still their elders and had to be respected, regardless of their opinions. Nitari slowly shed light on the past through the conversations and this one added another piece to their history, "The previous clan leaders wanted highly ranked individuals for future clan leadership to keep lineages elegant and charismatic- it is one reason why some tsahìk's are weaker or stronger than others. It is why I was endeared with young Mo'at when I saw a healer's child in an uprising position that would keep a clan strong with good guidance and she is marvelous. Others, I am sad to say are concerned about other matters rather than interpreting the will of Eywa; again, they might prefer hunting or history to be their focus point. Back to this little story, my Akon managed to charm a yes from me to court but not everyone was happy to the possibility of an artisan's daughter as a future tsahìk."

Joanna gaped in shock to the revelation since Nitari was always so beautifully graceful and kind to everyone she met, a diplomatic but sympathetic soul. She'd never really known much about the origins of Nitari and Akon, simply that one had belonged to a rank that wasn't fit to fall under tutelage for future leadership. The matriarch always appeared immaculate and respectful, a confident aura that had caused Joanna to believe that her parents had been the previous leaders of the Atykwe. Apparently, it had been the opposite but it was hard to fathom such a thing could be thought about Nitari's abilities and Joanna remarked with disbelief, "But you're such an adored matriarch. You are my role model, I do not understand how you could be questioned or seen in such a way when you interpreted my path before even meeting me."

"Again, these were different times and I changed that slowly when I rose to my new rank" she stated softly with a fond smile towards the peaceful sea but in her mind, the image of her mate lay within the diamond glitter of the blue water. Eywa had been kind in his passing and Nitari had laid his body to rest in a solitary place that overlooked their entire land so he would never be far from their home. She hadn't the heart to carry him to the Tree of Souls, far inland where he would be away from his beloved people, choosing their clan's Tree of Voices as his final resting place. Her voice lowered as she ruminated privately about her past, "The person I am now was carefully molded over the years but I kept firm to my virtues. I was a frightened girl for daring to question our strict traditions, afraid I would be exiled for doing so, but my Akon would not take no for an answer. There was such love in his eyes that I couldn't crush that same love _I_ harbored for him."

They had shared so many conversations about their union. . .

_"Your parents have sought mine to question them about our courtship" Nitari informed anxiously as her fingers shook while brushing back her neatly braided hair behind flattened ears full of worry. Ever since they'd admitted their plan to mate, she had not slept easy at night knowing many disagreed and looked down upon her for agreeing. She was a humble woman that didn't want to cause such conflict within her dear clan and her brow furrowed as she admitted somberly, "My parents are simple artisans, Akon, they don't know how much I treasure you but I cannot have them frowned upon or ridiculed for my decision-"_

_"Nobody will change my mind about my decision, I love you too much to lose you" Akon interjected swiftly as he'd been hearing nonstop lectures about it from his parents since they'd gone public with their courtship. She captivated him like no other woman, drawing him with the beautiful hypnotism of a glow fly, and knew the qualities the clan needed to function properly existed within her. There were traditions he questioned as he grew older and when his own dreams from Eywa contradicted his mother's, he had to follow his heart. The ancient ways had been recorded through time for a reason and Akon believed Eywa was at the heart of it all for knowing what was best for their clan and more importantly, their world._

_However, seeing his beloved grieved over her own family seized his heart in a painful grip and he assured gently, "I will make sure they aren't questioned anymore. I will speak with all parties involved today and answer the concerns of the residents by holding a meeting at the hearth. . .but the artisans seem quite happy for us."_

_Her features softened considerably to his lighthearted joke and he embraced her tightly, kissing her temple to show his devotion to her. She didn't doubt his love for a second but her heart worried deeply for him, knowing that his family's disagreement hurt him as well. He was their child, taught to love his family and clan members, and to know his parents refused to accept their love. . .it wasn't easy for him. She sighed faintly against the side of his neck, wrapping her arms over his shoulders to provide him with endless support and whispered softly, "I worry for all of us, Akon. My parents don't deserve to be in the clan's attention for this and you are a great man that is only trying to shift our clan to newer ways to make us stronger. They judge you before you even have a chance to prove whether you're right or wrong, that is not how a clan behaves."_

_"I'm not the only one that senses it then? That we are spiraling away from our days of splendor" Akon spoke carefully as he dared to speak on a topic that would've had others questioning his loyalty as heir but only a true leader would care about the welfare of its people rather than its reputation. The last two generations had been focused on creating a highly ranked ruling family that centered only on healing and hunting, keeping the top hierarchy within the same families of those classes. The hunters were highly overvalued in his opinion because Akon never saw them venture into the deep or evade a predator like the valiant heroes of legend! Even he'd ventured into the forests that bordered the Omaticayan lands to hunt rather than feed on trade goods he could've simply used an arrow for to catch. He couldn't remember the last time he heard the lorekeepers reciting old tales or eating food that didn't contain half of what his own people prepared in the alcoves. It was a reason why he spent time with each field of expertise to show that there was no division but the gap was growing wider with time. All the women he'd met were either high-ranked people he'd known since youth and to him, it was like mating into his own family! Nitari had been a fresh face of potential that contained the core values that Eywa had taught them since the creation of the First Songs and he'd been smitten._

_Nitari wasn't one to speak against the clan she'd been born into but slowly, his beloved answered with a downcast gaze, "I. . .I could never speak ill of our clan but. . .it is hard not to feel a distinction between ranks here. The last clan that visited, the Zakali, they were very united as all ranks were treated kindly and their leaders are chosen differently- by what the clan decides under the guidance of Eywa. We sat at morning and last meal as a divided people as hunters, healers, and the advisors sat at the front while the Omaticaya, their people varied between all as they spoke together without bias. Our people are losing the valor that once made us a great clan, one of the oldest, we recited songs of old and were masters of the sky with our ikran rather than counting the names of the dead more dearly than those of our children."_

_Her ears flattened with shame for openly stating her opinions about the condition of their clan, hoping Eywa wouldn't strike her down for daring it, but she did it out of worry for their people. She could never be vindictive or manipulative, her parents had raised her to protect their home first and she murmured solemnly, "Eywa Sees the slow shift and she is undoing our clan slowly until only trade, the elite, and our simple hunting is left to us. We will not hear Her voice, the caverns no longer hold atokirina and unless something changes . . . we will diminish into the shadows."_

_He cupped her face in his hands because she was the kind soul he needed at his side as his pillar of strong support and his next words shocked her, "You will be my tsahìk and we must stand together to reverse everything because my clan, our clan, must regain its former strength. Our ceremony will take place when the tide is highest-"_

_"That's in two solar rotations" she gasped in disbelief to what he proposed, the tips of her ears darkening to the short amount of time to prepare. People were already talking about them and if they bonded quickly, they could add further fuel to the fire at their own disadvantage since ceremonies were carefully planned. She'd even begun to prepare her own speeches by reciting them at empty caves to begin speaking to the clan to help their cause. Her fingertips grasped his shoulders as she felt weak in the knees to a sudden union and asked worriedly, "Akon, what if our people disagree to our union? What we will do. . .a union like ours hasn't occurred in generations."_

_"Then we will make a new clan, start anew" he proposed softly because their people deserved better and she felt faint at the notion of breaking away from the Atykwe. He meant it mostly as a joke but if their clan couldn't accept a union that held nothing but love, it would become their last resort in order to be together and redeem the last hope for their people. He never thought he'd find himself questioning his own culture and shuffled his feet in the warm soft sand with his own nervousness, stating encouragingly, "We can only hope that we aren't the only ones who feel this way. If so, we will have to make our own decision concerning our future. I will be sharing my life with you, my dear songbird, and I will bond with you wherever we are- on this beach, in a shallow pool, in a muddy ditch, or in the middle of a storm."_

_Nitari chuckled fondly to his kind optimism, pressing her forehead against his as her fingers caressed his jaw line and she whispered with unyielding loyalty, "You are the kind of leader we need and I will follow you anywhere, even if we must defy our elders by sweeping in change. I can only hope that I will make you proud as a mate-"_

_"You are a kind and considerate woman, I love you too much to ever think ill of you" he stated tenderly as she'd taught him arts that he'd never have imagined grasping with his ranking and felt a natural sense of belonging when he worked alongside the artisans. She'd shown him how to sew, craft jewelry, bake, and even mix his own colors to paint just about anything! She smiled appreciatively to the man she loved, a light blush painting her cyan cheeks because she felt honored to receive his affection. Never had she imagined that she'd grow enamored with the clan heir, clutching him close to soothe both the worries in their hearts._

_"My heart is yours, always" Nitari pledged her devotion, chastely touching her lips to his in an affectionate kiss that brought a caring smile to both their faces. She tugged him by the hand to lead him towards the northern sand dunes where the lorekeepers gathered to keep their minds sharp by reciting stories aloud but children were the main visitors. Her fingers intertwined with his for their private walk north of the shore, glad to have a peaceful moment for themselves and stated firmly, "Let us learn and use that to shape our plans because the people will demand answers from us. They deserve each so we cannot fail them."_

_"You will be a strong tsahìk, my dear one, whether here or at a new land" Akon promised kindly since neither wanted to leave their beloved land but would do so to prevent witnessing the ruin of it._

Nitari sighed with solemn remembrance to the days when she believed her clan would exile both her and Akon due to their beliefs of a better Atykwe by reforming the clan. Joanna stayed silent with enthralled attention to their inspiring tale of bravery because she'd never heard of an upheaval in a clan (her anthropological research hadn't yielded much information on clan dynamics) and the matriarch smiled softly to her awed expression, "It was not easy convincing them their ways were not working but Akon and I began our change slowly to return to the ancient traditions. I was petrified since the day he asked me to be his mate, second-guessing his choice because I was a simple girl. . .but how could I reject or fail him? I loved and respected him too highly but he believed in me like nobody else. The clan leaders were cold towards me since the day we met and there were days I wished I could curl up against my kind mother's bosom for comfort as years' worth of training were taught to me to match my age. What neither of us expected, however, was that my innate abilities to understanding Eywa far exceeded Akon's mother and soon. . ._I_ created my own teachings as the Tree of Voices was all I needed."

Joanna's lips tried to hold back the proud grin at hearing she'd exceeded all of their expectations, proving Akon's beliefs that not all matriarchs needed to be born into high status families. Nitari's heart warmed to seeing her happiness for an old tale since she never really considered her experiences special but appeased Joanna's curiosity by finishing modestly, "He was so proud of me as I filled the evening with songs and tales from the lorekeepers that hadn't been heard in quite a time, changed the site of Uteho'awkx to strengthen our hunters as they'd grown accustomed to fishing near shore, and made sure I memorized all of the residents names."

The thin lines around her almond shaped eyes crinkled as she smiled with kindness that failed to leave her since childhood and admitted sincerely, "Not everyone agreed with my first changes or our progression but most of them understood we did it for _them_, from the highest ranked advisor to the youngest babe in its mother's arms. The Atykwe has been my pride since the day I learned to utter that word and my people fueled my resolve to make true on all of my promises."

"Not many would have such courage, it speaks highly of your character so I can see why Olo'eyktan Akon chose you to begin with- _you_ gave him hope" Joanna complimented kindly to the touching history of the two leaders and wished she could've met the olo'eyktan because he sounded as respectful as Nitari. She was truly one of the kindest na'vi she'd met and if humanity hadn't destroyed all hope for peaceful negotiations with her people, she would've voted for her leader to represent every good aspect of their species; good leaders were those that never asked to wield power and used it with great responsibility to protect the innocent.

"I was a frightened girl then, blind to what awaited me in the future but we persevered to bring our dream to fruition" she chuckled softly with true honesty to her thoughts during that time as she'd fought the nerves running through her body to the realization that she would lead an _entire_ clan. Not many young women held that dream in their minds because she would've been just as happy crafting jewelry for the rest of her days, sorting through colorful beads and preparing twine in similarity to her mother. She rested both of her hands on Joanna's right shoulder to show her motherly compassion and Nitari promised with a cheerful smile full of hope, "And you, your time to reunite with Tsu'tey will come soon."

Joanna couldn't wait for that day to come but what did the future hold in store for them?

* * *

"He's brooding out there, I think he's made enough arrows to last his team an entire season" Jake mused aloud as he watched his advisor add green feathers to newly crafted arrows as he sat by himself on a log bench inside the base of Kelutral. He didn't know if Tsu'tey knew this or not but he tended to subconsciously pick colors that conveyed his mood of the day and the current cherry red told Jake that he wasn't a peppy dandelion smiling at the sun . . . he was on edge. His friend occupied himself with any and all possible chores but to Jake, it spelled a man eager to forget the past and move forward in any way that he could. It wasn't a bad mindset but things that were forcefully rushed when they weren't meant to could backfire horribly to one's overall state. His intentions helped the clan, yes, but not himself; Jake needed to change that. From his spot on the first level of the residence level, Jake tapped his chin thoughtfully as he decided to stick his mind into this and informed his mate, "I have to do something for him, Neytiri."

The two had gathered at the first level where most residents spent their leisure time when the outskirts or base didn't suffice, the constant shade and scenic view of the Kelutral's outskirts tempted wanderers to sit at one of the log benches around the three areas reserved specifically for that. Otherwise, the first level residents would be flooded with never-ending guests in their private homes. Neytiri sewed an old pair of brown leggings on one of those logs, letting the waistband out of a few inches as her lower belly had begun to make her clothing snug. Jake liked seeing the small swell as it told him their baby was happily growing within its mother and would keep them both safe. She looked to him from her spot, pausing her skillful sewing and suggested helpfully with a smile, "You could send him on an errand, I think it's time our friend travels abroad. Even if it's for a few days."

"To where?" he asked curiously since he didn't want to send Tsu'tey to the middle of nowhere just to bring a little excitement back into his life. He tapped his fingers over a small branch overhead that he held onto as he watched his clan carry on with daily life since the morning had become free for him and Neytiri. They had no need to hunt as they had ample food for the next two days and there were no worries to ponder over as their clan worked efficiently with everyone's contributions.

Where could he send his brother that wouldn't have him hissing and fighting him the whole way? Oh, and of course, stay safe. Neytiri was one step ahead of her mate's planning, her fingers resuming the meticulous stitching to prevent any tears and chuckled softly as she grinned sneakily, "Well, I have been having a craving for a type of fish that only dwells in the Eastern Sea. I believe it is a common fish for the Atykwe, we could trade fabric or dried meat?"

He grinned to her ingenuity because where he acted directly to fix a problem, his mate chose the subtler attempts to accomplish her goal. She balanced his faults or the areas he was iffy on, given his previous profession, and leaned down to kiss her forehead to compliment warmly, "You are a brilliant and crafty woman, Neytiri," gazing down at her bare stomach, he added in, "This is how I want you to be, smart and beautiful, little one."

She shooed him away with a bashful smile since they were still in a public area where their affection could be caught and shared her idea to bring happiness to Tsu'tey, "I think it's time to reunite them. He hasn't seen her in more than a season but he misses her greatly, I can't bear to see him that way", pausing her sewing again, she gazed at her mate to insist, "However, Tsu'tey is a proud man and won't go unless it's for the utmost need of the clan so make it seem that I _really_ want this fish delivered."

"Mood swings are really beneficial for us right now" he joked playfully since she'd only shown lethargy as a symptom and hadn't become mad unless she was truly exhausted. She'd flung a few clothes at him whenever she didn't agree to his ideas but he didn't dare to rile her when she was angry, fearing he'd be in the figurative dog house for quite a while. Their baby was bringing them both joy so he wouldn't meddle with his mate's state of mind, doing all that he could to keep her happy, and smiled widely to boast, "This pregnancy is wonderful."

"For you" his mate chuckled amusingly since she was bearing the physiological load all on her own but he helped her tremendously. She didn't know how tawtute parents behaved with the arrival of a child but her mate's parents had taught him well as he catered to her every need and she appreciated it immensely. Their child couldn't ask for a better father as Jake had already begun to recite stories to her stomach and planned future activities for family bonding, all while she happily indulged on banana fruit chips. The delivery, however, jabbed her mind with worry that knocked aside all of the blissful comforts of her mate and her anticipation with motherhood. Poking the sharp end of the needle through the waistband of her leggings, she pulled it out with her other hand and pointed it in the direction of her mate while feigning a serious expression to state, "Next time, _you_ carry the baby."

His eyes widened into saucers since wasn't a scientist or doctor on the biology of avatars, blurting uneasily with the first thought that came to mind, "I . . . I can do that?"

"Of course not, you are too easy to unsettle sometimes" Neytiri chuckled fondly as his baffled expression amused her, watching the tips of his ears darken at falling into that gullible trap. If Eywa had created all individuals to carry children, she would've put her mate to do the job first to spare herself future pain when they wanted other children. Her mate was constantly learning about their world and she couldn't help but add in a joke once in a while to put his tail in a knot and smiled widely to state mischievously, "If you could, I would've transferred this child into you the second I realized I wanted one."

"You are crafty, beautiful matriarch, and I will return to you soon with my results" he beamed with pride to the sneakily delightful jokes of his mate and leaned down to kiss the top of her forehead, already knowing that small modest smile was on her lips. He would bring her the news before heading off to meet with Mo'at to learn all that he could about caring for a child, enjoying the bonding time with his mother-in-law as he learned a lesson every day. Of course, that didn't mean his mistakes on placing a diaper on backwards didn't warrant a decent scolding from the soon-to-be grandmother. Mo'at's greatest pride through the entire teaching process would be to see him correctly pin a loincloth diaper onto the round vegetable that played the part of a baby.

Jake found his friend sparring with Norm, who was still trying to prove himself worthy of courting Tarazi, and decided that practicing his skills against the top hunter would help his chances. Unfortunately, Tsu'tey didn't get the 'friendly practice' memo from his friend and pretty much demolished the poor hunter in the field with his agility alone. By the end, Norm lay flat on his back while wondering what the hell had just happened since he'd only executed four offensive moves before being rendered immobile by the other man. Max and Cheryl had joined them to watch the sparring as she separated herbs she'd gathered for the healers and he would take them to healing alcoves afterwards for preparation. However, their work ceased immediately when they saw their poor pummeled friend and winced with pity for the pain since the seasoned hunter was not one to fight lightly. Not even Max would try that. Tsu'tey simply glanced down at Norm's sprawled and twitching form, his tall height imposing over his losing friend as he stated matter-of-factly with tips for the future, "You need to work on your reaction time and dodging. I didn't even need to catch my breath."

"You have countless seasons of training, of course you wouldn't" Norm pointed out hastily as he picked himself up to wipe off the dust covering his backside, embarrassed to the quick match that brought him defeat. He'd at least hoped to last a few minutes against the hunter. Tsu'tey was merciless during practice as he kept his mind clear on the objective without bias, especially now that Joanna had left. Usually, the two had depleted each other's energy by sparring every day or exploring the wilderness but now that she left, a huge reserve of energy was left that needed to be purged. Norm didn't want to be that helping hand because Tsu'tey was continuously wiping the floor with him, ruining his chances at courting Tarazi. Even now, he couldn't help but slump his shoulders at the awful show of his skills that did absolutely nothing to boost his chances.

The huntress approached him with a small smile since she'd watched the sparring match between the two, not surprised in the slightest that Tsu'tey had won because only the olo'eyktan himself could best him. Still, Tarazi admired Norm's determination because she wasn't comfortable with her skills to even try because she'd seen how his previous student appeared after a fight. She handed him his bow back (crafted by her dear father, of course) and he thanked her for holding it for him, her words bringing a little comfort, "I don't think any of us have a chance at defeating him, he is claimed to be the best for a reason so . . . we need to train better."

"Thanks but if I can manage to last a few minutes without falling on my back, I will consider that a feasible accomplishment" he smiled amicably for her sympathy since he wanted to gain the same skills that his friends held. . .well, except for Max's because healing was not in his future. Hunting would be his life, to provide for his people, and he wanted to do that to the best of abilities as he bettered himself continuously. Otherwise, he could risk becoming a hindrance for the other hunters in his team and he wouldn't dare cause that because the consequences could be grave.

Nonetheless, Cheryl clapped loudly with encouragement for her battered friend and called out with a hopeful smile, "You'll get him next time, Norm."

Norm's spirit lifted somewhat to the friendly reinforcement, rubbing the back of his shoulders since Tsu'tey had twisted his right arm in a tight hold that had immobilized him in seconds. The man was faster on his feet than he originally anticipated and despite his slim form, carried unyielding strength that had definitely knocked the air out of his lungs. He caught sight of a familiar ornate necklace and maroon feathers fluttering in the air like butterfly wings as Jake entered the sparring fields with a charismatic smile for his friends. This could not get any better for Jake's crafty schemes of subtly sending his advisor on a quick vacation trip and Norm greeted casually, "Afternoon, Jake."

Tarazi shot him an affronted glare for not using the proper custom with their leader of all people and he restated correctly with haste, "I mean, I See you, olo'eyktan."

"I See you, my friends" he chuckled amicably since he'd repeatedly told his friends to call him by his name when small numbers of residents were about. He didn't worry about honorific titles unless important people were around and had to follow their culture etiquette to prevent any embarrassing snafus. He strode past the two hunters as they bickered over rightful greetings, wondering how in all of Pandora those two would ever end up courting, and nodded to his advisor with an innocent smile to request calmly, "Tsu'tey, might I have a word with you?"

The simple question snapped Tsu'tey into full blown advisor/hunter mode as he eyed every inch of the clearing for imminent danger with narrowed eyes as his posture stiffened, dismaying Jake. Ever since Neytiri's pregnancy had become public Omaticayan news, Tsu'tey took it upon himself to protect the clan's head family to the death by any means necessary. Naturally, this had humbled the ruling couple since he'd become their unofficial older brother but Tsu'tey had the unfortunate tendency to become viciously overprotective. Obviously, this could be problematic for Neytiri and Jake as he criticized everything that could become a hazard to them or their child. Neytiri had no idea how her pretty handmade necklaces could be dangerous objects and had shooed her friend out of her alcove before he decided to discard them for her protection. Jake almost lost a few hunting knives since leaving them in their protective sheaths could _somehow_ send them flying through air _and_ out of their sheaths at just the right force and angle to strike flesh. That one still boggled his mind. He was ready to pity the woman who would bear that hunter's child one day because he would undoubtedly tie everything to the walls and sanitize their alcove at every hour to ensure their safety. It was rather humorous to witness, given Tsu'tey's natural uneasiness around children since he shooed them away rather than drew them near to recite a story.

"That plant fell from its hanging spot didn't it? I repeatedly told Neytiri not to keep items around the entrance-" Tsu'tey chastised immediately with a disapproving scowl as he changed into protective uncle mode, ready to rant about the accursed plant that he deemed bothersome but Neytiri was adamant to keep it for aesthetic purpose. Jake cut him off with a sharp whistle because anything else would fail since Tsu'tey could raise his voice to a surprisingly loud volume that rendered even the chirping birds to become silent. He discovered that on one early morning when he'd found a bucket of unused water on the first residential level and had dumped it over the nearby bushes below to feed them, inadvertently dropping the cold water on the recently woken hunter as he strolled by. It was safe to say that Tsu'tey never used that route to reach the clan hearth for first meal ever again.

"Everything is fine, Neytiri simply has a request for you" Jake spoke slowly yet firmly to reassure him that nothing was wrong and the future heir was perfectly fine. He maintained eye contact to ensure his honesty since Tsu'tey held one's gaze to verify claims and if not, would break the norm to grasp their wrist to check their radial pulse for any suspicious changes. There was a reason he was trained as a future olo'eyktan as he observed everything with a keen calculating eye but Jake was a trained soldier that kept calm under pressure so he could elude his advisor when he needed to. Case in point, the current objective of his upcoming trip.

Tsu'tey's shoulders squared to show his clear attention to the task at hand and Jake deliberated easily with a friendly smile, "She requires a certain fish from the Atykwe and would like it delivered by your hand alone so it should about a day, you don't need to hurry. Apparently, our child has given her a craving for roasted fish and I will not deny my little Jaktiri anything."

Everyone in the clearing winced visibly to the dubbed nickname, their lips turning into an immediate frown to give an invisible thumb's down to it.

"You're really, uh, going to name your kid _Jaktiri_?" Norm asked awkwardly to the horrible blend and Tarazi thinned her lips as she held back her own cringe since he was her leader, she couldn't really judge his opinion. Max and Cheryl hid their amused grins behind the stems of herbs they were wrapping in bundles, saying nothing but eager to hear how this would end.

Jake blinked innocently since he'd chosen the best blend of their names during one of his perimeter sweeps around the forest with his ikran and answered truthfully, "I thought it was rather cute and it'll give us time to find the right name for them."

The entire group hoped that Neytiri would have the majority sway in the vote because human names would sound strangely out of place and a cool name could embarrass the child when they realized it wasn't as cool as their father originally thought. Tsu'tey held the most comical expression out of all his friends as he appeared to have swallowed a sour lemon unwillingly, his sharp features crinkling heavily with displeasure.

Jake waved his hands the next second to wash his mind free of any second or negative thoughts because nobody would change the adorable moniker and dissuaded all of them, "It doesn't matter, it's _my_ baby and they are Jaktiri. . .Jak-tiri. . .," his face contorted into uncertainly as he faltered and sighed hopelessly, "Oh, look what you've done, it's in my head now. Maybe I should try Neyke or Ja'ney-"

Tarazi grimaced visibly to the horrible names, wondering if adding strange names to unborn children was a tawtute trait. Affectionate names were used when a child was safely brought into the world, in case the child didn't make it. She'd lost a sibling due to a miscarriage and the painful loss it dealt the family forced her not to use heartwarming monikers until her younger brother was born without complications. Norm quickly intervened to protect all of their sanities from more illogical nicknames and clasped Jake's shoulder to reassure, "Forget it, man. Stay with Jaktiri, _definitely_ Jaktiri. We _love_ Jaktiri, don't we?"

Everyone agree rapidly in unison but Tsu'tey burst that blind optimistic bubble with his direct attitude by disagreeing bluntly, "That is the most horrendous name I've heard in my entire life and I've heard quite a few. My child wouldn't be caught dead with that."

"Tsu'tey!" Norm groaned with disappointment since he was trying to keep Jake from perusing through more horrible couple monikers to pass onto his child. He often forgot that the hunter could be cruelly straightforward in order to make someone see common sense but Tsu'tey quickly mumbled out an apology (those were a rare occurrence) when everyone aimed a strict glare in his direction. His posture straightened defensively since he'd only uttered the truth to help his friend and crossed his lean arms to deflect any blame from that after offering the apology.

"Well, it's not your child this time" Jake rebuffed airily since he wanted to give his first child the world and jabbed a finger in his direction, leading Tsu'tey to snort dismissively. The hunter had yet to admit to anyone, except the tsahìk, about the slow acceptance of possibly having a child in the future that he could call his own. Not all bonded couples were expected to produce children, some might not be able to or others simply didn't see one in their future, but the idea was growing on him. There was no danger from the tawtute anymore to plague his heart and the chances of leaving his child orphaned were extremely low now. Unfortunately, the only one he wanted to share that future with lived miles away and only visited in dreams that he couldn't make a reality. Jake clapped his hands for attention, snapping him out of his thoughts on children, and handed out his set of orders for the day with a broad smile, "So I need you to head to the Atykwe clan for Neytiri's list. You'll leave tomorrow morning-"

"Why must _I_ go?" he asked incredulously since he was the advisor and the task was more suited for someone like Norm or anyone with access to an ikran that could follow directions. Trading for food was an easy job for one that could maneuver an ikran out of any dangerous bind and the Atykwe lands lacked airborne predators due to their open space and lack of mountains to held toruk homes. The muscles of his biceps tightened as the task was beneath a man of his ranking, raising his chin defiantly to decline the mission with a justifiable excuse, "I have important responsibilities here."

"Actually, you're caught up for more than ten solar rotations here so you have plenty of time before we actually need you" Jake explained wittily with a smug tone since his friend was quite the stickler for staying on top of everything, making sure their hunting gear was in top shape days before a hunt or that the clan hearth was hearthy (if that was even possible). He wanted to reunite his two friends since time and distance had dealt a blow to each of their heart's, observing Tsu'tey's isolated demeanor as he threw himself into work and sought to find his path. It didn't take a genius to realize he was lonely, even with friends, and had shifted his loss of Joanna to the upcoming baby since it would bring nothing but joy to everyone. He deserved to be happy and if Jake could grant that, even for a day, he would gladly do so and used his authoritative voice to state firmly, "Your visit will also be the first for this clan in many years so I want my most dedicated to meet with matriarch Nitari to ensure a strong alliance between our clans."

"But what if something happens while I'm gone?" he asked worriedly to the thought of an accident occurring while he was away since he hadn't ventured out of the forest in years and almost felt apprehensive to leave his beloved home. When he was younger, he didn't hesitate since Eytukan protected their home from any dangers and he wasn't the capable warrior he was now so he did the best he could by creating trade alliances. Now, he didn't want to miss an occurrence that would have the clan asking where he was because he was _always_ there for them in their time of need. His tail lashed at the ground with irritation to the task at hand because he was an advisor, which _did_ demand that he ensure stability within the alliances with other clans but the Atykwe were their closest friend. He rubbed the center of his forehead as he mulled over the thought, his ears flicking at the air to show his reluctance and he spoke stiffly with a low voice, "I don't want to return and find that something horrible happened and all I will be able to say about my absence is that I was fetching insignificant _fish_ for a few days when we have our own fish at a close distance."

"But these are _saltwater_ fish" Max corrected smartly with a humorous wag of his brow to help Jake with his scheme and the hunter bared his teeth in a hiss for being wrong. Fish were fish, no matter what type of water they lived in! The healer merely returned to his work with a small cocky grin on his lips since he was there to prepare herbs for the healers' stocks and not poke holes at Tsu'tey's reasoning.

Jake didn't want to lose the battle with Tsu'tey since he really needed him to go and release his stress at a relaxing place away from home. Man, he needed to find some nearby hot springs and declare them the new na'vi spa treatment rather than creating false missions. He looked to Norm in the hopes that he would understand the dilemma and the ex-anthropologist quickly stepped forward with sly grin to offer helpfully, "If Tsu'tey doesn't want to go, I don't mind. It'll be great to see the Atykwe and Joanna again, I'm sure she'll be happy to see an old friendly face."

Tsu'tey's original stance changed in one swift second because he wanted to see Joanna more than Norm could possibly imagine. He'd been trying to push away everything that reminded him of her to forget all of the inflicted pain from leave and had almost forgotten she lived there! How could he forget the most important woman to him was in the Atykwe? Sometimes, he really should accept his responsibilities rather than grumble about them. Yes, the task seemed menial to a man of his standing but it was better that he go in Norm's stead to achieve his leader's task. If it was a chance to see Joanna, even at a faraway glimpse, he would jump on it with a vice grip fit for a thanator. Her Atykwe teacher had sent him a message on a leaf via a trader that had brought goods months ago and he'd learned of her initiation into the clan, proud of his student but it wasn't the same as being there to congratulate her. He would be a happy man if he could hear the soft timbre of her voice, see that furrow on her brow when she was irritated, her silly little jigs, and a single touch of her hand against his.

He pushed Norm aside like a feeble insect with one swing of his right arm, almost knocking his friend to the floor from the force alone, and took his newly open spot to interject fiercely, "No, _I_ will go. After quick deliberation, I see that an advisor is needed to greet the matriarch on our first trip to their lands rather than a young hunter."

Tarazi raised her brow with curiosity to the two hunters as they struggled for the traveling spot, Tsu'tey keeping Norm out of the way without a problem by simply pushing him back. Poor Norm couldn't budge the strong hunter aside as both Tsu'tey's strength and height bested his, leaving him to grasp at the air as the taller hunter merely pushed him aside like a piece of paper. Max and Cheryl struggled not to burst out laughing at the hilarious scene as Tsu'tey played keep-away with the standing spot. Their quarreling bordered brotherly immaturity as they both fought for the top spot and Tarazi's mind crafted an idea that would grant that coveted trip, seizing a travel opportunity herself when she suggested calmly, "Norm and I will supervise, we can take care of the food while advisor Tsu'tey counsels with matriarch Nitari."

"Wonderful, I will tell Neytiri right away" Jake approved chirpily about the three journeying together and clapped his hands, knowing he didn't have to worry over his advisor with the two hot on his heels. His plan went off without a hitch and by tomorrow afternoon, Tsu'tey would be enjoying his reunion with Joanna and he would have fresh saltwater fish to nibble on within a day. He would be returning to Neytiri with positive news since Tsu'tey was fiercely reluctant to leave his home, glad he didn't have to pull him off one of Kelutral's branches by his tail to get him moving. He left the three hunters to ponder on their new trip but quickly strolled by Max to request the healer's presence later on, "Max, if you would kindly prepare another batch of the nausea stuff you give Neytiri, I'd be very happy. She hasn't been able to sleep at night for two days straight and I want to sneak it into her food because she is one stubborn ikran."

Max raised his brow with mild curiosity to what he asked of him and drawled slowly with skepticism, "Wait, you want me to help you drug your mate? That goes against _every_ healer oath!"

Cheryl shook her head beside him as she wrapped dark twine around a bundle of long-stemmed herbs with short leaves, scolding lightly, "Jake, you've done some crazy things but this-"

"No, I want her to feel better but she wants to experience every sensation of the pregnancy- even the bad ones that make her puke" he sighed morosely since seeing his mate twist and turn, not to mention gag, was an unfortunate side effect of a pregnancy. He didn't want her to suffer through the entire pregnancy, even if she wanted the bonding experience, because her well-being (and the baby's) came first. He clasped his hands together in the old begging routine and pleaded with a bowed head that was completely unbecoming of a man of his clan stature, "C'mon, Max, I wouldn't be asking otherwise. I promise she won't trail it back to you at all, I'll take the fall. . .and the screeching lecture she'll most likely give."

"This isn't helping your cause" Max pointed out flatly with a 'tsk' of disapproval to his begging since Neytiri was the one carrying the child and her opinion overweighed Jake's. On the other hand, his friend wanted to relieve his mate's symptoms to give her a better quality of life since their child decided to hit her with a full force of morning sickness. Both sides were fair in their arguments but Max was the one wielding control to make sure the situation didn't get out of hand, especially when a baby was concerned. Hopefully, his decision wouldn't come back to bite him in the butt and he stated carefully with a firm tone, "Only _one_ dose, no more. I will not compromise my position because although you're my olo'eyktan, the mother tsahìk frightens me far more than you ever could because that's her child."

"No problem, I'll keep trying to convince her to drink the draughts" Jake smiled with appreciation for the single dose, pleased that his mate would sleep soundly tonight without issues. She would be a hard one to tame when it came to relieving those bothersome pregnancy effects but he'd try his best to ensure her health was fine. Besides, all of that acid reflux in the gagging or vomiting couldn't be good for his mate's esophagus. With that matter settled, he thanked his friend and headed back to recount his success to Neytiri since she needed to let out the waist of her leggings on more than one pair. Their child had decided to settle low in her belly during impregnation so her hips would be bearing most of the weight for now.

Norm glanced at both of his companions since they had their own matter to settle in regards to the upcoming trip and asked slowly, "So, can I pick myself as leader-"

"I am older and neither of you know the paths" Tsu'tey intervened swiftly to ensure his dominant spot as their leader, both in hunting and travel, since he'd journeyed to the land of the Atykwe in the past. He hadn't visited in years but a quick explanation from Mo'at would lead him there because old paths that weren't used continuously could leave one's mind. However, he wasn't going to tell the young hunters that he didn't know the entire route like the back of his hand because he was still their elder and wanted to maintain that mysterious air of superiority. He would write down all routes possible in case of sudden detours because toruks were dangerous predators that could appear out of nowhere, earning their name as the last shadow, and would wake early to prepare. His companions would be on their best behavior or he would lecture them until only his voice lingered in their minds, dismissing them with a mere wave of the hand but a firm tone, "Prepare your packs, we might be there for a day."

He left the two hunters to chatter by themselves since they were ecstatic to travel to another land for the first time in their lives, laughter echoing in the clearings as they joined Max and Cheryl. Before the tawtute, traveling was a normal occurrence as the na'vi traded goods and kept good relations between clans so it brought him warmth to his heart as the old ways were returning back to his world one day at a time. Tsu'tey headed for his private alcove to prepare his belongings, barely containing the grin that wanted to appear on his face at the prospect of seeing Joanna again. For a brief moment, he pondered about his appearance like a man ready to court but chuckled at knowing Joanna wasn't attracted by appearances (not that his didn't help lure her romantically). It would be shocking surprise for her but he hoped a welcome one that brought delight because he'd missed her intensely as a wingless bird that yearned for the sky.

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**Inspired By: **Two Steps From Hell- _"Clair Voyant"_ and Immediate- _"The Waltz"_

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**A/N**: Yowza, this chapter came out longer than I originally expected and the warm summer doesn't want to make it easy on my poor joints. My inspiration for the old turbulence within the Atykwe come from the Egyptian rule of Tutankhamen, whose father rejected the old religion to put forth a new god of his own, but the son reinforced the ancient ways of their people when he rose to power and brought relief to the stressed kingdom. That, and the fictional kingdom of Gondor from the Lord of the Rings; who doesn't love JRR Tolkien? Akon was pretty much doing the same to the class distinction his parents have enforced to bring back the strength they held but of course, not everyone is in agreement with what he wants to do. Apart from that, like I promised, the two will reunite in the next chapter! Get ready for some family bonding and Joanna/Tsu'tey fluff!

_IdeaGirl123_: Yes, they will finally reunite in the next chapter.

_Crystal_: There's a lot more humor in the beginning of the story since there was a lot of tension between Tsu'tey and Joanna but the humor's lightened a bit in this part of the tale.

_Arwenia_: You're right, this tale is about love and its obstacles as each couple carries its own: Tsu'tey and Joanna, Jake and Neytiri, Norm and Tarazi, so on. Hmm, maybe I should change my story summary. Originally, I had decided on an ikran but with the path I'm taking with Joanna, atokirina are a match and they are creatures of Pandora as Nitari explained. I'm really glad you love this story and love reading your reviews for each chapter, I truly appreciate your input. Yes, Anaya and Arat have their own path as the story continues since it ties to the old ways Nitari abolished but some people would rather stick to them- ahem, his parents.

_Claycarole_: Ouch, I have a natural fear of spiders so I swat them instantly- except for daddy long leg spiders, I grab them in a cup and take them outside or leave them where they are. Thankfully, I've never been bitten but black widows frighten me, I'm glad you were only sick and not anything worse than that.

_Dracoessa_: I'm sure this answered your thoughts about children between Joanna and Tsu'tey. :D

_ZabuzasGirl_: Thanks!

_MarkDr_: Well, the two have to figure out their tricky love life to test whether love or duty comes first.

_Luv4Uncas_: Creating a triangle always garners that spicy drama and knowing Tsu'tey, he'd bare his teeth at anyone who dared to approach Joanna. I hadn't thought about it but another reviewer voted for the same so I might just add that to give meaning to Tsu'tey's path in life.

_CrissYami_: This is the only place I know since DeviantArt is kinda difficult with its encoding. I don't know of other sites but would be glad to.

_MiuHatake_: Thanks, I sure will.

_SheWolfMedjaiUndertaker_: Will do.

_The-Jade-Tigress_: I clap to your dedication to have read it in four days because stories in this length would take me a week or so without normal sleep. Lol. I've been addicted to Mass Effect fanfiction this past month so I haven't had time to read Avatar stories but Broken People is a good one. Take your time outlining your story because I find it incredibly helpful because there's some things I'm bound to forget but notes remind you like a best friend would. I actually hadn't intended to give Joanna attention from another male, I was trying to keep any Sue-ness away from her, but I might just do that to get Tsu'tey's neurons working on the journey this volume will take him on. I did see a few clips on YouTube, it just made me incredibly sad when Jake gave him an honorable death- I wanted him to live.

_Black Jack_: No problem, I didn't think my story would qualify for a book report. Lol. We'll be flipping between both clans so none is forgotten since Tsu'tey is still one of the main characters of the story; mostly, it'll deal with his journey this time.

_Emmalime_: Anaya and Arat are a contrasting match since he only talks when he needs to say something while she rambles endlessly so they make quite an adorable pair. We'll be seeing more of them later on.

_Lonerwolf1015_: Thank you so much for the three reviews, I'm so glad you like the story. I didn't like seeing him die either because his character had a heroic air to it and tragically, Cameron killed him off but I couldn't do that. The story is still chiseling out his past as he reunites with his family in the next chapter and although Joanna's found her sense of home, Tsu'tey is still searching for his that will complete that family life he wants.

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**Next Time**: _A Reunion For The Ages_

The children grew interested in the goodies he'd brought, scampering inside as they left their game and leaned over their parents' shoulders with curious eyes to what their cousin had brought. Sifu grabbed one of the handcrafted clay pots, admiring the delicate red artwork that traced the roundest part and piped up to his father that he could cook them extra cereal. His two siblings quickly joined in lively agreement, causing Zika and Rafil to chuckle at their enthused youngsters. Tsu'tey was amused by their ecstatic faces, curious to whom the little ones were since his aunt mentioned she had more than one child and asked courteously, "And who are all of my new cousins? I met little Keron earlier today."

Keron smiled shyly as he grasped his mother's left knee in modesty and Tsu'tey kneeled down to open his satchel, smiling at his young kin to ensure he could trust him. He'd brought the colorful polished stones for Joanna due to her old jewel-crafting but seeing as her skills had dramatically changed, the two chose to hand them out to the children. He retrieved a small brown leather bag from within that contained colorful polished stones and handed it to his little cousin to make true on his word, "And here are the stones I promised . . . but I am giving them to you. They're pretty as sweets but don't try to eat them and make sure your mother keeps them for you."

"Thank you!" he exclaimed joyfully with a beaming smile and opened the pouch to see his gift, appreciating the kind gesture since he'd never expected it. The smooth stones glinted in the light as sapphire, garnet, aquamarine, and other tones delighted his vision, showing them to his mother with pride. The other children scampered over to catch a glimpse, leading Tsu'tey to inquire about them since they weren't small in number. Keron pointed to the oldest boy, his unbraided hair tied back in a high ponytail that reminded Tsu'tey of his own youth, and the smallest child in the group that had decided to use the clay pot as a hat. Zika quickly took it off her small head before it fell off and broke into pieces as he introduced, "This is my brother, Sifu, and sister, Leti."

"They're young, I feel very old now" Tsu'tey chuckled since being the child of the oldest sibling meant he would be an example for his younger kin and they were all quite young. His mother had been an only child so he had absolutely no living family in the Omaticaya while his father came from one that branched quite well over the years. It took away some of the loneliness of being the last of his family, gazing at faces that held lingering physical traits similar to his own. He smiled at the little toddler as she watched him with a bright smile, unafraid to his presence, and complimented, "Aren't you a brave girl to stand in front of a man with this height?"

She giggled enthusiastically when he touched her nose with his index finger and grabbed Sifu's hand before she fell over from her excitement. He dug into his satchel, the weight disappearing as he handed out his gifts and smiled politely to state, "I brought them a few Omaticayan treats, the gardens have sprouted a good batch of fruits and I made a few things for them."

His eyes widened when all six children grabbed the bundle from his hands to open it with excited hands to reveal the pastries and candies he'd packed for them. Well, at least he knew that they approved. Although heavily pregnant, Nara stood up to shoo the children before they mobbed the hunter for more treats and chuckled softly, "Anything sweet gets these children riled up. Thank you for the treats and what do we say when we receive gifts, children?"

"Thank you!" they piped up in unison with big smiles as all of them sat in a circle to sort through the goodies, jabbering to each other about the intricate design on the pastries and the rich colors of the fruit candies. The soil of the beach allowed for fruits to grow only during one season, two at the most, while the Omaticaya's fertile soil allowed for fruit year-round so pastries were definitely a treat.

Nara sighed under her breath to their growing volume of chatter and smiled at her nephew, "Sìlpey is my son, the one devouring that braided pastry."

The six year-old smiled sheepishly as he swallowed his bite in one gulp, his ears tinting purple and contrasting against his shaved head. Tsu'tey merely chuckled as the boy proceeded to nibble slowly on the pastry to take his time to savor it, muffling a laugh when Avi's twin daughters fought for the largest candy piece.

Avi shushed the adolescent girls that caused the two to cease their quarrel and motioned for them to stand up for an introduction. The two girls obeyed her quickly without argument, standing on either side of the seamstress and she smiled agreeably to their behavior to introduce, "These are my twin daughters, Leena and Rila. They've yet to undergo their rite but Leena is already a novice seamstress while Rila enjoys crafting everyday items," the left side of her lips frowned and she added in, "My oldest, Wätu, promised to be here but as usual, he's running late. If I hear that boy played one more game of Eight Waves-"

Rila smiled cheekily from the left side, idly playing with the end of the side braid draping over her right shoulder and reminded casually, "He _did_ win me all of those seashells to craft with and I still have a full bag!"

Avi wasn't amused to her daughter's reasoning, shifting her weight to the left side of her hips in classic 'questioning mother' mode and she questioned firmly, "I do hope that necklace you made me wasn't from those particular shells?"

Rila decided to retreat to her father's side on the bench to avoid being interrogated, causing her twin to muffle laughter behind her hands.

"You have wonderful children, it is an honor to see and meet you all" Tsu'tey complimented to intervene before the girls got in trouble by their mother since this game was apparently a no-no in her book. This shifted the humorous mood back to its heartwarming reunion state as his cousins smiled sheepishly but their parents beamed proudly. Breeze from outside the hut stroked his backside and he remembered that he still required a sleeping area for the night so he couldn't linger all day alongside his family, although he really wanted to. His ears dipped to the realization that he had to say goodbye for now and excused himself with a disappointed tone, "I wish I could stay longer and talk into the night but I've yet to find a sleeping spot-"

Zika stood up instantly from her log bench to keep their reunion ongoing and offered her hospitality with a warm smile, "Oh no, we have enough space to accommodate you so you don't need to waste time and I'm sure our tsahìk would be honored if you stayed here. We recently added extra space to our home to give the children their own space so I'm certain they'll enjoy spending the night with you."

The two boys nodded excitedly, mobbing him with questions about stories and his trip to their land. Had he seen other animals? What time did he leave? Had he taken other trips? Tsu'tey almost lost track of all of their hyper questions as they tugged at his forearms with giddy fingers. Leti whimpered in protest from her spot on the floor because she wanted to share in that quality time too, her little hands stretching out towards Tsu'tey so he wouldn't leave her behind and whimpered, "Tsu-Tsu."

He wasn't comfortable holding children since they either cried or vomited on him but Leti was his family and an adorable toddler as well, her upbeat demeanor preventing him from running off for adult company. Tentatively, he leaned down to scoop her into his arms to hold her securely in both and found himself smiling to the giddy girl in his arms. Well, she was the first not to cry as she smiled cheerfully to being included in the male bonding. Her round cheeks and glittering eyes caused one of the locked doors of his heart to slam wide open as he decided to spend his time with this particular toddler than any other in the land (until Jake's child emerged into the world). She smiled widely when he tapped the rosy part of her nose gently and cheered her up instantly by promising, "I will tell you a tale before sleep time about the pa'li."

Leti wrapped her arms around his neck to squeeze him affectionately and agreed with her newest nickname that would last decades, "Tsu-Tsu!"

The reflecting light at the front of the entrance was blocked by a newcomer and Avi rushed forward to scold the young man in hunter's garb that entered with a hasty stride since they arrived later than anticipated. His braided hair was tied back neatly in a low ponytail, his features similar to Tsu'tey's but softer with the lack of stress, and he smiled at everyone in greeting but Avi unleashed her reprimand, "How dare you arrive late when your dear mother requests you?"

The young man smiled suavely to avert another lecture in the middle of their family gathering, displaying the small wooden box in his hands, and reasoned his lateness, "I was putting together a game set of Eight Waves-"

"You hunt as much as you play that game, we'll never bond you off at this rate" his mother lectured but was pacified that he'd arrived and ushered him inside with a wave of her hands. Her son replied that he'd find his bonded after tiring of the popular game but Avi wasn't going to hold her breath; he'd been playing it since he was seven. Nonetheless, she was happy that he was there to share in their reunion and pushed her son forward to introduce, "This is my oldest, second in age to you by twenty winter seasons and our little hunter of the family."

"I See you, cousin, I am Wätu" he smiled politely in greeting since he'd yet to meet the relative that his mother spoke about and could see why he drew respect from others. Wätu already felt small in his presence and that wasn't only from the height difference, seeing the proud hunter within the man in the way he spoke and carried himself. He was still a young hunter in his own right but to have a relative in such a high ranking gave him hope that he could achieve a good status if he kept working hard. Tsu'tey blinked with confusion when he handed him the wooden box and his younger cousin explained with a friendly smile, "This is our popular game of Eight Waves, courtesy of our clan."

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_Thank you for continuing to read my tale and please, drop a review._ ^_^


	36. A Reunion For The Ages, Pt I

Inspired By**:** _"Hans Zimmer & John Powell- Peach Tree of Wisdom" and "Two Steps From Hell- I Love You Forever"  
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**A Reunion for the Ages, Pt. I  
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Tsu'tey was in mystified awe when his eyes gazed at the coastal land surrounding the Atykwe Kelutral (he'd forgotten its strangely fortifying location), surprised that they felt so safe to be in the open. Living his entire life among the Omaticaya, he couldn't imagine _not_ being surrounded by the concealing forest that kept them secure and wondered how Joanna must've felt during her first day among the sea clan. He would've undoubtedly felt vulnerable and exposed if he had to live there for more than a few days. It had been years that he'd seen the beautiful glittering sea but the view was spectacular as the endless rolling waves crashed against the sandy shore. Ikran screeched from the sky, enjoying their flight under the sun but they kept a watchful eye on the newcomers as the color of the Omaticaya banshees contrasted greatly against the sandy white coast.

"Look at all of them!" Norm called out with awe to the multitude of colors that varied from their clan, pointing to those of a navy hue since he'd never seen such dark ikran. The darkest color he'd seen within their lands was dark brown to match the color of the trees for perfect camouflage and had the prime example himself with Telas. His ikran didn't hesitate to voice that he felt out of place among the different colors, comfortable among the two ikran alongside him and asked when they could go home. Norm promised he'd be just fine and to make friends because an exotic ikran just might catch an eye or two from females in heat; Telas brightened up considerably to that idea.

Tsu'tey didn't know where to land safely since the canopies were off-limits without permission because he wasn't going to risk having their ikran attacked on sight by the Atykwe banshees and he'd no idea how to enter the cave. So, he decided to land in a clear area on the white beach at a safe distance from the colorful residential huts and his ikran dove down, landing on the soft sand as the other two followed suit. Swizav immediately observed the new environment with a suspicious hiss, dipping his head warily to sniff the strange earth and his legs tested the softness of the terrain. This was completely unknown to him; he didn't trust it!

Tsu'tey calmed him through their bond to assure it was perfectly fine for his weight and dismounted onto the warm sand with a graceful jump, his toes wiggling in the new ground to show Swizav that he wouldn't sink. His ikran snorted skeptically as he held onto his previous assumption and quickly scattered over to a sizable boulder to stand on it for extra security. Rocks were known to him and they provided better safety than loose dirt like that. The other two ikran merely stayed in place since there were no more rocks for their sizes and their partners assured that they'd be fine while Tsu'tey called Swizav a child for clinging onto it.

His ikran hissed defiantly as he refused to budge from his spot and Tsu'tey warned with a firm stance, "If you don't follow, I will leave you behind and let the ikran peck you out of the clan."

They were the only outsiders and their different colored ikran caught the notice of most residents wandering the area as they carried on their daily tasks. The trio observed the Atykwe walking around their land, Tsu'tey introducing himself to any passerby to maintain his polite decorum. He didn't expect to find so many wandering the beach and realized that this clan was almost _double_ the size of the Omaticaya. He wondered if Joanna happened to be nearby along the beach, idly walking without knowing he was in her home- just minutes away. The thought of seeing the woman who haunted his dreams brought anxiety because he didn't know what kind of life she was living now. Had she changed since leaving his clan? He wasn't ashamed to admit that his first thought was whether she'd found another man to love but as long as she was happy, it would suffice . . . after he sparred and pummeled them into the ground.

"I've never seen such open space" Tarazi admitted with awe to the open land that resembled nothing of her home, watching curiously as her toes melted into the white sand. Unlike her ikran, the new landscape captured her undivided interest as it contrasted her home greatly and couldn't help but feel a pinch of longing for it. The tiny particles of sand tickled her skin as she walked, wondering how the sea water differed from the freshwater pools of the Omaticaya because the scent varied greatly. She'd never smelled the sea but its distinct aroma beckoned her to swim in its depths; she'd return later.

It didn't take long for them to be met with one of Nitari's representatives as they wandered deeper into the clan and Tsu'tey found himself facing Arat. The Omaticaya bowed his head politely, being the guest in their lands, and his old lessons of clan etiquette surfaced in his mind despite the years of inactivity. Norm and Tarazi followed his lead as they looked to him for guidance, standing behind their advisor loyally. Tsu'tey felt comfortable meeting with Arat rather than a stranger since the two met often during the festival and liked his serene demeanor, speaking courteously, "I See you, Arat of the Atykwe, it is welcoming to find a familiar face. I have come on behalf of the Omaticayan olo'eyktan for trading purposes, a small order of fish, but the mother tsahìk requested of me to seek audience with your olo'eyktan."

"Always a pleasure to see you, advisor, and Nitari is expecting you" the advisor's son replied calmly with a friendly smile to their new guests and motioned to the ikran that watched him with a curious eye, "As for your ikran, I will need you to place this on each of their necks for temporary recognition among ours."

Arat opened a brown cloth sack that he carried in one hand to retrieve a necklace made of beige plant fibers, handing it to Tsu'tey who detected the hint of seawater as he held it between his hands. His sense of smell was sharp but there were pheromones from ikran that he could never imagine grasping and assumed some of that was at work with the necklaces. It was what they'd done during the festival; the ikran breeders prepared necklaces for visiting banshees that held scents similar to their ikran and other scents that Tsu'tey had absolutely no idea on. The Atykwe hunter further explained the purpose to the other two young hunters, "It holds the scent of our ikran and will feign that they are one of us. Otherwise, they will attack and we wouldn't want that. Simply make sure they are wearing it at all times."

Tsu'tey grabbed the necklace to place it over his ikran's head but Swizav sniffed it suspiciously, uttering a small hiss of complaint to the strange smell. He liked his _forest_ scent, thank you very much, rather than the salty taste of the ocean air that licked at his taste receptors. He shook his head to prevent the necklace from sliding down his neck but his rider quickly lectured sternly to cut out any shenanigans, "You will wear this so do _not_ chew it or you will be chased out of the Atykwe clan by dozens of ikran. I will not be very happy if you do so nor will I chase you down."

Swizav uttered a weak warble of obedience, his head slumping as the necklace settled at the base of his neck and Arat instructed with an amicable smile, "He may fly throughout the area to explore and can sleep at the canopies since the hatching season hasn't arrived so there's ample space."

His ikran hissed at the idea of leaving his rider in a new unexplored land but his little yellow eye caught sight of the attractive sunbathing hill of rocks, prompting him to fly towards the area to explore and forget his rider completely. Tsu'tey didn't even have time to untie his pack of belongings from the ikran and sighed under his breath as he watched him scuttle off with the fat brown pack strapped to his lower back. He fought an amused smile when his ikran plopped himself down at the edge, spreading his wings lazily to relax under the sun as he greeted other ikran. The Atykwe ikran sniffed him to verify his acceptance into the clan and after a few seconds, replied cheerfully with trills as he became one of them for the time being. Norm and Tarazi followed in their advisor's steps, placing the necklaces around their ikran and ushering them off to explore after removing their belongings from them (they weren't about to repeat Tsu'tey's mistake). Of course, their ikran also decided to visit the most popular spot for the Atykwe ikran too.

Motioning for Arat to guide him, the four hunters wandered along the beach shore to meet with the tsahìk and Tsu'tey began his old routine of friendly conversation, "I have not been here since I was a child, it will be nice to explore my old playgrounds. I have family here that I would like to visit as well."

"The evacuation of the tawtute really has renewed our peace, hasn't it?" Arat remarked agreeably as clans initiated in travel once more to forge new bonds and renew the old. It was wonderful to explore their own world without fear that the tawtute would be watching each of their movements once they left the safety of their Kelutral. He might even travel himself if Nitari wished it but he had years before traveling would take place with his rank, along with the extra responsibilities. Tsu'tey was one of the youngest advisors he'd heard of, probably the youngest in his own history, but Arat didn't doubt his skills for a second.

"It is a freedom that didn't come without sacrifices" Tsu'tey agreed solemnly as unity and Eywa's favor turned the tide of their battle but this was their world to begin with. They weren't selfish in sharing it but the tawtute forced their hand when they wanted to reap their resources for personal profit and destroy them in the process. The na'vi now knew that life existed among the stars but so far, none was benign in their intentions.

* * *

Arat led them to the northern edge of the beach where an elaborate hut of violet cloth faded into pastel lavender at the entrance as intricate landscapes were sewn around the entire hut in a stunning tapestry. He'd been to this hut continuously throughout his life, always surprised to the stunning colors the matriarch used as she changed them each season to correspond with the change in the earth. Tsu'tey had never seen a hut so lovely as the others he passed held contrasting colors of pastel, neutral, or bright shades, but this one held one distinct tone that faded into the rising dawn. Stories of the Atykwe were sewn onto each landscape, his eyes drawn towards the front as silky large feathers of yellow and brown had been tied to the wooden foundation and billowed in the gentle breeze. At the front of the closed entrance, the matriarch sat with a calm expression on her smooth face as she watched the incoming tides; it was her form of inner peace.

"Our guests have arrived" she spoke softly without glancing at the trio and Arat confirmed it as he stepped aside to allow for introduction, excusing himself to tend to other clan matters. Norm had become transfixed on a portrait that held sewn pa'li figures running across a green plain while a dark violet horizon enclosed the tapestry but quickly corrected his gaze towards the matriarch. She stood up elegantly in one movement, observing each with her golden gaze as they dipped their heads respectfully and greeted kindly with warmth, "I See you, children of the Omaticaya. It has been far too long without visitors and I welcome you to my lands. To what do I owe the pleasure, advisor?"

"This will probably humor you but my olo'eyktan requests a small order of si'an fish and I have brought trading goods in return" Tsu'tey stated calmly in regards to the purpose of their visit, motioning to Norm and Tarazi who held the bundle of goods Jake sent in their care. At least the two had managed to unload their belongings off their ikran since his had flown off without a care. The tsahìk motioned for the two to place their wrapped packages inside the hut to keep them safe, thanking the trio for the items, and Tsu'tey continued, "Our tsahìk is with child," this brought a wide smile to Nitari's face, "and I was dispatched to take care of the order. Aside from that, my olo'eyktan requested I speak with you on clan matters when you have time available. We have no issues that need attending but if you or your clan ever needs anything, you've nothing but ask."

"I am certain if I did, matriarch Mo'at would've approached you by now" Nitari smiled pleasantly with her air of mystery because messengers came every month or so to deliver messages from loved ones. Tsu'tey, however, wouldn't question the powers of a tsahìk and merely agreed with her comment. The topaz colored stones dangling from her twine bracelet clinked together as she beckoned for the hunters to follow and headed for the shoreline with a smile. Her guests couldn't match the gracefulness of her steps over the sand as the terrain was new to each, too soft in comparison to the solid earth of the forest and Tsu'tey yearned for the familiar terrain. His tail swayed for balance for the first time outside of a hunt or training setting, calculating his footing with every step to maintain his perfect posture without betraying the true difficulty. Tarazi refrained from scratching her itchy toes while Norm tried not to sink into the sand as they traveled over the dunes, their uneasy footing displayed visibly unlike Tsu'tey's. Their ears perked to hear everything Nitari said as her left hand motioned to the huts around them and inquired kindly, "I welcome you to the Atykwe, I do hope you will be staying for a few days?"

Tsu'tey bounded up to her side as elegantly as he could, his tail flicking like a child's to maintain perfect balance and answered regretfully, "I told my olo'eyktan that a day would suffice but-"

"But you've just arrived and I know your family would love to spend a few days with you" Nitari negotiated with the caring maternal side of her personality and motioned to the two hunters behind her with a charismatic smile, "And I'm certain the young ones would love to explore this new land, the sea and caves await adventurers. Not to mention the food, we have very delicious saltwater fish and other delicacies."

Tsu'tey spared a glance behind him as his companions practically beamed with eagerness and although he'd visited here in his youth, they hadn't. They were new to this land and everything it offered, leading him to reconsider hesitantly, "I might allow for two days but we will see, I don't want to risk decomposition of the fish."

Nitari chuckled softly as she dipped her toes in the wet sand as the rolling waves lapped at the white shore, "We hunt our fish on the day we eat it so don't you worry, it will be fresh and ready to be cooked at the Omaticaya. You can even partake in the fishing if you wish, our hunters can teach you the basics and with your rankings, it shouldn't be too hard. Mo'at tells me you fancy fishing as much as hunting in the forest, Tsu'tey."

His ears flattened modestly since he did find it therapeutic and answered truthfully, "Yes, mostly during the mornings to catch them off-guard but I've never fished in the sea. I'm accustomed to nets only, I've never used the fishing rods that Arat speaks of."

"He's the best fisherman too, actually" Norm piped up helpfully since he helped everyone that wanted to learn, taking a small group once a week to the nearest river to show teach them a lesson. Jake stuck to the handmade fishing rod he'd made since he liked his battle against one fish rather than swinging a net to allow a bunch to become caught. He was at peace with the single fish since his forte was hunting and diplomacy, leaving Tsu'tey the entire river to use as therapy for purging any ill emotions running through him.

Tsu'tey shot him a small glare since he didn't like boasting his accomplishments in front of leaders but Nitari saw him as a long-distance child since his roots originated among her clan. Norm merely smiled cheekily and soaked his warm feet in the cold water, wiggling his toes with joy that he was actually at the _sea_ for the first time in his life. How many humans could say they visited a pure ocean and soaked their feet inside it without needing decontamination? There were so many views of Pandora and experiences he wanted to share with his family back home but he knew in order to become free of Earth, sacrifices had to be made. He knew they'd be proud of him for following his heart, their calls never failed to say it, but it didn't stop the brief melancholy of missing them. The trio followed the matriarch as she traveled along the beach, curious to where she was leading them since they assumed Kelutral would be their first stop but Nitari continued on, "I am glad to know the clan is thriving well, I remember just yesterday that these two were students in that archery competition and here they stand now as hunters. Keep making your clan proud, young ones, you will lead the coming generation."

Tarazi and Norm thanked her for the kind words, their footsteps splashing as they walked through the water since the sand didn't scratch their toes once wet. Seeing their footprints indent in the wet earth, Norm felt the need to create a sandcastle to test the cohesion of Pandora's damp sand and strived to make that a reality while here. The dunes of dry sand melted away as the minutes passed, melting into smooth flat clearings that held powder white dust rather than the gritty sand at the shore. Tsu'tey glanced at the strange color of the earth as his damp feet darkened the pale land with droplets of water, leaving tracks as Nitari headed for the hunters preparing their catches. By the fifth step, his feet were no longer his vibrant blue but powdery white resembling flour and his gaze snapped towards the matriarch when she explained the area around them, "This is where our hunters gather to train and prepare catches, similar to your clearings back home. The texture of the earth is different here than it is for the rest of the beach and prevents any spoilage of food while being prepared. You are free to explore wherever you like and Tsu'tey, I will meet with you after you reunite with your family."

"It will be an honor" he replied politely since the matriarch was diplomatic and entertaining company; quite frankly, she was the olo'eyktan he preferred to speak to out of all he'd met so far. Apart from Mo'at and Eytukan, Nitari and Akon had been the only other leaders he spent time with when he traveled since his visits to other clans during his adolescence didn't lead him to the Atykwe due to their strong alliance. He hoped to fix the lack of visits now that there were no enemies to fear from and the distance was worth it just to see his family.

"With that said, I hope you enjoy your stay" Nitari finished with a cheerful smile as she gazed at each of them, her eyes shining brightly to the new company. She saw Tsu'tey's arrival as an accomplishment since she hadn't seen him set foot in her lands since he was six years old and hoped future visits would follow. She smiled at the clan's hunters as they sat underneath a shady tree in a circle cutting their caught fish, drawing the gazes of the Omaticayan visitors, and Tsu'tey greeted each politely. Norm lingered behind to see the types of fishes they'd caught, smiling amicably to the hunters at work but Tarazi pulled him along with a quick yank of the arm. Nitari headed further past the training students as archery stands stood in a line, void of any hunters training, and informed the trio with a pleasant tone, "I will have accommodations prepared for the night and while you are here, I think a familiar face should show you around our clan for a fresh air of familiarity. Joanna?"

A head rose to the tsahìk's beckon across the white sandy field and Nitari smiled warmly to see the huntress ahead of them as she wrapped her prepared catch of the day. She would send this particular bundle of wrapped leaves to the cooks for salting and drying since the particular fish tasted wonderful when made into meat filled dough balls in fish stew. Tsu'tey's face brightened instantaneously as did hers when he saw his previous student was now a full-fledged huntress, noticing the bowstring across her chest and the knife at the side of her waist. Her long hair had been cut to shoulder length and entwined with small shells and he found it endearing when he noticed a blue ribbon in her queue braid, remembering her hesitance to brush it (he'd brushed it himself a few times). Her garb was similar to every huntress of the Atykwe, a difference to the Omaticaya's loincloth and chest cover which made the three feel out of place.

Joanna halted her work immediately as her gaze caught his, disbelieving to the sight before her and it took Anaya's shoulder tap to snap her out of the frozen reverie. She handed her bundle of packaged fish to her friend with an apologetic ramble, her ears flat against her head as her cheeks abashedly tinted lilac to her lapse in attention. Anaya merely chuckled as she placed it on top of hers, greeting their new guests as she left to drop off the food to keep it safe for consumption. Joanna's familiar voice had not changed as she reminded Anaya about the dough balls and approached them with a brisk stride, rather than the old perky jog that chased after Tsu'tey following a scuffle. Had it been that long ago that they'd sparred verbally and physically? She smiled broadly with delight to seeing their faces after four months and greeted them with honest warmth, "I See you, old friends, and you are very welcome faces here."

Tsu'tey wanted to reply to the first words he'd heard from her in a season, his hands itching to grasp hers for a reunion, but she turned to Nitari with undivided attention to ask politely, "You called for me, tsahìk?"

"Yes, I'd like for you to escort our new guests around our land" Nitari assigned warmly as she motioned to the three visitors and Joanna smiled amicably at her old Omaticayan acquaintances. She'd always wondered when she'd see him again, outside of her dreams, and it seemed that day had finally arrived. He was standing there in front of her in the flesh, his appearance polite and almost modest, reminding her of their final weeks together as they'd lain about in her hammock. Well, she might smell like fish today but at least she'd dressed presentable to ward off the smell because Tsu'tey was immaculate in his appearance.

There were so many questions running through her mind as her gaze lingered on the hunter but her matriarch continued with her errand of the day, "They will be spending the night here, maybe two," she smiled sweetly like a doting mother towards the three on this, "but I'm certain you will make them feel at home by pointing out our popular spots and safest areas. While you are here, I will treat you as my own to make sure you return to Mo'at safely so Joanna, I entrust this to you."

"I will happily oblige, matriarch" she agreed wholeheartedly to focus on the job to the best of her abilities and ushered the three forward to travel along the shore, excusing herself politely. Nitari simply smiled joyfully to the new company since many of her children would be happy today and headed off towards Kelutral to inform the matriarch of Tsu'tey's family that he'd arrived. Both parties would be in a celebratory mood after their time apart and Nitari's gait carried a youthful kick since she enjoyed reuniting families. Oh, and subtly reuniting youngsters in love without them being none the wiser by playing the innocent matriarch. Truly, Nitari could feel the marvelous wave of change that had swept across the land in the last year and knew that more was to come.

Joanna glimpsed at her matriarch's retreating back, ready to undertake the task because disappointment would not be an option. She worked her hardest to show Nitari that her choice in adopting her into the clan was not a mistake, always happy to lend a hand. By the end of her first tour, she hoped her old Omaticayan friends would look forward for a return visit to their shore. She presented their sandy clearing for training or as Xuret fondly dubbed it 'The Clearing of Focus' to smile brightly, "I will show you the popular sights and you are free to explore afterwards."

She pointed out that they didn't keep their pa'li there, their main pen located next to the cave underneath a shady tree as the area provided ample room for running with none of the stand. Their sleeping pen, of course, was always inside the cave to keep them safe from any dangers. Tsu'tey found this rather strange since pa'li were outdoors creatures but assumed a pa'li could accidentally wander off into the sea at night and drown under the strength of the current. Norm was the first to speak through her guided tour as she headed for the colorful asymmetrical huts around the shore and he asked curiously, "Is it safe to say you're a huntress now?"

"Yes, Norm, my Xeki is usually at the rock hill or in the canopies" she answered cheerfully with a proud smile on her face as she paused to answer the question, pointing out a few sewn landscapes that portrayed their varying ikran. Tsu'tey didn't hesitate to steal a spot next to her during the quick stop, smiling softly to hear about the ikran he'd trained her to catch and to walk alongside her like old times. Her gaze lingered on his angular face for a few seconds to acknowledge that subtle action but she continued without a change in voice, "I spend my days out at sea, either hunting or flying for fun since airborne predators are lacking here so you three can fly carefree. Otherwise, exploring with Xeki or my friends and honing my herbalism takes up the rest of the time. You can take your ikran east to the deeper ocean, there's a lot of migrating animals this season and I assure you that you'll see a few."

"Are any dangerous?" Tarazi asked warily since she didn't want one to bite her ikran if she decided to venture close for a second look. She'd never seen the sea, much less its marine inhabitants, and itched to catch sight of large passive creatures. This was her first trip outside of the safe comforts of her Kelutral and she wanted to fill her mind with memorable moments to return so she could share them with her family.

Joanna smiled empathetically to her natural worry since she'd been wary of the open space during her first days and answered truthfully, "Not this season. The next, however, will bring predators closer to our shores so we set up boundaries to protect our people and fish only with our ikran."

"You don't watch over the children anymore?" Tsu'tey asked curiously to change the topic since he'd seen his share of marine wildlife during youth and could catch a glimpse later on in the day if he wished. He was more than certain that the other two were going to head out for adventure since they wouldn't stay long and hoped nobody sprained a foot or wing. Joanna's smile widened at the sound of his smooth voice, remembering each pitch and the way he accented his vowels. . .oh, it brought back so many memories. She'd always worried that she'd lose the mental image of his face and each unique marking with the passage of time but no, he was as perfect as she'd remembered.

She shook her head quickly before leaning down to collect a few tiny shells from the sand, plucking them quickly as she chuckled that they were used them in a popular game. Pocketing her find, she resumed their walk through the adorned huts as she headed south to the caverns and replied earnestly, "I'm afraid not. I couldn't find the same connection with the children from the Omaticaya but I still love the little ones. The only children I spend time with are those of my healing teacher. My time is spent mostly with Arat and Anaya, or my herbalism teacher since I'm still learning my path among the clan."

"Max is a full-time healer now, Peyral does the hunting and he fixes her right up" Norm informed her with the few changes over the months back at their clan and Joanna's mind prickled for news since she'd heard the rumors of the matriarch poking him to become fully dedicated to that field. Max had a natural gift for medicine, even among humans, and she was certain Peyral would bring in enough food from hunting (predators probably feared _her_). He tapped his chin for any more tidbits relating to their home, especially old friends, and smiled widely, "Oh, and Cheryl's begun working with the healers too. Given her old profession, the matriarch guided her to study all of the plants Pandora has available. There's a few unknown out there and she's heading to Hell's Gate to use the machines to figure out the properties for cataloging. It'll be a big help to the healers if she finds anything good."

"I'm proud of that woman and if she does find something, my matriarch would be happy to trade" Joanna chuckled fondly with regard to her dear friend and was glad to hear she'd found her calling over there. She missed seeing her friendly bashful face and interacting with her after years of living together, remembering their daily conversations at night. How were she and Noren doing? Were they closer to making that little family they wanted one day? Whenever the matriarch deemed her ready to venture out for travel, the Omaticaya would be her first stop to renew her old friendships by playing catch-up (especially with each passing month). Despite her family on the beach, the Omaticaya had helped groom her into the woman she was now and wouldn't forget that. Her face softened as she glanced over her shoulder at the two before gazing at Tsu'tey, lacing the private truth with the broad as she admitted, "I'm really glad to see you again, more than you can imagine. So, what else has happened since I left?"

All three answered with the popular news in unison, "Neytiri's pregnant."

Joanna's lower jaw popped open in surprise since she hadn't expected that but the revelation was welcoming because the two hadn't made it private that they were ready for a family. There were iffy times when she and Cheryl wondered about their fertility as alien hybrids but hearing about Jake's upcoming baby squashed every doubt stashed within her mind. If Jake could hold a healthy newborn in his arms in the coming months, then there was hope for her to have a little one frolicking around in the sand dunes with glee on their face. It was great to know the clan was thriving well under his leadership and Norm explained the relevant reason for their trip, "That's why we're here, actually. Jake sent Tsu'tey to bring Neytiri a particular fish she's craving and we came to supervise."

_Right_, she thought with amusement because three people for a couple of fish only needed one person. On the other hand, if he wanted enough for the clan, it would need another ikran for the load but she didn't know the specifics. Jake was always very crafty with his plans, sometimes bordering on being obvious with his schemes, but she'd leave his matchmaking conspiracies alone because he'd allowed Tsu'tey to come to her home. She'd gladly fetch any fish her friend wanted since she'd missed talking to the love of her life and couldn't wait to speak with him privately. Oh, and it was her job was to make sure the clan's guests were happy and safe so she couldn't just, um, ignore the matriarch's orders. She might fetch a big fish for her too because her predictions in the past weeks sent her inner love-struck Joanna jumping over the moon.

"How are the Omaticayan leaders and the mother tsahìk?" she asked kindly but knew all three were happy with anticipation for the little baby that would join their family. Who wouldn't be? She was miles away from the clan and she was excited for all of them, wishing them nothing but good fortune with their child.

"Quite well, the upcoming baby is keeping them joyful and busy" Tsu'tey answered with a pleasant smile that held nothing but warmth for his friends as they were learning the basics of newborn care during their free time. Max was teaching Neytiri all he could in deciphering every pregnancy sensation that would lead to the birth while also explaining baby care once the little one was at home. Jake was learning from Mo'at about caretaking as well to bond with his mother-in-law but if Tsu'tey caught him trying to put a bib on him one more time, he'd tie him by his tail. He was the unofficial uncle of the child so while Jake made sure Neytiri was fine, Tsu'tey watched over the two as any older brother would. He chuckled softly to the loincloth diapers Jake had placed at the bottom of water canteens as he practiced his skills and honestly stated, "I've never seen them more excited."

"Can you see the swell of the baby?" Joanna asked eagerly, smiling widely to the image of a glowing mother-to-be Neytiri as she went about her day. After almost a year, the populations of clans were stabilizing after the mortal losses sustained against the RDA and she was glad to see each child that renewed the hope that had been lost. Tsu'tey motioned the current size of the small swell over his own lower stomach since Neytiri was trying to conceal the growing bump during the first few months and she sighed fondly with content, "Oh, she must be so happy. It will undoubtedly increase once they're out in the world and cooing with their tiny hands."

He chuckled softly to her caring words, his ears flattening for a moment as they'd shared the hope of a family of their own during their last conversation but it was unachievable now. Well, not impossible but . . . it wasn't an easy road. Joanna caught the tender look in his gaze as their eyes met for a brief second and smiled sympathetically, changing the topic by announcing chirpily, "Well, let me start with our ocean here to the left. Feel free to venture there, we have reeds by the hunters area for underwater exploration but don't wander past the rock border since it's for our safety. The tides tend to grow stronger further out so swim close and don't worry, nothing here bites. Well, maybe the crabs but they're further along where the caverns are located. . .which we're heading to!"

* * *

"I will conclude the tour here so you can enjoy your time at the beach or inside the caves, the entire beach is your oyster" Joanna finished with an encouraging smile as she hoped they'd like their time spent with her clan, their tour ending in front of the clan cave's mouth. Her mind had been in awe to the open landscape upon arrival due to the geographical change and could see the same in their wary eyes since they'd become accustomed to the sheltering cozy forest. She had shown them each popular area around their land, from the caverns to the south to their ancient towering Kelutral within the large cave in the west that had drawn curious eyes to its distinct carvings. Norm's anthropological mind yearned to stay to read the painted carvings that had been preserved throughout the ages by artisans but the other two had hauled him away to continue. Tarazi previously experienced the same at the southern caves, curious to the small fishes that brushed by her feet as the water lapped at her knees as they ventured around the area. Tsu'tey, however, had been more interested in catching glimpses of his family around the beach rather than revisiting old sites.

If they wanted a guide to direct them far out into the ocean, she'd fetch Xeki in a second since her partner enjoyed the boundless freedom of the sky. She couldn't let the two wander too far out without supervision or her appointed task would fail horribly. Norm didn't hesitate to voice his first pick for sightseeing and suggested to Tarazi with an eager grin, "Let's visit the coastal caverns."

The huntress uttered no complaint and the two scampered off without a second to spare, running down the sand dunes as fast as they could run to follow the path Joanna had shown them. Tsu'tey's look of utter disbelief stirred laughter from Joanna because he'd expected the two to stay put like the obedient hunters that listened to their elders but apparently, they weren't. How could they just leave without offering a farewell or telling him whether they _could_ run off? Honestly, the boldness in youngsters nowadays. Joanna chuckled to their enthusiasm as the two faded quickly over the dunes in their haste to seize the day for all it was worth and reasoned compassionately, "They've never seen the sea, Tsu'tey, let them enjoy it. . .in second thought. . ."

Quickly, she ran forward to shout out to them with concerned precaution, "Be careful with the tides! Don't," she paused and sighed softly in defeat, "I don't think they heard me."

He agreed with a halfhearted grunt since the two had run off like youngsters as Joanna's funneled hands failed to cause the echo required to carry her voice. She wasn't the type to raise her voice anymore, not unless it was needed and bit the inside of her left cheek as she hoped the two would tread safely. There were no dangerous tides in the caverns at that hour but slippery rocks were always a concern, especially for children. Thankfully, they came during the calmest of seasons so the chance of injury was low for adults if one headed out for adventure and the buddy system helped tremendously.

Tsu'tey observed her appearance from behind as she gazed into the cloudless horizon, her tail swaying to the sides with concern for their friends, and his gaze lingered on her short braided hair. He'd enjoyed weaving his fingers through her hair, the silkiness reminding him of an arachnid's spun web, and absentmindedly brushed back his own since her long locks were gone. Nonetheless, she was still the same woman he'd known for two seasons and complimented her new youthful look, "You carry yourself confidently now and are beautiful as ever, if I may add."

"You may" she smiled sincerely, glancing away sheepishly to the latter part since it was now just the two of them wandering around the beach as they caught up on lost time. He made no mention of traveling elsewhere to see the sights and she said nothing of it, continuing their walk with a grateful little smile as she decided to stroll to the outdoor pa'li pen. Tsu'tey had always been subtle and kind in his compliments to show affection, a trait she'd found endearing since their first courting days. His modest appearance failed to change, the green color of the beads in his hair being the only difference and the same neck-hugging brown necklace she'd teased him about was still there as a sweet reminder. He was the most welcome sight since leaving the Omaticaya and the one her heart treasured, admitting fondly with a soft tone, "And the same goes for you, dear advisor."

The coy smile on her face told him that she might just be eligible to court because a woman certainly wouldn't state that while courting another, it would be downright disrespectful. She still held the only spot in his heart reserved for a loved one and wondered if he'd remained wedged in hers since it was obvious they weren't leading their old lives anymore. The agonizing pain over her leave had slowly healed as he'd submerged himself in his responsibilities to grieve in his own way but her presence brought him the old sweet memories they'd shared. Well, mostly the tender loving moments because they'd certainly had their share of enraging and frightening incidents. He'd never forget being shot in the buttocks by her stray arrow.

"Although, I can see a wrinkle on-" Joanna joked playfully to show her humorous quips weren't lost to the wind and laughed gleefully when he glared in her direction, uttering a small hiss for the jab. Oh, how she'd missed each of his facial expressions; the man of a thousand faces, she'd called him. Even if he did happen to gain a wrinkle or two over the years, she'd blame it on the happy times they shared laughing or how he brightened the days of others. Her fingertips gently brushed against his as she took a few steps forward to keep going, his lips widening into a satisfied smile since she'd often graze her fingers or tail against his to show subtle affection. Well, his day had brightened considerably with that alone. Her voice mixed into the sweet tweets of nearby birds as they foraged for crawling insects on branches and she stated kindly without glancing back, "Never change, Tsu'tey."

Well, at least he was making progress on his theory to her courting status and paused that particular objective to focus on the next one. He licked his lips nervously to ask about information on the whereabouts of his family, his ears flicking anxiously to know whether they were eager to see him as well, and asked hesitantly, "I wanted to ask if you could direct me to healer Zika, I. . .I never told you but-"

"You have family here?" she asked dryly with a knowing look since he kept that fact covered and he tried to evade the guilt by offering a charismatic smile. She chuckled softly to his swaying tactics since that pearly smile disarmed her defenses but she wasn't looking to argue with him about the secrets. Each person was prone to a private fact they weren't ready to disclose with others, even the closest of friends, and allowed him that respect. She tapped the bottom of his feline nose with her index finger in the affectionate but irksome action to show it was all right, a smile playing on both their lips as she deliberated further about his kin, "You made me believe you were an orphan in this entire world but I met your aunts, they're wonderful and your little cousins- I adore them. They like stories so make sure to tell them one before you leave, preferably about the forest."

"I will" he promised with a low chuckle, delighted that she'd met his family since they both shared the same beach. Of course, the horrible irony wasn't lost on Joanna since he lived so close and yet so far from people who cared for him just the same. His whole family was proud of what he'd achieved in his life; even if he wasn't olo'eyktan, they were humbled to know a child from simple beginnings could go so far with his natural abilities. She was certain he would love the reunion as well, smiling privately as he followed her towards the pa'li pen where trotting could be heard from the mares exercising in the large area. Tsu'tey had become accustomed to their walks being the opposite, her eager footsteps following his, but she was growing in all aspects. His gaze strayed to the left side of her face as they walked, inclined to explain his actions to the one that never hesitated to share her past and spoke truthfully, "I didn't tell you because my clan has been family since I was born-"

"But you have family here" she pointed out gently with a perceptive gleam in her eye but it softened as she continued, "I assumed you were all alone as the last of your family. Why didn't you move here if the majority of your family was here?"

"I grew up with the Omaticaya, all of my seasons were lived among them so they were all I had and I _was_ to be mated to Neytiri" he answered sheepishly about his past and she smiled kindly because she could never imagine the turmoil he endured during his young age. The Omaticaya were all that he'd ever known since his birth and bonds had been forged that could never be broken, keeping him rooted to the forest with unyielding loyalty. His life was bound to the Omaticaya clan and they were his rightful kin, even if he no longer shared any blood relations, and stated softly, "My maternal grandmother was there and although I loved my father's side of the family . . . my heart belonged elsewhere."

Her hand tingled to offer a sympathetic squeeze of the shoulder but instead, nodded in understanding and kept an eye out for the sisterly trio or their bundle of youngsters. Avi was always at the seamstresses' area due to her ranking until last meal since all of her children were old enough to care for themselves and enjoyed her time during the day. Nara was most likely alongside the cooks where Zika's mate worked since they hadn't encountered her at the beach so she'd either be helping the cooks prepare food or sleeping in her home. As for Zika, she was always at the healing alcoves until it was time to fetch her young children to care for them. Tsu'tey's faint words, however, ended her search when he whispered solemnly with a downcast gaze, "And now you're here among them."

"But within reach on ikran travel" she reminded optimistically to the short distance by air, her bright peppy smile bringing a laugh to surface. He missed her upbeat outlook, especially when it helped to balance his logical and direct persona on topics that poked his mind tediously. She found one of Tsu'tey's little cousins feeding one of the pa'li in the outside pen, the birds tweeting above them as they liked to dive down to feed on leftover nectar in the flowers when bugs weren't around to crunch on. Nitari told her that they'd become used to the food since they scavenged anything that could fill their stomachs and the pa'li didn't mind sharing. Apparently, the small violet birds were very good groomers for spots the pa'li couldn't reach with their tongues. Joanna smiled with delight to finding Zika's youngest son in his usual spot when he wasn't tagging along with his siblings and greeted, "I See you, gentle Keron."

The young boy of five turned with bright eyes to smile at Joanna, tucking the pink wildflower he'd brought into one of the empty carved holes in the pen that held numerous flowers for the pa'li. When the flowers were empty of nectar, the clan would use them for aromatic oils or water to pamper their skin against any dryness or minor sunburns. Keron's loose hair had been neatly tucked into a low ponytail by his mother, stopping at his shoulders and brushing against them as he gazed at the two newcomers with a curious eye. He wore a brown loincloth and a handmade necklace of blue feathers like all the children since those older than six could wear leggings that the younger ones didn't want- they found them constricting. He hopped off the wooden beam that boosted his short size up to the top of the pen to peer into the large area and ran to her happily as he cheered in welcome, "Joanna!"

Tsu'tey smiled faintly as the little boy was easily snatched into Joanna's arms as she balanced him on one hip and fixed any frizzes in his tied hair since Zika did her best to keep the children neat in appearance. Sifu had no trouble with that since he was quite the organized child, taking after his mother, with Keron coming in second while Leti. . .well, the little one was curious about her world and tumbled into anything she liked. One time, Joanna had been preparing herbs at Zika's healing alcove and Leti had bounded in covered in mud from head to toe- needless to say, little Leti learned to clean herself at the beach first. His small nose wrinkled slightly as he detected a familiar smell on the huntress that he'd yet to become accustomed to and Keron grimaced with a frown, "You were fishing again, weren't you?"

"Every hunter relishes the smell of success and you love to eat the fishes too" she justified with an amused chuckle as she gently pinched his right cheek, causing him to kick his legs to the fishy smell on her fingertips. His parents weren't hunters so the smell always held a different scent than the herbs and spices they used in their work but would grow adjusted to it with prolonged exposure. She turned to Tsu'tey, who had been watching the entertaining interaction, to introduce with an excited voice that matched the pride on her face, "I have someone I'd like you to meet, his name is Tsu'tey. He's the advisor to the Omaticaya and a very dear friend of mine."

Keron shied away naturally as he realized the man was one of high stature in his clan, or any clan, and Joanna reassured gently with a playful tone, "Trust me, he's not as fearsome as he looks."

Tsu'tey hissed playfully to her little jab but gently patted the top of Keron's head to reassure he came with friendly means as the boy glanced at him with shy awe. So this was one of his little cousins? Of course, they shared no physical similarities in facial structure but Keron held the same deposit of bioluminescent dots in the center of his nose as Tsu'tey and his father's family. It wasn't uncommon for families to share similar positions with their dots and it brought him a sense of belonging as he touched that spot on Keron's nose, doing the same to himself to show him the connection in lineage. Keron's shy expression softened into open curiosity when the man's tone wasn't direct or harsh and he greeted meekly, "Kaltxí."

"Keron, it is a pleasure to meet you" Tsu'tey spoke politely with amusement as he found himself curious over his fraternal family, wondering how much it had changed. He'd been a child when he last saw them and could only remember Avi's oldest son since they'd been the only two that had been born before he was chosen to be the next olo'eyktan and could no longer travel. He smiled warmly as the young boy observed him quietly, his round arms hugging Joanna as a natural precaution and Tsu'tey explained their relation with a soft tone, "I am your cousin from your mother's side and I'd very much like to see the whole family again. Do you happen to know where she is?"

He smiled immediately because family was the most important, or so his parents told him, and pointed towards Kelutral to answer cheerfully, "At the alcoves. I thought Wätu was the oldest and he's _old_."

"He's twenty years of age, Keron" Joanna pointed out amusingly since everyone that passed the rite was automatically 'old' in the young children's eyes. Even she was called old by the youngsters as they continuously prodded her when she'd have a little toddler they could play with; they were always eager for extra company to make it merrier. It was hard not to fall in love with them since they were constantly together and never apart for long, protective of each other as all family should be. They admired their older relatives and she was sure they'd be trailing Tsu'tey soon enough with eager questions, wondering if he'd either run or indulge them due to his natural unease around children.

His golden eyes blinked innocently as he stood by his previous comment and uttered matter-of-factly, "He's _still_ old."

Well, if you can't be 'em, join 'em. All Joanna could do was humor the five year-old because he wasn't budging from his stance. Keron turned his gaze towards Tsu'tey as he wrung his hands together with a hunt of nervousness and asked curiously, "Have you ever lived here before?"

"I've lived with the Omaticaya all my life and am on a trip for the olo'eyktan, this is my first time being here in many years" he answered with an amused chuckle to his response as Keron hung onto every word, his little ears flicking back and forth in attention. The young boy had never met an advisor, figuring them to be _very_ old since theirs was around Nitari's age- probably older. It was an honor to meet one but to know a cousin of his was one of them. . .he wanted to hear stories now to relay to his siblings.

"Is it true you have different color stones? We only have shells and beads" he asked tentatively with the first question that came to mind about the Omaticaya and pointed to his necklace where little shells were sewn in between the blue feathers. Their clan didn't hold as much variety in materials for use in clothing and accessories, utilizing what the land provided and Keron always heard about the beautiful stones from the Omaticaya. His aunt Avi always gushed about the beautiful fabrics the Omaticaya crafted on their looms and the rich soil of the forest provided many materials for use unlike the Atykwe.

Tsu'tey was intrigued by his curiosity, not expecting a question relating to crafting since most boys asked about hunting and the wild animals of the forest. Keron, however, was a child of non-hunters so he loved the natural environment around him that matched his parents' rankings. To him, the pa'li and the beach were his heart and Tsu'tey lightly tapped Keron's nose with affection to answer kindly, "Yes, I will show you a few while I'm here and can keep whichever you like. I'm sorry to say that my ikran still carries my belongings somewhere around this beach which is why I don't have them with me at the moment."

Keron smiled widely with excitement, chuckling behind cupped hands at hearing the ikran part and Joanna placed him back on the ground to keep feeding the pa'li. The little boy quickly clambered back up to his previous position with ease and watched the pa'li with a cheerful smile, never tiring of the daily sight. Tsu'tey leaned against the topmost beam of the wooden pen with crossed arms as he noticed a familiar face trotting around and called out in greeting, "Well, Peke, you keep growing, don't you?"

The pa'li had been feeding at the northern area of the pen but curiosity drew him to the familiar voice, his antennae lifting immediately in recognition to the most popular hunter of the Omaticaya. His blue-beige head followed suit as he finished drinking his snack of nectar and approached his rider with a happy gallop, his blue eyes glittering with joy. Joanna reached out immediately to hug her pa'li around the neck with affectionate words to return his love for her and Peke nuzzled her head with his. He turned to Tsu'tey with a wary glance since the hunter had always been strict with him since his days as a colt but Tsu'tey threw that aside since the pa'li had grown on him despite his overly doting behavior. He could already see that his original cyan color was changing into the aquamarine blue of an adult stallion, his body slowly ridding itself of its fat from youth to make way for extensive muscle growth, the armored plates around his body hardening with age for protection, and the white markings at the end of his legs were becoming prominent. His Aci had given birth to a formidable stallion in the making with a temperament that didn't match hers at all.

He'd actually missed the wet sloppy licks of affection from the upbeat pa'li when he'd left with Joanna, especially at knowing how his sudden leave affected Aci. Even now, he'd catch her wandering his old areas around Kelutral to relive old memories like any mother that longed to see their child. Laying a hand on his snout, he used the other to pat the top of his head in welcoming friendliness and greeted kindly with a small smile, "How are you, Peke? Have you been keeping Joanna out of trouble?"

Peke neighed happily in agreement and gently butted his head with Tsu'tey's, the action reminding him of Aci. He'd told the mare he'd be visiting the sea clan that very morning and although she demanded to take Swizav's place, the journey would be too much for her body with the single day they were staying. Hopefully, the good news of his good health would mellow out any resentment for being left at home. His right fingertips rubbed the blue plates over his snout in similarity to the pa'li when they showed loyalty towards each other since Peke was borne of his clan and relayed a message, "Your mother has missed you but she is in perfect health back home, she wants you to know she's saving those red flowers for you when you visit one day. She'll be glad to know you're well and growing each season."

The pa'li was pleased to hear the news and licked the hunter's forehead in playful reminder to older times, leading Keron to giggle from his spot, "He's a funny pa'li."

Joanna smiled widely since his calm temperament fit right in with the benevolent pa'li of the Atykwe but his darker hue and bright blue eyes added to his appeal. Their pa'li were of a powder blue that melted gently into the beige of their bellies while the Omaticayan steeds contrasted the cool and neutral hues. During her anthropologic research, she'd never realized that there were breeds of different pa'li across the continent of Pyrrha but the dense forests hadn't allowed for good views of wild herds. Unlike ikran that held contrasting colors that spanned the entire spectrum, the pa'li held subtle changes that varied between the dominant blue hues to show what terrestrial biomes they hailed from. Peke neighed once more to show his approval of the remark because he held his mother dear since birth (despite her stoic nature) and Joanna commented playfully, "His mother on the other hand, not so funny."

"You only say that because she tried to bite you once or thrice" Tsu'tey shot back with his own witty joke since Aci chased Joanna around a few times when she wandered to close to him, leading him to point out they were courting. She chuckled softly to the mare with icy blue eyes that had chased her down a path or two during her stay at their clan, glad to hear the tenacious Aci was still kicking strongly.

"I'll be back later to take you on your stroll" Joanna informed warmly with a kiss to the space between his eyes and allowed him to return to his feeding, watching her partner trot off with his short tail moving happily. Her Peke had taken a shining to swimming in the portion of the beach that was exclusively for the pa'li, the water helping to increase stamina during gallops or healing any muscle injuries like horses on Earth. Of course, she kept a keen eye on him throughout the whole thing because he was curious to explore and tried to head out into the open sea whenever they wandered around the sand dunes.

Excusing themselves from Keron, who was eagerly trying to bring a mare close with his flowers, they left the pa'li pen to head to the alcoves and he called out, "I'll be waiting."

Tsu'tey would try not to keep him waiting for too long, already feeling at ease after speaking with the young child.

"Zika's children are truly adorable, you'll melt into a doting puddle when you meet Leti" she chuckled fondly to the bubbly girl that had stolen her heart in one swipe as she led him towards Kelutral itself. She'd shown all three their beloved Kelutral, Norm completely enthralled to the geographical structure of their sanctuary as his scientific mind had pleaded to study it from the roots to the canopies. Tsu'tey and Tarazi had been drawn to the handmade carvings over the thick roots that portrayed their clan's long history to preserve each shred of the old ways as it guided their future. The beach gave their clan boundless freedom to branch from with their families but Kelutral enveloped them in a secure embrace as it shielded them from any dangers.

The gigantic cavern looked exactly as it had in Tsu'tey's old memory, remembering when he'd run through the area to head for the canopies as he hoped to climb Kelutral until he reached the top to peer over the cavern itself. Of course, that never happened with his watchful parents but maybe he could accomplish it one day since he was a perfectly capable adult now. The base structure was different than his clan, with workshops being set outside the cavern where people could work outdoors rather than inside at the ground floor or the rocky alcoves. He attributed the change due to the difference in light filtration as the base was darker with the cavern blocking out more light than his forest did.

Joanna allowed him to explore the area since he was on his own time now, watching him mingle with the residents as he asked about particular items from foods to pottery. He was quite an admirable sight as always, polite in his questions and smoothly articulating what he desired while complementing the work on display or being made. Apparently, he was searching for a glazed wooden box with seashells for his matriarch due to her endless fondness for them.

She hoped he would never change that kind nature of his, always thinking about others and never himself; it defined who he was.

* * *

"Aunt Zika?" Tsu'tey asked politely but nervousness betrayed his usual steady voice as Joanna gently nudged him inside the alcove, encouraging his faltering courage. Hmm, her muscles had indeed become stronger with continuous training and swimming. The healer was currently refilling cleaned phial shells with antiseptic for the healing packs, her kind gaze turning immediately when Tsu'tey's voice carried into the alcove. She placed a wooden stopper in the phial to seal it and closed the ceramic pot that held the potent liquid to maintain its purity as she stopped her work immediately.

She wiped her hands on a nearby cloth, remembering the brave injured man that she'd seen at the Tree of Souls, and couldn't believe he was standing there in front of her. With all of his important tasks, she assumed he'd visit their family rarely but there he was. He wasn't furious anymore at their long gone enemies nor injured severely but sheepishly shuffling his feet while his posture remained immaculately straight. Zika was proud of her brother's son, regardless if he was olo'eyktan or advisor, and pushed back any blurriness in her eyes as he reminded her of Ateyo in his younger days. She opened her arms in warm welcome to her oldest nephew and smiled widely to greet with infinite joy, "Oh, you came to visit. How wonderful!"

Zika practically bounced with lively delight as she grasped the sides of his face with happiness, gushing fondly, "Oh, look at you. You remind me so much of your father but your height . . . your mother fed you very well."

Tsu'tey chuckled bashfully and for the first time, felt peace with the memories of his family as he held a piece of it right in front of him. It was a precious piece of fragile glass deep in his heart that nobody could take away anymore, not without bringing his fury. He remembered running over the sandy dunes with Zika as a child and watching the strange wildlife, digging for burrowing crabs in the sand while she made certain he didn't eat them. Although he was born and bred as an Omaticayan, he still held Atykwe roots that couldn't be removed.

"Joanna told us quite a bit of your adventures, the children like hearing your tales- apparently, they admire you as their hero now" Zika informed proudly with a warm chuckle and released her nephew with a kind smile as the surprise was quite welcome indeed. Nara had quickly dropped by to tell her the wonderful news as the matriarch had disclosed the information to Avi first, sending the seamstress into happy fumbles as she prepared to meet their young relative. Zika was certain she was in one of their huts, tidying every area for a presentable reunion and assigning chores to her twin daughters. She flushed slightly at her current state of appearance since she expected him to drop by the huts first and admitted modestly, "Oh my, I don't have anything to offer you in welcome since my hut is-"

"I will bring you something to drink" Joanna offered with an amicable smile and headed down to the base before either could say anything. Rafil would be kind enough to provide two fruit drinks since his mate was in a jovial mood and Joanna saw the same in Tsu'tey's eyes as she left hurriedly. Otherwise, Zika would try to do it herself and she deserved time to catch up on years' worth of lost time. It had brought such comfort to Joanna's heart when she learned of his maternal family, hopeful that they would reunite one day because Tsu'tey deserved the love that had been ripped away from him throughout life. She loved seeing the warm glowing spark in his golden eyes, a rarity from the narrowed calculative gaze he usually wore on his stoic face.

Tsu'tey sighed softly since he was never the best at socializing but he'd gotten better over the months while Zika felt embarrassed as a hostess but her student always lent a helping hand. The young woman was her second student since attaining her master rank, deciding to dip her toes in the water to test her teaching abilities and it was going splendidly as Joanna soaked the knowledge like a sea sponge. An extra perk in the process was hearing tales about her nephew and having a caretaker when her children wanted to wander without either parent in tow. Her eyes flicked to the open doorway where the young huntress had skittered through and she mentioned warmly, "You have a very good friend there, Tsu'tey. Eywa works in mysterious ways, she is my student now and quite the diligent learner."

He was surprised to hear that fact since his original expectations of hunting and caring over children were cast to the wind. It seemed that Joanna was finding her own path with the guidance of the clan and hoped she hadn't changed drastically since her new change in life. So far, she was still the same friendly face that held that doe-eyed expression that sent his heart in an irregular rhythm but attitudes could change in the blink of an eye. He decided to drop the subject for now since he was anxious to reunite with the rest of his paternal family and grasped his aunt's hands as he spoke eagerly, "She is a dutiful student, from my experience. How have you been these past seasons, Aunt Zika? Where is the family? I have so many questions."

"Oh, dear child, we will visit them as soon as I finish folding these bandaging cloths" Zika chuckled amusingly to his eagerness to reunite with the family since she'd been in the middle of arranging sterilized bandages for storage. Joanna's day of study with her wasn't until tomorrow so she was on her own to assemble the pieces but was delighted that she'd brought Tsu'tey to her alcove. She continued folding the white bandages (weaved by the seamstresses) after washing her hands once more and explained cheerfully to each question his little heart desired, "Your aunt Avi knows you're here, I'm certain she's cleaning one of the huts to welcome you and bundling up a few snacks. We've fared well, thriving as always under Nitari's watch and we've nothing to fear anymore- except nature herself, of course. I am happily mated to a cook and the proud mother of three youngsters running around somewhere on this beach, not to mention that this little alcove is my own. Your uncle Akhil helped design it, actually."

She pressed her dainty fingers to her full lips before delving further and chuckled softly with light hints of embarrassment, "Look at me, I'm rambling on and not letting you talk. After all, _you're_ visiting us, child, and I can imagine you woke up very early to arrive at this time."

"I prefer that you speak, actually, I've never been very good at long conversations" he chuckled politely to his weakness in social interactions since he was better at listening and truly wanted to catch up to what he'd missed out on during the years. He wanted to tread lightly with respect towards his family since his usual way of speaking was direct and straightforward due to his constant work while they were humble people. They didn't know the inner workings of a clan and his rank at the Omaticaya originally caused him to keep himself stoic but seasons of work on his socializing helped to bridge casual and heartfelt conversations that he'd failed at years ago. His family deserved all of the love he contained within himself as rank dictated of any honorable warrior, releasing small amounts as he wandered around Kelutral to help its residents or his friends. The only time he'd been able to show his suppressed emotions were with Joanna, showering the one he loved with everything his heart hid from the public but here was another chance to share that with the last remnants of his family. He would be there for his little cousins, reinforcing old and new bonds throughout the day and hopefully, renew what had been lost.

Zika merely smiled since touching her nephew could cause contamination to the small strips of cloth in her hands but her voice carried her emotion as she stated fondly, "We are _most_ happy to your return, Tsu'tey."

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**A/N**: I had to split this chapter into two parts because after reaching forty pages, I couldn't unload such a large chapter on you guys. Joanna and Tsu'tey weren't overly fluffy in this portion since the two are still in public eyes but we'll see their lingering affection in the following chapters. Tsu'tey's always wary of kids but they'll be dangling off his arms with the giddy cousins he'll be introduced to as we reunite him with his family next.

Thank you for the new alerts and fav's, I noticed quite a few this week so thank you because it keeps me writing this tale. Of course, the combo of that and the potent reviews have kept this story as number one for over a year now so I'm definitely proud of all of us! If you use the guest system (I get lazy to log in too), just leave your penname in the review so I know who to reply to. ^_^

_Mrs Capt Jack Sparrows_: Yeah, I was trying to think of an eco friendly approach to archaic writing but I think I'll stick to your messenger idea and the back-up system using the willow trees that I'll implement in the coming chapters.

_1Timberwolf_: Tsu'tey has always been portrayed as protective and defensive against anyone or anything that could endanger those he loves so I can only imagine how he'd be with a child of his own or his family's- in this case, Neytiri's and Jake's. He's so direct with his answers that it's comical to the readers because his manner is just a plain 'deal with it'. Lol

_CrissYami_: I'm glad you love each chapter and hoped this reunion was worth the wait.

_compa16_: Thanks for loving the awesomeness, I feel the same way when I find a fic I love.

_Dracoessa_: He's a stubborn man stuck to his job, I think he'd either be a cop or military man if he were human since duty comes first. Of course, when the chance to see the one he loves for a day comes up, poor Norm doesn't stand a chance. ^_^

_NaviOfPandora74_: Thank you so much, I hope you enjoy reading it till the end with all of us.

_Decepticon-silverstreak_: Yeah, it took me a little longer this time due to the heat over here (had an earthquake too) and my joints were acting up due to the temperature.

_Claycarole_: I hope you've been enjoying the music, I'm addicted to orchestral pieces whenever I'm writing or preparing for a test. I hadn't thought of drawing fashion for the Atykwe na'vi but I'd need to find those pretty postures used for modeling. I'd probably do it months from now since I'm preparing to take my entrance exam into nursing in October.

_Black Jack_: I know, I'm proud and happy to have reached such a number in reviews because I was originally tentative to post it but glad I did. Thanks for being my 700th! I see Tsu'tey and Jake as the older brothers that respect and joke with each other while Norm is the little one that always gets into sticky situations and left behind.

_Lemons246_: Since I'm creating a society apart from the Omaticaya while developing theirs as well, it can become a little confusing since you can't see what my brain imagines (unfortunately). My cast has grown larger than I originally expected but you don't need to memorize anything, the behavior of the characters usually speaks for them and I'll always add a little reminder or summary for any recurring character or custom. I will do the triangle idea, in a subtle way that is beneficial for Tsu'tey's character development than anybody else's.

_WMM_: I miss the banter and exploration the most with these two as well so we'll have to keep bringing the two together. I've never been one to write short chapter stories, I've no idea why, but at the same time, it slows down the update time.

_Crystal_: Thank you so much, I'm throwing a smiley face of happiness back at ya. ^_^

_taokiomi93_: I'm honored by that, it's a joy to have a story considered a favorite above all on a site.

_Eragon The Dragon Rider_: Thanks! I love you avatar picture.

_Lonerwolf1015_: I'll be creating an extensive background for Tsu'tey since he is one of the major characters of the story and in this volume, it's his time to shine whereas Joanna's journey has reached a plateau. I don't mind hearing about my readers so don't worry; I always loved reading since childhood, my mom always brought me books (my dad still does) and I spent most of my elementary and junior high school years in libraries. I've always loved nature and respect the heck out of it, my mother came from a rural village so I love vacationing there just to hike the hills and watch the wildlife (there's quite a few things in my story inspired from it) as Cameron's movie drew me into its wonderful world. Yeah, the heat's been messing with my joints and my right arm is in quite a bit of pain this week. As the oldest of my siblings, I've always been watching over my brothers and understand you completely. My trips to my mother's village is what will inspire Tsu'tey's upcoming interactions with his little cousins as they cling to his every word and track him down like happy bloodhounds just to be with him (I had three, he'll have four). I love your comments and drabbles so don't hold back!

_CrazyRach19_: I'm glad you loved the story to read it well into the night, I wish I could make this into a movie but we'll have to use our imaginations on this one. You're quite lucky that you finished reading it just in time to get the newest chapter so enjoy!

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**Next Time**:

He'd learned about his aunt's three children as she tied with her oldest sister for the most but the healer happily stated she and her mate weren't finished creating a family whereas Avi was. Tsu'tey had only met Avi's mate, his uncle Akhil, during his trips since he was the only other man he could tag along besides his father while Zika had only been an adolescent. They chatted a while longer over drinks but Zika had to unwillingly force the two hunters outside as her jubilance had caused her to lag behind in her work, promising their talk would continue afterwards. For the meantime, she allowed the two to spend time together before the family reunion came and assured Tsu'tey he'd fit right in like he'd never left. Joanna dutifully obeyed and pulled the hunter by the left hand to allow the healer to finish because Zika was dedicated to her quality of care, heading elsewhere to occupy his time. There was one thing he wanted most from Joanna since his arrival and she'd brought him to the canopies with a proud smile to show him the ikran he'd trained her to catch.

"I'm sorry we haven't had a chance to talk privately" she spoke softly as she'd released his hand from hers the first moment they passed another resident and it was hard for her not to embrace him in public. She'd withheld her deepest emotions since gazing at him, keeping strict to clan decorum but smiled faintly when his hand reached over to squeeze hers once before releasing it. The entire surprise of his arrival had left her speechless and although she was teeming with joy just like Zika, she explained privately, "It's a bit hard on the open beach but when you're not busy, I'd really like to meet with you so we can talk. I've really missed you . . . there hasn't been a day I don't think of you."

"So have I" he whispered solemnly to the time they'd lost, the distance separating them agonizing as he'd felt the dual loss of a love and best friend. Time always brought him one hardship over another and he couldn't help but wonder when it would end so he could have a happy life without it. Yes, Eywa tested a strong heart to allow for further inner strength to flourish but Tsu'tey didn't know what else She expected of him.

Joanna's ears flattened to his sullen expression, his stoic mask cast aside for a brief moment and she grasped his left hand to lift it in one swipe. Their pathway to the specific canopy Xeki lived at was void of people and she took advantage of it, placing a kiss to the top of his hand between the first and second knuckle. She wasn't hesitant to prove her feelings, especially when the one she cared for was enduring emotional woes and smiled supportively. Tsu'tey returned the fond smile because he was relieved to know he wasn't the only one who'd spent nights looking at the stars while wondering if she was doing the same, thinking of him. She released his hand when she heard the shaking of foliage around her as the ikran played around their home with their friends and Joanna beckoned him to follow her deeper to where the trunk was located.

He'd heard the ikran's name briefly through their walk around the Atykwe beach but he wanted to see the ikran with his own eyes to see the results of their hard work. Joanna smiled widely as she called her ikran with a series of chirps Xeki had approved on during their first days as partners and moments later, a dark blur shot down from the thick trunk of the tree to land gracefully on the ground. His eyes widened slightly to the large size of the sapphire female that unfolded her wings, avoiding a direct gaze, but he complimented with approval, "She is a formidable ikran by appearance alone. It's a good thing that you had two teachers for the rite of passage."

"Oh, now you make me sound like a bad student" she chuckled playfully with a fond pat to his right forearm as she initiated the bond with her ikran, greeting her with a perky smile. The sapphire female fluttered her wings lazily as Joanna explained who he was, smiling faintly when he caught the whisper of 'love' between her words, and waited for her to approach him. She allowed for Xeki to sniff him in the same meticulous manner Swizav had done almost a year ago, the ikran trailing her head around his hair and neck where na'vi held their unique scent. With the breathing spiracles located on the chest, ikran smell receptors were located on the roof of her mouth for acute detection. His scent reminded Xeki of a downpour of rain but he carried no pheromones depicting ill will, simply protectiveness and care over her partner.

It would suffice.

She twisted her head to the left side to peer into his eyes one last time and shifted her weight onto her legs to hobble away, allowing Joanna to speak fondly from behind, "She is my Xeki, I could not ask for a better partner. Oddly enough, she likes to eat the same flower nectar Peke does. You should see the two sharing flowers, it's quite a sight."

He laughed to the humorous image, relieved when Xeki finished her meticulous sniffing to deem him worthy of approaching her as she stood next to Joanna with a relaxed stance. Her eyes, however, followed his every move to ensure the woman's protection and he greeted courteously by dipping his head, "It is an honor to meet you, Xeki, and thank you for keeping her safe. She. . .she means a lot to me."

Xeki approved of his comment and purred softly, leaning down to gently bump Joanna's head against hers to show affection. Tsu'tey could only remember to the times when she'd been afraid to climb Kelutral's canopies, playing with her ikran toy as she repressed all of her fears and halted her training completely due to injuries. Yet, here she was, sharing affectionate gestures with the partner she'd longed to have at her side. She scratched the underside of Xeki's jaw, a spot that brought never-ending content to her and gazed at the canopies to ask curiously, "Where's Swizav? I've missed that gorgeous blue ikran."

The sapphire ikran snorted hot air against her back at the mention of the particular ikran because the two hunters were yet to realize Xeki and Swizav had already met. Joanna mistook it for her natural mistrust of others or preference for another ikran, smirking playfully to chide, "Oh, don't get jealous. You're the prettiest _female_ in these parts . . . to me."

Xeki blew hot air from her spiracles for the innocent jab, causing her to laugh aloud as she struck the little spot of vanity that came with every mating season at the Atykwe. Tsu'tey beckoned his partner with a short but sharp call that echoed through the canopies, the sound easily discernible with the ikran's acute hearing. Rustling erupted overhead and seconds later, a familiar azure ikran burst onto the scene with an expectant face for its rider as stray leaves rained down upon his mottled back. Tsu'tey motioned to Joanna with his right hand to show he had a guest and she smiled warmly with friendliness, "Hello there, Swizav. I hope you remember me despite time, I've never forgotten you."

* * *

_Thank you for the endless support and reviews for this story because Tsu'tey is happily snacking on treats for each one. ^_^_


	37. A Reunion For The Ages, Pt II

**Inspired By: **_"Jack Wall- Vigil" and "Two Steps From Hell- I Love You Forever"_

The game Eight Waves is dedicated to _Arwenia_ for the game idea.

* * *

**A Reunion for the Ages, Pt. II  
**

* * *

Tsu'tey had learned about his aunt's three children as she tied with her oldest sister for the most but the healer happily stated she and her mate weren't finished creating a family whereas Avi was. Tsu'tey had only met Avi's mate, his uncle Akhil, during his trips since he was the only other man he could tag along besides his father while Zika had only been an adolescent. They chatted a while longer over drinks but Zika had to unwillingly force the two hunters outside as her jubilance had caused her to lag behind in her work, promising their talk would continue afterwards. For the meantime, she allowed the two to spend time together before the family reunion came and assured Tsu'tey he'd fit right in like he'd never left. Joanna dutifully obeyed and pulled the hunter by the left hand to allow the healer to finish because Zika was dedicated to her quality of care so he headed elsewhere to occupy his time. There was one thing he wanted most from Joanna since his arrival and she'd brought him to the canopies with a proud smile to show him the ikran he'd trained her to catch.

"I'm sorry we haven't had a chance to talk privately" she spoke softly as she'd released his hand from hers the first moment they passed another resident and it was hard for her not to embrace him in public. She'd withheld her deepest emotions since gazing at him, keeping strict to clan decorum but smiled faintly when his hand reached over to squeeze hers once before releasing it. The entire surprise of his arrival had left her speechless and although she was teeming with joy just like Zika, she explained privately, "It's a bit hard on the open beach but when you're not busy, I'd really like to meet with you so we can talk. I've really missed you . . . there hasn't been a day I don't think of you."

"So have I" he whispered solemnly to the time they'd lost, the distance separating them agonizing as he'd felt the dual loss of a love and best friend. Time always brought him one hardship after another and he couldn't help but wonder when it would end so he could have a happy life without another obstacle hitting him in the face. Yes, Eywa tested a strong heart to allow for further inner strength to flourish but Tsu'tey didn't know what else She expected of him.

Joanna's ears flattened to his sullen expression, his stoic mask cast aside for a brief moment and she grasped his left hand to lift it in one swipe. Their pathway to the specific canopy Xeki lived at was void of people and she took advantage of it, placing a kiss to the top of his hand between the first and second knuckle. She wasn't hesitant to prove her feelings, especially when the one she cared for was enduring emotional woes and smiled supportively. Tsu'tey returned the fond smile because he was relieved to know he wasn't the only one who'd spent nights looking at the stars while wondering if she was doing the same, wistfully thinking of him. She released his hand when she heard the shaking of foliage around her as the ikran played around their home with their friends and Joanna beckoned him to follow her deeper to where the thick trunk was located.

He'd heard the ikran's name briefly through their walk around the Atykwe beach but he wanted to see the ikran with his own eyes to see the results of their hard work. Joanna smiled widely as she called her ikran with a series of chirps Xeki had approved on during their first days as partners and moments later, a dark blur shot down from the thick trunk of the tree to land gracefully on the ground. His eyes widened slightly to the large size of the sapphire female that unfolded her wings, avoiding a direct gaze, but he complimented with approval, "She is a formidable ikran by appearance alone. It's a good thing that you had two teachers for the rite of passage."

"Oh, now you make me sound like a bad student" she chuckled playfully with a fond pat to his right forearm as she initiated the bond with her ikran, greeting her with a perky smile. The sapphire female fluttered her wings lazily as Joanna explained who he was, smiling faintly when he caught the whisper of 'love' between her words, and waited for her to approach him. She allowed for Xeki to sniff him in the same meticulous manner Swizav had done almost a year ago, the ikran trailing her head around his hair and neck where na'vi held their unique scent. With the breathing spiracles located on the chest, ikran smell receptors were located on the roof of her mouth for acute detection. His scent reminded Xeki of a downpour of rain but he carried no pheromones depicting ill will, simply protectiveness and care over her partner.

It would suffice.

She twisted her head to the left side to peer into his eyes one last time to verify his benevolence and shifted her weight onto her legs to hobble away, allowing Joanna to speak fondly from behind, "She is my very protective Xeki, I could not ask for a better partner. Oddly enough, she likes to eat the same flower nectar Peke does. You should see the two sharing flowers, it's quite a sight."

He laughed to the humorous image, relieved when Xeki finished her meticulous sniffing to deem him worthy of approaching her as she stood next to Joanna with a relaxed stance. Her eyes, however, followed his every move to ensure the woman's protection and he greeted courteously by dipping his head, "It is an honor to meet you, Xeki, and thank you for keeping her safe. She. . .she means a lot to me."

Xeki approved of his comment and purred softly, leaning down to gently bump Joanna's forehead against hers to show affection. For a species that held incredible strength and ferocity in every muscle of their bodies, their caring gestures were incredibly gentle. Tsu'tey could only remember to the times when she'd been afraid to climb Kelutral's canopies, playing with her ikran toy as she repressed all of her fears and halted her training completely due to injuries. Yet, here she was, sharing affectionate gestures with the ferocious partner she'd longed to have at her side. She scratched the underside of Xeki's jaw, a spot that brought never-ending content to her and gazed at the canopies to ask curiously, "Where's Swizav? I've missed that gorgeous blue ikran."

The sapphire ikran snorted hot air against her back at the mention of the particular ikran because the two hunters had yet to realize that Xeki and Swizav had already met. Joanna mistook it for her natural mistrust of others or preference for another ikran, smirking playfully to chide, "Oh, don't get jealous. You're the prettiest _female_ in these parts . . . to me."

Xeki blew hot air from her spiracles for the innocent jab, causing her to laugh aloud as she struck the little spot of vanity that came with every mating season at the Atykwe. Tsu'tey beckoned his partner with a short but sharp call that echoed through the canopies, the sound easily discernible with the ikran's acute hearing. Rustling erupted overhead and seconds later, a familiar azure ikran burst onto the scene with an expectant face for its rider as stray leaves rained down upon his mottled back. Tsu'tey motioned to Joanna with his right hand to show he had a guest and she smiled warmly with friendliness, "Hello there, Swizav. I hope you remember me despite time, I've never forgotten you."

Tsu'tey initiated the bond to flood Swizav's mind of their past shared experiences but his ikran remembered her perfectly. Nobody else, aside from Tsu'tey and breeders, had been allowed to clean his skin and feed him snacks (how he missed those). He tilted his head to the right side as he inhaled her scent by lightly parting his serrated teeth, commenting to the change from its woodsy odor to one of freshly cut herbs, _She smells funny now_.

_She's an Atykwe, remember?_, Tsu'tey reminded amusingly and quickly unstrapped his belongings from the ikran before the bag ripped open accidentally during his exploration. The goods for the Atykwe had already been handed in since Tarazi and Norm offered to carry them and thankfully, he'd allowed it before they left their lands. Otherwise, he would've had to explain himself to Nitari as to why he allowed his ikran to escape with her goods. He opened his leather pack to make sure nothing was broken because he wanted it all intact for his family and smiled widely when it was. If anything had been damaged. . .well, his mood would've plummeted instantly.

_Does that mean I smell too?_, Swizav pondered curiously about the necklace he found constricting (not to mention smelly) but his pupils dilated when he caught sight of the sapphire ikran across from him. Immediately, he hissed in her direction with contempt and her sapphire wings flared with shared hostility to show he wasn't welcome there. His tail flicked to the sides in irritation and Tsu'tey placed a hand behind his head in an attempt to calm him but Swizav snapped heatedly, _This female, she is driving me insane! She has been nothing but territorial against me!_

Joanna was bombarded with the same emotions as her ikran's wings fluttered, her tail swishing to the sides with the same discontent as Xeki hissed lowly with coldness, _I do not like this ikran. He is showy and pompous, daring to claim what isn't his and hounds my steps._

Xeki fidgeted on her taloned feet as she shuffled closer to her rider for support and hissed at Swizav to keep him at bay, leading Joanna to wonder what caused them such fury against each other. Was it because Swizav was an outsider? Had either accidentally insulted the other? Did her senses detect something she couldn't? She tried to soothe Xeki's irritation by rubbing the underside of her jaw, chuckling nervously to Tsu'tey with an uneasy smile, "It seems my Xeki really doesn't like Swizav."

His brow rose in surprise to that since he was a beautiful banshee and a dominant one to match, a worthy partner only to a strong hunter. True, he could come off a little defensive toward other ikran but his tough exterior melted away to give way to kindness for his fellow ikran. He was ready to bridge the gap between the two since he'd rather have fellowship than animosity but Joanna spoke for him as she held Xeki's head to insist gently, "Oh, come now, my Xeki, Swizav is a very sweet ikran. He's my only Omaticayan ikran friend and a very brave one, I've talked to you about him. Remember?"

_He smells funny_, she argued disdainfully since she hadn't appreciated the ikran sniffing around her sleeping area while she'd played with Taka and Xaza on a branch above it. That was _her_ home and nobody approached without an invitation, fiercely protective of her handmade nest. She'd noticed the colorful ikran following her from a distance as well during the first hours of arrival but she'd made her feelings quite clear, keeping company with the clan's ikran only.

_You'd smell funny too if you traveled all the way to the Omaticaya_, Joanna reasoned gently because she wanted the two to get along and not rip into each other. Xeki snorted hot air through her spiracles to show her defiance and her rider asserted kindly, _He's looking for friends, he's new to this clan and I'd expect you to treat him kindly like you would your brothers and sisters. Do you want the Omaticayan ikran to think of you as rude and unfriendly? Would you like to receive the same cold treatment? He's really sweet, Xeki._

If there was one thing Xeki was, it was a crafty debater and she didn't hesitate to point out, _The other two didn't behave the same-_

Their thoughts were disrupted when the master breeder, Kunu, approached the two after hopping off a higher branch above them and landed neatly on the balls of his feet on the ground to greet them. He was in his early forties and revered as the expert of the Atykwe ikran since breeding the ikran ran in his bloodline, his father being the current master as he watched over Nitari's and Akon's ikran. The species carried extra care than the pa'li since the steeds didn't rip into each other as ikran could when enraged during mating season and giving them medicine didn't carry dangers either. Joanna had met him and the others (four pa'li and eleven ikran breeders in total) throughout their respective areas in Kelutral since each animal was assigned a breeder for trusting care just as a resident chose their healer. Kunu had been assigned to Xeki by the matriarch since her size demanded a master to gauge her health and the ikran had taken a shine to him, becoming as innocent as a kitten when he tended to her. Unlike the pa'li, ikran were very finicky on who they chose to trust with their lives which is why traditions were born centuries prior about the na'vi-ikran bond and the breeders added further evidence to that honored trust.

Xeki hissed one final time at the azure ikran but transformed into innocent friendliness when Kunu stopped next to Joanna, leaning down to bump his shoulder with the steering vane under her lower jaw. Kunu rubbed her neck in a firm downward stroke to ensure nothing was wrong in an attempt to simmer her anger but turned to Joanna to fill her in on a recent problem, "I'm so glad to see you, I was almost ready to send my apprentice after you. This ikran and Xeki have been hissing at each other for hours, it took a while for me to finally separate the two but here they are again. I don't know whether they want to attack each other or mate. It could be either since Xeki's in heat-"

At this, Xeki growled softly at Swizav and the other ikran snorted in her direction to take an interest in the nearest branch to show she wasn't the fascinating creature she believed herself to be. Tsu'tey pinned his partner with a meaningful look because unlike the hunter, the ikran had always been looking for a mate since he'd come of age. He'd assumed Seze would be the one since mated na'vi couples often had a mated ikran pair but that dream had disappeared for poor Swizav. Unlike Neytiri who failed to reciprocate Tsu'tey's intentions, Seze had but Swizav had lost her during the battle. Since then, he'd been on another endless search but his intentions with the sapphire ikran were simply friendship that was born out of curiosity. Of course, the large female ruined it by being completely rude!

Tsu'tey wasn't about to be dealing with ikran resembling stubborn teenagers and chided him through their bond, _What have you gotten yourself into now?_

_Why do you assume it's my fault?, _Swizav hissed softly because he wasn't going to be blamed for natural curiosity but felt the need to show the young fierce ikran who was the dominant one.

"No ikran had dared to approach her, I assumed. . ." Joanna trailed off with dismay to this new conundrum since she'd been feeding Xeki a diet that would keep her hormones subdued during mating season. She wanted her ikran to be more experienced with the world around her before it was time to mate her off with a male. Her tenacious partner had lived at the ikran nest until the rite and although Kunu assured she was well into adulthood, they both agreed she needed to explore her environment further. Ikran mothers needed to know every inch of the land to show her chicks the paths in case they ever became lost during their first flights because once they were old enough, she would have to return them to the nest to live out their lives alone.

"Should I move him elsewhere?" Tsu'tey asked cautiously since he wouldn't risk a danger to the Atykwe ikran canopies because it could bode badly for Swizav. Ikran were territorially fierce and protective of all its members; you quarreled with one and all would join the fray to eradicate the threat. He wouldn't allow his ikran to be hurt in any way and if he had to, would find another area to keep his partner safe.

"Choose a higher spot on the canopy and Joanna, take Xeki for a fly that will lower her hostile energy" Kunu advised carefully as he stroked Xeki's neck to calm the female, smiling at his patient when she released a small content purr. She could tear others apart with her strength but in his hands, she was a docile chick as he'd grown to be the paternal figure in her mind due to his constant care and delivery of medicine. He glanced at the wary hunters to admit truthfully about their mating potential like any breeder and smiled optimistically, "They're beautiful ikran and their similar color family of blue would make children for both environments. Not to mention, the size of Xeki would allow for more eggs- possibly three or four- and their temperaments would create tenacious ikran for the rite."

"You love mating season, don't you?" Joanna chuckled with an amused grin since the breeders scrambled during this time to check the ikran, mated or single, for any sudden changes. When it was time to lay the eggs, they doubled that anxiousness because if any eggs decided to calcify inside the female, her life could be in jeopardy. The ikran had a visual mating dance that rivaled eagles of Earth as they performed elaborate acrobatics in midair from cartwheels, chases, swoops, and locking talons to impress their potential mate. Joanna had caught a few shows during sunset as the calm air allowed for flawless fluid movement but the early day also allowed for their beautiful skin tones to shine to allure a partner as well. She pointed to Xeki with a motherly wag of her finger and ordered gently, "No mating season for you this year. We must find a good ikran that you don't want to thrash around."

Xeki flicked her tail in Swizav's direction to keep the male away from their current level of the canopy, hissing irately for trespassing on her turf. She didn't want to be near his vicinity, making it clear to Joanna through their bond as she tried to get him to leave. Swizav, however, was a dominant ikran in his own right and wouldn't allow a youngster like Xeki to cast him out. Who proclaimed _her_ the overlord of the canopy? His aggressive pheromones entered her sensory receptors and she growled fiercely as she jumped forward, tugging along a surprised Joanna, to force him out.

"Xeki, stand down! He is our friend!" Joanna ordered sharply to get her ikran to listen before the two decided to tear into each other, taken aback to her sudden hostility. Her Xeki was mistrustful, yes, but she always warmed up to all ikran and had never seen her like this. She was almost inclined to believe this ran deeper than the 'he looked at me funny' reasoning about her dome and hoped the two weren't repressing sexual tension. An amorous ikran was the last thing she'd expected today but her interactions with Tsu'tey always brought a little dash of surprise to spice up their lives.

A piercing screech cut off their angry hissing from above and Stxeli erupted from the canopies above to land between the two ikran, unleashing a sharp screech of fury at the two with complete dominance. Even Tsu'tey flinched immediately to the newcomer. The old ikran's aura exuded immediate obedience from younger generations and being the tsahìk's partner, he received it in full from everyone. Swizav might be one of the top ikran of his clan but even he had to respect the older ikran as its porcelain wings opened fully to display his annoyance, his golden eyes ablaze with disapproval for the two. This was not how youngsters behaved in _his_ Kelutral. He moved towards Xeki with the speed of a younger ikran, using his emerald speckled wings to push her away from the azure ikran but repeated the same gesture to Swizav seconds later. Stxeli had intervened to play mediator because he wasn't about to bear any hostile ikran in his canopies and finished his job by screeching at the two to scatter to opposite ends, his pheromones covering the field with dominant authority to squash any further fighting. Tsu'tey approved of the white ikran's tough love on the two, resisting a laugh that wanted to escape his throat when Swizav huddled behind him for safety.

_As if I could stand a chance against an ikran that my own is afraid of,_ he thought humorously about his partner as he avoided glancing at the white ikran while choking down a laugh on Swizav's huddling. He reminded him of wary chicks that hid behind their parents in the canopies to avoid being seen by the na'vi wandering the area.

"When all else fails, use Stxeli" Kunu smiled pleasantly as the quarrel came to an end with both ikran heading to their corners, knowing that Stxeli didn't approve of loud hostile noises. The emerald streaked ikran gazed at the two one final time, daring them to restart their spat, and jumped onto the nearest branch to return to the high canopies where he'd been napping alongside his mate. If they'd awoken his dear bondmate, he would've chased the two straight out of Kelutral himself to settle the matter. Stxeli was as tough as he was beautiful, his old age showing only in appearance because he was still as spry as a younger ikran. The breeder pointed to the canopies where a few leaves were slowly descending from Stxeli's leave and reminded the ikran with a lecturing tone, "Remember that, you two, he can _always_ come back."

"Come on, girl, we're heading out" Joanna informed her stubborn ikran, who had swallowed her broken pride to the reprimand of her elder and followed her rider towards the closest branch. The huntress glanced back with an apologetic expression towards Tsu'tey since he'd hoped to talk to her but their ikran had decided to react like two negatively charged ions.

* * *

"Tsu'tey, welcome back to our family" Avi announced with a beaming smile as she embraced her oldest nephew into a tight hold, stirring laughter from her sisters to her public affection. Zika had brought him to her family hut after her tasks were finished and everyone had been gathered to greet their visiting relative, their smiles bright with anticipation (and a little shyness from the children). Tsu'tey's demeanor turned modest in their company since enough time had passed for him to recognize only half of the family. During his last visit, only his aunt Avi was mated and her son had only been about two as the family consisted of five in total (aside from his own father and mother). Avi was dressed in a delicate pastel blue shawl of her own making as her long waist-length hair splayed over her shoulders in a black curtain, releasing him as she grinned to joke gently, "You've grown taller while we've grown older."

"Nonsense, you are as youthful as I remember" Tsu'tey replied smoothly with his trademark smile that swayed the masses and his aunts chuckled, remembering the headstrong child that ran at their heels. Nara sat on a crafted log bench, the large hut of Zika allowing ample space for a large family gathering as the adults stayed inside while the children played outside with their handmade toys. Family huts were the largest on the beach as families clustered together to maintain their social bond and 'rooms' were curtained for adolescent children to give them a taste of independence until their rite when the storm season ended. Tsu'tey found it endearingly cozy since his adolescence had been spent inside his grandmother's alcove after his family's had been given to a new one when his mother passed into Eywa's eternal embrace. He'd lived a solitary life outside of clan responsibilities as the Omaticaya came first to rid himself of that loneliness and smiled at the bundle of youngsters gathered outside as they played, "And productive, I see."

"Zika will undoubtedly beat Avi's number in a few years" Nara chuckled zestfully with a smirk and the healer waved her away modestly as she smoothed out the cloths draping over her furniture to make sure everything was neat. Avi reassured her youngest sister that it was fine (she'd made sure of it herself) and Nara took the time to introduce her mate with a fond smile, "You remember my Kovi, his injuries were less severe than yours from the battle and he's healed nicely since then."

Tsu'tey dipped his head respectfully in greeting as the older hunter stood up to clasp his shoulder in a family welcome. He'd met his uncle alongside his aunts Zika and Nara at the Tree of Souls during the rebellion, his uncle sustaining a complete spiral fracture of his right humerus and a deep gash down the same side of his oblique area. Scars remained from the healing treatment but it wouldn't replace the emotional loss of Kovi's ikran as it had sacrificed itself to avoid further harm to her rider from the RDA. His aunt had fared better with dislocations to her left shoulder and sprains to her legs, bruised in the same manner but less critical than her mate. Tsu'tey had been proud and worried for his kin because he'd never expected them to be in the front lines but they were warriors just like him. Although he couldn't move due to the severity of his wounds, he sent messengers to continuously update him on their conditions because losing them like that would've shattered his will to survive. However, his aunt Nara had firmly spoken to him that they needed him to rebuild what they'd lost and surrendering to hopelessness would only help the aliens.

Kovi's skin held a purple undertone as the constant sun exposure through years of hunting caused extra production of cyanin and his aunt Nara carried the same tinting around her bare shoulders. The Atykwe held a variety in skin tones due to their open environment, unlike his that remained shrouded under the canopies and maintained their natural cyan hue. He was dressed in the standard hunting garb but Tsu'tey found it amusing that Kovi and his aunt wore the same color beads of red in their neatly braided hair, his tied in a high ponytail while hers wrapped into a neat bun behind her head. His uncle smiled widely in regards to his mate, clasping her shoulders affectionately and stated amusingly, "Nara has been walking around nonstop since she heard you arrived, trying to track you down with her skills. Of course, we all had to force her to sit down before she pushed herself into prematurely delivering a child."

"Kovi, you know very well I'm a great tracker- it's how I managed to snag you into our bond" she joked smugly with a fond tap to the painted wooden beads in his braids and rubbed the lower end of her plump stomach when she felt a soft kick. Her child was becoming rambunctious with the excitement and she sat down on the log bench to follow Zika's orders whenever it happened, the healer keeping a good eye on her expecting sister. She smiled at both men to keep the celebratory mood ongoing, even if she had to be forced into sitting, and stated sweetly, "You remind me of your father at this age, you have his markings and facial structure. Your generous height and features, however, is your mother's; a beautiful balance."

Tsu'tey didn't reminisce about his parents often but to know they were still in the minds of others but himself, those that shared memories that existed before he breathed in their world. . .humbled him. Avi smiled solemnly since she'd been the closest of all to Ateyo, being the second oldest, and missed the days when they frolicked carelessly in the sea as children. Her brother enjoyed learning about woodwork from her mate, little Tsu'tey always tagging along with his natural curiosity, and she brought her nephew to her bench with a broad smile, "And you remember your uncle Akhil, you spent as much time in his workshop as you did by the beach."

The Omaticayan hunter smiled broadly to his beloved uncle as the oldest member of the family had been trying to fix a toy Sifu had broken a few minutes ago. He placed it aside to warmly greet his nephew with the familiar kind smile that had yet to fade from Tsu'tey's memory, "How are you? We've missed having you at the beach. I reckon you don't burrow for crabs anymore, little Wind Catcher?"

Tsu'tey laughed jovially to the old nickname as he placed his bags down on the floor and sat next to him with a happy smile, noticing light crinkles at the corner of his eyes and brow from his years of concentration in his rank as a craftsman. His uncle Akhil had inspired his affinity at whittling items from the smallest statuettes to the large bowls he used at home. He was dressed differently than his uncle Kovi, donning a long green loincloth that reached his knees rather than leggings but kept the ornamental leather wrapping around the waist. His hair was neatly combed in a low braid that rested at his waist, almost matching Avi's length of hair, since he had no need to keep it at the length of hunters. She smiled joyfully with glittering eyes to the sight she'd missed for years as Tsu'tey chuckled with warm remembrance with his uncle, "Not anymore, I'm afraid, but I am the fastest on my ikran when he's not trying to find a mate."

"You always stirred laughter from me, Tsu'tey" he chuckled softly to his nephew's light humor and could see the energetic boy had grown into a calm respectable man. Long ago were the days when Ateyo told him his little son carried the best traits of both families, confiding in him as a brother whilst drinking in front of a warm fire. Now, he and Avi were the oldest members of the family and cared over the younger generations to instill the honorable virtues Eywa sought of Her children. He placed a hand on top of his head like he'd done many times during his youth, the childish toothy smile replaced by an adult's friendly grin, and Akhil smiled warmly, "Especially with those little dances you performed for your mother and aunts. We almost began to think you'd become a singer."

The children giggled from up ahead as Akhil's voice echoed, causing Tsu'tey to laugh freely to his old habits of childhood. Yes, he'd had a tendency to dance with joy when he'd found a new toy or discovered something that pleased his young mind. His mother chuckled every time she'd seen him hop on the tips of his toes while showing her the new find that yielded such joy from him. Akhil showed him the little pa'li toy that Sifu had broken, one of the hind legs fragmented into two pieces and chuckled softly with fondness for his family, "As you can see, I'm always at work."

"He breaks as many toys as Leti" Rafil, Zika's mate, chuckled amusingly with an amicable smile as he wiped Leti's round face clean of pulp from a violet fruit she'd eaten. If anything, she seemed to have smeared the fruit on her face rather than eaten any of it. Her lower face was damp with liquid from the sweet fruit and she whined in protest to her father's meticulous grooming as her dirty hands waved at the bothersome cleaning cloth, looking to her mother for aid but she was busy speaking with Avi. Her father quickly grabbed her little limbs to dry them of the messy fruit as she asked about having another round fruit to nibble on but he dissuaded gently, "No, Leti, you will have toys sticking to you if you continue eating like this."

"Sempu-" she whimpered in protest to the cleaning, hoping her father would take pity and let her roam off to eat more snacks. Rafil, however, already knew his daughter's craftiness and didn't want Zika giving her another bath where she'd leave his mate dripping wet from her peppy splashing.

Akhil chuckled to his niece's defiance and turned to the cook, who was struggling with Leti as she yearned for freedom to play with her cousins, and told Tsu'tey, "Your uncle Rafil seems a bit preoccupied at the moment with his little one."

"It's times like this that I wonder how she'll be when she's older and my bones are brittle" Rafil mused with his easygoing nature, kissing his daughter on the forehead before releasing her to rejoin her cousins at playing. The toddler skittered off happily with a little shake in her steps, squealing in high pitches that she was coming back to play with the toys her brothers were playing with. Tsu'tey could only watch the little girl with warm amusement and knew she was the one that had wrapped Joanna around her finger. The cook smiled pleasantly as he tucked away the used cloth, certain that he'd use it soon with Leti's tendencies to snack on sweet foods, and greeted with a cheerful voice that matched his mate's, "Zika has been beaming since your arrival, it's an honor to meet an advisor and a fellow relative."

"The pleasure is all mine, my aunt has been telling me you're one of the best cooks in the clan" Tsu'tey complimented with a polite smile as Zika had happily divulged her pride in her mate's skills, their children happily testing his creations whenever he cooked outside the cave. Rafil was a decade older than him but he was the most youthful and cheerful of all while Akhil was humbly quiet as the patriarch of their entire family. The cook's garb resembled Akhil's since he worked with food and everything in his appearance had to be immaculately clean to prevent any contamination.

He watched the youngest children in the group outside play as Leti admired the older children to follow in their footsteps, her older brothers playing with their toys as they imitated life on the grassy plains of Pyrrha. They were quite lucky to have that tight family bond in childhood that he'd lacked later on and smiled warmly, "I can see the little ones keep you busy."

"That they do" Zika and Rafil answered in unison from their respective spots, chuckling to the response they always gave when people commented on their energetic children.

"How is life at the Omaticaya?" Kovi asked curiously as he sat down beside his mate, handing her a drink of cool water to keep her hydrated. Nara gave her mate a deadpan stare since she'd been drinking enough water to fill the ocean, certain that her feet would be swollen by nighttime. Nonetheless, she sipped the water with a smile to repay his doting since he was treating her as if she were the tsahìk herself- whether she approved or not. Their baby, however, was most content throughout it all.

"I can't complain being their advisor and head hunter is quite an honor" he admitted courteously with a sheepish flick of his ears since he loved his clan more than anything. He explained his daily responsibilities and his experiences throughout the years that he'd lost contact with them all, avoiding the painful moments of the ones he'd lost to maintain the cheerful reunion. His ears perked when he finished the tale of his travels, clasping his uncle Akhil on the shoulder as he stood up and announced hastily, "I brought you all something, given the many years of lost contact. Fabrics for clothing, dry meat since seafood is your main staple and a few tools since I didn't know what my uncles would like. Oh, and a few items for the children."

Avi gasped softly with shy embarrassment to her nephew's generosity, her hands nervously fiddling with the center knot of her shawl and Akhil grabbed them gently to seize her fretting. Her ears dipped as her cheeks tinted lilac because she had nothing to exchange for the generosity and she stated modestly from her spot on the bench, "Oh, child, we're grateful enough to see you alive and well. There's no need for you to bring gifts, we wouldn't dare add extra baggage to that poor ikran."

Zika grasped her older sister's shoulders from behind since they didn't want to appear rude because their parents had taught them to be humble. They didn't have much to offer but their manners and sense of family were impeccable, leading her to smile in acceptance, "That's not to say we won't accept them. Thank you for your kindness, we will repay it-"

This time, it was Tsu'tey's turn to become flustered with modesty because his family deserved all that he could give and quickly spoke, "I would never hear of it, you're my _family_. I brought something because. . .well, I've never visited any of you over so many years and I felt guilty for not doing so. Father always brought items when we visited and I thought to do the same, renewing the old tradition. My upbringing enforced the clan as first and foremost due to the tawtute colonization, placing family second. . .apparently, my subconscious sticks to it even after the danger is gone. There's so much I wish to say but I'm happy just being here in your presence."

"You can't break the bond of family and you are always welcome here, Tsu'tey" Nara smiled with a matter-of-factly tone because he'd lost arguing against her and he chuckled softly. His aunt had not changed much as he remembered his father lecturing her about her stubborn streak and Tsu'tey briefly wondered if that was where his came from (neither of his parents were hardheaded like he was). She sipped her drink with a knowing gleam in her almond eyes and lectured gently to ease any heaviness lingering in his heart, "You're the last piece of our brother and your mother, one to be proud of so never feel ashamed over something you could not control. You always were stubborn to reveal your unhappy thoughts."

Zika took the bag from his hands with gratuity to accept his gifts and handed it to Avi so she could sort the items, smiling supportively to her flustered sister as she sat down. Tsu'tey could see why she was the matriarch in his family since his aunt Avi had always been the unbelievably polite and humble one of all- she'd turned purple one time when his mother presented her with a large bundle of fabrics. Avi neatly opened the bag with dexterous fingers, taking great care with the items and he resisted from saying it was fine since his ikran had barreled through branches with it. Zika chuckled with amusement to Avi's behavior and informed her nephew with a witty smile, "She does this a lot when she fusses over us and the children. Your father and I endured it the most in our youth as she watched over us, we were practically her little dolls but she protected me well. Nara, however, didn't want the sisterly protection and kept running to our mother for refuge."

"I still run but now it's to my adoring mate" Nara grinned impishly and brushed her shoulder against the hunter's, feigning a frown when he grabbed her cup to take a sip himself. They were entirely accustomed to sharing items that everyone joked the two should simply own one of every item for a mated couple rather than two. He returned her cup with a cheshire grin and she finished it to put an end to the water drinking for the day, glancing down at her plump stomach to comment dryly, "Well, I won't be running anytime soon, more like slowly waddling."

Avi's eyes lit up despite her modest expression to the neatly wrapped bundles in different colored cloth and tentatively grabbed one with a benevolent leafy green cloth. Handing it to Tsu'tey with a motherly smile so he could distribute each, he surprised his uncle Akhil first as he grinned proudly to present, "This is for you, dear uncle. The trees of the forest have been shedding wood and I harvested a few that you'd like, I'm sure you'll create fine pieces from them."

Akhil, who created bows and other fine woodwork, took the bundle with courteous thanks for the lovely gift and carefully parted the cloth to unveil the freshly cut wood. Each held a distinct scent that any craftsman would recognize, smiling enthusiastically when he noticed a darker spicier wood that eluded him due to its location in the interior of the forest, and his fingers itched with delight to the pieces of wood that Tsu'tey gathered. The trees of the forest varied than those of the beach, the wood a darker hue and easier to shape than the lighter and thin trees of the beach that required greater care during whittling. Ateyo's boy had definitely become everything his parents aspired him to be and Akhil was one proud uncle, sighing softly with thanks, "There are no words to describe my joy at seeing you again but know your old uncle is very proud of you," patting the pieces of wood, he added in cheerfully, "Oh, this will keep me entertained for weeks."

"Well, I won't be seeing him for a while" Avi chuckled fondly as her mate fell deeply in love with the foreign wood, already knowing she'd find wood shavings inside their hut in a few days. When he became deeply involved in a project, he disappeared entirely into his own imagination to create the desired item. The youngest of their daughters bounded up to his side to peer at the different pieces with the same curios gleam in her eye that he held, smiling as she sniffed the wood in similar fashion.

"I remember seeing you whittle in your shop and although the smells vary from those at my Kelutral, the memories stuck with me" Tsu'tey admitted sheepishly to his favorite hobby when he wasn't training or overseeing clan issues but was glad to see his gift was well received. His family had always been very simplistic with the small things in life, given their humble rankings, and Akhil would've been happy with dried blades of grass- they made nice dolls for children. His tail tucked close against his heels as he admitted his fancy for the field with a modest smile softening his angular features, "I'm quite the amateur whittler now, father passed his tips onto me before being called to Eywa."

"Seeing as you're here for the day, you can add a few more from this old craftsman" Akhil invited jovially because he was more than happy to converse on the subject with any enthusiasts. His daughter, Rila, quickly contradicted him by stating he wasn't old at all which brought hearty laughter from Akhil.

Avi chuckled as well since their children were protective of their father and never wanted to hear him say he was old because if they could, they'd keep him forever. She handed another package to her nephew but he grasped another as well to keep the happy mood going, giving one in blue to Rafil and one wrapped in red cloth to Kovi, "Aunt Zika's messages detailed your tastes and since I've only met uncle Kovi recently, I imagined that a fellow hunter needs his blades wherever he wanders while a cook needs his own arsenal but of a different variety."

Kovi opened the leather pouch that contained new blades of different sizes and polishing tools to keep them sharp at all times. Tsu'tey had decided to use sturmbeest bones since the Atykwe never hunted that animal due to its location in the interior of the forest whereas ikran claws were bountiful everywhere. Nara admired them from her seat next to him, itching to use one once her baby was delivered and Kovi chuckled amusingly with a happy tone, "Never thought I'd see the day when weapons made me blush. By the look in Nara's eye, she isn't far either so I will thank you gratefully for the kind gift on behalf of both of us."

Zika's mate smiled widely to the new cooking tools wrapped inside the navy cloth that demanded to be used in a dish and hoped his current utensils wouldn't feel jealous. Although Rafil and Kovi held different ranks, the two were joyous with their new toys while their mates would be hearing all about it later on. Rafil could see why the sisters spoke so well about their long-distance nephew, glad to finally meet the young advisor as he carried himself respectfully and stated kindly, "A cook can never have enough tools so these will come in handy- I might even use them today! I will repay your kindness in food, nephew."

The Omaticayan dipped his head respectfully to the humorously kind suggestion and pulled three specific bundles from the bag, leaving it very light in Avi's lap. She was certain the heaviest weight had been the bundled wood because it was big enough to kindle a fire but her mate had turned into a young perky boy with his gift. He handed one to each of his aunts, who blinked in surprise to the wrapped gifts, and he smiled charismatically to chide gently, "I can't forget my dear aunts, now can I?"

Zika sighed softly to find weaved blankets of a maroon hue and found another surprise as the thick blankets protected two clay pots with smaller wooden bowls inside. The blankets would save having to sew new ones for the next rainy season since Leti's and Keron's growth would require new sets, smiling weakly for the incredibly kind gesture. Oh. . .there were no words. Nara, however, smiled widely with mischievous glee when she found a set of knives for herself but with a delicate appearance as they'd been chiseled carefully in comparison to the natural curves that gave Kovi's simplicity. Tsu'tey smiled to himself to her curious look, glancing away from his aunt Zika's happiness with the blankets (she _really_ liked them) to inform simply, "They are made from Hexapede and therefore, require greater care since the bones are harder to chisel into knives but the lightest of all. They're designed for users with fluid movements and since aunt Zika vouched that you were fond of them during hunts, I asked for them to be designed."

Nara closed her eyes briefly before emotions from the pregnancy washed over her and she opened them to ask directly, "Are you mating anyone soon because if not, I will _demand_ that the matriarch find a mate for you here so we can keep you. You. . .are the sweetest child my brother could've had."

The men chuckled to her fond gushing as she kept herself restrained from tearing but Avi didn't hesitate when she saw the bundle of colorful fabrics and appliqués for sewing. Akhil quickly soothed his mate's sniffling by wrapping a comforting arm around the shoulders, her ears flattening against her head as she held the items and leaned into his loving embrace. Tsu'tey hadn't expected a tearful reunion but his aunt Avi had always been the nurturing type since her days as a child. He remembered napping alongside her inside the hammock his grandparents had posted outside their hut and making him an extra meal whenever she'd fed her toddler, taking the two for a stroll when nobody else was available.

"She's the sniffler of the family and I've beat Zika as the second due to this little bundle of joy" Nara chuckled gently to lighten the situation and bring cheer back into her sister but Avi was simply happy with the reunion. Life had never felt as complete for her as it did that day. She sniffled against her thin shawl, murmuring about the nice fabrics and how it reminded her of older times when everyone had been together without fear hanging over their heads. Nara took over her hostess duties to reassure Tsu'tey that she was all right, leaning over to squeeze Avi's left shoulder for sisterly support and smiled at him, "Thank you for the kind gifts, Tsu'tey, but they are not needed because your presence is enough. However, I will be using mine once this little baby can go more than a few hours without a meal."

"It will be a while, Sìlpey hung to your leg until he was three" Kovi chided amusingly since they'd both expected their son to cling to him but Nara came first during his first year. Being their first child out of numerous tries, neither cared who the preferred parent was and doted on him- looking back, they shouldn't have given him so many sugary treats because he remained energetic.

The children grew interested in the goodies he'd brought as they heard the noise, scampering inside as they left their game and leaned over their parents' shoulders with curious eyes to what their cousin had brought. Sifu grabbed one of the handcrafted clay pots from his mother, admiring the delicate red artwork that traced the roundest part and piped up to his father that he could cook them extra cereal. His two siblings quickly joined in lively agreement that they wanted porridge or cereal tomorrow morning, causing Zika and Rafil to chuckle at their enthused youngsters. Tsu'tey was amused by their ecstatic faces, curious to whom the little ones were since his aunt mentioned she had more than one child and asked courteously, "And who are all of my new cousins? I met little Keron earlier today and Leti recently wanted another fruit."

Keron smiled shyly as he grasped his mother's left knee in modesty and Tsu'tey kneeled down to open his satchel, smiling at his young kin to ensure he could trust him. He'd brought the colorful polished stones for Joanna due to her old jewel-crafting but seeing as her skills had dramatically changed, the two chose to hand them out to the children. He retrieved a small brown leather bag from within that contained colorful polished stones and handed it to his little cousin to make true on his word, "And here are the stones I promised . . . but I am giving them to you. They're pretty as sweets but don't try to eat them and make sure your mother keeps them for you."

"Thank you!" he exclaimed joyfully with a beaming smile and opened the pouch to see his gift, appreciating the kind gesture since he'd never expected it. The smooth stones glinted in the light as sapphire, garnet, aquamarine, and other tones delighted his vision, showing them to his mother with pride. The other children scampered over to catch a glimpse of the pretty gemstones, leading Tsu'tey to inquire about them since they weren't small in number. Being the kind child that he was, he handed one to each of his cousins and brother so they could share in his joy as well. Keron pointed to the oldest boy, his unbraided hair tied back in a high ponytail that reminded Tsu'tey of his own youth, and the smallest child in the group that had decided to use the clay pot as a hat. He chuckled with amusement as her golden eyes peered out shyly from underneath the pot and giggled to his friendly smile. Zika quickly took it off her small head before it fell off and broke into pieces as Keron puffed out his chest in courage (Tsu'tey was rather tall) to introduce, "This is my brother, Sifu, and sister, Leti."

"They're young, I feel very old now" Tsu'tey chuckled since being the child of the oldest sibling meant he would be an example for his younger kin and they were all quite young. His mother had been an only child so he had absolutely no living family in the Omaticaya while his father came from one that branched quite well over the years. It took away some of the loneliness of being the last of his family, gazing at faces that held lingering physical traits similar to his own. He smiled at the little toddler as she watched him with a bright smile, unafraid to his presence, and complimented, "Aren't you a brave girl to stand in front of a man with this height?"

She giggled enthusiastically when he touched her nose with his index finger and grabbed Sifu's hand before she fell over from her excitement. Well, she _was_ rather adorable, wasn't she? He dug into his satchel, the weight disappearing as he handed out his gifts to each (an Omaticayan necklace), and smiled politely to state, "I brought them a few Omaticayan treats, the gardens have sprouted a good batch of fruits and I made a few things for them."

His eyes widened when all six children grabbed the bundle from his hands to rip it open with excited hands to reveal the pastries and candies he'd packed for them. Well, at least he knew that they approved. Although heavily pregnant, Nara stood up to shoo the children before they mobbed the hunter for more treats and chuckled softly, "Anything sweet gets these children riled up. Thank you for the treats and what do we say when we receive gifts, children?"

"Thank you!" they piped up in unison with big smiles as all of them sat in a circle to sort through the goodies, jabbering to each other about the intricate design on the pastries and the rich colors of the fruit candies. Leti whined in protest when her oldest brother grabbed a bright red candy that she'd had her eye on, her eyes watering for being too slow with her reflexes. Sifu handed it over with great reluctance, sighing when she hugged him with extreme joy and balanced the trade by giving him a small braided pastry that she'd managed to grab before the older children swiped most. Tsu'tey was definitely surprised to see their lively haste to hoard the treats while swapping for any that they fancied or commenting on the sweet taste. The soil of the beach allowed for fruits to grow only during one season, two at the most, while the Omaticaya's fertile soil allowed for fruit year-round so pastries were definitely a treat for the children of the clan.

Nara sighed under her breath to their growing volume of chatter and smiled at her nephew, "Sìlpey is my son, the one devouring that braided pastry."

The six year-old smiled sheepishly as he swallowed his bite in one gulp, his ears tinting purple and contrasting against his shaved head. His features took strongly after Kovi but he caught the familiar cluster of bioluminescent dots over the center of his nose. Tsu'tey merely chuckled as the boy proceeded to nibble slowly on the pastry to take his time to savor it, muffling a laugh when Avi's twin daughters fought for the largest candy piece. They were almost identical in facial appearance but Rila, the youngest, was taller with longer hair that was combed over her shoulder in one thick braid while the oldest kept her short shoulder-length hair loose. He'd heard about the birth of the twins when he lived with his parents around his ninth year, remembering their joy since the occurrence was considered lucky among all na'vi. Humorously enough, he cut the good news short the next day when he angered Aci enough that she kicked him on his left leg.

Avi shushed the adolescent girls that caused the two to cease their quarrel and motioned for them to stand up for a proper introduction. The two girls obeyed her quickly without argument, standing on either side of the seamstress and she smiled agreeably to their behavior to state proudly as the caring mother she was, "These are my twin daughters, Leena and Rila. They've yet to undergo their rite but Leena is already a novice seamstress while Rila enjoys crafting everyday items," the left side of her lips frowned and she added in, "My oldest, Wätu, promised to be here but as usual, he's running late. If I hear that boy played one more game of Eight Waves-"

Rila smiled cheekily from the left side, idly playing with the end of the side braid draping over her right shoulder and reminded casually, "He _did_ win me all of those seashells to craft with and I still have a full bag!"

Avi wasn't amused to her daughter's reasoning, shifting her weight to the left side of her hips in classic 'questioning mother' mode and she questioned firmly, "I do hope that necklace you made me wasn't from those particular shells?"

Rila decided to retreat to her father's side on the bench to avoid being interrogated, causing her older twin to muffle laughter behind her hands.

"You have wonderful children, it is an honor to see and meet you all" Tsu'tey complimented to intervene before the girls got in trouble by their mother since this game was apparently a no-no in her book. This shifted the humorous mood back to its heartwarming reunion state as his cousins smiled sheepishly but their parents beamed proudly. Breeze from outside the hut stroked his backside and he remembered that he still required a sleeping area for the night so he couldn't linger all day alongside his family, although he really wanted to. His ears dipped to the realization that he had to say goodbye soon and excused himself with a disappointed tone, "I wish I could stay longer and talk into the evening but I've yet to find a sleeping spot and-"

Zika stood up instantly from her log bench to keep their reunion ongoing and offered her hospitality with a warm smile, "Oh no, we have enough space to accommodate you so you don't need to waste time and I'm sure our tsahìk would be honored if you stayed here. We recently added extra space to our home to give the children their own space so I'm certain they'll enjoy spending the night with you."

The two boys nodded excitedly, mobbing him with questions about stories and his trip to their land. Had he seen other animals? What time did he leave? Had he taken other trips? Where did he find his beads? Tsu'tey almost lost track of all of their hyper questions as they tugged at his forearms with giddy fingers. Leti whimpered in protest from her spot on the floor because she wanted to share in that quality time too, her little hands stretching out towards Tsu'tey so he wouldn't leave her behind and whimpered, "Tsu-Tsu."

He wasn't comfortable holding children since they either cried or vomited on him but Leti was his family and an adorable toddler as well, her upbeat demeanor preventing him from running off for adult company. Tentatively, he leaned down to scoop her into his arms to hold her securely in both and found himself smiling to the giddy girl in his arms. Well, she was the first not to cry as she smiled cheerfully to being included in the male bonding and bounced in his arms with joy. Her round cheeks and glittering eyes caused one of the locked doors of his heart to slam wide open as he decided to spend his time with this particular toddler than any other in the land (until Jake's child emerged into the world). She smiled widely when he tapped the rosy part of her nose gently and cheered her up instantly by promising, "I will tell you a tale before sleep time about the pa'li."

Leti wrapped her round little arms around his neck to squeeze him affectionately and agreed with her newest nickname that would last decades, "Tsu-Tsu!"

The reflecting light at the front of the entrance was blocked by a newcomer and Avi rushed forward to scold the young man in hunter's garb that entered with a hasty stride since they arrived later than anticipated. His braided hair was tied back neatly in a low ponytail, his features similar to Tsu'tey's but softer with the lack of constant stress, and he smiled at everyone in greeting but Avi unleashed her reprimand, "How dare you arrive late when your dear mother requests you?"

The young man smiled suavely to avert another lecture in the middle of their family gathering, displaying the small wooden box in his hands, and justified his lateness, "I was putting together a game set of Eight Waves-"

"You hunt as much as you play that game, we'll never bond you off at this rate" his mother lectured but was pacified that he'd arrived and ushered him inside with a wave of her hands. Her son replied that he'd find his bonded after tiring of the popular game but Avi wasn't going to hold her breath; he'd been playing it since he was seven. Nonetheless, she was happy that he was there to share in their reunion and pushed her son forward to introduce, "This is our little hunter of the family so I'm sure you two will bond perfectly."

"I See you, cousin, I am Wätu" he smiled politely in greeting since he'd yet to meet the relative that his mother spoke about and could see why he drew respect from others. Wätu already felt small in his presence and that wasn't only from the height difference, Seeing the proud hunter within the man in the way he spoke and carried himself. He was still a young hunter in his own right but to have a relative in such a high ranking gave him hope that he could achieve a good status if he kept working hard. Tsu'tey blinked with confusion when he handed him the small wooden box and his younger cousin explained with a friendly smile, "This is our popular game of Eight Waves, courtesy of our clan."

Tsu'tey accepted the boxed set with a grateful smile, appreciating his cousin's gesture because he was the only one he remembered from his childhood among the Atykwe. Leti grabbed the box to shake it gently, the sound of seashells clicking inside drawing her curiosity, and Tsu'tey asked her to safeguard it until it was time for him to leave. The little toddler agreed proudly and clutched the box like a life preserver, bringing a wide smile to his face. Avi saw the bright gleam in her nephew's eye as memories resurfaced when he glanced at her son and chuckled amusingly, "You and Wätu were inseparable when you visited, being the only children of the family. I remember you tried to talk your mother into keeping him as your new baby brother."

"I . . . don't remember, being young and all" Wätu admitted sheepishly since he'd been two years of age when Tsu'tey prowled around the beach and his ears dipped modestly. He'd be proud to have a man of Tsu'tey's stature to talk to, not to mention that the close age range helped since he was surrounded by relatives below the age of sixteen. It was wonderful to know he could have a man of his generation and blood to confide in. His ears perked because they did have hunting in common and assured with a confident smile, "This time, however, we'll make new memories. We can start by playing-"

"Child, if you say 'Eight Waves' _one_ more time" Avi warned with a stern tone and her son smiled innocently to play on her heartstrings but he'd grown too old for that already. His sisters chuckled behind their hands as they sat next to the young children, who had resumed their curious foraging through the treat bag Tsu'tey had brought. She ushered her son to find a spot to sit at within the hut and smiled at Tsu'tey, "Why don't you delight us by telling us about the Omaticaya clan? My sisters and I traveled there years ago when your parents bonded but haven't gone since."

"Is it true you have tapiri?" Rila and Leena asked curiously since they'd heard about the herds in stories and from Joanna, whenever she dropped by to visit. Wätu grinned mischievously when he snagged a candy from Leena's hand, pointing out that everyone had divided the share without saving a few for him.

"And more pa'li?" Leti chirped in with hope about the pretty animals as she hung onto Tsu'tey, bouncing happily in his arms with the wooden box. Her wiggling legs tickled his sides when her toes nudged him and he found himself smiling joyfully like he'd never done before. Why hadn't he visited before? His family was. . .there was no word to describe the heartwarming feeling pouring through him as he watched their bright eyes solely on him.

He chuckled to their enthusiasm to hear about his life and people, cherishing the moment as he stood on the same ground his father had walked for years. If he'd died during the battle against the tawtute, he would've never received this wonderful opportunity and he would take full advantage of it. With that in mind, he began his first tale about the tapiri and a certain one called Tsu'tey Jr.

* * *

He spent last meal with his family per the matriarch's request since they hadn't been in touch for decades but she introduced their new guests to the clan in warm welcome. He'd greeted just about everyone as he walked around the entire eating area with his leaf plate in hand, recognizing familiar faces from his past and the festival but met the new amicably. His cousins had instantly accepted him, proud to have such an honorable relative but he encouraged their goals as well- even if half were still children. Leti had become quite attached to him over the short hours, much to Zika's amusement, and the boys didn't hesitate to follow him all over the place with curious questions (he was certain he'd answered over twenty already). The twins were more reserved as they were nearing their coming of age but they held mischief as well since their brother told him a few stories about Leena's sewing skills where she'd stitched his leggings to his sleeping mat (with him on it) and Rila's craftiness at gluing his hand to his quiver. Wätu had stayed at their hut for a few hours until his meeting with the matriarch as they spoke about the clan and finally played a good game of Eight Waves; Tsu'tey found a good camaraderie with his younger cousin.

At last meal, his mouth watered at the crisp aromatic fish served over each leaf platter as maroon colored crab legs accompanied the meal tonight with creamy sauce for dipping. His cousins had quickly added in tips about the food and the best way to eat it, Leti's outgoing demeanor showing him how to do it as she dipped crab meat into the herb sauce with a proud smile. Joanna hadn't been joking about her cuteness; he adored the little one already and that was a feat since most children unnerved him. The twins and Wätu, however, were in love with the sweet bread pudding the cooks made with the bundle he'd brought from Jake's goods. There hadn't been enough of the bread to feed the clan but combining it into pudding and smaller portions, everyone received a taste. Tsu'tey asked his uncle Rafil for the recipe because it tasted just as good when the cooks at his clan made it and his uncle heartily agreed, glad to know the dish was liked. Never in his life had Tsu'tey felt so. . ._complete_. . .as he did sitting alongside his family.

He kept an eye on his two companions but was pleased to see Norm and Tarazi with Joanna. After all, they only knew her out of the entire populace but he was sure Norm's cheerful demeanor would earn him a few faces to remember. Although he promised to spend the night with Zika's family, he wanted a few hours at least to speak with Joanna privately since they'd yet to do so. It would eat at him to know he spent a day at the clan and didn't utter more than a few sentences to the one who held his heart for so long. Zika didn't mind, urging him to explore their land but he would return at a suitable time since he was still a guest in their home. That, and he promised the children a story.

Joanna had been heading to her hut after last meal when he popped out of nowhere with a friendly smile, surprising her to his silent appearance. She'd never become used to his mastered stealth as her ears failed to detect his light steps but smiled broadly without reservation now that night had arrived and silence filled the beach. The glow from the clan's hearth was behind them as the purplish blue veil of night shrouded them with privacy and she asked inquisitively about his little vacation, "Enjoying yourself?"

"Quite so, I was hoping if you'd join me for conversation" he requested politely as he motioned with his hand towards the shore and she smiled, agreeing instantly without hesitation. He admired her graceful steps over the sand that he lacked as she joined him, his heart beating happily for having her back at his side like old time. . .even if it was temporary. Joanna clasped her hands behind her back, giving him undivided attention because her days had been empty without his presence and he justified his lateness in approaching her, "I must apologize for not speaking to you very long since arriving but . . . I am overjoyed to reunite with my family."

"I can imagine, they are good people" Joanna stated kindly since her training under Zika allowed for continuous interactions with her youngsters. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt for stealing an hour of his time since they'd shared more moments together in the past year than with his family. Either way, her tail swayed happily to his presence as the darkness hid her joy but Tsu'tey couldn't hide his giveaway signal with his flattened ears. Her gaze lingered on the glowing dots over his nose, the night softening his appearance as the bioluminescence smoothed the stern features of his face. He was a handsome sight that she'd missed for months and even her dreams couldn't compare to reality as she reluctantly admitted, "The ikran also didn't give us a lot of time, given that the two wanted to eat each other rather than talk. I really do have to apologize for her behavior, Swizav's nothing but friendly."

"Mating season, it needs no apology" he stated with mirth on his lips since his ikran had gone off to explore with the other two ikran rather than stay at the canopies until it was time to sleep. Joanna had forced Xeki to remain in her area of the canopies after her fly over the ocean and her partner reluctantly agreed because angering Stxeli again was not worth it. She chuckled softly to his humorous tone but both hoped the two wouldn't tear into each other or mate by the end of his visit.

The two found a log bench beside the cavern wall to use and despite Joanna had shown fair tempered friendliness throughout the day, Tsu'tey gaped in surprise when she embraced him in the dark. Well, that was certainly a change of pace from the reserved huntress he'd met earlier. After the initial shock wore off, he returned it wholeheartedly because he'd missed her greatly over the months and smiled just for being able to hold her again. He'd forgotten how her form easily molded against his; his broad shoulders enveloping hers as her head rested comfortably against his neck and heard the briefest of chuckles when he lifted her once to emit his happiness. His enthusiasm settled any worries she'd had about their past and her breath tickled his skin as she whispered softly, "Please don't see this as being too forward of me but I didn't think I'd ever see you again. I've really missed you since I left."

"So have I, how have you truly been?" he asked tenderly with inquisitive eyes as he brushed back stray braids behind her ear, his fingertips faintly brushing along her jawline. It was an intimate gesture but he'd behaved in that manner during their interactions since courting and the lack of a complaint told him it was all right; if anything, her dipping ears and squeezing fingers on his shoulders approved. He thought he'd never touch her skin for many seasons and a single graze brought him joy to their reunion, restraining himself from cupping her face affectionately for a kiss. Would this visit yield such a success or were they simply dear friends now? As much as he cared for her, they weren't of the same clan anymore but he was there for her, coaxing gently, "There is nothing to be embarrassed about, Joanna. You can always trust me with your secrets, I'm still the same grumpy hunter that sleeps on his left side and fishes happily in the morning."

Her eyes peered at him with caring warmth for his words and he was struck with the old ardent emotions he'd locked away in the back of his mind, not surprised by their reappearance. He'd never really stood a chance since discovering his attraction to the lively tapirus known as Joanna and wouldn't relinquish his hold until he needed to. Time slowly changed them, hopefully for the better, but he would always stand as her confidante first to look out for her best interest. Her voice was faint over the surf to their left as she answered contently with a beaming smile, "I've found my home, Tsu'tey, my _family_. I'm part of a wonderful clan and the matriarch encourages my interests, advising me on my path with care that I promise to return eightfold whenever she has a task for me. And the beautiful coast. . ."

He chuckled sincerely with a peaceful mind at knowing she had found her place to settle roots in but couldn't help feeling alone as the distance gap between them increased. She had her own way of life now, completely separate from his, but it was a small consolation that the Atykwe was the closest clan because having her live on the other side of the continent would've sent him into a deeper depression. Her wide smile reminded him that she'd found her true sense of home, the goal he'd been guiding her towards since becoming her teacher, and could only encourage kindly, "I am very proud of you, keep believing in your goals because you've come a long way from the woman I first met. There was no doubt in my mind you would achieve your place in this clan, I am always cheering for your success."

How could she _not_ adore him when he uttered such kind words?

She appreciated his never-ending support, thanking him gratefully within their locked embrace as the gentle sea breeze against her bare back and his protective body warmth the front filled her heart with content peace. Her life never felt complete without him by her side and time wouldn't change that, meeting his gaze to ask curiously, "What about you? What has happened in your life?"

"My life has been rather idyllic since you've gone, I miss our banter the most" he joked lightly with a feigned pout as he spoke about his daily dealings which left him empty for more. He missed exploring the land by her side and their witty banter that tested his mind, all of it gone from his life but what could he do? Demand that the matriarch return her to his clan? That would disrespect all parties and his Joanna appeared the happiest he'd seen her since they trained together. His hands encased her shoulders as he confessed his daily wanderings in life, "I haven't taught since you left, Mo'at has been counseling me in regards to my purpose, and I spend my days either hunting or exploring to fill the void. It's the peaceful life that I've wanted for years but. . .it's not the same without you. Oh, and I've watched over the tapiri herd for you."

A bashful 'oh' left her lips because her life hadn't felt the same either and placed a kiss on his lower right cheek to return the sentiments with murmured appreciation, "Thank you, I know you disliked that I spoiled them but I'm glad to know my coddling rubbed off just a little. I can't help it, I have a motherly nature towards beings with sweet expressive eyes."

His brow lifted with amusement to determine whether he was included in that sentence but she merely chuckled, keeping the secret to herself. She released him to sit down on the log, patting the spot next to her with an eager hand and he obliged to the invitation with a small smile. His energy was almost depleted after the long trip, meeting his family, and speaking with the matriarch so sitting down to enjoy a night on the beach with Joanna was quite soothing. He leaned against the cold stone of the cave with a soft sigh and she smiled to the beautiful hue of his eyes in the darkness- so alien and ethereal- as they stared at the heavens above them. He caught her lingering doe-eyed gaze but said nothing of it, allowing it to puff his ego for a moment and confessed earnestly, "There are some habits you accustomed me to and despite you're no longer there, I find myself performing them. You became a larger part of my life than I could ever imagine, it took time to readjust to the change."

"I've _really_ missed you" she admitted faintly with a fond smile as she gazed at the calm ocean, the lapping waves representing the same serenity she felt. The passage of time had helped to dull the ache their forced separation left on her but she'd behaved similar to him: delve deep into her responsibilities and ignore the heartache. Hard work and patience, however, had brought him back into her life as a reward and she spoke gingerly as she turned to him, "It was agonizing to be without you but everything you did for me pushed me onwards. You are very irreplaceable, advisor."

Tsu'tey's heart leapt for her confession because she'd been the only one who'd known his deepest of emotions and he didn't hesitate to digress quietly with a sullen expression, "I've missed you dearly. The first days were unbearable, I couldn't accept you were gone so quickly- our sudden parting was nothing of what I expected that day."

Her ears flattened to those problematic days that she'd inadvertently wrought upon them with her disobedience and although it had been for the right reasons, it had been wrong nonetheless. His brow furrowed slightly as he clasped his fingers together neatly in his lap but his golden eyes were solely on hers, "I didn't even have time to give you a proper farewell. We've both been quite stubborn in our ways to protect each other so love has indeed made us do stupid things. Your leave was hard to overcome but our friends gave me courage until it faded into another scar."

He'd avoided her like the plague that time had run out until she couldn't do anything but leave. However, he'd atoned for the mistake with his confessions and she'd left knowing he loved her- that was enough. All she could do was ensure that their heartache strengthened their beating muscle of life as they passed that test in life and would continue to defeat every other obstacle thrown at them.

"Seeing you today brought back a lot of memories, all of those days among the Omaticaya" she sighed softly with melancholy to the lost days of their travels and brushed back those sideswept braids of hair that had become his trademark. He looked beautiful under the night sky as the bioluminescent dots cast a soft glow over his cyan skin, the palm of her hand gently grazing his prominent cheekbone before retreating back to her side. Her heart hammered like a schoolgirl's but instead of nervousness, it was sheer joy and she smiled slyly to tease gently, "We've spent time apart. . .does that mean you've outgrown this silly dreamwalker?"

"Of course not, you've never left my mind" he answered with a soft chuckle and a pleasant smile appeared on her lips, infectious to his own lips as he returned it. Well, she still held that endearing wit that kept his mind sharp on its toes. He smirked his favorite 'charmingly arrogant' grin to disarm her quips with his own jab to playfully chide with a suave tone, "I'm irreplaceable, am I?"

She chuckled softly to his confident smile, brushing her shoulder against his to ward off that charming voice from sending those familiar tingles down her spine. He was quite pleased to hear that because he didn't want to lose her and she complimented with a longing sigh, "My, I've missed that tone in your voice. I wish . . . that I could see you more often, you were a big part of my life."

"As were you" Tsu'tey remarked solemnly to their luck in life, his sudden cheer plummeting slightly to the forces that kept them apart. He'd been reluctant to return for fear that she'd moved on but to hear that he'd never budged from her heart strengthened his resolve to find a way to return. His responsibilities to the clan came first, yes, but Joanna filled him with a different sense of belonging that he wasn't ready to relinquish. He squeezed her left shoulder in friendly camaraderie and complimented her current progress within the clan, "I am glad to see you happy, Joanna. You left with such nervousness but there is no trace lingering as I look at you. . .you make me very proud."

She smiled brightly to his compliment and couldn't help but remember the man she loved months prior that criticized her flaws to strengthen each. Wait, what was she talking about? He was still the same honest respectful man from back then and even now, he was smiling more than usual. She hoped it wasn't attributed solely to the reunion because years were wiped off when he allowed a genuine smile to surface but she was happy to see it nonetheless. He deserved to smile every day but her warrior was humbly reserved with his emotions. Staring at the most important man in her life, she wanted to make sure he was safe in all aspects and asked softly, "Are you happy at home? Healthy? I mean, you look happy-"

"I am, my clan is safe so it brings my happiness" he answered peacefully with a content smile because it was all he dreamed for them and gazed at the crashing waves. He'd promised his aunt Zika that he would spend an extra day on the beach to fully experience the trip since a day definitely had not been enough to cover his itinerary. Also, it had been quite hard to deny little Leti's sniffling insistence that he stay as she'd followed him around on her tiptoes and he'd finally agreed with the three children clinging to each of his limbs. He pointed to the dark waves slapping against the white sand, the cloth huts dark underneath the sky as residents either slept or wandered Kelutral and mused aloud with a hint of melancholy, "You have your clan by this beautiful ocean and I have mine in the lush forest. . ."

Joanna glanced sadly at him because she couldn't be by his side and hesitated, "Are you," pausing, her voice lowered modestly, "courting anyone?"

"If that's the kind of happy you meant" he tried to make light of the situation with a sneaky grin as the topic brought them heartache rather than hope. She could only muster a weak smile for show but her heart warmed when his right hand covered her left on the log, squeezing it affectionately. Her lips widened into a beaming smile when he answered with a soft tone that held nothing but tenderness, "Then no. You're very hard to budge from my heart and nobody has dared to tread near there. . .not that I'd let them."

"So are you, a rock pillar that remains frozen against all ocean waves crashing upon you" she whispered gingerly as she hid nothing from him because secrets had no place between them and his tone was too endearing to deny a reply. She rested her head against his right shoulder, smiling to the old action performed in her alcove to recount the highlights of their day or share in their hobbies. When he said nothing against it and brushed his chin over her head, the previous familiarity returned as nothing felt lost through the passage of time. Their friendship hadn't suffered and certainly kept enduring as their flame of affection was carefully guarded against outsiders.

The gentle kiss he placed on her forehead helped too.

"I've missed our moments like this" she whispered fondly with nostalgia to their shared nights in her hammock and entwined her fingers with his, smiling when he squeezed her hand. His nose touched her forehead while his lips added a fond kiss to her nose as she leaned into him in their old stargazing pose, her head resting comfortably in the crook of his neck while watching the glowing blue horizon. Her free hand pointed to the diamond stars blinking in greeting above them in the veil of night and smiled optimistically, "It's not the hammock with the canopies but for now, you and I can share this."

He seized the tender moment and leaned down to press his lips against hers, displaying a tiny shred of the true feelings brewing within his heart. He might've solidified it into stone with their time spent apart to free himself of the pain but a mere touch of her lips transformed it into liquid water. After managing to draw each other out of their reinforced fortresses to share their vulnerabilities, they had a hard time keeping each other out- not that they desired to. Joanna didn't hesitate to reciprocate his kiss, tasting hints of the minty tea he'd drank after last meal on his soft lips and smiled to having the one she loved in her arms once more. The night concealed them against any curious eyes that would've caught them instantly in the daytime and courting or not, she deserved this brief reunion with him. Her fingertips outlined every contour from his chest upwards as the familiar feel of his smooth toned skin under her hands enlivened her senses. There was nobody but him in her eyes, smiling sweetly between their slow kiss when he whispered in sly reminder that they'd shared this as well.

Eywa truly smiled on them that night.

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**A/N**: The heat is killing me in the city but I hear it's the same country-wide from friends and relatives so stay fresh out there, readers. Anyway, I hope you guys feel the love beaming from Tsu'tey's happy reunion with his loved ones and he already has Leti chasing after him like he'd done with her mother years ago. I can't wait to get to the chapters when he starts playing big brother and gets pelted by sand by the rambunctious boys. We'll see more of Tsu'tey's visit as he wraps it all up in the next chapter and one of them will be returning home to nurse an injured foot.

_Dalonega Noquisi_: Yep, it's about time the two reunite but it's not permanent for the love birds.

_Emmalime_: It's funny how the characters are as happy as we are.

_Compa16_: I'm glad it can give you pep when you're feeling down and I give it my best when I'm writing this long tale.

_Crystal_: Thank you for the perfect ten in smiley faces. ^_^

_Domonation_: I hope you enjoyed the reunion chapter.

_Dracoessa_: No, this visit is just a reunion for them- one of many- but Tsu'tey will begin to wonder how he can make that dream a reality without tearing them away from their clans because they each live separately.

_Crimsoncloverrr_: Thank you so much for loving it and since we hear a _lot_ about Mary Sue's on fanfiction, I try to steer clear of that characterization. We all love ourselves a little dash of Tsu'tey so I'm glad Joanna can bring that to all of you guys. Kudos on the one night reading, I can't read so many chapters in one day so yay! I'm sad to hear that a lot of the Tsu'tey fanfics have gone kaput but I've invested too much time to abandon this tale and so many people follow it, it would hurt to do so.

_CrissYami_: We're all happy for their reunion but Tsu'tey's going to be swamped with things to do so we know he'll be back soon.

_Kitty clover_: Thank you so much, I've worked on the plot for a while- still do- and the character development (especially Joanna) so I'm glad to have you along for the ride.

_Arwenia_: The game Eight Waves is completely dedicated to your brilliant idea so Wätu's delight and Avi's motherly irritancy with it is all yours. Yeah, Tsu'tey will indeed be telling that story to the children and it'll be a hilarious outcome for the poor hunter. As for the ikran, we'll see how the settle their indifference in the next chapter.

_Scarlet-X-Alchemy_: Thanks, I hope you liked this chapter.

_mmgig85_: That's the question in this volume: how will they manage to maintain that love of theirs?

_Remmy94_: No problem, I'm simply glad you've become addicted to the chapters ^_^. Yeah, I've had laughing moments with stories where my brothers have asked the same. About the ending excerpts, they're just a preview of what the next chapter will bring- pretty much like a television's "Next Time on One of The People. . .yadda, yadda, yadda" so don't worry about it if you don't want to spoil the surprise. I usually reply in the next chapters but if you ever want to ask a question, feel free to PM me.

_Hendrickx E_: That fall was quite the catalyst to improve their teacher/student bond as Tsu'tey finally realized that she wasn't out to hurt him.

_Smileintothechaos_: Yes, they are but the trip will end in the next chapter.

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**Next Time**:

"And as Tsu'tey finally breached into open land where a tall cliff overlooked the mighty surging river, he sighed with relief that he was alone but Joanna was still out there" Joanna continued with a dramatic frown on her lips to stir the emotions of the children, watching as their lips parted with a small gasp of suspense. Tsu'tey smiled from his hiding spot behind the tree behind Joanna, adjusting the last feathers in his hair before his new character debut into the story. She placed the back of her left hand across her forehead to feign worry, sighing towards the sky as she lamented, "He didn't know whether to call for Joanna since the thanator had been right on his heels, wondering-"

Tsu'tey decided to reenter the story at this point (just as the real thanator had) by roaring his sudden arrival as the fearsome thanator as his cyan face was covered entirely in black paint and purple/yellow avian feathers had been stuck into his braided hair to resemble the quills of the creature. He'd pulled his braids back into a high ponytail to keep his facial appearance similar to the thanator, adding painted white fangs to the sides of his mouth to fake the appearance of the mighty jaws when he 'roared' at his cousins. For an extra dash at realism, he'd wrapped a thin black blanket around his shoulders that he'd borrowed from his aunt Nara as she'd been more than happy that he was keeping the children happy. Joanna jumped in surprise to the dark paint as his golden eyes contrasted greatly with a predatory gleam and the children yelped in fear to the thanator's return, apprehensive to whom it was until they noticed his Omaticayan garb.

The boys cheered in excitement a second later to his quickly donned costume and Wätu clapped with satisfaction to the believable face paint, loving a good action story concerning dangerous wildlife. Unfortunately, one little heart couldn't decipher fact from fiction and Leti began to sob fearfully from her spot between her brothers as Tsu'tey's painted face and tied black blanket around his shoulders startled her. She didn't want to get eaten by the mighty thanator and cried shrilly for her mother, crystalline tears falling from her widened eyes as she curled into a tiny ball in a feeble attempt to hide.

Joanna stopped her story immediately as Tsu'tey's getup had managed to strike real fear into the young child and leaned down to pick Leti up, rubbing her bare back soothingly as she cried. Her heart couldn't bear to hear the soft fearful sobs as it twisted a dagger in that muscle, gently stroking her little limbs to settle their shaking and hummed softly to distract her fears. Leti whimpered weakly about not wanting to be eaten by monsters and Joanna assured she'd never let anything happen, holding her protectively to ensure Leti that she was safe on the beach. Her little tail curled around her left foot and Joanna cupped her pudgy legs under one arm to allow her body warmth to assure her that there was no imminent danger and turned towards Tsu'tey with a frown fit for any mother. The hunter aimed an innocent smile towards her to score a few pity points since it wasn't his intent to scare a child but the white paint around his mouth made the smile seem shark-like and she sighed softly, "Your aunt Zika's going to rip into you for scaring poor Leti."

"I didn't think she'd cry but I've told you numerous times that it happens with me, you know that" he nagged fussily about his discomfort around children since he always tended to do something wrong but was struck with guilt at seeing little Leti cry. She was a sweet bubbly child that followed after him with caring loyalty and didn't want any harm to come to her, especially by his hand. Walking over to where she cried on Joanna's shoulder, he ran a hand over her ebony hair and soothed gently, "Leti, it's me. There's no thanator to hurt you."

She clung to Joanna with a weak whimper since he was pretty fearsome to an innocent toddler and curled against her when she caught sight of the horrible paint on his face. He pulled out the feathers from his hair to shed the entire costume and untied the blanket from his shoulders to place it over Joanna's shoulders to cover Leti cozily to stop her frightened shivering. He fetched a cloth from his satchel and wiped his right cheek clean of the paint to show his true cyan skin tone underneath, tapping a finger against it to point out, "See? There's no bad thanator under here. Look at the feathers, would you like one?"

One tear-stained eye opened slowly to cautiously peek to the new change and he placed a feather into her hair. She recognized the man under the makeup, the familiar blue skin with white bioluminescent dots, knowing he'd never bring in a thanator to eat her and sniffled softly for reassurance, "Tsu-Tsu?"

Although he hated the humorous nickname, he bore it for her sake and spoke softly since smiling would frighten her further, "Yes, it's Tsu-Tsu. I'm sorry for scaring you, I'd never let a monster touch a single hair of yours."

He squeezed her cheek gently as her little round face melted his heart in a way he'd never felt before and his gaze softened towards her. The toddler was incredibly adorable and he found himself loving his little cousin like no other child, opening himself to the idea that children weren't as bad as he originally thought. Of course, the snickering of the three boys about the nickname was another matter. She smiled brightly at casting aside the assumption that he'd been a big bad thanator and giggled softly with affection, "Tsu-Tsu!"

Her little hands patted his smeared cheeks enthusiastically that he'd been there the whole time and Wätu laughed with amusement as he sipped his drink, "Well, that was more suspenseful than Tsu'tey the thanator."

"You were frightened, admit it" Tsu'tey laughed to chide his cousin and the hunter scoffed, chuckling along with him. Wätu was in fact astonished by the story itself because nobody from his clan had ever met such a fearsome creature and only heard the tales passed down from personal accounts. Thanators prowled the forest of the Omaticaya only since the heavy foliage concealed it to be perfect predator and would never wander to their open land where salty water was contained.

Leti continued to rub the paint off his face because she didn't want to see an ugly scary thanator but he stopped her before her entire little hands became black. He was pretty sure his aunt Zika didn't want to see tiny handprints spread all over their hut as a new decoration pattern. He wrapped an arm around her to embrace her as she told him to never be a thanator again and caused Joanna to laugh at her insistence, leading him to promise he wouldn't. Releasing her into Joanna's embrace, he squeezed her little hands with affection as they no longer shook with fear and smiled kindly to soothe any lingering worries, "Now, we will conclude the story and remember that thanators can _never_ breach this land."

Wätu gazed at the skeptical boys since thanators were said to be pretty big and ferocious, leading the hunter to confirm, "He's right. They are _Tsu'tey's_ problem entirely."

Tsu'tey threw a dried sea sponge at his unshaved head, causing everyone to laugh when it bounced off into the sand and he smiled brightly when Leti giggled cheerfully to the sight.

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_Thank you for all of your support in reviews and alert, I LOVE receiving each one in my inbox. I wish you a happy and safe day/night out there in the world!_


	38. Forever In My Mind

**Inspired By: **Two Steps From Hell- _"Forever In My Dreams"_**  
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**Forever In My Mind  
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Joanna had woken up with renewed energy to begin another day as the tranquil night had brought her a wonderful dream, one where she had happily been preparing fresh clams she'd found while Tsu'tey had been dropping them into a stewing pot of chowder over a fire. It had been a little farfetched from realistic proportion since they were right on the shore where fires weren't permitted but the dream had been endearing, even with its inaccuracies. She'd heard him asking about the ingredients as he tasted the soup continuously and her joy heightened when she'd watched two small children bound up to them with wooden bowls. They had been the same age (one girl and boy), she couldn't distinguish the difference, but they'd been so happy with their toothy to get a taste of the soup that she'd picked the two up in an embrace. Their joyous laughter still echoed in her ears when she'd woken to greet a new day, her arms still sensing the warm heat from their little bodies as they'd hugged her affectionately.

Hearing the word 'mother' had not been something she'd thought of since leaving the Omaticaya and before that, never. She'd wanted to build a life with Tsu'tey but it was out of the question now and as beautiful as that dream had been, it was just that- her heart's fantasy. There would be no little Tsu'tey's running around her feet and asking for chowder as they leaned against her with bright smiles that matched his and she would learn to accept that. The future was uncertain but maybe her true soul mate was still out there, as doubtful as it seemed with her current affections.

She had been eager to head down to the base of Kelutral to see whether the previous day had been another wonderful dream or whether the hunter still wandered the land. There was no question of her joy at seeing him once more and she was ecstatic to see him speaking with Nitari during first meal, sitting at her usual spot with Anaya to let the advisor speak with her clan leader. Usually, her eyes were fixated on her meal and her friend but this time, she couldn't help herself from watching him from afar as she had many times during her residence at the Omaticaya. She knew her thoughts were that of a hopeless romantic but he was beautiful to her, an indomitable pillar of honor and strength that she admired. She didn't hesitate to admit that to him yesterday night when they shared a few ardent kisses before returning to a leisurely stroll around the beach, stealing one last kiss when he dropped her off at her hut and retiring to his.

"You miss him, don't you?" Anaya asked gently as she bit into a puffy brown pastry and smiled sympathetically despite brushing off remnants left on her lips. Joanna smiled to her friend's expression and the huntress shifted her gaze towards the center of the eating circle to state matter-of-factly, "He's done nothing but ask about you since I saw him. Of course, he keeps to clan decorum but _I_ know you dwell in his mind."

She couldn't help but smile to her self-assurance, loving her confident attitude and the fact she could trust her with just about anything.

"I really shouldn't, being from another clan" she murmured softly with regret because although she loved him, the Atykwe was her home and it would tear her heart open to leave it. Her lips brightened her melancholic expression when Leti embraced him from behind with a happy 'Tsu-Tsu' echoing through the circle's ongoing conversations and the young boys competed for the same affection while they ate together. She'd never seen him with his family before but there was a sweet serene aura around him as he failed to frown in the slightest, his eyes brilliant with mirth to their behavior, and she sighed fondly, "But he was such a large part of my life. . .I love him like no other."

Anaya handed her a sweet grain square in an attempt to settle her internal worries of her love life and smiled kindly like the good sister she was, "Here, it will cheer you up."

Joanna couldn't imagine leaving her loved ones to run off with Tsu'tey, not when Anaya told her she'd found new shells to paint and decorate their huts with.

From the other end, Norm was eating to his stomach's content as he ate everything on his plate with an eager grin on his face that had failed to leave since arriving on the coast. It was his first morning among another clan and he'd take full advantage of their offered food, analyzing each carefully for knowledge before eating the food with glee as it pleased his palate. Hot cereal. Pudding. Sweet squares. Puffy pastries. Norm ate them all without bias and had happily accepted more when one of the cooks stated there was extra left from their platters so none would go to waste. Tarazi could only stare in disbelief with wide amber eyes to his large insatiable appetite as his fingers flew to his food faster than she could blink while she slowly ate her meal to test the new food. Norm swallowed his bite with an agreeable 'mmm' and noticed the food on her plate, grinning to tease playfully, "Don't tell me you're not hungry, it's the first meal of the day."

"No, I just . . . it feels strange not to eat without our people" she admitted softly since she'd become used to eating alongside her family as the tawtute's colonization had granted her a sheltered life away from other clans. Her parents had once traveled to other places of their world before the tawtute arrived and Tarazi didn't want to feel wary of her own people, even if they were from a different clan. She wanted to follow in her parents footsteps and in her own way, walk her own path to discover what existed past the dense forest and gaze at the new frontier that lay before her feet. The sea had been her first sight that she was far from home but after the initial apprehension wore off, she'd experienced a new taste of freedom as she'd glided with her ikran over the sea. The challenge of having no ground to land on had unnerved her but the discovery of learning to fly in a different environment was addicting as she pressed onwards.

"Well, if you're full, I won't mind eating off your plate" he invited himself with a mischievous smile and pretended to grab her food to lure her to eat it. Being the proud and protective woman that she was, it was a huge no-no for Tarazi. She slapped his hand away immediately to keep him at bay, protecting her food from invading fingers and he chuckled amusingly, "I'll be heading for the cliffs after this. Join me?"

"Yes, I believe I will" she smiled confidently because she needed to grow her own wings to fly since the land was hers to explore and she'd seize it for the last day in their stay. When she returned back to her brothers and sisters at home, she'd have quite the account to tell and would make certain that her trip was worth the story. She was the first of her generation to venture past the forest, unlike Tsu'tey's generation which had been the last, and would ensure that there was nothing to fear when the trees ended and the endless coast surrounded them. Without the tawtute, the potential to explore was limitless and clans could flourish without continuing conflicts as the na'vi governed themselves without interference.

Norm smiled nonchalantly and his sidelong gaze met hers as he asked casually, "Would you be interested in another challenge?"

Tarazi's immediate grin told him that yes, she would. . . and he'd better stay sharp.

Closer to the tsahìk in the inner circle, Tsu'tey fought off his cousins as they tried to feed him food from their plates and lectured them with a parenting expression fit for any father, "Eat your meal, children."

"But Tsu-Tsu. . ." Leti tried to sway sweetly as she'd left her mother's arms to be next to him, enthralled with her newest cousin. The little one had refused to leave him at night when Zika scooped her away to prepare her for bed, hiding behind the hunter to prevent being caught. Tsu'tey had been surprised to her easy attachment but the boys had been the same, asking questions into the night as Sìlpey had joined the two with Nara's approval. Leti tried to feed him one of the pieces of dry fruit she didn't like from her small leaf plate while eyeing his pastry with a mischievous gleam. Zika pulled her back with a chuckle before she could swipe it from the hunter, Leti's chubby little legs kicking out as she pouted to her loss and ate the fruit before her mother told her to.

"Once they love you, they'll never let go" Wätu chuckled amusingly since the two had bonded seamlessly as friends overnight, including the children in a friendly game of Eight Waves. He'd taught Tsu'tey to play the game at Zika's home and Tsu'tey found it quite enjoyable, even if he'd lost his first bundle of shells within two moves. His young cousin held the respectable but charismatic personality he saw in himself and chose in friends, especially when Wätu gave him a tip on catching fish with nets. What hunter didn't enjoy trading tips to increase their effectiveness? In the early morning, the two had taken out their ikran for a quick fly around the sea to enjoy the tranquility as the early dawn provided nice air currents for them to hold onto. Swizav had calmed from yesterday's altercation but Tsu'tey had caught Xeki through the canopies, the sapphire ikran scrambling away when Swizav returned to Kelutral. His ikran promised not to fight the female but Tsu'tey noticed him scuttling off in her direction where thankfully, it did not result in a fight or bringing Stxeli into the fray. He honestly had no idea what his ikran sought from her since they were close to tearing into each other's throats last time but he didn't know much about mating season, holding onto the hope that Swizav wouldn't do anything foolish.

"You promised pudding" the boys protested in complaint since they liked the desert their uncle Rafil created last night and Tsu'tey sighed because he wasn't exactly a cook that could whip up an entire desert platter. The children, however, disagreed because the hunter was practically ingenious and invincible in their eyes due to his many ranks within the Omaticaya. Leti echoed their sweet tooth's desire by chirping the word 'pudding' and he smiled to her 'puh-dee' pronunciation, patting the top of her head affectionately.

"I can't control what the cooks make but next time, I'll bring you more bread so uncle Rafil can make it" he promised them to fade away those pouts and they agreed within an eye's blink as they believed him wholeheartedly. Well, that was rather easy . . . maybe children weren't as bad as he originally assumed. That thought was further cemented when Leti squeezed his arm with a happy giggle, telling her father that 'Tsu-Tsu' would bring more bread next time. His initial apprehension of children was cast to the wind whenever Leti was nearby and he smiled fondly to the perky toddler that failed to leave his side since meeting him.

Wätu sipped his bowl of cereal with a hidden smile to the children's rambles and chuckled, "They'll forget in a few days and when you come back, the cycle will renew itself."

"We won't forget" Sifu objected adamantly and the other two boys rallied in agreement because they wanted to eat that pudding once more. Wätu humored them by stating that if they did, he'd give them a new toy _each_. At this, they eagerly vowed that they would make true on that promise because they wanted both items and forced their brains to retain that monumental moment. Tsu'tey couldn't help but laugh at the three young boys arguing with the adult hunter, focusing his attention on little Leti as she sipped her warm cereal because he didn't want to get dragged into the feud. He'd place himself in the mind of a one-year old child that ate her meal quietly and wanted to head off to explore as soon as possible.

He gently touched her small flat nose in the center, drawing a huge smile on her lips and he chuckled softly, "You'll never fight with your old cousin, will you?"

"No" she smiled gleefully and Tsu'tey decided that the little toddler had indeed ensnared him with her sweet nature and outgoing personality. He could only hope that one day, his daughter _wouldn't_ be exactly like Leti because there would be no absolute way for him to deny her anything. He would love his little child with caring loyalty that would last for eternity as she carried a part of him, imagining a sweet newborn with a tiny tail that flicked at his fingers while he held her. Thankfully, he was in no rush to have a child and the only person he'd ever consider. . .

His eyes met Joanna's as he caught her in the middle of a lingering gaze and her fond smile spoke volumes across the distance. After all of his experiences with her, Joanna showed nothing but doting care for children and knew she'd tend to their children with never-ending love. Their pasts carried enough pain to let them know that they deserved their chance at having a family and their experiences would guide them in protecting their child from all harm. Leti finally managed to snatch one of the grain squares in his leaf plate, munching on it with sweet triumph in her eyes but he said nothing of it. His appetite had been sated and he couldn't find the heart to lecture her as she smiled brightly at him, her lilac lips covered entirely in crumbs.

After his meal was finished, he personally thanked the matriarch for the wonderful food and she joked that he was welcome to it for another day. Unfortunately, he had to politely decline due to his responsibilities awaiting him at home but promised he would return for another trip soon since the clan had brought him much joy in the past day. He excused himself from his family to find Joanna, shaking off all three boys when they demanded to visit the beach and he promised he'd do so within a few hours. It took a while to ensure Leti that he wasn't leaving them and would take her to forage for seashells or whatever her heart desired but had an errand to take care of first. He wanted to spend more time with Joanna and just as he'd done at last meal, he pulled her away to head for the canopies to have at least one hour by her side.

And again, he unnerved her by popping up from thin air behind her when he called out her name and she turned around swiftly with surprise on her face. Her hand didn't fly to the center of her chest this time and she sighed softly with a feigned frown, "This won't do well for my skills as a huntress and you've got to stop scaring me with your flawless stealth."

"Would you love me any other way?" he asked smoothly with his trademark grin and she smiled in return to his charms, agreeing quietly to avoid being overheard. He requested to be led towards the canopies since there was more than one path and she motioned for him to follow, smiling widely at having him by her side rather than far where she could only gaze wistfully.

* * *

Tsu'tey found himself a very happy man during their trip to the top when Joanna pulled him into a private dark alcove to bathe his neck in soft kisses, repaying each kiss he'd given her last night. He wasn't going to argue against the unbridled affection because he'd been deprived of it for many months and had restrained himself from delving further from an innocent kiss despite his deepest desire was to mate with his beloved. Unfortunately, he couldn't dare to think rashly and was more than certain Joanna didn't know the traditions on unions. He was never one for explaining such delicate matters since those topics were usually between women but if he had to, he'd explain the entire process of bonding between two na'vi.

After reintroducing his hands to the familiar curves of her body, the two had surfaced into the open to wander towards the canopies with their reserved demeanors in place. Of course, that didn't stop the smile on his face from faltering and her eyes from shining brightly as they walked. Time had increased their longing to a point that they had to force themselves to release each other after becoming incredibly accustomed to being together months ago. He'd wanted to hold her hand while they walked, just like they had whenever they wandered the forest trails in the outskirts alone, but was unable to due to public norms and people walking by. Instead, he told himself that walking by her side would suffice after lacking her company for months.

"So, when are you going to let me see your hunting skills?" Tsu'tey inquired with his trademark smirk since she always kept her ikran knife on hand but lacked the bow that day. Archery had been her biggest nemesis but she'd become an average student on his watch and wondered how far she'd gone in her skills since then. She smiled to the wonderful idea of catching a large fish together, bonding as a hunting team since she'd only been his student before- always watching and practicing but never standing on equal ground. The man was an amazing hunter, displaying agility and flexibility like she'd never seen in any other na'vi and his dexterity with weapons. . .she could see why the tawtute kept an eye on him in their files. Tsu'tey wasn't an adept fisherman but he enjoyed the peaceful catches, smiling with hidden challenge in his voice, "I could help you catch fish."

"Help me? Are you sure it won't be the other way around?" she chuckled softly with mirth as her tail batted his for the playful poke at her skills. Nobody could trade jabs with her like he could, missing that mischievously witty part of her personality since Anaya was the only one she could fully joke with. Tsu'tey, however, held a deeper understanding of her due to her past and knew what tickled her pink since he'd put a smile on her face after two weeks of therapy training after her fall. There was no other person who filled her with contentment or pushed her to fulfill her potential, even when she didn't believe in herself.

Tsu'tey's competitive side itched for a decent match but his day had already been scheduled to make the most out of his time, leading him to chuckle amusingly, "You haven't lost that fire of yours, my tanhì."

Joanna's cheeks darkened to that fond nickname as they strolled through a few dense patches of leaves hanging from an overhead branch as they entered Xeki's area of the canopy. Her mind itched to conjure a joke to use when they ascended the trunk to head upwards since she was leading (excited to be the leader this time in their excursions) and since her Atykwe leggings had a tendency to hug everyone's curves, poor Tsu'tey couldn't help but notice. . . well, she had very full hips. When Joanna glanced back to see his progress on the branch, she caught his lingering stare and used the tip of her tail to bat him gently over the head. His glassy stare focused on her face and she chuckled with amusement to his lapse in concentration but the tips of her ears darkened at seeing he approved. Her feminine ego boosted to that since every woman desired to appeal to their significant other and she quickly clambered up the tree to land on the next branches that housed the ikran.

When he landed beside her, she noticed his ears had darkened as well with embarrassment and he quickly justified his wandering glance, "You know very well that I'm attracted to you and there was _nowhere_ else to look-"

"It's all right, I've been guilty of ogling as well" she interject to dismiss the incident entirely because she approved of the sweet glances (even his 'come hither' look) and brushed the tips of her fingers across his chin. At this, his jaw slackened slightly since he'd rarely caught those gazes but Joanna was quite subtle in her staring so he assumed that a _normal_ glance could be her version of ogling. Hmm, how long had she been doing that without his notice? Turning around, she headed forwards to find Xeki's nook since she'd picked the closest one to the branch for easier climbing between levels. Her bashful expression turned to shock when she found an amorous Swizav trying to get some happy time from one particular ikran on the large branch while all others stayed back from the duo. What ikran, you might ask?

Well. . .

"_Oh my_- get your ikran off my Xeki!" Joanna demanded immediately with horrified surprise as she watched the two ikran hiss at each other but continue their public mating dance as he tried to. . .mount her partner. This was _not_ how she wanted to learn about the reproduction of banshees! At first glance, it appeared the two were actually attacking each other just as they'd tried yesterday by snapping at each other's throats but they certainly weren't. There was sniffing involved, something that lacked yesterday, and wings fluttered as Swizav extended his wings to display his unique color pattern to the feisty Xeki. Joanna, however, was ready to charge forward valiantly and shoo him off her but Tsu'tey pulled her back by the waist.

"No, you cannot interfere!" he objected quickly as she thrashed in a similar fashion to Xeki, who had now calmed and allowed the mating to commence with a soft purr that surprised her rider. Joanna whined with miserable woe into her hands to what was occurring because she and Kunu tried their hardest to keep her as a maiden banshee until they deemed it time. Instead, the male that had angered her so profusely had been chosen as a mate in within a day! A _day_! What had happened since that time? Tsu'tey held her restrained against his chest before she tried to whack off Swizav with a nearby stick and explained the mating process with a grimace on his lips, "They are driven by natural instinct now and if you dared to get in the middle, either could attack you. She will either accept him as a dominant ikran or send him flying elsewhere to find another but we _cannot_ intervene. Even I wouldn't attempt this. We have to accept that it is happening and . . . . look away."

True, but you could still _hear_ the sounds of their racket as purrs and hisses filled the air.

"Easy for you to say, she's the one that's going to carry the eggs" Joanna snapped firmly since she wasn't ready to be an ikran grandmother to little Xekis' and knew nothing about it. Xeki was still new to their clan and Joanna wanted her to experience the world before she was saddled with chirping chicks. . .oh, that ikran had better return to share the burden as well. She averted her gaze quickly before she saw something indecent because she'd like her privacy too if she was mating in public, leaning back against her beloved to sigh regretfully, "I just found her and now she's . . . this is your fault entirely. You and your amorous ikran."

He chuckled softly to her disappointment as Xeki had indeed accepted his ikran, hearing a miserable groan from Joanna when the screeching finally stopped, and squeezed her waist to chide gently, "So, it would've been best if we never visited?"

"No, I've missed you . . . but if I knew Swizav would join our ikran mating season, I would've made you bring Aci" she sighed faintly because the mare was no longer a breeding pa'li but smiled warmly at him because she'd be happy for eternity if he could continue visiting her. Unfortunately, she hadn't expected Swizav to turn into Xeki's beau overnight with his attractive wing display and cursed her luck as she turned around to leave the two ikran to their business. If Xeki became pregnant, she would learn everything she could to make the journey to motherhood easier and tend to her ikran in every way possible. There was nothing she wouldn't do for her dear partner but would warn her about rash decisions later because turning from an enemy to a love interest overnight was baffling. She smiled weakly as she tried to find the upside in their current situation since Tsu'tey appeared perfectly pleasant to what had just happened and proposed, "You certainly bring excitement with you and since these two will not be leaving each other anytime soon, I suggest a walk?"

"I would certainly enjoy that" he accepted with an amicable smile and his heart warmed when her hands squeezed both arms wrapped around her shoulders. She was a woman that carried romantic subtlety by touching but he knew firsthand she could be quite passionate in private. Oh, how he knew. He'd never felt as loved and cared for when he was by her side and absolutely hated the new divide between them that barred an easy bonding union. Apparently, their ikran cared for none of that as they decided to form the union without input from anybody else and were currently creating their offspring. If only a na'vi life could be so easy.

He planted a light kiss on her right cheekbone as their reunion filled him with joy he hadn't felt in years and he wanted to keep that elated feeling for as long as he could. Her cheeks darkened to his public action since anyone wandering the branch could've caught them and whispered bashfully, "Let's go before your amorous behavior has us in trouble, advisor. It's already given me a pregnant ikran who only hours ago, was enraged with him. It . . . it baffles me!"

"Love can be baffling sometimes" he rationalized with a sincere smile because affection brought the best and worst out of individuals, regardless of the species, and she smiled fondly since they'd had their share of moments. She'd run circles in her mind about admitting her feelings due to their professional relationship- not to mention friendship- but the leap had been worth it. Although they lived miles apart, it was enough to know that he loved her and she'd make sure he knew the same.

Tsu'tey released her to watch her head down the path towards the trunk in retreat, ready to follow her anywhere and left the amorous ikran to their privacy. As for the ikran themselves, there was nothing they could do and would allow nature to take its course with the two because intervening would put their lives in jeopardy. Tsu'tey would give his ikran a good talking to when he finished his visits of the day to point out that mating had not been on the itinerary, especially with one from another clan.

* * *

They sat on a large boulder overlooking the sea as the waves crashed against the bottom, foam bubbles splashing against their legs. The empty area was remote and Joanna knew he'd enjoy the tranquil ambiance as the quiet ocean lay before them with comforting serenity. Tsu'tey found the limitless horizon beautiful but it had taken a while to adjust to the vulnerable openness after decades of living in the enclosed forest. Joanna had chuckled to his boyish wariness and enveloped him in a friendly embrace as she reassured him everything would be fine because the water didn't bite. He'd leaned into the hug with a fond smile because he didn't mind the physical support in the slightest and laid back against another boulder that served as a leaning wall for the two. By high tide, their boulder would be covered in water but they would be safe from incoming waves for now.

"I still find the newfound peace eerie, I lived most of my life witnessing violence . . . I never really experienced peace itself" he mused aloud with a low voice as he watched the calm sea, hoping to see strange but beautiful ocean creatures pop out of the water. Only friendly ones, of course, because he wasn't in the mood to tangle with predators. His lack of comfort or knowledge of the sea unsettled him since every hunter was required to know his prey or enemy before facing one alone but trusted Joanna to keep him safe. That was a thought he'd never imagined himself thinking since his young student had usually required him to head first to scope out an area but times had changed.

"You deserve it after fighting valiantly for years" she murmured caringly to their fateful meeting in the forest, although she could've done without him falling on her to break his fall, and her eyes gazed at the small circular scars on his abdomen left by the bullet wounds. They would always be a remnant from the fight but it was better he escaped with scarring rather than losing his queue or life. It had been her first contact with the alien species and although he'd berated her continuously through the healing process, she'd stayed by his side to make sure he lived to nag again. Her fingers wrapped around his bicep as she huddled against him to assure herself he'd live for many decades more and whispered softly, "I don't ever want to witness a sight like that again. For all of your bravery, I'd never want to lose you because it would mean destroying a part of myself."

He smiled earnestly with empathy to her words as the private part of the beach granted him a break away from his professional mask to be the man he was whenever they'd shared her hammock. His features softened, smoothing away his furrowed brow and the tense corner of his lips as he admitted faintly, "Neither would I, dear one. I worried about you myself after your departure, wondering what your rite would hold but you persevered. I suppose it's time for me to realize that my little tapirus can hold her ground against foes."

She chuckled to the old nickname that he'd dubbed her during their friendship and nudged her shoulder with his to smile charismatically, "I'm learning my way, one day at a time. It is a most welcome sight to see you in my home and greet you like an equal. . .well, hunter-wise but even there, you're still high in the ranks."

"I wish you could've been in mine" he murmured softly with melancholy to their current living situations and she brushed her palm over his cheek, running her thumb over the apple of his cheek. Their paths in life hadn't turned out the way they'd wanted but she'd be damned if she'd let him feel guilty or lousy about the present. They had each other right now and although it wasn't permanent, it mattered to her. His ears flattened against his head as his brow furrowed with disappointment but his voice carried a sliver of hope as he murmured quietly, "I can't change the past but I am glad for your fortune and safety on this beach. I've really missed you, Joanna, and there isn't a day that passes that I don't."

"You've left a dent in my life as well, my sweet hunter" she whispered gingerly since she'd experienced the same agonizing longing, embracing him tightly as she leaned against him. She hadn't touched or heard him in months, her fingers eager to hold onto the man and to never let go in fear that he'd never return again. The endless days where she'd shared her hammock at night and traveled the forest together were gone, leaving her to cherish the hours that were left to them. Over the salty scent of the fresh sea air, she picked up his familiar scent as calming rain water and fresh mint reached her nose to invigorate her smell receptors. The tip of her nose trailed up the nape of his smooth neck, leading him to graze her cheek in butterfly kisses as she whispered longingly, "Eywa, I've missed your scent. . .I. . ."

She held him tightly as all of the emotions she'd been holding back since yesterday tumbled down with the same thunderous force as the crashing waves, clutching him close like a precious life preserver. Tsu'tey returned the same affection as he stroked the back of her head with a gentle hand, cradling her close when she sniffled softly out of sheer happiness and traced his fingertips over the braids that always adorned her head in a ribbon-wrapped crown. Their fondness for one another hadn't broken over the span of land and time, leading him to confess regretfully, "I am sorry for not visiting sooner, I kept myself concentrated on the clan-"

Her ears flattened since she'd requested he visit whenever he could- a victory now- and murmured appreciatively, "I understand, we're not from the same clan anymore. . .our duties are different. You have a lot of priorities and my tsahìk needs me to be there for mine. . .everything is different now."

Although he didn't have his eyes on anyone, it would only be healthy that he would begin to forget the impact of her life within his as he returned to his old way of life before she'd come into play. It was only natural, right? She couldn't be there to care for him or tell him of her affection, which would allow for another to take her place with given time. It was a gut-wrenching feeling at the thought of losing him one day but she wanted her love to be happy in case he couldn't visit her as much as he wanted to, "Thank you for visiting our clan, for spending time with me because I treasure you greatly. You will always be a dear friend of mine-"

"Why do you sound as if we're parting again?" he asked softly since it was hard enough living in another clan without her and didn't want to begin hearing words on closure. He was tired of having his relationships ripped out of his hands and wasn't giving up on Joanna because he _knew_ she was the one Eywa meant for him. There was no other that he could see or even dare to after everything they'd experienced since meeting in the forest during a raging battle.

"Because we are, you are leaving today and I don't know when we'll see one another again" she answered faintly with a somber smile but cupped his cheek, lightly pressing her nose to his in an attempt to quell any hurt feelings. The man she loved deserved better than to linger with 'what if's' because a happy ending might not be in store for them, especially when living apart. She wanted him to be happy and have the little ones he wanted while he idly polished a bow in his hammock well into his old age. . .not pondering every day where they stood as a couple because neither wanted to leave their beloved clans. Her eyes peered into his confused orbs, lightly pecking his lips as his expression drew her like a drunken honey bee to a flower and took the plunge to better his future, "But know that I was very grateful and happy to see you one more time. You don't have to linger on me, not when it stresses you this way. . .so you can find a mate without worrying about my reaction-"

"Why would I choose a mate?" he asked with a bewildered expression since nobody had attracted him in the same manner like the quirky upbeat woman before him. She was intelligent and kind, yet humorously stubborn, but she fit his heart as its other half since the day he'd confessed his feelings for her. He wouldn't dare think about removing her memory from his mind because he still kept trinkets that had been given as gifts or he'd swiped for fond remembrance (Cheryl said nothing when she discovered small items missing) so no, she would _not_ be budging. Their situation was a bit tricky due to the distance but couples had managed to find a solution and although it would be harder for him due to his rank. . .he prayed to Eywa that she'd give him the strength.

"Not right now but in the future, time changes people" she explained gently since they were living apart and there could be somebody in the near or far future that would catch his eye. They weren't immortal and if they couldn't find a way, they could be forced to settle with another of their respective clan to live out a life. As happy as she was to see him, she couldn't hold him hostage to her heart and encouraged softly as she rubbed the center of his upper back in circles, "I want you to know that it's all right-"

"You found a suitor, didn't you?" he questioned with painful suspicion since her reasoning would only make sense under that condition because he could not force her hand. Is that why she was suggesting that he turn his attention elsewhere for a woman? The mere idea stabbed a figurative dagger in his heart and his calm facade broke to reveal his internal pain at being brushed aside for another. Joanna shook her head vehemently because mating was the last thing on her mind after finally achieving her place in the clan and his crushed look was a straight punch to the face. How could he think she'd throw him aside for another man? He meant more to her than any other man and nobody could rival everything he meant to her as a friend, mentor, and lover.

She placed a hand over his mouth to silence his demands on who the man was and quickly replied to quell his misconception, "No, I haven't. I don't know why you'd assume that, it took us _seasons_ to admit our attraction and nobody could even dare to best you in my heart. Why would-"

"Is it Arat? Or Xuret? I bet it's him, isn't it?" he declared madly with a jealous gleam in his eyes and she fought the urge to cool his head by throwing him in the water. Tsu'tey was always passionate in everything he involved himself in and she knew how protective he could be when it concerned any man in her vicinity. The first time had driven him far enough to confess his feelings for her to prevent losing her to Talen but she'd already fallen for her dearest na'vi friend months prior. Did he really think she'd be making goo-goo eyes at another man? There was only one man strong and smart enough to call hers and he was sitting right in front of her with that unique ear of his along with that dashing smile that turned her into a puddle of happy goo. His golden eyes narrowed suspiciously as he tried to piece together his theory on the matter and questioned sharply, "Is that why he sent that message after your rite? To silently tell me he is interested in you?"

Instead of blowing into an argument about trust, Joanna merely grinned mischievously to his ruffled expression and preened playfully, "You're jealous, aren't you?"

"No. . .possibly . . . maybe a _little_" he rejected initially before mellowing out and answering truthfully with a glum pout that depicted his brain had run out of angry steam. She smiled empathetically since her own heart would've felt the same and squeezed his left shoulder with one hand, leaning over to kiss the edges of his ear since it was the easiest sensitive spot on his body she could reach to turn him into putty in her hands. This time, however, he resisted the temptation of falling into that clever trap as he hissed softly to show he was serious and reminded her firmly, "He is the matriarch's nephew and stronger in his upper body than I am-"

She cupped the sides of his face to stomp all of those thoughts into the ground where they belonged, smiling tenderly as she dissuaded, "Don't judge yourself against others, we both rid ourselves of those traits and we're not backtracking into old habits. You are perfect just the way you are," she kissed him on the lips for a boost in confidence, "and there is nobody after my heart."

"So I won't see you heavy with child the next time I visit?" he asked skeptically as he eyed that particular area for any telltale signs and she pressed her forehead against his with a soft chuckle. Did he really think she'd be running around with him if there was somebody else? He was an honorable man and deserved that same courtesy, embracing him loosely until he was comfortable enough to return the embrace.

"Of course not. . .so there's a next time?" she asked curiously since his schedule carried a lot of tasks playing the dual role of advisor and head hunter. Nonetheless, she would be ecstatic to see him once more so they could blissfully live in an illusion where they lived together happily for just a few hours. It was better than nothing and she'd take whatever she could with the one she loved. Who knows, she might even make that clam chowder with him and make that dream come true.

Placing his hands over hers on her lap, he kissed the center of her nose and peered into her eyes with a warm glitter as he promised, "Yes, I will return to see you and show. . ."

He met his lips with hers to deliver the gentle kiss he'd been waiting since sunrise to taste and felt her lips twist into a smile as she returned it wholeheartedly. They were in a private area of the beach and wouldn't be caught in a social snafu anytime soon so he would take full advantage of it. He deepened the kiss to show the passionate moments he missed between them and Joanna didn't hesitate to explore his mouth like a treasure cove. Months' worth of repressed emotions were unleashed and it took great willpower for the two not to mate without consent, adding fond kisses here and there on their necks to quench that need.

Parting from her, he smiled fondly when she clung to him in an embrace since she didn't want him to leave anytime soon and Tsu'tey whispered lovingly, "How much you mean to me."

She wanted to jump in his arms and fly away with their newly bonded ikran to settle on an islet to live out their lives without a care in the world but that was a fantasy. They both held separate responsibilities that kept them rooted to a different clan which popped that bubbly fantasy and she murmured weakly, "This is my home now, how. . .I don't want to leave one day."

"I know" he whispered soothingly to chase away her fears since he could see her devotion to the Atykwe and held her close when she rested her head on his shoulder. There was only one way the courting process would lead them if they decided to pursue it and he didn't know whether he could undergo it without losing a part of himself. They loved each other and although sneaking kisses was wonderful, he wanted something permanent to keep them tied together as one.

She pressed a soft kiss to his left temple, closing her eyes to hear his breathing over the surf as her ear pressed against the arch of his shoulder, and whispered tenderly, "I love you so dearly and nothing will ever change my mind."

"So do I, Joanna, so do I" he breathed faintly to his deepest emotion for her and embraced her tightly because nobody would be taking her away from him. Well, any man anyway, since the matriarchs were an entirely different field and wouldn't dare defy them. He was a problem solver, always itching to overcome dilemmas rather than procrastinate or let another figure out his answer so he'd be taking the sturmbeest by the horns (figuratively, of course). His fingers stroked her braided hair as he rested his chin on top of her head, cradling her like any mate would their beloved in the most private of moments and promised, "We'll find a way."

* * *

The last activity for the Omaticayan trio was an outing for a shallow dig for sea cucumbers at the southern edge of the sea, Anaya happily leading the way with helpful tips as she played the chaperone tour leader. She'd delighted Joanna with her perky demeanor during her arrival so she'd decided to reprise the role again for the visiting group, pointing out a specific plant native to the beach or a shy crab burrowing in the sand that had delighted Norm like a teen with their first car. The area inhabited by the cucumbers wasn't very deep and most experienced hunters could go minutes without surfacing for air due to their lung capacity but Anaya had tools to help the others. She hopped off a porous boulder with ease to dive into the sparkling blue water below to show the trio there was nothing dangerous dwelling in the sea and surfaced with a bright smile as she explained helpfully, "There's a lot during this season so we can pick a few every other day without disturbing the balance. The water's fine so dive on in!"

The Atykwe hunters wasted no time going into the water, Xuret's experienced form lightly breaking the water in comparison to Joanna's lack of long-time experience. Tsu'tey followed with no hesitance to prove he was as good as any other hunter on the continent with his own lithe entrance while Norm dove in with a happy whoop to cool off from the beaming sun overhead. Tarazi was hesitant since being in open water was new territory since their rivers and pools were closed systems of fresh-water that rarely carried dangerous wildlife. Upon seeing that the others had not been dragged underwater to their deaths, she took the courageous plunge and swam into the water- keeping her eyes slightly open to make sure nothing snuck up during the descent. Breaking the water to breathe air into her lungs and clear her eyes free of droplets with the back of her hands, Norm reassured her that nothing would harm her as long as she stayed close to shore and promised to keep an eye on the water.

Anaya handed a brown breathing reed to each of the Omaticayan hunters to help with their first diving experience and smiled perkily to inform, "Use them to breathe underwater when you need to. One end goes in your mouth and the other above surface to give you air when you need it immediately but always make sure one end is in the air to prevent breathing in water."

Clapping her hands with a loud splash, she set the jovial mood as she encouraged eagerly to brighten the uncertain faces of their visitors, "Let's dive and follow me to forage for delicious cucumbers!"

"They're not children, Anaya" Arat reminded with a modest smile since his friend was ecstatic for company of all kinds and had to jump in before she rambled on into the water itself. She flicked salty water droplets at his face for having her festive mood downgraded but he let her be, merely shaking his head since she was enjoying herself. The arrival of the Omaticaya had stirred curiosity through residents that hadn't traveled to the festivities seasons ago and Anaya was always happy to entertain company as it allowed her to purge every known fact to intrigue travelers.

"There is a child's spirit within all of us" she insisted quickly with a firm pout to show her commitment to venture where nobody dared for adventure and Norm chuckled to her indomitable attitude. She'd cheerfully answered any questions since Joanna brought the trio to her for a trip out to sea and they were joined along the way by the other two Atykwe hunters as they were heading out further east to peruse the sand for clams or mussels on rocks.

Joanna eyed Tsu'tey with a playful glimmer in her eyes and chuckled innocently to preen, "Well, maybe not this one."

He placed a hand over her head to dunk her inside the water for the jab, releasing her a second later to allow her to resurface. The others chuckled to their playfulness since he dared to touch only Joanna in public friendliness but he hissed when he felt her slender fingers yank the base of his tail. A lilac blush almost spilled onto his cheeks for the close contact since he was unnerved by anyone being that close to his body, trying to forget how those slender fingers would feel against the sensitive spots of his skin in a private setting. Joanna surfaced moments later with a giddy laugh but the wide grin hid what she'd done underwater, leading him to splash her in the face with water in the same manner as Anaya had done to Arat. She hadn't lost her craftiness, he'd give her that.

"You think _water_ can hinder me?" she chided with mirth for one last shot in as he enjoyed that old spitfire attitude but turned her attention back to Anaya to begin their underwater grocery shopping.

Xuret and Arat broke away to find their small clams, swimming east to deeper water since they'd had a hankering for the steamed shellfish to roast them with marinade alongside their grain staples. With the stormy season gone, there was no need for stews and soups consisting of stored meat so fresh clams would delight the duo. Anaya would simply swipe a few from Arat's plate to please her palate since he was too polite to ever try the same from hers but she kept tempting him to break his courteous façade.

"Follow me and I'll show you where they gather, all you need to do is simply pinch their threads off the seabed" Anaya explained since harvesting the cucumbers were quite easy and were usually a pastime for children eager to learn about hunting. Her first cucumber catch had been at eight years of age, her swimming skills and lung capacity decent for the easy dive and her father had helped her grab the biggest one as she'd listened to his nonverbal signals carefully. It was still one of her best memories and hoped for the day when she'd teach the same to her child to continue the tradition (who knew, maybe Arat would be the one to do so as well). She disappeared under the water to lead the way and Tsu'tey followed immediately while his two companions took a moment to study the reeds since their clan dried the river types for hair decoration or household use.

_"It's just like scuba diving"_ Norm told Joanna with a delighted smile since they had found certain naturally molded objects in Pandora that resembled old artifacts from civilizations or synthetics used in current times on Earth. Being anthropologists, they nabbed whatever they could find- whether by hand or video footage- to study and hypothesize its usage. There had been a flat wooden spatula-like object with a leather handle that Joanna had originally believed to be used as either a mixer for paints or food but Tsu'tey had blown her bubble completely by clarifying they used it for gardening- for tilling new land for the season, apparently. She'd been red in the face upon learning this and had hidden one of the items when she'd placed it into a bowl filled with porridge to give to him as first meal, hoping to impress him with her knowledge. He'd laughed for quite a while to her misconception when he'd caught her trying to fish it out but he'd taught her the correct use a few hours later after training. It was sweet humorous moments like those that had drawn her to the man as he taught her about his world and immersed her senses until she was swimming in the na'vi culture.

She chuckled to Norm's endless enthusiasm to explore, the main reason she picked him as an addition to her team among all of the applicants because he never tired of discoveries. With a zesty grin, he swam below to find Anaya before she ventured too far and the two women followed after him to travel together as a group. The water of the beach was clearest during the day due to the light and the earlier hours brought the clearest waters due to the lack of swimmers but the seas of Pandora- well, Pyrrha anyway- were always pure. The sand wasn't gritty like river sand with its little rocks since beds of sea grass littered the floor around their current area, which delighted the Omaticayan visitors as bright green blades greeted them below.

Normally wary, Tarazi cast it aside for a moment as the colorful grass beckoned a tentative touch and she smiled when little fishes of varying colors scurried away in a hurry to find refuge elsewhere. They were so tiny, she couldn't imagine them being larger than a fingernail. Norm pointed a finger towards a small yellow crustacean that kept digging a trench further down, watching its little claws flush out sand to bury itself deeper for protection or whatever it was doing. Anaya led the way with one cloth bag in her hand, using her free one to point towards plant life that didn't exist in the Omaticayan rivers and to the bright petite fish that lived near shore. They weren't eaten at all, their sizes too small for consumption but they were enjoyable to watch nonetheless as they passed by.

Tsu'tey playfully swiped at the little school of fishes, testing their lightning speed as their lilac tails swam away and remembered holding his breath as a child when he'd wadded into the sea in hopes of seeing fishes. Being small, he couldn't travel deeper than his waist and his parents didn't want to risk a drowning by bringing him further into sea but now. . .he was free to explore _everything_. Little blades of sea grass billowed silently with the gentle currents and it surprised him how plant life in that environment could grow as if it were on land!

Joanna stuck by his side to make sure he didn't decide to make a detour and head off to explore on his own, keeping an eye on him. Anaya struggled not to laugh below water as she caught Norm laying low on the ocean floor and watching an anemone-like creature whose violet bioluminescent tendrils flowed with the water current. Tarazi swam beside him but peeked at the different types of fishes that were feeding over the sea grass, their round mouths picking up whatever tiny food that they ate from the sand and she laid down in the same position to watch their quick movements. If she had their quick speed and movements, she'd be a formidable huntress. Norm noticed a few bone white conch shells protruding beneath the sand and gently dipped his fingers to fish out two to study them carefully, looking to see if anything had decided to call it home. Seeing no little critters inside, he pocketed the small shells in a cloth pouch tied to his belt as souvenirs for his friends that couldn't make the journey.

Anaya gave them a few minutes to enjoy the wildlife but halfway through, all three needed to surface to breathe in air but Tsu'tey decided to tough it out by using the wooden reed for the first time. He reluctantly agreed that it truly felt like breathing as he kept his eyes open underwater and although he couldn't breathe through his nose without filling it with water, his mouth was perfectly fine in breathing life giving air. The two Atykwe huntresses took their breather on the surface as well before returning below quickly to get a move on before the tide decided to become stronger since sunset would approach soon and they needed to harvest their picks for preparation. Tsu'tey and Joanna stuck to the back of the line, swimming together while sneaking in a few moments of hand holding as she led the way. If he could live like this forever, with friends and the one he loved by his side while exploring the beautiful wildlife underwater, he would be a happy man.

The five finally arrived to the sandy underwater dunes where sea cucumbers dwelled in large numbers against the porous rocks peeking between the substrate but remained immobile unlike other plant life. Anaya swam to the closest one and gripped it with both hands to lift it off the flat rock it had been perched on as the thin threads that kept it rooted to its home gave way under her strength. She quickly placed it inside her large bag before it decided to gush out its natural defense liquid that left the water soapy. Joanna had had the bad luck of not being fast enough and ended up with stinging eyes during her first try at catching one during her training. Nowadays, it was rather easy to release the threads from the rock to pull away the cucumber and laughed back at the moment because she'd never expected it to _squirt_ at her. She showed Tsu'tey the correct way to do it as she collected one without incident while Anaya taught the other two, leading her to smile when he grabbed one off the sand with careful but fast hands to place it into Anaya's bag where the others were stored. Unfortunately, Tarazi and Norm were new to hunting unlike the experienced Tsu'tey and the different environment slowed their dexterity which allowed the cucumber to. . .well, squirt.

The water was shrouded in bubbles and the sticky translucent residue stung the eyes of anybody nearby which led the five to leave the area immediately to avoid any further irritancy to their bodies. Again, they headed to the surface to breathe in air and wash themselves free of the cucumber's residue since individuals with sensitive skin could develop an itchy rash from contact. Norm and Tarazi wiped their blurry eyes to remove the nasty translucent coat as it stung their lids while the other three wiped their arms clean.

"What was that?" Norm questioned with surprise on his face since he'd never expected the thing to shoot liquid as a defense mechanism. He blinked his eyes rapidly to make sure he could see perfectly and nothing lingered on his lashes or the corners of his eyes. Tarazi and Tsu'tey merely stared at their limbs in disgust since they'd never met wildlife that reacted in such a manner, leading the two huntresses to chuckle softly at their expressions.

Anaya decided to head further east past the disturbed colony of cucumbers to another area where they could keep collecting, swimming out for a few minutes under the sun before submerging once more. The four followed her in a uniform line as she led the way for the new hunting ground, reaching another area that held sparse sea grass over the sand but cucumbers reigned in numbers in comparison to other wildlife. She motioned for two to be caught at the most to maintain balance, ushering her two 'students' to try once more. This time, Anaya gave Tarazi the bag so she could hold it open while Norm attempted his second try by slowly weaving his fingers under the sand to fool the cucumber. When the cucumber failed to notice his presence, he used one hand to pull away the fibers from the rock and picked it up as quickly as he could while fighting against the weight of the water. Tsu'tey and Tarazi expected another incident but Norm placed it inside the bag with success, smiling broadly underwater. Anaya clapped her hands with a perky smile as she managed to teach more people about cucumber hunts and took the bag to close it tightly to prevent any from escaping, pointing towards the surface to leave the water.

The three hunters were disillusioned that their time was cut short so she allowed them to explore the area for a few minutes longer, leading Tsu'tey to pull Joanna away by the hand to head towards rocks that held colorful plant life. Norm and Tarazi decided to follow a duo of crustaceans that were digging through the sand, watching their red and yellow legs pushing sand in all directions as they were hard at work. The huntress couldn't help but smile at the miniature creatures and almost wished she could bring one home with her to keep in her alcove in remembrance to her trip. Instead, she'd bottle sea water as a souvenir and sniff the refreshing scent of the beach back home in remembrance to her first trip outside of the forest.

Minutes later, the five returned to the rocky shore to sit upon the rocks with their sorted belongings as they waited for the other half of their group to return. They didn't mind the wait at all since the crashing waves and the salty breeze brought a peaceful ambience as the start of the lilac sunset peeked over the azure horizon, ikran screeches echoing as all of them began their return to Kelutral for the night. Tsu'tey would be giving a good lecture to his ikran about mating without his input because he'd been fighting madly with Xeki just mere hours ago. He smiled faintly from his spot against a rock when Joanna laid her head against his shoulder, whispering that they could find an isolated island to live out the rest of their lives as she gazed at the pastel-hued horizon. Since they'd sat at a short distance away from the others, he laid his chin on top of her head with a soft chuckle that they'd drive each other insane when they realized there was nothing to do.

"Do we have clams for last meal or will we feast on cucumbers alone?" Anaya's voice echoed as she caught sight of the returning duo as they clambered onto the rocks, shaking off water from their limbs. Her brow rose when she saw no bags in sight, standing on the tips of her toes to grab a peek of anything she'd missed. Arat's shoulders slumped in defeat as he gazed at the rocky floor and strode forward, causing her ears to dip at their bad luck and ready to reassure him that they'd found sea cucumbers as a result of their trip. However, Xuret raised a bag from behind to prove otherwise as he'd tied it behind his belt to keep it hidden from sight and for an easier climb back to the top of the rocks. Anaya hissed playfully as she realized they had played a joke on her and laughed with glee as she approached the two to tell them she'd caught her own batch of cucumbers.

Joanna left Tsu'tey's side to rejoin her friends since becoming glued to his side would draw attention eventually and asked with a curious smile, "Are they the little black ones or the big grays?"

Xuret gazed at her with mild amusement since she saved the shells for crafts (or healing tools) and shook the closed bag to state knowingly, "You could just open it and find out for yourself."

"A gentleman would indulge a lady with a reply" she chided with an amused smile since she'd learned that Xuret's humor was quite similar to Arat's. While Arat didn't hold much of a funny bone for joking, Xuret traded subtle jabs and Joanna had managed to find her way around that to find common ground. They no longer shared the old 'you obey me without question' rule and had slowly become friends through her friendship with Arat and Anaya since the three knew each other well since childhood. She grabbed the bag from his grip with an impish smile to carefully open it and peered inside to find both mussels and clams, grinning excitedly since they tasted delicious in all kinds of dishes (stews, with grains, vegetables, you name it).

"Seeing as you opened the bag, that invitation has expired" he stated matter-of-factly with a hint of smugness in his eyes and she grinned as he added the last jab to win the match. She shook her index finger to display that their battle was not done and she'd find another match soon, closing the bag to hand it back.

Tsu'tey watched the interactions between Xuret and Joanna with a keen eye as they studied the clams, subconsciously squishing a cucumber he'd been studying in his hand when he noticed their close distance. He could stand her close proximity to Norm since he only had eyes for Tarazi and Arat kept his polite distance due to clan decorum but this. . .it didn't settle well in his stomach. He'd never imagined himself to be the jealous type but he had grown rather overprotective of Joanna since she'd depended on him since her arrival to Pandora, not to mention the love he already held for her. Anaya caught the poor abuse on the vegetable when she turned away from a conversation with the others and groaned woefully to halt any further onslaught, "You mushed it."

Everyone turned to see him holding the broken cucumber and he apologized sincerely, placing the poor dead cucumber back inside the bag to close it. Great, he'd taken out his brief flicker of envy on a poor sea creature that didn't deserve it. The entire group headed inland to return home to deliver their fresh goods to the cooks for preparation but if they had enough, they could make their own bonfire to cook things and share. Joanna and Norm loved that wonderful aspect of na'vi culture since they could always break off from the clan circle after last meal to form their own small cozy circle in one of the areas designed to make fires for the night. His mood lifted when Joanna walked by his side rather than her clan siblings and she smiled warmly in regards to the ruined cucumber, "Well, we can slice it and add in vegetables."

"Learned your way into Atykwe cuisine, have you?" he joked gently with a reserved smile but hers was openly sincere with the fondness she held for him. She didn't mind if people knew of her affection for him because now, it was perfectly acceptable since they were both adults with their own rankings. Of course, they still had to keep with the social norms and avoid any lingering touches since that kind of behavior was best kept in the bedroom- er, hut or hammock, depending on the clan.

As they headed for shore over the uneven rocks, Tarazi failed to notice a dozing fish within a groove in the rocks of the shallow ends they treaded through and accidentally stepped over it. Unfortunately, this wasn't one of the slippery scaly fishes that left you with the sensation you'd stepped in something slimy but one that carried sharp jutting spines for protection against predators. Those same spines along its back cut into the bottom her foot instantly like a hot knife through butter as the soft skin was no match for its bony vertebrae. The huntress yelped with pain to the sharp sting along the sole of her foot as she moved her leg away quickly. The fish faded away into deeper water for refuge before another foot finished it off but Tarazi fell to her knees in the shallow water, the rocks scratching her knees as the wound brought serious pain and stained the crystal blue water with crimson.

"_Tarazi!"_

"Tarazi, are you all right?" Norm asked worriedly as he reached her side first and helped her raise her foot, revealing a long vertical gash down her foot that bled profusely. Immediately, Joanna sprung forth to open her satchel and retrieved her healing kit since she carried it everywhere she went. Tsu'tey leaned down to help Norm retrieve her from the water and settle her down on the dry portion of the rock to prevent the risk of an infection, her soft hisses revealing that she was in pain that only grew stronger with the passing seconds. With a sterilized vial of water, Joanna rinsed the wound clean of blood and opened one of the small clam shells in her pack to smear the jade healing salve on the cloth. Unfortunately, the bleeding wound kept dribbling rivulets over the ointment to wash it away and she pressed a clean cloth tightly against her foot to control the bleeding by applying pressure. This wasn't a simple wound that needed salve and a bandage slapped on to heal it but one that required experienced hands because it needed to be sealed quickly.

Xuret was certain of what specific fish had done the damage since he'd had an encounter during childhood and explained quickly, "That fish causes a lot of injuries on our shore if one isn't careful. We need to bring her to the healers to seal the wound to stop the bleeding and prevent any infection. Tsu'tey, help Norm carry Tarazi to the shore-"

"And keep her leg elevated" Joanna added in quickly to make sure gravity didn't play against Tarazi's own body as the two hunters moved her away from the shallow water. She felt humiliated for being bested by a fish of all creatures but slightly worried when the wound didn't stop bleeding as she originally expected.

"Joanna will fetch the closest healer to shore since moving her will worsen the bleeding with each movement" Arat ordered calmly as he motioned for Joanna to leave immediately and she nodded, taking Anaya by the hand as an extra set of eyes for help. The huntress followed without complaint and they headed off immediately to find a healer, any would do in sewing lacerations closed. Joanna hadn't begun sealing large cuts that bled profusely, using a small needle for quick stitches of the flesh and cursed her luck for being a few lessons short. Oh well, you can't win them all.

Norm helped ease Tarazi onto the sandy shore with careful hands, lifting her leg gently to force gravity to move her blood elsewhere _but_ the wound. He applied pressure to the cloth over her foot to clot the bleeding, keeping her foot tightly enveloped between both of his hands as he smiled sympathetically. Being the strong woman that she was, Tarazi bit down on her bottom lip to prevent her emotions from boiling to the surface because the pain was truly agonizing. It wasn't everyday your foot was sliced vertically down the middle in a long gash. Tsu'tey hoped this wouldn't portray him as a horrible protector since his first trip outside of the Omaticaya that brought an injured member back was not the best way to start the journeying process. Arat assured that as long as she kept her foot off the ground with the wound compressed, everything would be fine and guaranteed, "Don't worry, one of the healers will be here soon. You'll have to keep off your feet for a few days because you'll certainly need stitches."

"I can bear it, I've just gotten my first scar" she replied tightly as she kept biting down on her poor bottom lip to prevent the pain from controlling her. Being far away from home, she wasn't about to break down over a painful injury and glanced at Norm as the man tried his best to make her comfortable. He wasn't the first choice in the type of person she'd want by her side through a tough bind but he was taking rather good care of her. The man was nothing but helpful towards everyone he met and she could see why most people befriended the amicable hunter, leading her to sigh with reluctant admittance, "Although, it would've looked nicer elsewhere."

"Well, most women would be worried about infections or poison" Norm chuckled softly to her viewpoint and she scoffed, reminding him that she was a huntress's daughter that bore her scars proudly. Of course, that quick flicker of defiance faded away with another flash of pain and Tarazi admitted that she may have overlooked that fact. Thankfully, Xuret set their worries at ease when he informed that there were no poisonous fishes on their shores- only underwater predators. Norm decided to leave that open-ended question alone to live on in blissful ignorance to what lurked in the deep and humored Tarazi's claims, "You can show her the healing scar and embellish a few points about the event but, uh, your father might not be too happy."

"He does worry a lot, doesn't he?" she smiled faintly to her dear father's demeanor, his sweet temperament the complete opposite of hers. Yet, she adored him the most out of both parents- not that she'd ever rank them publicly- since he encouraged her with whatever endeavor her heart was set on. Being the oldest and only daughter, her father always worried for her safety and Tarazi often reminded him that hunting was her calling in life. What else could Eywa have in store for her? She gazed into the clear azure sky, leaning back against the soft sand with her injured foot in the air and suggested, "We'll call it a hunting scar. . .it will itch madly once it begins to heal."

"You'll most likely need to keep that foot covered for a while and with an injury like that, your hunting. . . ." Norm let the implication falter because Tarazi was ambitious when it came to her skills, determined to tap into her potential. He was satisfied with advancing his skills gradually, especially when most of his hunts required long-range weapons and his visual acuity was fine. Tarazi had a tendency to reach for perfection, a fallacy that nobody could live up to since everybody made mistakes. Being a casual acquaintance, Norm could never dare himself to point it out without damaging what progress he'd made but Tarazi was already perfect in his eyes. She was driven, a formidable huntress in the making, an unofficial bow crafter, and many other things that she didn't need to fuss over.

She frowned to her unfortunate mistake because a day without training would send her into a depression for the lack of improvement and sighed under her breath to look on the brighter side, "Well, I guess father won't mind my company. . .and I can entertain myself by making a few bows for him."

"You can recount your battle with the ferocious fish" he joked with a soft chuckle in an effort to shift her bad luck into a learning experience, leading her to snort at the idea. She'd been careless and failed to see the camouflaged fish in the water, a reminder to keep her senses sharp no matter where she was. Her first trip outside of the forest earned her a decently sized wound and hoped her father wouldn't fuss over it, a small smile hitching at her lips to her honest mistake. Leave it to a gorgeous landscape to bite her with one of its own creatures. . .she really hoped she hadn't crushed the poor fish since its body was a natural defense and held no ill will towards her. Now that she thought about it, it was rather humorous.

"Yes, I was valiant saving you from its clutches and bore the pain instead" she added in to chide him and he laughed to the image from the dramatic perception because it sounded exactly like her. Her demeanor could be distant and curt but she wouldn't fail to block an enemy from one of her people. She decided that she'd go ahead with that version for her parents, rather than the accidental slip of the foot and grinned smugly, "I do believe I saved you."

Norm didn't mind since her father would believe his daughter saved him after that embarrassing frog incident and shrugged his shoulders to allow the use of his idea, "Why not? When _I'm_ injured, I'll reap the favor."

Tsu'tey stared at the two with disbelief since the woman was bleeding out over the sand and questioned curtly, "Are you two joking over injuries?"

"_You've_ received ton of injuries and walked them off" Norm pointed out matter-of-factly since the man was near indestructible and could probably fight all of the Atykwe hunters without breaking into a sweat. He remembered reading his profile back in Hell's Gate and even then, the na'vi had not been a man he wanted to meet alone in the forest without knowing all of the different greetings in the polite form. Joanna had called Tsu'tey 'Sir Sourpuss' since every image captured within the forest always had him with a frown on his face and when he was encountered by diplomatic teams, the man scared them all off within a minute. Even when he was injured severely after falling off the Valkyrie, he managed to defy Joanna's help while bleeding from gunshot wounds. Simply put, the man was a fortress.

"I have age and experience" Tsu'tey justified swiftly because he fought with the ferocity of a thanator to survive and he'd trained for years to achieve his skills. He wore his physical scars with pride and didn't feel the need to joke about life-threatening injuries, keeping those memories in the back of his mind where they belonged. Hairline injuries that healed quickly were no problem to discuss with friends but those that were on the severe side, he reserved for Joanna and Mo'at only.

"Not to mention rank" Xuret added in as he glanced back at the trio while keeping an eye on the beach for Anaya and Joanna, hoping to see their little specks of a silhouette soon. Arat leaned down to adjust Norm's hold on Tarazi's foot since the ongoing conversation accidentally caused his gaze to stray away from the huntress. She aimed an irked glare for his slippery fingers because she'd hold the cloth herself if she could but he assured he'd keep his hand on it this time. Xuret glanced at the hissing duo, their ears slightly dipping at the man's piercing stare (and this was his _mild_ gaze, mind you) and he stated simply, "There's a reason experienced hunters have that rank and it isn't an easy road."

"Are you the lead hunter of this clan?" Norm asked curiously and Tarazi laid her head on the sand in dismay since hunters were taught to read the way others carried themselves rather than ask. Tsu'tey was spotted as the lead hunter by visitors when they noticed that he sat alongside the clan leaders, like most usually did, since he didn't dress elaborately to display his ranking which made it harder for anyone to guess his true status. From his end, Tsu'tey's hearing focused in on them because he wanted to know this answer as well because he wouldn't stand for any competition for Joanna's heart.

"No, that honor belongs to somebody else" he replied respectfully since he was happiest being an instructor to guide the new generation of his clan rather than leading. Tsu'tey found himself oddly pleased at this and although he doubted that Joanna would skitter off quickly with somebody else, the thought always lingered in his head due to the distance.

As if Eywa had heard his thoughts, Arat called out that the two women were returning with a healer in tow and Tarazi asked aloud with hesitance, "How many stitches will this need?"

"About four or so" Arat answered gently and his ears dipped sympathetically when the huntress frowned with worry on her features. Nobody was a fan of pain and having an injury on one's foot, which was liable to hit something since one needed it continuously for walking, would undoubtedly be bothersome. Tarazi hoped the injury would only leave her incapacitated for a few short weeks (hopefully one or two) rather than a lengthy recuperation period which would have her kicking herself for not being vigilant.

"I'm going to need something to bite down on" she requested dully because she wasn't looking forward to having a needle push through her torn flesh or the fact that she'd be off her foot for weeks. Lying on her back with a foot that bled was not how she'd wanted to spend the rest of her fabulous stay on the beach but at least the view was nice while it lasted.

The wound, however, was one souvenir she hadn't counted on bringing back home.

* * *

**A/N**: A little late on this one but a hectic life and a lengthening chapter forced me to slice it in half since it was reaching 40+ pages again. I'd originally expected for Tsu'tey's visit to last two chapters but it seems it will take more than that, especially with his explorations of the beach. The beach scene from the previous preview will be in the next chapter as I bring the trip to a conclusion- I promise this time- and Tsu'tey departs for home with his friends. As we can see, Tsu'tey is not giving up on Joanna and we have to bolster her resolve to maintain that same commitment.

_Dalonega Noquisi_: This volume is tougher on the two since it tests their love to see whether they are meant for each other.

_Xahraxs_: Yes, Leti is as cute as a button. I hadn't thought about Star Wars but since Tsu'tey will be visiting a lot and storytelling, why not?

_Arwenia_: The two have undoubtedly missed each other and have to sneak off to show that affection but it pokes at my heartstrings. Yes, the two ikran are quite similar to the two but they've somehow managed to mate without a care to what anyone thinks- they're that humorously daring. I love hearing music when I write my stories and 'I Love You Forever' was sweet for all settings while 'Vigil' was a hopeful tune I imagined the two with. Thank you for loving the story so much and I truly appreciate each review you've given since I started on this tale.

_Crystal_: I love smiley faces. XD

_CrissYami_: Thank you! I aim to please.

_Claycarole_: Yes, I've been trying my best at researching old cultures and incorporating items or foods that would match something on Pandora. . .but in a completely alien way. I love studying cultures (I actually wanted to study anthropology at one point in life) and I imagine the na'vi being very traditional after watching the film as they stick to their simplistic and nature respecting ways. And yes, Tsu'tey is definitely the tallest member there, which is why I want Leti to climb him like a mountain next time since the two make an adorable pair.

_Pint-sized She-Bear_: A tsaheylu bond joke with someone's butt will always strike humor, especially when it's somebody like Tsu'tey.

_Sweet Mink_: Take it slow like a sweet turtle and you'll get there. I tend to do an all-nighter when I find a good story though because I want to reach the current end. Either way, thank you for loving this story of mine because I truly appreciate it. . .I might just think of adding English as my minor in school.

_Babywhis_: Wow, two years! And to think that only one year has passed in the story with Joanna's and Tsu'tey's adventuring. I appreciate your dedication to check every day and the story isn't anywhere near ending.

_Dracoessa_: Ooh, that's a good idea. I could see that happening in an epilogue or history story since I'd imagine it would require members of both clans to follow

_IJ Girl_: Yay, I'm glad to hear from you. Joanna's been trying her best to fit into her new culture so being a model huntress, she'll be the most proper in public (especially with the matriarch present). I barely caught a glimpse of a baby na'vi during the exodus of the burning Hometree and the children Grace met were adorable so I wanted more of them, especially since Joanna loves them while Tsu'tey would rather run. Leti is simply cuteness and childish innocence rolled into one cute child that has managed to wrap Tsu'tey around her finger. As for the name, I go to a website that produces a list and I tweak them to bring a na'vi-like name since they seem to use a lot of vowels in their names (Mo'at, Tsu'tey, Neytiri, so on).

_Gabby_: Thanks, Tsu'tey and Joanna will be figuring out how to be together without hurting their clans in the process so it won't be an easy journey for the two. A pregnant Neytiri does make her seem sweeter than she already is and that baby will be gorgeous.

_Black Jack_: I'm frustrated too but we'll learn in the next chapter what would occur between a mating of two different clan people because as both of them said, they do not want to leave their people. I loved crafting Tsu'tey's family- Avi being the motherly worrier, Zika being the kind friendly aunt, and Nara the daringly direct one. The cousins will keep swarming poor Tsu'tey and Eight Waves is simply a popular game that is played among the Atykwe for fun as the winners win shells or other items to keep. Since the na'vi are very touch conscious and don't display affectionate behavior in public, yes, Joanna has a lot of willpower because she was aching to get her man somewhere quiet to admit her bottled up feelings.

_IgnitingFireworks_: Thank you, I love it when readers check out my other tales! As for the idea, I didn't like Tsu'tey's end in the film because the poor guy deserved a good happy ending (not too Disney-esque). I love exploring outside the storyline like I have with other stories- namely District 9 and Assassin's Creed- and wanted to include another clan to expand Cameron's world. For the Omaticaya lifestyle, I've taken inspiration from my mother's village since they've been very simplistic and I love using natural items without chemical ingredients in everyday life (shampoos, lotions, food, beverages) so I decided to create a few items and herbs to match those on Earth. I envy those pearly white teeth of theirs. For the Atykwe, I'm still crafting everything I can by looking into seafaring cultures.

* * *

**Next Time**:

It was quiet in Zika's household and the adults were readying for bed, the children gone to sleep a while ago. It had been easy for his uncle Rafil to put the boys to bed as they muttered sleepily about pa'li and thanators, knowing they'd tell him all about it when morning came. Tsu'tey had said his farewells to each of his relatives during the day, finding himself dismayed when they handed him bundles of gifts to take home to keep with him. It was nice to be fussed over because he hadn't felt it in years since his grandmother's passing and had almost beamed to the family doting. He'd embraced the young boys when they handed him seashells since it was all they had to offer and he promised to take care of them, chuckling when Leti handed him her hairband when she had nothing to offer. Zika had chuckled in amusement when she watched him braid Leti's hair and use the headband to keep it in place, tucking her into bed as she held a purple pa'li doll. He'd yet to say his farewells to her and his uncle since they had generously given him a bed for the two days he'd been there, wishing he didn't have to say goodbye so soon. He found it cruelly humorous since he'd been insistent to remain at the Omaticaya Kelutral or keep his visit short but in the end, longed for more time to spend with his family.

He finished tying his belongings into one large bundle, wondering if Swizav would hiss to its size since the ikran had expected to fly freely on the return trip home. After his disobedience on leaving Xeki alone, Tsu'tey decided that it would teach his amorous ikran a lesson or two. His heart was heavy as each twist of the leather binds to his packs sealed away the last minutes left to him on the coast and allowed his shoulders to slump in a brief moment of melancholy.

"Are you all right, child?" Zika's soft voice called within the quiet hut, the night providing the faint sound of crashing waves but chirping insects lacked in this area of the coast. Hours ago, it had been filled with laughter as his aunts and uncles regaled him with stories of the past while his young cousins listened in until Tsu'tey created his 'story time' circle.

He turned around quietly, leaving the pack on the floor since it was tightly sealed to keep even the most curious child at bay, and offered a faint smile that he couldn't uphold, "I didn't think I'd find myself quite taken with the shore, with the clan, with all of you. I was nervous upon arrival but as the hours passed, I felt like another resident wandering the land- especially with the other hunters and the children."

"You can always return here anytime, Tsu'tey" she smiled kindly as her heart went out to the only member of their family that lived outside the Atykwe, wishing the young hunter wasn't alone in the Omaticaya. She'd had to stop Avi from asking the poor boy from moving to the coast as her older sister's heart wanted to shield and love Tsu'tey like a doting mother to make up for the lost time that he lacked a motherly figure. Nara, of course, assured he was fine because he had the Omaticaya matriarch keeping an eye on him but Avi was insistent that he needed a motherly hand caring for him. Akhil had humored her by saying he could have one of the breeders teach her how to care over the pa'li so she could dote on them instead but she'd shooed his jesting away.

Rafil returned from the boys' sectioned area with toys in his arms since his youngsters left them all over the place and he wanted to avoid a trip to the floor or a sprained ankle. He dropped them in a nearby empty wicker basket to keep them stored safely and smiled at his nephew to ask pleasantly, "Ready for your return trip home?"

"He wants to stay" Zika cooed softly with a knowing smile that caused Tsu'tey's ears to flatten modestly as she yanked the truth from his mind and voiced it. She found her nephew to be quite the polite gentleman and had enjoyed his company as she learned everything she'd missed in the past years. Her brother would be proud of his child and she'd do anything she could to keep him happy after the losses he endured in his past. She pointed towards the bedrooms in the back of the hut and smiled caringly to entice, "Rafil and I would have no issue making you a bed within the boys' room since they love you already. We love altering our huts as the seasons pass and you're most welcome to it when you return."

His heart was torn when he swallowed the words of acceptance to her offer because it was tempting.

"I. . .I wanted to thank you for allowing me to stay here, your hospitality has been incredibly touching" Tsu'tey admitted respectfully since he'd never expected to share a room with his endearing cousins. His anxiousness at meeting all of them had turned to heartwarming love as he found peace alongside those that shared his same bloodline. He'd shared whatever time he could with each of them to learn more about them, already having a list of items to bring back to the coast for them, and sighed softly, "I regret not visiting sooner or longer. . .but I will. I'm already missing the family and have yet to leave."

"We're glad to see you happy, Tsu'tey, and I don't think the children will allow me to say no on temporary housing" she chuckled softly since her children had failed to stop talking about their 'hero' cousin that fought a thanator. Leti's pronunciation of new words had slurred into babbles that had her laughing as her little toddler squealed happily about her new friend that promised to bring her a toy next time. Zika had become quite attached to little Tsu'tey when he visited, eager for a playmate since she'd been the youngest in the family, and now her daughter found the same with him. She gazed at her mate with a somber smile before glancing at her nephew to voice faintly, "They will miss you."

"We _all_ will so take care of yourself on the return home, Tsu'tey" Rafil smiled kindly as he placed a supporting hand on his mate's upper back and knew they'd be answering many questions in the morning. Tsu'tey assured everything would be fine since airborne predators didn't wander near the coast but they'd stay watchful upon approaching the interior of the forest.

"Tsu-Tsu?" Leti's high-pitched voice popped in from the shadows as she'd awoken to find her mother missing in her sleeping spot alongside her. Seeing that her father was gone from their bed as well, she'd set out to find them inside the hut with a sleepy mind. Her eyes fell upon the prepared bags of travel next to Tsu'tey as he stood near the closed entrance of their hut and immediately, the sleep left her foggy mind. Was Tsu-Tsu leaving them now? Why hadn't anybody told her? She scampered forward to cling onto his right leg to keep him rooted in his spot and whimpered woefully, "Tsu-Tsu, no! Stay!"

Tsu'tey patted the top of her head as he sensed her apprehension, wrapping the brown blanket she held in one hand around her shoulders to keep her warm. Her little fingers remained clamped on his lower leg, refusing to budge and he soothed gently, "I am, calm your little heart. It's time to sleep, Leti."

"I see Tsu-Tsu tomorrow?" Leti asked hopefully, her eyes shining with hope that he was there to stay with their family and pushed back the tears that threatened to blur her sight. Tsu'tey hated to lie to the endearing child but it would hurt him to see her cry, kneeling down to embrace her tightly as he lied. How could he? It pulled at his heartstrings to see her clutching him in desperation with her small stature while holding an oversized blanket. Her bright eyes pierced the dim lighting of the hut as she smiled toothily, "Tsu-Tsu goes to beach with us?"

"Yes, but I need you to sleep because it helps little girls grow faster and stronger" he smiled forlornly because he'd be gone by sunrise while she would sleep in Eywa's embrace, being none the wiser to the truth. Leti promised she'd go to sleep right away, hugging him tightly one last time before scampering off with the large blanket to return to bed. Rafil followed her to make sure his little one didn't trip and hurt herself, Tsu'tey's ears dipping with disappointment that neither would see each other tomorrow to walk around the shore. He was struck with intense guilt and shame for not being able to make her wishes come true but hopefully, the pain would pass.

Zika thinned her lips solemnly since her daughter would undoubtedly cry once tomorrow came and discovered that Tsu'tey would not be staying with them. Her little one did grow very attached to her loved ones, no matter how far they lived, and would comfort her heart.


	39. Dream For Tomorrow

**Inspired By**: _Two Steps From Hell- "After The Fall" _(I adored this piece while writing the chapter and the link is in my profile page- ffnet brought links back! Yay!)

* * *

**Dream For Tomorrow**

* * *

"Why? Why would you do this to me?"

"H-sssss."

"I don't know whether to be outraged or disappointed."

Swizav lowered his wings to fan them over the white sand in a submissive maneuver, lowering his head to drape his neck over Tsu'tey's shoulder in the ikran version of a hug. Being the dominant male that he was, he didn't attempt to envelop his rider in his wings for a heartfelt affectionate hug since he believed he'd done no wrong. Of course, he didn't want his partner mad and tried his best to sway him.

Tsu'tey wasn't amused by his apologetic eyes or body language, knowing his ikran rather well after years of bonding, and stated dryly, "You and I both know that tactic failed to work two years into our partnership."

The azure ikran hissed softly as his attempt failed, rearing back on his legs as he moved away from the hunter but bumped his forehead against his for one more try. Since he lacked vocal chords to voice verbal words, body language and signals were the only forms of communication left for him. Tsu'tey gave him a freebie and initiated tsaheylu so he could get to the bottom of what occurred earlier in the canopies. He had managed to tear his amorous partner away from Xeki as he took him to the shoreline where his little cousins played at the shore while he sported the role of babysitter for the first time in his life. Being a hunter, he was never required to be in the vicinity of children unless they were in danger but his cousins tagged along eagerly to spend time with him- even if he didn't talk most of the time.

The children had been awed to see his ikran, asking how many battles he'd seen and whether he could fly straight into the sun. Swizav found himself easily endeared with the children's questions, mostly because they concerned him, and Tsu'tey promised they'd get to pet him after he finished having a private talk. This was code for 'ikran in trouble' to the children after hearing the same tone in their parents' voice whenever they did something wrong. They had obeyed their eldest cousin when he told them to stay on the shore to play in the shallow water while staying within his sights. Toddlers were endlessly curious about the world and he wouldn't allow anything to happen to Leti on his watch, keeping a keen eye on each of the four.

Tsu'tey faced his ikran with a stiff posture that demanded clear cut answers for what happened early in the morning and Swizav could only state truthfully, _I found my mate. She infuriated me yesterday with her arrogance but after sunset, I found her traveling the canopies- she's not very stealthy yet. Apparently, her rider insisted she offer the same hospitality as the clan and I realized she wasn't as mean as I originally assumed-_

_It was her size, wasn't it?_, Tsu'tey questioned with a hint of mirth because his ikran tended to steer towards larger females and Joanna's almost matched him in size. Swizav shuffled his legs innocently on the sand, his talons sinking deeper into the gravel as he rebuffed the accusation (which was unfortunately true). Like a father that had discovered his child courting without permission, he lectured sternly, _I hope you found a profound understanding with her or both Joanna and I will not be happy about this._

_She was mean, I didn't like that at all, but. . .she treated me nicely afterwards,_ his ikran explained as best he could with his limited vocabulary (which was shaped according to each rider) and Tsu'tey listened intently to give him the respect to speak openly. His wings fluttered against the sand and flecks flew into the air from the force and he admitted carefully, _She was on guard due to the new strangers and my curious sniffing didn't help matters- it wasn't my fault she kept a bundle of my favorite leaves in there. She likes chasing the lizards that trail through branches, that's how I managed to spot her in the first place. After a few terse words about my necklace and her size, we made peace to honor our riders and. . .I became rather taken with her._

_Joanna and I aren't very happy about it, especially after witnessing your union in broad daylight_, Tsu'tey chastised with a fatherly frown since he expected his ikran to be a little more careful about being spotted. Whenever he found him trailing after Seze, the two had hidden within the canopies to do whatever ikran did that didn't require mating and Tsu'tey had been absolutely fine with it. _You haven't known each other very long-_

_We don't need to, ikran operate very differently than your kind_, Swizav intervened matter-of-factly since his partner's people took years- sometimes decades- to find their rightful partner. For ikran, scent and body language signaled a quick response when an invitation to mate was offered rather than beating around the bush. After spending a few hours together, ikran learned all they needed from prospective partners and he'd released his pheromones in the morning to display his interest in the sapphire ikran. The puzzled expression on Tsu'tey's face brought the ikran amusement and he deliberated, _Her scent didn't repel me in the slightest and she approved of my own scent as well while playing a game with the other ikran. In the morning, she demanded I prove myself after initiating mating intentions and I won the challenge quite easily- her dodging needs work. Everything else, you already know._

_I do hope you didn't mate enough times to have chicks soon?_, the hunter questioned stiffly because Joanna deserved to train a childless Xeki for a few more months but his ikran shuffled his legs in the sand once more. He and Swizav shared many similarities but when children were concerned, they ran on two different wavelengths as Swizav wanted an entire _flock_ of chicks trailing behind him. Tsu'tey knew avoidance when he saw the shifts in body language and stated amusingly, _If Xeki doesn't approve of that, I will not stand in the way of her chasing after you for heckling._

He disconnected the bond to pat his partner on top of the head, hoping that somewhere else in Kelutral, Joanna was also lecturing Xeki. Despite his tough love lecture, he wanted his ikran to live happily and if this was what he desired (along with Xeki), he would abide by it. He whistled sharply to catch the attention of the youngsters frolicking in the water, the boys playfully wrestling while Leti splashed the wet sand gleefully, and called out to beckon them,"All right, children, who wants to meet an Omaticayan ikran?"

The unanimous rabble was deafening as all the four children scampered from the shoreline with haste to where the ikran stood, their small feet kicking up clumps of wet sand as they eagerly met the hunter. The ikran had evaded territorial outsiders, a toruk, strange tawtute birds, but tiny little na'vi was something he hadn't planned for. Swizav closed his wings tightly to prevent any sudden yanks from their little hands on the sensitive skin, sniffing each of them for recognition since Tsu'tey deemed them worthy to approach him. He'd never met Tsu'tey's family members since their bond formed after the passing of his parents and grandmother so they were the first he was seeing. Although he was a little taken aback by their giddy behavior, their comments placated any sudden nervousness.

"He's so big!"

"And pretty!"

"Look at his claws!"

"He's soft, warmer than a pa'li!"

Sifu had been the bravest of the bunch and touched the top of Swizav's head as his neck lowered to peer at the bundle of children, his stiff posture slacking when he saw that the large ikran would do no harm. Keron, being the shyest, stuck to the safest place next to Tsu'tey and patted the ikran over his folded wing as he admired the various contrasting colors. He wasn't brave enough to venture closer and smiled modestly when Tsu'tey patted the top of his head in reassurance, letting him know the choice was all right. Sìlpey smiled gleefully as he decided that being breathed on by Swizav's spiracles was the best thing ever, rubbing the underside of his neck in thanks for allowing him to stand there. For Swizav, it was of no hindrance since the small children allowed him to lay on the sand without brushing any of their heads with his neck. Leti gazed at the ikran with uncertainty since she'd never seen one up close, always eyeing them from afar as they sunbathed on the rock hill, and Tsu'tey's guaranteed gently, "He won't bite, I promise."

His word was good enough for her and she approached the ikran, biting into a round violet fruit Tsu'tey had picked for her from a tree. The small toddler ate just about anything without bias, leading Tsu'tey to lecture her a few times when she'd tried to sample a few items from the sea that weren't edible. To pacify her curiosity, he'd given her a suitable alternative for the day's outing and he chuckled softly when she took the fruit away from her lips and held it up to Swizav. Pa'li were always happy for treats and since ikran had sharp teeth, her young mind assumed that he could eat whatever she could. After all, wouldn't large teeth be capable of eating anything? Maybe he could eat wood too? Or shells?

Swizav eyed Leti, blinking to her strange offering of food and tried to find a way to communicate that he couldn't eat it. Well, yes, their diets allowed sugary foods once in a while in a treat but he wanted the little girl to finish her fruit. Leaning down, he nudged her small hand back towards her and licked her on the cheek to show his appreciation of her kind gesture. The little toddler giggled loudly rather than yelped to the sudden action, pointing to the ikran with bright eyes to exclaim happily, "He likes me!"

Tsu'tey couldn't help but laugh boisterously when she hopped sloppily on her feet, leaning forward to hug the ikran around his snout without fear as she babbled mispronounced words of affection. Swizav could only look to his rider for help but Tsu'tey was going to milk this opportunity after the embarrassment he endured by watching him mate for the first time. The ikran's wings slumped on the ground in defeat as he became the toy of the day for the four children, his four eyes widening to their fullest when the boys grabbed his long tail to study it with curiosity.

"I bet he swatted tawtute with this!"

Well, maybe it wouldn't too bad to be fawned over this time.

* * *

"Story Time with Tsu-Tsu is in session!"

Tsu'tey aimed a small glare towards Joanna for the horrible name to the campfire story time he'd made for the children at the request of Zika (after the children goaded her into asking). After last meal, Wätu and Joanna had built a fire near Zika's house to keep the children close while the young ones had brought leftover snacks from last meal to eat for their hour-long gathering since the kids had been insistent about hearing all of his adventures. Tsu'tey had brought a few items that would help bring realism to his tales by reenacting a few parts as a different character. Norm and Tarazi had decided to join them for the tales since she was now declared bedridden and been given a cane to help her walk around as her foot had been covered by a cloth (Joanna's handy socks were also in use) to protect it from debris. The first laugh from Norm's mouth when he saw her sluggish movements earned him a whack to his lower back but she'd found someone who was kind enough to watch over her.

"Tsu-Tsu!" Leti echoed joyfully with a happy clap of her hands and Tsu'tey knew that name would never leave her memory; it was simply to catchy. The boys repeated the name with humorous grins and Wätu joined by waving his hands to encourage them, earning him another glare from the hunter.

"We'll begin with a tale about a fan lizard that I was trying to catch for a certain woman in my clan and the falls that can happen when going about it at night" Tsu'tey began with an amusing smile since the children wanted a few on animals and he found the story quite humorous. Joanna sat with Leti in her lap as the young girl was transfixed with his story already but the older woman had yet to hear about that particular night when he'd tried to find her a gift to show his true feelings. He wasn't the type to sit and account the whole experience, choosing to act out certain scenes to awe his audience. His gaze briefly met Joanna's before sweeping over their small camp and began his tale, "I had found myself drawn to a peculiar woman that had at first irritated me to a great end. . .but simple understanding broke away our misconceptions of each other. I had decided it was time to make my feelings clear and decided a gift would speak better than anything I could say- I'm not the best speaker on emotional matters."

"You're doing pretty well now" Wätu grinned from his spot as he snacked on a banana fritter and groaned in complaint when Sìlpey swiped one from his plate when he wasn't looking. Tsu'tey ignored the comment because yes, he was a great communicator but emotions always eluded him in their translation from his mind to his lips- not to mention interpretation at times.

"You do get mad when you lose your catch" Norm piped in with an impish grin and Joanna chuckled from the other end since she had witnessed his angry snaps when the fish slipped his grasp.

Tsu'tey hissed at the two to cease their side conversation and stood erect as he stated snippily, "This is story time, not a discussion."

"Stowee thyme!" Leti agreed with a squeak as she spoke with a mouthful of banana fritters. Joanna gently reminded her to swallow before speaking to make sure she didn't choke, smiling warmly when the little toddler listened and Leti smiled broadly in return.

"I decided that since she liked wildlife- fan lizards, in particular- that I would catch one for her so she could hold one for a few minutes" he confessed and Joanna's eyes locked onto his for further clarification because this was the first time hearing of it. He held her gaze for a few seconds to let her know this was new information that would shed light on their past and continued, "My olo'eyktan lent his aid after helping me find the perfect idea and we were off to the fan lizard fields. We found many of different colors- red, blue, orange, even yellow!"

Leti oohed with awe and chirped with a toothy smile, "Yellow?"

He chuckled to her bright face and confirmed, "Especially yellow, little Leti. Unfortunately, the fan lizards proved too fast for us and we were driven to forage in the night for the little critters. I tried to grasp one but it scurried further into the plants and I spotted a reddish one to my left so I decided to lunge towards it but instead of catching it, I scratched my arms when it managed to squeeze through my fingers. My olo'eyktan came close to catching another but he fell into a ditch the tapiri had dug up for roots and called it a night when he hurt the foot he landed on. As for me. . .well, I fell down the hill."

Wätu, Norm, and the boys burst into laughter immediately to his tone, especially when his shoulders slumped and he imitated tumbling down with his hands playing the hill and his falling form. Leti laughed only when he made shadows over the sand with his hand, pointing happily as she told Joanna about the shadow puppets. Joanna smiled widely with a sheepish dip in her ears at knowing her dear hunter had literally fallen down a hill in an attempt to catch a fan lizard. Tsu'tey quieted the laughter by waving his hands and moved onwards with the tale, "Eywa decided to take pity on Her humbled child and while I lay there on the grass with scratched limbs, a small young lizard walked right in front of me. Wasting no time, my reflexes outmatched their inexperience with life and I caught him in my hands while keeping him carefully safe. Fan lizards don't bite unless they feel threatened and they like the darkness so it was completely protected. With my gift in hand, I headed back to Kelutral to find that special woman to find. . .that she was on her way to see the singers with other residents and I couldn't simply hand her the gift publicly. I could have surprised her but imposing myself would be rude and in the end, I found a better way to admit my feelings in the same field where I almost sprained a wrist. When you meet your rightful partner, you want this exchange of sentimentality to be private and between you."

Looking at the children, he smiled widely, "Like with your sa'nu and sempu, they save their best hugs and kisses when you're all together at home as a family."

"And the lizard?" Keron asked modestly as he sat between Joanna and his brother, the tips of his ears darkening as his shy demeanor peaked through.

"He was released back into the wild" Tsu'tey assured kindly because no lizards were harmed in his search for the perfect 'I find you endearing' gift. The boys and Leti smiled instantly at knowing the little critter was safe while Joanna tried to place him in that point in time he'd admitted- how had she not realized he'd been trying to give her a gift? Had she been a little dazed in the head or extremely busy because there would've been no way she could've denied it. Even now, he melted her heart into a puddle of sweet goo. He clapped his hands to regain their attention and spoke enthusiastically, "This next story is more dramatic. It takes place within the forest during a talk between our dear Joanna and I so I will need her help in retelling this."

She blinked rapidly as she was taken aback by the request since she'd tagged along to be near his vicinity and enjoy their company. Leti didn't want to lose her animate chair but she wanted to hear this new story very much, leading her to stretch her hands out towards Wätu so he could become the next chair. Unfortunately, the seat was filled by Keron since he usually fell asleep first during a campfire so Leti stood up to squeeze herself between Sìlpey and Wätu to keep herself cozy. Joanna smiled fondly towards the small girl, sharing a look with Tsu'tey that immediately told his mind that she wanted an exact copy for her own. If he could've granted her that wish that very night without worries, he would've.

Joanna stood up to close the distance between them and smiled at them as she asked perkily, "So, what story will we be telling, great Omaticayan advisor?"

"I prefer hunter but we'll be retelling our encounter. . .with the mighty thanator!" he divulged with an awed voice to the ominous beast that many feared and the boys quickly piped up eagerly that it simply _had_ to be told. Leti's small ears flattened because she didn't like hearing about large dangerous animals, preferring cute and playful types of the wild. Norm, Wätu, and Tarazi shared the boys' eager expressions because they'd never known anyone that had encountered the beast (Norm was the exception but he wanted Tsu'tey's take on it). Joanna chuckled to their different array of emotions and Tsu'tey grinned to settle down their rabble, beginning his tale with a bleak tone, "My dear friend had become quite mad at me earlier in the day over a matter that I didn't fully perceive and searched for her to clarify it. Unfortunately, I didn't count on her outrunning me. . ."

He motioned for her to carry on with the story and she couldn't help but fall into the playful ambience as she resumed the old storyteller role she'd had at the Omaticaya, "Joanna refused to listen to her friend, casting caution to the wind as she headed away from Kelutral. This would prove to be a fatal mistake for any resident that fails to listen to their elders, just as Joanna did. She disregarded the rules, believing herself to be correct but within a few minutes, she saw the error of her ways. In front of her, as plain as day, stood a mighty thanator whose cunning yellow eyes had targeted her as the enemy and food."

Tsu'tey took this chance to silently excuse himself and headed behind a conveniently placed tree he'd picked out so he could don his costume for the interactive portion of the story. The boys liked adventure and a subtle non-dangerous shock would entertain their mind as he taught them about the deadly animals of the forest. With a crafty smile, he opened his satchel to begin quick transformation into the thanator.

"His teeth were as large as her hand, white and glinting against the sunlight as they bared dangerously at the misfortunate Joanna but she was frozen in place from fear" she continued with a discouraged tone and hugged herself as she shook with feigned fear but back then, she had been paralyzed by the massive beast. Tsu'tey smiled as the children gasped to the comparison, dabbing black paint over his entire face all the way down to his collarbone to transform his skin into that of the thanator. The small brown clam he'd grabbed held two different colors of paint, black and white, which he'd nabbed from his uncle Akhil's shop when he dropped by to ask for washable paint. He wanted the children to remember his animated story time and Joanna helped with her believable acting, "She had no moment to think and her instinct yelled to run, and so she did. The thanator, however, wasn't about to let the small na'vi escape it and gave chase with its powerful legs that outmatched her smaller ones while roaring with an echo that could be heard for miles."

"Oh no" Keron whimpered sadly because he didn't want anyone to be eaten and Joanna almost smiled through her feigned look of fear because she was just fine after the encounter. Leti's arms wrapped around Wätu for protection because the animal sounded incredibly fearsome to her already and never wanted to hear it.

"Joanna tried to find the quickest spot to hide, wedging herself into a tight nest of roots under a tree but the thanator found her quickly" she said helplessly and slashed at the air to imitate the moment when the thanator tried to rip her web of roots open. Tsu'tey grabbed a thin blanket from his satchel to wrap it around his shoulders, tying the ends together behind his neck to make him costume credible. After the story, he'd wipe his face clean with his canteen of water before he scared any residents but for now. . .he donned a white mouth of painted fangs and a black face that resembled a thanator's.

His last touch would be the feathers that resembled the animal's quills and retrieved them to begin inserting them into his braided hair as Joanna continued dramatically, "It was desperate to find its meal and that allowed Tsu'tey to sneak behind it because a valiant warrior never leaves one of its own behind. He called the attention of the thanator in any way that he could by yelling, throwing rocks, and using an arrow that finally managed to grab its attention. It didn't like being attacked and although it wanted to swallow Joanna for food, this new na'vi had suddenly become interesting. Tsu'tey ordered Joanna to keep hidden as he played the new bait, running away with the monster barreling behind him as he headed away from Joanna to protect her. He was a courageous man for that act alone but now, he needed to find a good spot to lose the creature. . .but where?"

"A cave!"

"A tree!"

"Play dead!"

"Initiate a courting dance!"

The last comment from Wätu had Tsu'tey planning another glue incident but laughed at the ridiculous idea, the children giggling alongside the young hunter as they stopped adding ideas. Leti had absolutely no idea what a courting dance even was but the jovial mood brought laughter to her lips and clapped happily for joining in their mood. Joanna struggled through bouts of laughter to continue with the tale since interacting with the audience attracted Wätu's good jokes, "The mighty warrior decided to head for a nearby cliff that overlooked a strong river that trailed for quite a distance, hoping he could elude the animal by climbing down the cliff to trick it."

"And as Tsu'tey finally breached into open land where a tall cliff overlooked the mighty surging river, he sighed with relief that he was alone but Joanna was still out there" Joanna continued with a dramatic frown on her lips to stir the emotions of the children, watching as their lips parted with a small gasp of suspense. Tsu'tey smiled from his hiding spot behind the tree, adjusting the last feathers in his hair before his new character debut into the story. She placed the back of her left hand across her forehead to feign worry, sighing towards the sky as she lamented, "He didn't know whether to call for Joanna since the thanator had been right on his heels, wondering-"

Tsu'tey decided to reenter the story at this point (just as the real thanator had) by roaring his sudden arrival as the fearsome thanator as his cyan face was covered entirely in black paint and purple/yellow avian feathers had been stuck into his braided hair to resemble the quills of the creature. He'd pulled his braids back into a high ponytail to keep his facial appearance similar to the thanator, adding painted white fangs to the sides of his mouth to fake the appearance of the mighty jaws when he 'roared' at his cousins. For an extra dash at realism, he'd wrapped a thin black blanket around his shoulders that he'd borrowed from his aunt Nara as she'd been more than happy that he was keeping the children happy. Joanna jumped in surprise to the dark paint as his golden eyes contrasted greatly with a predatory gleam and the children yelped in fear to the thanator's return, apprehensive to whom it was until they noticed his Omaticayan garb.

The boys cheered in excitement a second later to his quickly donned costume and Wätu clapped with satisfaction to the believable face paint, loving a good action story concerning dangerous wildlife. Tarazi flinched to the sudden change in Tsu'tey's appearance, her hands instinctively reaching out for Norm's left arm but she stopped short as she realized the reaction. He allowed the action to slide without saying anything but her flattened ears were a giveaway to her abashed feelings. Unfortunately, one little heart couldn't decipher fact from fiction and Leti began to sob fearfully from her spot between her brothers as Tsu'tey's painted face and tied black blanket around his shoulders startled her. She didn't want to get eaten by the mighty thanator and cried shrilly for her mother, crystalline tears falling from her widened eyes as she curled into a tiny ball in a feeble attempt to hide.

Joanna stopped her story immediately as Tsu'tey's getup had managed to strike real fear into the young child and leaned down to pick Leti up, rubbing her bare back soothingly as she cried. Her heart couldn't bear to hear the soft fearful sobs as it twisted a dagger in that muscle, gently stroking her little limbs to settle their shaking and hummed softly to distract her fears. Leti whimpered weakly about not wanting to be eaten by monsters and Joanna assured she'd never let anything happen, holding her protectively to ensure Leti that she was safe on the beach. Her little tail curled around her left foot and Joanna cupped her pudgy legs under one arm to allow her body warmth to assure her that there was no imminent danger and turned towards Tsu'tey with a frown fit for any mother. The hunter aimed an innocent smile towards her to score a few pity points since it wasn't his intent to scare a child but the white paint around his mouth made the smile seem shark-like and she sighed softly, "Your aunt Zika's going to rip into you for scaring poor Leti."

"I didn't think she'd cry but I've told you numerous times that it happens with me, you know that" he nagged fussily about his discomfort around children since he always tended to do something wrong but was struck with guilt at seeing little Leti cry. She was a sweet bubbly child that followed after him with caring loyalty and didn't want any harm to come to her, especially by his hand. Walking over to where she cried on Joanna's shoulder, he ran a hand over her ebony hair and soothed gently, "Leti, it's me. There's no thanator to hurt you."

"I've seen a thanator and trust me, Tsu'tey's _definitely_ scarier" Norm tried to soothe the frightened Leti by lightening the mood somewhat but it only helped for the boys when they began asking numerous questions. Even Tarazi quirked a brow at this since she'd never heard about it. He quickly explained the story to the boys, Wätu, and Tarazi while Tsu'tey and Joanna played surrogate parents to a crying infant.

Leti clung to Joanna with a weak whimper since Tsu'tey was pretty fearsome to an innocent toddler and curled against her when she caught sight of the horrible paint on his face. He pulled out the feathers from his hair to shed the entire costume and untied the blanket from his shoulders to place it over Joanna's shoulders to cover Leti cozily to stop her frightened shivering. He fetched a cloth from his satchel and wiped his right cheek clean of the paint to show his true cyan skin tone underneath, tapping a finger against it to point out, "See? There's no bad thanator under here. Look at the feathers, would you like one?"

One tear-stained eye opened slowly to cautiously peek to the new change and he placed a feather into her hair. She recognized the man under the makeup, the familiar blue skin with white bioluminescent dots, knowing he'd never bring in a thanator to eat her and sniffled softly for reassurance, "Tsu-Tsu?"

Although he hated the humorous nickname, he bore it for her sake and spoke softly since smiling would frighten her further, "Yes, it's Tsu-Tsu. I'm sorry for scaring you, I'd never let a monster touch a single hair of yours."

He squeezed her cheek gently as her little round face melted his heart in a way he'd never felt before and his gaze softened towards her. The toddler was incredibly adorable and he found himself loving his little cousin like no other child, opening himself to the idea that children weren't as bad as he originally thought. Of course, the snickering of the three boys about the nickname was another matter. She smiled brightly at casting aside the assumption that he'd been a big bad thanator and giggled softly with affection, "Tsu-Tsu!"

Her little hands patted his smeared cheeks enthusiastically that he'd been there the whole time and Wätu laughed with amusement as he sipped his drink, "Well, that was more suspenseful than Tsu'tey the thanator."

"You were frightened, admit it" Tsu'tey laughed to chide his cousin and the hunter scoffed, chuckling along with him. Wätu was in fact astonished by the story itself because nobody from his clan had ever met such a fearsome creature and only heard the tales passed down from personal accounts. Thanators prowled the forest of the Omaticaya only since the heavy foliage concealed it to be perfect predator and would never wander to their open land where salty water was contained.

"I think Tsu'tey's scarier than the thanator itself with that paint" Norm chuckled since he'd never seen him dress in such a way and Wätu agreed immediately, leading Tsu'tey to hiss at them both for their jesting.

Leti continued to rub the paint off his face because she didn't want to see an ugly scary thanator but he stopped her before her entire little hands became black. He was pretty sure his aunt Zika didn't want to see tiny handprints spread all over their hut as a new decoration pattern. He wrapped an arm around her to embrace her as she told him to never be a thanator again and caused Joanna to laugh at her insistence, leading him to promise he wouldn't. Releasing her into Joanna's embrace, he squeezed her little hands with affection as they no longer shook with fear and smiled kindly to soothe any lingering worries, "Now, we will conclude the story and remember that thanators can _never_ breach this land."

Wätu gazed at the skeptical boys since thanators were said to be pretty big and ferocious, leading the hunter to confirm, "He's right. They are _Tsu'tey's_ problem entirely."

Tsu'tey threw a dried sea sponge at his unshaved head, causing everyone to laugh when it bounced off into the sand and he smiled brightly when Leti giggled cheerfully to the sight. For the first time, he enjoyed telling his tales as he felt that unspoken bond with his family. They were there for him and he would do the same if danger ever arose to harm a hair on their heads.

After wiping off his makeup, Tsu'tey indulged the children in three more tales that didn't include dangerous animals as he spoke about his first days with Aci and other creatures that lived primarily in the forest. Norm and Tarazi left early when the medicinal drought she'd been drinking for the pain kicked in with the sleepy side effects and she'd bid adieu to them all. By the end, Keron fell asleep while Leti was no longer afraid of beasts lurking in the dark forest and Wätu took the youngest children in his arms back to their huts as the older two followed. They thanked Tsu'tey politely for the stories and the hunter warmly stated that it was his pleasure as he extinguished the campfire while Joanna packed their things away. He decided to trail by the shore for a few minutes before heading inside for his final night among the Atykwe, dipping his feet in the cold water as the tide gently lapped at his feet.

"Can you promise me something?" Joanna asked softly as she accompanied him since his trip ended tomorrow and he agreed, glancing to his left to hear her request. The ethereal glow of the night highlighted the bioluminescent dots along her hairline and he brushed his thumb across her temple in affection, bringing a smile to her face as she stated amusingly, "Never and I mean _never_, dress up when you tell children stories. They'll be prone to nightmares with your costumes, you frightened me for a few seconds until I recognized your hairstyle."

"Can you promise me that Leti will stop calling me Tsu-Tsu?" he asked dryly to the infectious nickname that had spread through the family like wildfire and she batted the back of his leg with her tail. Leti's name brought an instant grin to her face as it clashed horribly against his warrior persona but nobody would deny her fun and Tsu'tey already loved the little toddler like a sister. Joanna chuckled to hearing him say the nickname, her feet brushing against his as they walked through the shallow water and she wrapped an arm around his slim waist to lean against him. This was the last night to reap the benefits of being his unofficial significant other and wanted to seize that moment, chuckling when he stated matter-of-factly, "Until that happens, my costumes will stay and they're not very good in credibility so I don't see the fear in them. If we were performing a historical tale, _that_ would be a worthy costume."

"You're a grown man, of course not, but their young minds are at the stage where it is believable" she pointed out clearly since the children didn't want to be scared throughout the night over a nonexistent monster of the forest and he hissed lightly for being chastised. He could already foretell that she would not let him act out such tales if they ever had children but she would be a good mother after all of the interactions he'd seen between her and other children. She pulled out a lingering black feather from his hair and tucked it into hers with a fond smile, drawing a twin from his lips as she teased playfully, "Besides, you're stuck as Tsu-Tsu for the rest of your life so you'll have to accept it. She'll miss you once tomorrow comes so read her a good story."

She leaned forward to kiss his left cheek under the private shroud of night and admitted caringly, "And I'll miss you as well, my love."

He stopped for a moment to gaze at the woman before him with a tender smile that he only displayed with his dearest of loved ones and embraced her tightly to breathe against her ear, "You will always be in my mind, tanhí."

* * *

It was quiet in Zika's household and the adults were readying for bed, the children gone to sleep a while ago. It had been easy for his uncle Rafil to put the boys to bed as they muttered sleepily about pa'li and thanators, knowing they'd tell him all about it when morning came. Tsu'tey had said his farewells to each of his relatives during the day, finding himself dismayed when they handed him bundles of gifts to take home to keep with him. It was nice to be fussed over because he hadn't felt it in years since his grandmother's passing and had almost beamed to the family doting. He'd embraced the young boys when they handed him seashells since it was all they had to offer and he promised to take care of them, chuckling when Leti handed him her hairband when she had nothing to offer. Zika had chuckled in amusement when she watched him braid Leti's hair and use the headband to keep it in place, tucking her into bed as she held a purple pa'li doll. He'd yet to say his farewells to her and his uncle since they had generously given him a bed for the two days he'd been there, wishing he didn't have to say goodbye so soon. He found it cruelly humorous since he'd been insistent to remain at the Omaticaya Kelutral or keep his visit short but in the end, longed for more time to spend with his family.

He finished tying his belongings into one large bundle, wondering if Swizav would hiss to its size since the ikran had expected to fly freely on the return trip home. After his disobedience on leaving Xeki alone, Tsu'tey decided that it would teach his amorous ikran a lesson or two. His heart was heavy as each twist of the leather binds to his packs sealed away the last minutes left to him on the coast and allowed his shoulders to slump in a brief moment of melancholy.

"Are you all right, child?" Zika's soft voice called within the quiet hut, the night providing the faint sound of crashing waves but chirping insects lacked in this area of the coast. Hours ago, it had been filled with laughter as his aunts and uncles regaled him with stories of the past while his young cousins listened in until Tsu'tey created his 'story time' circle.

He turned around quietly, leaving the pack on the floor since it was tightly sealed to keep even the most curious child at bay, and offered a faint smile that he couldn't uphold, "I didn't think I'd find myself quite taken with the shore, with the clan, with all of you. I was nervous upon arrival but as the hours passed, I felt like another resident wandering the land- especially with the other hunters and the children."

"You can always return here anytime, Tsu'tey" she smiled kindly as her heart went out to the only member of their family that lived outside the Atykwe, wishing the young hunter wasn't alone in the Omaticaya. She'd had to stop Avi from asking the poor boy from moving to the coast as her older sister's heart wanted to shield and love Tsu'tey like a doting mother to make up for the lost time that he lacked a motherly figure. Nara, of course, assured he was fine because he had the Omaticaya matriarch keeping an eye on him but Avi was insistent that he needed a motherly hand caring for him. Akhil had humored her by saying he could have one of the breeders teach her how to care over the pa'li so she could dote on them instead but she'd shooed his jesting away.

Rafil returned from the boys' sectioned area with toys in his arms since his youngsters left them all over the place and he wanted to avoid a trip to the floor or a sprained ankle. He dropped them in a nearby empty wicker basket to keep them stored safely and smiled at his nephew to ask pleasantly, "Ready for your return trip home?"

"He wants to stay" Zika cooed softly with a knowing smile that caused Tsu'tey's ears to flatten modestly as she yanked the truth from his mind and voiced it. She found her nephew to be quite the polite gentleman and had enjoyed his company as she learned everything she'd missed in the past years. Her brother would be proud of his child and she'd do anything she could to keep him happy after the losses he endured in his past. She pointed towards the bedrooms in the back of the hut and smiled caringly to entice, "Rafil and I would have no issue making you a bed within the boys' room since they love you already. We love altering our huts as the seasons pass and you're most welcome to it when you return."

His heart was torn when he swallowed the words of acceptance to her offer because it was tempting.

"I. . .I wanted to thank you for allowing me to stay here, your hospitality has been incredibly touching" Tsu'tey admitted respectfully since he'd never expected to share a room with his endearing cousins. His anxiousness at meeting all of them had turned to heartwarming love as he found peace alongside those that shared his same bloodline. He'd shared whatever time he could with each of them to learn more about them, already having a list of items to bring back to the coast for them, and sighed softly, "I regret not visiting sooner or longer. . .but I will. I'm already missing the family and have yet to leave."

"We're glad to see you happy, Tsu'tey, and I don't think the children will allow me to say no on temporary housing" she chuckled softly since her children had failed to stop talking about their 'hero' cousin that fought a thanator. Leti's pronunciation of new words had slurred into babbles that had her laughing as her little toddler squealed happily about her new friend that promised to bring her a toy next time. Zika had become quite attached to little Tsu'tey when he visited, eager for a playmate since she'd been the youngest in the family, and now her daughter found the same with him. She gazed at her mate with a somber smile before glancing at her nephew to voice faintly, "They will miss you."

"We _all_ will so take care of yourself on the return home, Tsu'tey" Rafil smiled kindly as he placed a supporting hand on his mate's upper back and knew they'd be answering many questions in the morning. Tsu'tey assured everything would be fine since airborne predators didn't wander near the coast but they'd stay watchful upon approaching the interior of the forest.

"Tsu-Tsu?" Leti's high-pitched voice popped in from the shadows as she'd awoken to find her mother missing in her sleeping spot alongside her. Seeing that her father was gone from their bed as well, she'd set out to find them inside the hut with a sleepy mind. Her eyes fell upon the prepared bags of travel next to Tsu'tey as he stood near the closed entrance of their hut and immediately, the sleep left her foggy mind. Was Tsu-Tsu leaving them now? Why hadn't anybody told her? She scampered forward to cling onto his right leg to keep him rooted in his spot and whimpered woefully, "Tsu-Tsu, no! Stay!"

Tsu'tey patted the top of her head as he sensed her apprehension, wrapping the brown blanket she held in one hand around her shoulders to keep her warm. Her little fingers remained clamped on his lower leg, refusing to budge and he soothed gently, "I am, calm your little heart. It's time to sleep, Leti."

"I see Tsu-Tsu tomorrow?" Leti asked hopefully, her eyes shining with hope that he was there to stay with their family and pushed back the tears that threatened to blur her sight. Tsu'tey hated to lie to the endearing child but it would hurt him to see her cry, kneeling down to embrace her tightly as he lied. How could he? It pulled at his heartstrings to see her clutching him in desperation with her small stature while holding an oversized blanket. Her bright eyes pierced the dim lighting of the hut as she smiled toothily, "Tsu-Tsu goes to beach with us?"

"Yes, but I need you to sleep because it helps little girls grow faster and stronger" he smiled forlornly because he'd be gone by sunrise while she would sleep in Eywa's embrace, being none the wiser to the truth. Leti promised she'd go to sleep right away, hugging him tightly one last time before scampering off with the large blanket to return to bed. Rafil followed her to make sure his little one didn't trip and hurt herself, Tsu'tey's ears dipping with disappointment that neither would see each other tomorrow to walk around the shore. He was struck with intense guilt and shame for not being able to make her wishes come true but hopefully, the pain would pass.

Zika thinned her lips solemnly since her daughter would undoubtedly cry once tomorrow came and discovered that Tsu'tey would not be staying with them. Her little one did grow very attached to her loved ones, no matter how far they lived, and would comfort her heart.

* * *

Minutes after the sun broke into horizon to usher in another day, Tsu'tey stood on the lonely shore with his belongings to return home. He'd woken early to meet the gray-lilac sky, surprised to find his aunt Zika and Avi with a morning meal that he couldn't refuse. His flustered embarrassment worsened when Nara popped in to demand that he give her one last goodbye, waddling to embrace her nephew. He'd never been the sentimental type but knowing that they'd woken early just to see him off was heartwarming and soured his mood on leaving. The children had earned a place in his heart after only two days and he would bring back whatever their little hearts desired for the next time he visited. Oh, how he wished he could visit frequently while maintaining his advisor responsibilities at the same time.

From his spot at the top of a sand dune, he watched Joanna usher Xeki away from his ikran with an amused smile since the two had suddenly become inseparable since mating. He'd found is ikran sharing Xeki's nest before sunrise and the female had followed the two down with a perceptive eye, trailing close behind her mate as instinct kicked in with the newly formed bond. Joanna embraced Xeki around the neck as she reassured her worried partner that Swizav would return soon, providing support as the end of the trip brought their separation. The visit had passed by incredibly fast, too fast for all of their liking, and Tsu'tey was unsettled by the thought that he would rather spend more time there (Swizav didn't hesitate to voice his opinion either). Any moments that he could spend alongside Joanna soothed the loneliness in his heart that had yearned to find its other half for months and he ached to keep her by his side. Unfortunately, it was not a wish that could be granted easily and he pondered what options were available that could leave everyone happy. After all, their culture was collectivistic rather than individualistic like the tawtute and Tsu'tey wanted to seize his dreams without hurting anyone.

"Your eyes never stray from her" a soft but polite voice spoke from behind him and he turned around with surprise to meet the revered tsahìk as she caught his lingering stare. Tsu'tey might have a knack for flawless stealth but Nitari held a natural ability in her lean frame as she managed to appear out of nowhere with a knowing smile for his slip in façade. He tried to justify his behavior as platonic but she raised her hand to show it wasn't required, walking to stand by him as she too observed Joanna and pointed out with a smile, "When the Sky People arrived, they left nothing but misery in their wake but Eywa kept the balance with the dreamwalkers. She works in such mysterious ways, changing a previous enemy into an ally just as a leaf turns a new color with each change in season."

He wanted to argue that claim because certain dreamwalkers had partaken in the destruction of their world when diplomacy hadn't gone their way but she beat him to it as she continued, "I never wanted to have dreamwalkers among my clan because I knew of their selfish ways and the catastrophes they would bring, I didn't want any of it befalling my children. We kept contact to a minimum when they wandered near the borders and the thought of aliens infiltrating my land to sully it with their beliefs and imposed laws. . .it was disheartening to say the least."

Tsu'tey was confused to her confession because after all, Nitari was the one who had taken Joanna from him- uh, his clan. He shook his head lightly at the thoughts that keep buzzing around in his mind as they lacked to make the connection and he pointed out uncertainly, "But you-"

"Eywa showed her to me days before the battle took place with her people, her face along with others came to me but hers was prominent" Nitari explained with a smile when a trio of blue ikran landed on rock hill to relax until the sun rose fully to sunbathe. The day had yet to begin as a small number of people headed for the base of Kelutral to help the cooks with meals or bathe to begin the new day. Tsu'tey almost longed to see Leti and the boys pop out from between the rows of huts but the matriarch snatched his attention as she spoke softly, "Since that day, I have glimpsed into what has been and what will be- I will shape each path to Her will. She is a pure spirit, Tsu'tey, that has overcome obstacles just as you have and it has hardened her into a good huntress that only keeps growing in skills. Even you must admit that she is not the same defensive pessimist that riled you into arguing nor is she clumsy and naïve with a bow?"

"No, no, she is not" Tsu'tey admitted as a small smile tugged at his lips since he'd witnessed her improvements firsthand since his arrival, surprised to the respectful aura she gave to each member she came in contact with. Joanna was not the nervous woman that lacked confidence and followed in his footsteps' shadow anymore but assertive in protecting her clan. She was one of the People but an Atykwe; a bond with her wasn't unattainable but it would sever his ties to his own clan. It was a hard situation to fall between and he'd never imagined himself being in it after his original plans of bonding to Joanna once she'd achieved Iknimaya, completely derailing his future while leaving him grasping at the last strings of hope.

Nitari sensed that instantly as his ears flattened slightly against his head and spoke wisely, "She is an Atykwe huntress and will remain here as tradition demands of every woman. I will see that she is mated to a strong but humble warrior because she seeks that emotional balance to ward away painful insecurities of the past and flourish to her full potential. I am proud of my Joanna and if you cause even the lightest tear in her new life here, I will make a palulukan look like an atokirina with my wrath."

The Omaticaya hunter could only swallow in apprehension to the powerful matriarch because Nitari was known for her protectiveness by all clans. Despite her slim frame and delicate features, her voice and nonverbal cues carried authority and he bowed respectfully, "Yes, Tsahìk, I-"

"Do you care for her?" Nitari asked gently without reserve as she turned to face him, her face void of any firmness but simple inquisition. Joanna had admitted that only the matriarch and Anaya knew of their affection during her residence in his clan but she kept their most private moments what they were- secret. He hesitated on finding an appropriate answer for the woman Joanna admired and one who held rank above him, leading her to state evenly, "It's a simple question, Tsu'tey."

He wanted to say yes but could only look to the logical point of everything, which distinctly told him to look elsewhere to maintain his roots with the Omaticaya. His shoulders slumped with regret and he answered listlessly with a quiet tone, "She is Atykwe, I am Omaticaya-"

"Your father was Atykwe but I know of your deep loyalty to your clan, it is admirable and speaks highly of you as a warrior" she sympathized caringly since bonds from two clans were never easy when one was intertwined to the ruling family and offered a smile that any mother would give her troubled child. She had counseled many confused hearts during her lifetime and wanted to settle the worries dwelling in both parties because finding a mate should be anything but arduous. The time spent apart would allow the two to ponder on their dilemma but Tsu'tey would need the most guidance and she advised gently, "Meditate on your confused thoughts to clear your mind. I will only advise you on this, make your intentions clear because I will not have Joanna heartbroken if she misinterprets your purpose. She came to me with deep emotional hurt from her separation with you and I will not stand to see her in that manner again, nor you harboring that same pain. If there are able women in your clan, make a choice and take a mate because time does not stop for any of us. If my Joanna is a suitable choice, you know what you must do. The question is, are you willing?"

Nitari left without further questions to join Joanna below as the huntress carefully packed fresh fish into large banana tree leaves to tie the package with twine. The tsahìk smiled at the huntress as Joanna spoke aloud to the ikran that belonged to the Omaticaya hunter while it tried to nab a bite of the nearby fish, Xeki lying on the sand a few feet away as she watched them curiously. Joanna wagged a finger in the air before lecturing the blue and purple speckled ikran with an amused grin for his mischievousness, "No, Swizav, you know Tsu'tey would not like it if you spoiled your appetite by the time you returned home."

Swizav nudged her left shoulder gently to coax a free bite as she assembled the care packages she'd entrust to Tsu'tey. The blue ikran wasn't fond of the growing bundle since he already had family items to contend with and would force the excess onto the other younger ikran to lighten the load. Joanna laughed to his insistence as he kept nudging her shoulder while lightly batting her with his chin, a familiar personality trait to his Na'vi counterpart, and relented with a chuckle, "Okay, okay, but only because you're a damn gorgeous ikran and mine is apparently head over claws for you."

Xeki hissed softly in defiance for being put on the spot to her new romance that had blossomed overnight, the noise turning into a soft purr when her rider leaned over to pet her snout. The sapphire ikran was feisty but she loved her na'vi partner and wanted her approval of the union so she'd utilized her best behavior that day to show they were a good match. Joanna had admitted that she put Xeki's wellbeing first since the possibility of becoming pregnant so quickly after finding her clan meant that they would have to visually map out every nook and cranny of the Eastern Sea coast to make sure her chicks learned all of it. She grabbed a few cut pieces of fish that she'd saved for Xeki and carefully threw them into the air where he caught them perfectly in his sharp jaws, swallowing them in one gulp.

A happy chirp was received for the treat and she smiled at the happy ikran as she returned to her task, leaving the blue ikran to waddle off sneakily to his sapphire partner. Watching the two brush their noses together was too sweet not to love and Joanna sighed softly under her breath, knowing that the two made quite the adorable pair. How could they not? Nitari rested a hand on her right shoulder as she approached, using the familiarity of touch on her loyal child, and Joanna quickly bowed her head respectfully, "You honor me, Tsahìk."

"Your mannerisms never falter, dear child" the matriarch chuckled warmly to her polite greetings and innocently reminded with a motherly smile, "Remember to give your farewells to your friends, especially Tsu'tey. Make sure to speak with him before he leaves, there is no doubt your bond has endured through time."

Before she could ask for clarification, Nitari walked away to greet Norm as he fiddled with his packed belongings and Joanna twiddled her thumbs with a regretful sigh. She'd never been very good at goodbyes and the last time she had, she'd been reduced to heartbroken tears at having to relinquish her relationship. Swizav uttered a small trill behind her as he raised his head away from Xeki and Joanna turned around to gasp in surprise, "Oh my Eywa!"

Tsu'tey merely smiled mischievously to her exclamation and she held a hand over her heart as she scolded lightly with a nervous laugh, "You almost gave me a heart attack! You _have_ to stop doing that."

He wouldn't.

"I'll be leaving in a few minutes so I am sure I will not" he replied confidently with a feigned pout that brought a smile to her face as she calmed down to his presence. Swizav allowed the two to have their private time but eyed the leftover pieces of fish that she'd thrown into a nearby leaf plate. Without glancing at his partner, Tsu'tey admonished firmly without hesitation, "No, Swizav. You will eat when we get home."

His bluish head slumped and Joanna mimicked a cooing sound ikran used to comfort each other, causing the male to perk slightly. Xeki merely nudged the side of his neck for his joy to the thought of more fish since she ate only when she was required to, leading her mate to purr in return for the affection. Joanna's hand ran over his head while the other patted his neck in friendly support and she soothed with a bright smile, "Don't worry, next time, I will have a big fat juicy fish set out just for you. Hmm?"

Tsu'tey thought at that point that his ikran would decide to stay there with all of the attention it was getting from both an ikran and a na'vi female. He was glad Swizav liked her because he rarely allowed people to approach him without taking a bite out of them- his family excluded due to their blood bond. Nimbly, he stepped forward towards her and brought up his right hand to reveal a delicate but vibrant yellow flower with round petals that he'd found at a grassy knoll near the cave entrance. Her eyes blinked with modest curiosity to his unexpected gift as he held it out to her and he found his voice to say softly, "It's for you."

Her lips fought with bringing a wide smile to her face but managed a bashful one as she tried not to dwell on his leave because every sweet gesture poked at her heart. Her fingers took the flower from his and she smelled it, closing her eyes to the rich and sweet scent that all the flowers of Pandora held. She could see why the pa'li loved them. Tsu'tey gave himself a point for managing to cheer her up with that little present and hoped she'd understand the meaning of it because he was a man that delivered small heartfelt gifts to his significant other. He wasn't a verbal guy that would sing his heart's content to her but physical gestures and gifts spoke volumes for him instead of words. She twirled the flower between her fingers, admiring the pretty vibrant petals, and smiled sincerely with thanks, "Thank you, I wish I could keep it rather than watching it wilt."

He smiled faintly to her sullen expression and resisted the notion of kissing her forehead to offer comfort. He missed doing so in private where nobody watched them but there were no secluded places that he knew since this was her land. Instead, he took the flower from her hand and attached it into one of the intricate braids that wrapped towards the back of her head. He fixed the petals to make sure it would stay put safely and she smiled widely to the familiar feel of his fingers trailing through her hair with a delicate touch. The man was strong enough to hurl a human being like a feather but gentle enough to decorate a woman's hair with a frail flower. Apparently, she'd yet to know the process of preserving flowers for aesthetic beauty and he informed cryptically, "Ask my uncle Akhil and he will show you."

"I will" she promised earnestly because the flower was beautiful and averted her eyes from his as she struggled to keep herself calm. How could she bear to release him from her life once more? It was agonizing when she first arrived to live with the Atykwe because he was longer by her side to share in her life experiences but now. . .what awaited them? She'd pictured him in her future when they lived within the same clan but the tables had turned drastically and Joanna didn't know how to head from there. He fidgeted awkwardly on his feet because meaningful words weren't his forte and wished there was a foolproof way she could understand the full meaning of his gesture, deciding to leap forward with his heart.

"When you decide that you're ready to court a man, I would like to be an option" he broke in with a serious tone and her eyes widened as he proposed that scenario. Well, _that_ was entirely unexpected. She knew he wasn't a sappy guy but a commanding tone never failed and he definitely had her full attention now. There was no question that he was her only choice when it came to an ideal suitor but their difference in clans made it impossible, which meant she'd have to look within the Atykwe. Tsu'tey, however, was about to burst that assumption as he began carefully with an intense gaze that failed to leave hers, "I know that you are Atykwe and I am Omaticaya but I'd still like to be considered due to our past history, which I am reluctant to let go of."

The huntress bit her bottom lip with distress to their situation and regrettably admitted with a quiet voice, "I want to stay with the Atykwe, Tsu'tey, they're my family in so many ways I never thought possible. I love the Omaticaya for the hospitality they gave me and for your training but. . .this is my _home_ now. I could never leave it and to be faced with the choice-"

"You won't leave" he assured her to wash away her worries on bonding procedures and she closed her mouth to his statement, her eyes searching his pleadingly for further deliberation. The practice of mating was still an elusive topic for her and she'd yet to ask what occurred from the moment a couple decided to undergo the bonding. It certainly wouldn't be the equivalence of Western traditions on Earth but it hurt to know that either would have to leave their beloved clan. Since the beach was void of people, he grasped her shaking hands into his to soothe her worries and explained carefully, "Women _never_ leave their clan of birth, they remain there unless they wish to live among another clan by choice like you did when Nitari brought you here. As a woman, your mate will be a part of this clan regardless of where they come from because that is our tradition."

"B-but you're Omaticaya-" she tried to understand and briefly flickered her gaze to his every once in a while because the revelation was daunting. She knew women in na'vi culture were respected highly in comparison to a male but having Tsu'tey move to her clan would mean that he'd be leaving his own. His people treasured him for his devout loyalty as he cared for them without question, how could she bear knowing that she'd take their best warrior (not to mention advisor) away from them?

"My father was Atykwe, my mother Omaticaya, it is simple arithmetic for a mind like yours" he pointed out gently with a small humorous smile and her flattened ears perked slightly to the innocent jab. He was serious when he meant that he'd find a way for them to be together, even if one had to bear a sacrifice to do so. It was why he'd always asked if she'd consider leaving the Omaticaya back when she was under his tutelage because the worry that he'd have to follow and leave his clan lingered in his mind. His father hadn't carried the same responsibilities as he did when he bonded to his mother but Tsu'tey didn't doubt his own love and loyalty to Joanna.

_Does that mean he's willing to move here if I choose him one day as my mate?_, she thought worriedly with a myriad of emotions to the idea and thinned her lips to bite them with her teeth to pacify all of it. Of course, there would have to be sacrifices in order to make a relationship with their distance work efficiently but she didn't expect him to bear its entirety. _But the weight of such a sacrifice would bring such guilt to me after everything he means to the Omaticaya._

"I plead for you to think about this, the consequences of such a choice-" she pleaded softly with a shaky voice because this was one request she couldn't take lightly. If he wanted to court her, they would both have to approve of his choice and she couldn't. . .not when she knew how much he loved his clan. Yes, she loved him but did love win over duty?

Nitari's voice interrupted her words as she called the departing visitors to the front, carrying small bundles in her arms. Joanna removed her hands from his before they were caught and reminded him to think about it as she moved to stand between their ikran to keep them company. Xeki purred softly with support to her rider as her pheromones worried the ikran instantly, earning a loving hug from Joanna as the entire conversation weighed on her heart heavily. Her right hand sought out to trace over Swizav's snout, remembering the ikran was now a part of the Atykwe in his own way by mating to Xeki and fathering her future chicks.

The matriarch smiled warmly at each of the hunters, energized to begin her day and courteous as always by being there for their departure. Poor Tarazi was currently using a wooden crutch to help her balance her injured foot, the pain shooting up her leg whenever she couldn't correct her footing. Nonetheless, she bore the pain like any proud huntress and greeted the matriarch formally. Tsu'tey stood confidently as always but Nitari could see in his eyes that he was troubled and pinpointed the cause to his uncertain relationship with Joanna. She had already begun the thought process to budge the hunter down his path but her hand was subtle and so, she would only encourage for now. As for Norm, he was the happiest of the three as he smiled broadly and tried not to let his eyes wander towards everything that moved around him.

"I hope you've spent a pleasant time here, especially you Tarazi" Nitari stated gently with a sympathetic gaze towards the huntress but Tarazi brushed it off, feeling privileged just to speak with her. The injury would lead to no infection as she kept the foot covered and was currently debating whether to tend to the lingering scar since it would be worth a story but not the best. She'd rather have a hunting story worth of drawing awe but she'd make do with the little stepping stones of her rank. The matriarch's emerald shawl-covered shoulders and pearly smile held enough warmth and energy that became contagious for the three as she spoke cheerfully, "Give my warmest regards to the mother tsahìk and your clan leaders, I assure you they will love the fish. You are more than welcome to return to my shores and it was an honor to speak with the Omaticaya's newest advisor, I expect to hear great things from you, young one."

Tsu'tey offered a respectful smile since he wasn't one to boast his abilities but appreciated her encouragement. Hopefully, he had depicted himself as a capable advisor since he would eventually venture out to other clans to broker alliances or aid friendly clans. She clapped her delicate hands lightly, the small shells dangling from her bracelets chiming sweetly as she spoke calmly, "May Eywa watch over you on your return home and I will leave you young ones to finish packing before I ramble on. I do love company and my children were quite taken with you, especially towards Tsu'tey- I noticed quite a number of children following you."

"Sifu and Sìlpey admitted to them that I boarded a tawtute vessel and fought them, they wanted the tale" the hunter admitted reluctantly between thinned lips since the two oldest boys could hardly contain secrets and had gathered all of their friends (twenty in total) to regale his tales to them. Needless to say, he spent a few hours with a tiny entourage that failed to halt their questioning and pleaded that he met their families. Next time, he'd go incognito with the children and fake his rank as a craftsman because woodwork was his fondest hobby besides fishing- most children weren't fascinated by that. He wiped the faint frown from his lips to return to a respectful glance as he dipped his head to state courteously, "You have my outmost respect, tsahìk, and it was an honor to visit your beautiful lands with my brethren. We will be more than happy to accommodate visitors from your clan any day and I thank you for adding extra fishes, it was more than necessary."

"Nonsense, a well-fed clan is a happy clan" Nitari stated matter-of-factly with a motherly tone that was nonnegotiable, causing the three to chuckle softly. The original request was for a small bundle of fish but the matriarch had added extra to make stew to serve the entire clan. Normally, she would trade goods to their specifications with other clans but Mo'at was truly like a younger sister and Nitari always added a few extra things for her dearest friend. She handed each of them a natural seashell, their shapes varying from spirals to spiky cones, and told them pleasantly, "A trinket from the Atykwe for what I hope is the first of many visits."

"Thank you, tsahìk" they thanked in unison with a respectful bow and she smiled serenely, gently ushering them to finish their tasks so they could leave before sunlight bathed the shore.

Norm smiled widely as he was the last one eager to leave and remarked, "I'm _definitely_ coming back."

Nitari chuckled to his enthusiasm as she'd come to find the dreamwalker as the most sociable of the three and turned to leave the shore to check in on her cooks. She enjoyed helping them with their food preparation after morning meditation, quickly motioning to Joanna with her hand for her to wrap up her goodbyes with Tsu'tey. Being Zika's first student, Joanna was required to make sure everything in the hut was ready for use and herbal batches ready for preparation or administration. Nitari had heard nothing but good things from the master healer, proud to see that she was tending to the soil that would flourish all of Joanna's best skills for her future.

Joanna feigned a reprimanding face at Swizav when he refused to budge from Xeki's side and shook her finger to preen, "Oh, my beautiful azure friend. You couldn't wait one more mating season to seek my Xeki?"

He gave a short hiss and flared his wings to bat them gently against the sea breeze, his blue chest puffing in pride that he finally found his match. He'd definitely chosen a tenacious mate once she'd calmed down and allowed him to explain his accidental slip into her dome; it had been innocent fascination about leaves. He'd never seen an ikran with her dark hue and her size . . . well, she matched him in both mass and length that he wouldn't worry about hurting her. She'd proven that during their mating as she threatened to bite him more than once when his talons almost scratched her legs.

Joanna turned to her sapphire ikran and rubbed the top of her warm reptilian head with a doting smile, "You just had to choose my Xeki but she is a tough girl," scratching a spot underneath her chin, she added in, "I should know, she almost killed me. I do hope you will visit her because you're mated for life."

His head dipped respectfully in agreement because he was an honorable ikran and Joanna smiled when the two gently butted noses, requesting softly, "Take care of yourself and our hunter."

Speaking of her brave hunter, the man finished heckling Tarazi about avoiding weight on her foot as the young woman grudgingly obeyed. The huntress wore a grumpy frown on her smooth features since being lectured by her advisor wasn't the best way to begin the morning and scuttled along to hop onto her jade ikran. Norm was ever helpful as he joked about Tsu'tey's morning aura, telling her it was his way of showing he cared. Tarazi decided that she didn't want to see how he reacted with loved ones and quickly ascended onto her awaiting ikran, fixing her wooden crutch behind her back with a strap in similarity to a bow. The lack of walking for the next hours would do wonders to her burdened foot but she knew her father would fuss once he saw the injury.

"Come on, buddy, I promise we'll come back soon" Norm reassured his reluctant ikran as Telas hissed in defiance that he wanted to stay longer, his long sepia tail flailing in the wind. Over the months, the ikran had displayed his stubbornness when he wasn't keen on following an order but a dominant hiss from Swizav's end cooled Telas' head to reluctantly obey. The na'vi hunter quickly double knotted the ties on his belongings to make sure they would stay in place over Telas' mottled back before the ikran decided to become fussy and fly off without him.

Tsu'tey found Joanna with nicely wrapped cloth packages in her arms when he approached her, wondering what she was up to, and she spoke genuinely, "I wish you safety on your return trip more than anything. You brought us joy on your visit and I hope to see you again one day, I would like to continue our conversation."

"Oh, we'll be talking for quite a bit on this" he assured matter-of-factly with a confident smirk that darkened the cyan of her cheeks into lilac and he resisted from embracing her close. The serene vacant shore offered perfect scenery for any couple as the sunlight had yet to breach the sky and his significant other was femininity at its best. The lilac hue of the sky brightened the white bioluminescent dots over the apples of her cheeks and he fondly remembered how she'd counted each on his face inside her hammock, her fingers dancing over his skin with loving care. There was no question whether he would miss her and eyed the bundle in her arms, offering his assistance before she asked to show his respect, "Whom am I bringing these too?"

She handed him the first packet with a perky smile for being able to add them, thanking him sincerely with a perky tone that failed to leave her and he chuckled softly. It was his sense of goodwill that attracted her the most, bringing warmth to her heart as it failed to leave him and informed, "This is for Cheryl. Give her my utmost thank you and tell her to plant these herbs where both sun and shade can reach them. Her garden must be growing splendidly by now, she did wonders with those back at Hell's Gate."

"I can already assure you she'll love this" he chuckled softly since Cheryl was eager to grow just about anything from herbs to flowers, happy to cultivate and tend to nature.

The second package was softer as the cloth concealing the contents sunk under his fingertips and she smiled to his curious expression, "This is for Jake and Neytiri. I might be a travesty with knitting adult clothes but babies are doable. Given how fast they grow, I sewed a few handy diapers and clothes for the first months. Green and yellow will look nice on either a girl or boy."

"I'm sure they will like that, thank you" he chuckled softly since her skills at sewing adult sized clothing or items were nonexistent but children's clothes were feasible. She had a knack for making 'socks' but he never understood the purpose since his people didn't wear such attire. Since he loved her, he allowed that strange logic to slide because it gave her a small bump in confidence in her sewing and men encouraged their mates to do their best.

"The last is for you" she admitted modestly as she presented a smaller square-shaped bundle, grinning when Swizav eyed the last item to make sure it wasn't heavy. Tsu'tey weighed the small bundle as it was thick and heavier than all of the other packages and wondered what she prepared for him: food, clothes, or weapons? He debated whether to feel privileged for earning the biggest gift since nice things came in small packages also, leading her to explain carefully, "Being a hunter, I packed a tool sharpening kit that we use for our bows and knives. Your aunt Zika told me she packed food and healing packs for you so I omitted that. I've been practicing my sketching without my old materials and painted stories for you on the history of our clan. I used different colored cloth for each, using thin long reeds as edges to allow for easy gripping during reading, and ribbons to tie them all together in the form of an Earth book. With your thirst for knowledge, especially during the night, I thought they would calm your heart and mind."

"You made them in one night?" he asked with surprise since it took him quite a while to paint woodwork and approved of her technique to preserve oral works of history. His dreamwalker had come a long way from her days spent hunched over the black contraption she typed into to gather knowledge and although he treasured each part of her, the current Joanna appealed to him the most. She'd found her way of life without him and despite he enjoyed being the main focus in her life during her training days, they had grown independently to define themselves further.

"No, I've been making them for a while since matriarch Nitari sews hers on tapestries but I can't sew for the life of me" she chuckled sheepishly to her chosen alternative to preserve their folklore and history, her ears flattening to the confession. There were no secrets she kept from him and felt privileged to know the inner workings of his mind after traversing through the dangerous forest of his mind to conquer the impenetrable fortress within. Her fingertips trailed over the package before grazing the intricate blue stripes on his forearm, stating knowingly with a hint of amusement, "You enjoy tales of valor and honor, subtle comedy, and hidden lessons so I picked these out of my personal bundle to give them to you."

Just as he managed to make simple gifts meaningful, she used her heart to return the same and he appreciated it. How could he _not_ keep loving her over time? If anything, he was certainly that it would only strengthen like a sapling growing into a colossal tree. He couldn't touch her without drawing an eye from those around them, wishing for a private alcove where he could express his fondest desires, and smiled to thank sincerely, "I will treasure your work dearly and please, do think of what I said. Ask the tsahìk about the process, she will clarify what needs to be done and I will return to deliberate further."

"I will" she murmured quietly but her smile faltered as he finished packing, his proposal weighing on her shoulders along with his leave. Her gaze watched him add the three bundles into his leather pack, his arm muscles flexing as he tied the strings tightly while Swizav eyed his handiwork since he'd bear the burden. Her heart struggled not to embrace and whisk him away to a little island where they could spend eternity together but it was not an ideal reality. She sighed under her breath, her brow furrowing with sadness that he was leaving her shore and confessed sullenly, "I thought seeing you leave again would be easier but I was wrong, it carries the same heartache. Do be careful on your way back and feed my little tapiri herd for me, I love the fact that my coddling rubbed off on you."

She blinked rapidly to push back tears because she'd really liked to have seen that scene and whispered tenderly with a wavering voice, "And I love _you_."

Using Swizav as a cover, he leaned over to kiss her on the cheek to offer a small token of comfort and whispered with a pledge, "You _will_ see me again."

Her fingers squeezed his shoulders supportively as she returned the affectionate peck, releasing him to breathe with a faint shaky voice, "Farewell, Tsu'tey."

It really was hard to pry himself away again for the second time since two days were hardly enough time to catch up but his clan needed him. He couldn't simply cast aside his responsibilities to follow his heart but if his leaders required him to travel again, he might just ask for a few extra days to fully enjoy himself. He left the one he loved on the white shore as he hopped onto his loyal ikran (after pulling him away from Xeki for the last time), breathing deeply to quell the tightness forming in his chest at having to separate once more for an unknown time frame. Xeki hissed her own farewell to her new mate, her wings fluttering against her sides as a soft whimper escaped her vocal chords at their unfortunate parting. She wanted to follow him for a few miles but the azure ikran hissed for her to stay where it was safest while assuring he'd return soon to her nest, her head drooping with melancholy to his leave. All Joanna could do was hold her ikran's head in her arms to empathize with her pain, pressing her cheek to Xeki's head as she uttered kind words.

The three Omaticayan hunters departed the sandy shores of the beach, leaving behind a sullen na'vi woman and sapphire ikran to return back to their lands. It was a bittersweet farewell and although Tsu'tey was not entirely sure where his path would take him, Swizav would _certainly_ be returning to be with his mate and munch on the delicious endless supply of fish.

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**A/N**: It took me a while to finish this one since life became hectic this past month but I'm happy to say, I've earned a spot in the nursing program I wanted and can't wait to begin- it'll be next year anyway. As for our tale, I love the new Xeki/Swizav bond while Tsu'tey and Joanna are trying to figure out how to be together without wrecking their worlds. I'm glad you guys love Leti and the children, we'll be seeing more of them as Tsu'tey learns to grow into loving the little tykes that he normally fears. Since you guys are so eager to know when they'll be together in one place, I can assure you it's in this volume (the third focuses on their family life and new enemies) and I'll have a specific number of chapters to that point next time since I'm trying to trim the current outline.

Thank you for the continuous support, I saw a new story fav's this week and it made me jump for joy because new readers are peeking into my tale. As always, I appreciate the feedback and your thoughts.

_IgnitingFireworks_: Thank you so much, I never thought about playwriting but after creating a group skit for my class that was hilarious, I just might take a class on it. I've always loved writing, I'm actually giving another speech on that this week and had to include you guys in my encouragement section.

_Arwenia_: Aw, I'm always happy to read your reviews. Tsu'tey will be similar in romance to how he was when they courted secretly and once there's a bun in Joanna's oven, he'll blow into super-protective daddy mode. As for same sex relationships, the queue bond is so unique that the neural connection would be suitable for such a pairing and I have absolutely no issue with one. After all, not everyone wants a child and a couple could always adopt one that has no family- I plan to use an adoption process in my story during the third volume.

_Puffgirl1952_: Thank you for the endless support!

_T0rukMakt0_: It can get hectic, I've been having a rough semester but it's evening out now that my monumental test that decided whether my years of study were worth it is over. I've always been an advocate for education first but then again, I'm an overachieving nerd. Lol. Nonetheless, I'm glad to have you onboard as I continue this story and hope your workload becomes less crazy because stress is good for nobody.

_Pint-sized She-Bear_: That's exactly what the second volume is about, the two finding a way to be together. After all, the intro the volume included their little ones and their daughter is already showing her father's impatience.

_Taronu 'Ewan_: They have no issue revealing their love, the problem is that Tsu'tey will have to abandon his clan and we know how loyal the man is. Mating will be the cure for their woes and we will see it by the end of this volume (not literally in the physical sense, of course). We're well on our way now since he's put forth his idea but like any marriage, it needs careful planning. Don't worry, they will have that happy Disney-esque ending by the end of it all.

_CrissYami_: Thank you very much!

_IJ Girl _: Oh, those babies, they know how to use reverse psychology with actions alone- they don't even require words with their faces! Your mom was good at twisting your pain into courage for scrapes, mine simply told me to be careful and added a scolding about not keeping an eye out on my surroundings. When I was a kid, I cried, but nowadays, I have an incredibly high pain threshold. Thank you for the long review, I love the heck out of those because I can ignore my schoolwork for a second. Lol

_Dracoessa_: Tarazi's a tough one and we'll be seeing more of her now that we're switching back and forth between the clans.

_Claycarole_: Great question! This chapter puts forth the answer but ikran mate for life in my story because I've no idea on the canon. Yes, there will be problems because Swizav will want to be with his sapphire lady while Tsu'tey wants to keep upholding his duties. Tsu'tey's family came out greater than I originally outlined, especially Leti, and we'll be seeing more of them.

_Rachelie_: Thank you for the sweet words but like any story, we have more readers than reviewers but I still love everyone for reading. I tend to nitpick every scene to make sure the readers can visualize everything as best as I can make it and I'm glad for it.

_CatCutthroat_: Thank you for clicking and immersing yourself in my fanfic, I love it! I have a lot of relationships in this tale; it is quite interesting to write out the development of each. Tsu'tey and Joanna have a duty vs. love issue, Norm and Tarazi have a rank dominance issue, and poor Anaya and Arat have a bonding roadblock with the future in-laws. Cheryl's relationship will come to a permanent status in the next chapters so that's a bright side for everyone.

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**Next Time**:

Neytiri nibbled on a snack of fried fish, dipping small pieces in creamy peach colored sauce as she'd loved the goods Tsu'tey brought upon his return. Their entire clan had feasted from the Atykwe catch and she'd thank the matriarch when she sent her reluctant advisor again for a visit. Although, knowing her mother, the two were already in communication through their bond with Eywa. Mmm, she was going to savor the last remnants as she chewed slowly on each crunchy piece and allowed her tail to sway against the dirt to express her joy over the food. Her pregnancy had brought her an affinity for all foods and others that had failed to tantalize her nose now grabbed her attention.

Her mate sat beside her as he tried to steal one of her pieces but her dexterous hands slapped his away whenever he wandered too close. She waved the bitten piece of fish between her fingers to show her disapproval of having her food stolen and warned, "Don't get between a pregnant woman and her desire, I guarantee you will lose."

"You couldn't be any more clear" he chuckled amusingly since her hands were flying as fast as she could release arrows, enjoying her snack of leftovers as she rested against a mossy boulder. She and her mate had decided to take a small idyllic moment away from the clan by the pools of Kelutral, the weather wonderfully breezy as the canopies protected them from intense sunlight. Neytiri hissed playfully when she slapped his hand once more for wandering too close to her plate and he chuckled jovially from his seat next to her, "It won't mean I'll stop trying."

She chuckled softly because her mate was insistent to succeed, knowing full well of his determination since he managed to make her his mate. Her foot batted his underneath the water as they soaked their feet in the cold pool, enjoying the sounds of nature around them as insects chirped and birds tweeted. She leaned against his left arm with a content smile as they'd managed time alone for themselves, practically using a stick to keep Tsu'tey at bay from following as they assured nothing would happen.

They had expected him to be mellow or cheerful after his return but he'd become quiet and melancholy whenever he spotted families or young children during his daily wanderings. His old 'all work, no play' demeanor returned when Jake met up with him after first meal as his advisor asked for an update on any changes while reassuring his responsibilities would be taken care of. Jake didn't know what had happened with Joanna at the Atykwe clan since Tsu'tey tended to keep his experiences private but he divulged his reunion with his family and detailed everything about his relatives. Apparently, a toddler named Leti had convinced him that children weren't frightening and he could handle the yanking of eager little hands that demanded playtime.

"I made a wind chime for you today, the old one was wearing out and I decided to use it elsewhere" Jake informed languidly in reaction to the peaceful ambience, smiling victoriously when she allowed him to grab a piece from her leaf plate to chew. She liked hearing the different sounds wood, rocks, polished stones, and feathers made so he changed them every few months or so to fill their alcove with gentle music. He gazed at the tall canopies overhead that enveloped the area in shadow, enjoying the light breeze against his skin as he mused, "I'd like to make you something to help with the baby. I had an idea for a cradle since everybody is making a project for you and I'm left grasping at strings."

"Our friends simply adore our child already so hush" Neytiri chuckled as she reasoned that the gifts that would be filling their alcove were months away but all she needed was his love. Tsu'tey was a good craftsman, practicing in his spare time in the fields, so Jake was already behind as number two but his advisor promised to help him create a project. His friend's idea of a gift was a wooden boundary at the entrance of their alcove to make sure their child didn't crawl away and injure themselves or worse. This was one instance that the new parents agreed with the soon-to-be protective uncle. Neytiri's female friends and relatives were making clothes for the upcoming bundle so Jake couldn't do anything there either. She kissed the center of his forehead with a soft smile to remind him that they were at the pools to relax away from their worries and assured, "I will love anything you give me, my Jake. You've already given me a child, there isn't anything more that I could possibly ask for."

"Two babies?" he jested charmingly and she slapped his left forearm gently to the idea because one baby was going to be enough for them. Being an identical twin, Jake didn't know the odds of having a set of twins himself but the thought always lingered. Plus, he was certain that bringing two babies into the word would be stressful enough and he could kiss away mating for the next year.

"I would like a few baskets since our clothes will be just about anywhere when it comes to changing the child, we can never have too many of those" she suggested helpfully since any small trinket would do, happy with the sentiments behind the gift rather than the item itself. She leaned against him for a moment as she gazed at the calm water with a longing smile and admitted quietly, "My father was always so protective of our clan but he was the same with Sylwanin and me. He was a hunter, born and bred to provide for his people but did you know he crafted a blanket for each of us when we were born? Mine was bright yellow, pastel flowers stitched onto it and it was the only item I remember from my youth. I carried it everywhere with me until hunting fascinated me but I'm not sure where that blanket went. For all I know, the destruction of Kelutral incinerated it. . .it was so worn from everyday use. . ."

Hometree's destruction was an event that never failed to twist Jake's stomach and she sighed softly, "But I'd like to carry that tradition on with our children. I loved my father dearly, he was everything I wanted to be and I wish he could be here to see his first grandchild."

"He is, somehow" he whispered soothingly since his mate only spoke of him during private moments and wished that there was a way to find a connection. The atokirina were always regarded as sacred spirits and elderly na'vi believed they were emissaries of Eywa that contained deceased souls, always watching Her children. Mo'at constantly reassured her daughter that Eytukan was watching over her like a father would but Neytiri needed a sign sometimes to verify it, leading Jake to comfort his mate by suggesting, "We could always name our child after your father, if you'd like. Tawtute had a tendency to do that to honor a loved one and what child wouldn't love being named after a clan leader?"

"We don't have such traditions but it sounds interesting" she confessed since her father still would've led for many years had the attack not taken his life. It wasn't good to dwell in the past because her present was everything he would've wanted for her: a safe world in which to live and raise her children. Still, there were days. . .a daughter simply needed her father to talk to.

Neytiri froze when she felt a soft kick from within her body and her hands immediately flew to the right side of her belly, where tiny flutters could be felt. The sensation was new and entirely eerie, her right hand softly touching the area to confirm the feeling. Was. . .was that the baby? Her wide eyes met Jake's, who had stilled to her sudden movement, and she ordered quickly, "Touch right here! I think. . .I think they're kicking."

Jake's hands flew over her pregnant belly to feel that first milestone in her pregnancy, eager and nervous to feel little feet kicking from within. It solidified that they were having a child and just as they were sitting quietly, it was growing to full-size. Their child! A son! Or a daughter! He grinned wildly when he felt the weak force from her lower right side, laughing joyously as he felt the soft pitter-patter and declared, "Well, somebody is either happy or fussy today."

She treasured this moment in her pregnancy, the solitude providing a lifelong memory that she could one day share with their child. Being her first child, she would remember each moment for both her new role as a mother and the little babe that she'd be holding in her arms one day. Her hand smoothed over a vacant spot next to Jake's hand to feel their little one kick and beamed proudly with a sweet smile, "Hello there, tiny treasure."

"You will have the tidiest loincloths on, I promise you" Jake assured confidently after learning how to diaper a child because he didn't want a mess anywhere. He wouldn't want to clean it and knew that Neytiri wouldn't since nightly feedings (not to mention healing from the labor) would be enough of a stress. The first kicks of their child slowed until they were faint against their fingertips and he joked lightly, "Try not to rearrange mother's organs, will you?"

"If they do this at night, I will be waking you" Neytiri guaranteed because she wasn't going to be the only one bearing her child's giddy dancing and dipped another fish piece in the creamy sauce to resume her snacking.

* * *

_Thank you for your endless support and I await to read your reviews, sincerely thanking you prematurely for taking the time._


	40. Fairy Tsahik-mothers

**Inspired By: **Two Steps From Hell- _"Friendship To Last" _(Link in Profile as always) :)**  
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**Fairy Tsahìk-mothers  
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Neytiri nibbled on a snack of fried fish, dipping small pieces in creamy peach colored sauce as she'd loved the goods Tsu'tey brought upon his return. Their entire clan had feasted from the Atykwe catch and she'd thank the matriarch when she sent her reluctant advisor again for a visit. Although, knowing her mother, the two were already in communication through their bond with Eywa. Mmm, she was going to savor the last remnants as she chewed slowly on each crunchy piece and allowed her tail to sway against the dirt to express her joy over the food. Her pregnancy had brought her an affinity for all foods and others that had failed to tantalize her nose now grabbed her attention.

Her mate sat beside her as he tried to steal one of her pieces but her dexterous hands slapped his away whenever he wandered too close. She waved the bitten piece of fish between her fingers to show her disapproval of having her food stolen and warned, "Don't get between a pregnant woman and her desire- I _guarantee_ you will lose."

"You couldn't be any more clear" he chuckled amusingly since her hands were flying as fast as she could release arrows, enjoying her snack of leftovers as she rested against a mossy boulder. She and her mate had decided to take a small idyllic moment away from the clan by the pools of Kelutral, the weather wonderfully breezy as the canopies protected them from intense sunlight. Neytiri hissed playfully when she slapped his hand once more for wandering too close to her plate and he chuckled jovially from his seat next to her, "It won't mean I'll stop trying."

She chuckled softly because her mate was insistent to succeed, knowing full well of his determination since he managed to make her his mate. Her foot batted his underneath the water as they soaked their feet in the cold pool, enjoying the sounds of nature around them as insects chirped and birds tweeted. She leaned against his left arm with a content smile as they'd managed to take time alone for themselves. They were close to using a stick to keep a protective Tsu'tey at bay from following them on their walk as they assured nothing would happen.

They had expected him to be mellow or cheerful after his return but he'd become quiet and melancholy whenever he spotted families or young children during his daily wanderings. His old 'all work, no play' demeanor returned when Jake met up with him after first meal as his advisor asked for an update on any changes while reassuring his responsibilities would be taken care of. Jake didn't know what had happened with Joanna at the Atykwe clan since Tsu'tey tended to keep his experiences private but he divulged his reunion with his family and detailed everything about his relatives. Apparently, a toddler named Leti had convinced him that children weren't frightening and he could handle the yanking of eager little hands that demanded playtime.

"I made a wind chime for you" Jake informed casually in reaction to the peaceful ambience and smiled victoriously when she allowed him to grab a piece of fish from her leaf plate to chew. She liked hearing the different sounds wood, rocks, polished stones, and feathers made so he changed them every few months or so to fill their alcove with gentle music. There weren't many objects he could whittle since a year wouldn't grant him the experience of masters or even apprentices but he tried his best. His mate could spend a day hearing wind chimes in their alcove and he added in, "The old one was wearing out and I decided to use it elsewhere."

He gazed at the tall canopies overhead that enveloped the area in shadow, enjoying the light breeze against his skin as he mused, "I'd like to make you something to help with the baby. I had an idea for a cradle since everybody is making a project for you and I'm left grasping at strings."

"Our friends simply adore our child already so hush" Neytiri chuckled as she reasoned that the gifts that would be filling their alcove were months away but all she needed from him was his love. Tsu'tey was a good craftsman, practicing in his spare time in the fields, so Jake was already behind as number two. His advisor, however, promised to help him create a project and Jake never doubted his friend's opinion. Tsu'tey's idea of a gift was a wooden boundary at the entrance of their alcove to make sure their child didn't crawl away and injure themselves or worse. This was one instance that the new parents agreed with the soon-to-be protective uncle. Neytiri's female friends and relatives were making clothes for the upcoming bundle so Jake couldn't do anything there either.

She kissed the center of his forehead with a soft smile to remind him that they were at the pools to relax away from their worries and assured, "I will love anything you give me, my Jake. You've already given me a child so there isn't anything more that I could possibly ask for."

"_Two_ babies?" he jested charmingly and she slapped his left forearm gently to the idea because one baby was going to be enough for them. Being an identical twin, Jake didn't know the odds of having a set of twins himself but the thought always lingered. Plus, he was certain that bringing two babies into the word would be stressful enough and he could kiss away mating for the next year.

"I would like a few baskets since our clothes will be just about anywhere when it comes to changing the child and we can never have too many of those" she suggested helpfully since any small trinket would do, happy with the sentiments behind the gift rather than the item itself. She leaned against him for a moment as she gazed at the calm water with a longing smile and admitted quietly, "My father was always so protective of our clan but he was the same with Sylwanin and me. He was a hunter, born and bred to provide for his people but did you know he crafted a blanket for each of us when we were born? Mine was bright yellow with pastel flowers stitched onto it and it was the only item I remember from my youth. I carried it everywhere with me until hunting fascinated me but I'm not sure where that blanket went. For all I know, the destruction of Kelutral incinerated it. . .it was so worn from everyday use. . ."

Hometree's destruction was an event that never failed to twist Jake's stomach and she sighed softly, "But I'd like to carry that tradition on with our children. I loved my father dearly . . . he was everything I wanted to be and I wish he could be here to see his first grandchild."

"He is, somehow" he whispered soothingly since his mate only spoke of him during private moments and wished that there was a way to find a connection. The atokirina were always regarded as sacred spirits and elderly na'vi believed they were emissaries of Eywa that contained deceased souls, always watching Her children. Mo'at constantly reassured her daughter that Eytukan was watching over her like a father would but Neytiri needed a sign sometimes to verify it, leading Jake to comfort his mate by suggesting, "We could always name our child after your father, if you'd like. Tawtute had a tendency to do that to honor a loved one and what child wouldn't love being named after a clan leader?"

"We don't have such traditions but it sounds interesting" she confessed since her father still would've led for many years had the attack not taken his life. It wasn't good to dwell in the past because her present was everything he would've wanted for her: a safe world in which to live and raise her children. Still, there were days where a daughter simply needed her father to talk to.

Neytiri froze when she felt a soft kick from within her body and her hands immediately flew to the right side of her belly where tiny flutters could be felt. The sensation was new and entirely eerie, her right hand softly touching the area to confirm the feeling. Was. . .was that the baby? Her wide eyes met Jake's, who had stilled to her sudden movement, and she ordered quickly, "Touch right here! I think. . .I think they're kicking."

Jake's hands flew over her belly to feel that first milestone in her pregnancy, eager and nervous to feel little feet kicking from within. It solidified that they were having a child and just as they were sitting quietly, it was growing to full-size. Their child! A son! Or a daughter! He grinned wildly when he felt the weak force from her lower right side, laughing joyously as he felt the soft pitter-patter and declared, "Well, somebody is either happy or fussy today."

She treasured this moment in her pregnancy, the solitude providing a lifelong memory that she could one day share with their child. Being her first child, she would remember each moment for both her new role as a mother and the little babe that she'd be holding in her arms one day. Her hand smoothed over a vacant spot next to Jake's hand to feel their little one kick and beamed proudly with a sweet smile, "Hello there, tiny treasure."

"I promise that you'll have the tidiest loincloths" Jake assured confidently because he'd learned how to correctly put a diaper on a child and didn't want a mess in their home. He wouldn't want to clean a poopy accident and neither would Neytiri since nightly feedings (not to mention healing from the labor) would be enough of a stress. The first kicks of their child slowed until they were faint against their fingertips and he joked lightly, "Try not to rearrange mother's organs, will you?"

"If they do this at night, I will be waking you" Neytiri guaranteed because she wasn't going to be the only one bearing her child's giddy dancing and dipped another fish piece in the creamy sauce to resume her snacking.

Her day had just become better by eightfold and whatever little stresses the day brought were nothing compared to feeling her little child announce its presence to her.

* * *

Mo'at treaded through the empty grass fields of the clan's Tree of Voices as their old memories had transferred from the one destroyed to another within Kelutral's vicinity. It was smaller than their old one but it was treasured just the same as the young tree offered the intricate bond to the past. The connection to their loved ones was never lost as long as a single Tree of Souls survived and a tsahìk always required one for meditations regarding Eywa because it offered the quickest way to be reached. Sometimes, they would speak and sometimes, they wouldn't.

Today, however, her visit was not for meditation but planning as she arrived in her specific spot once a week at the exact time. The trilling of basking fan lizards echoed in the field along with the cheerful call of birds as they flew overhead. The small blades of grass tickled the top of her bare toes as she approached the tallest willow tree among the rest in the small field. Her fingers grasped a delicate pink vine and her other hand connected her queue for tsaheylu, feeling the energy flowing into nervous system. This allowed her mind to immerse into old memories and souls wandering the land of Eywa, their voices and songs echoing in the endless veil. The Tree of Voices wasn't simply a connection to memories of the past but a link that allowed na'vi to talk across the distance to others. There was also another type of communication but Mo'at would unveil that surprise for her daughter in the coming months. For now, she closed the connection to the memories as she searched for a solitary connection made by other living na'vi around Pandora until she found a specific one.

Nitari stood by herself in the luminescent void, always donning her seashell jewelry and a crown of braided hair as she smiled at her surroundings. She'd been exploring old memories from other clans to learn of their daily lives until her friend arrived. Her eyes brightened with delight to seeing her friend walking through the open field of colorful flowers Nitari had crafted for herself in the realm. Her amicable voice carried over the empty field in greeting as Mo'at approached and the Omaticayan matriarch chuckled softly, "Punctual as always, dear friend."

"It has been lively today and I never hesitate to greet my Akon" the older matriarch chuckled sweetly and she extended her hands to squeeze her friend's in warm welcome. Although they were miles apart in reality, the connection Eywa provided through the willow trees cast aside the distance to bring a different type of face-to-face communication. This is how the two managed to keep in touch throughout the years to keep each other informed of news and maintain their sisterly relationship. The two had been overjoyed when the festival brought them together for the first time in many years but they spoke to each other using long-distance communication nonetheless. The Atykwe matriarch released her hands with one last fond squeeze and tilted her head to the right with a warm smile, "How have you been?"

"Quite wonderful, your fish delighted my clan and we have a bonding ceremony coming up soon" Mo'at answered with a grateful smile because all was wonderfully well with her people. There had been no conflicts within the clan or others nor was the forest proving too wild for her hunters; Eywa had blessed them this year. She was spending her new retirement with advising her daughter and involving herself in old hobbies she hadn't partaken in for years. Neytiri had chuckled when she showed her the first pottery bowl she made since Mo'at's focus had always been healing and sewing. When Mo'at met the young matriarch in her childhood, she'd found an older friend with wonderful cooking skills and had enjoyed eating her treats as she tagged along behind her. Her own cooking would never be up to par with Nitari's but she didn't hesitate to help her sewing when Nitari needed tips.

Now that she was growing older and seeing her child continue their line, Mo'at was free to explore new opportunities and smiled earnestly, "This past year has been the most peaceful in seasons and I'm grateful to be able to watch my daughter prepare for motherhood."

"How is little Neytiri? She never seems to grow older than five in my eyes" Nitari chuckled softly and the matriarch joined her since she felt the same. The young girl that ran around with a fake wooden bow as she imitated her father never left their minds.

"Her health is impeccable and I think she's happy to gain that weight- she eats enough for two" Mo'at answered with a soft laugh to her daughter's recent appetite as she found everything delicious and sought extra helpings from either her plate or her mate's. She was happy with her family but wanted to inquire about her friend's wellbeing due to her dual rank and asked gently, "How have you been faring?"

Nitari smiled contently to her calm lifestyle and replied cheerfully, "I've never felt better. The visit from your advisor was quite pleasant and I enjoyed seeing his perplexity to my knowledge of his arrival. He was reluctant to stay more than a day due to his duties at home but his family convinced him. By the end, he didn't want to leave them."

"He has to return, his path demands it but the question is how?" Mo'at mused with her subtle craftiness since she'd slowly been preparing Tsu'tey for his path after Joanna's leave. She loved him like a son but like any mother, she wanted his happiness- even if it meant sacrificing the most honorable hunter to hand him into another's hands. Eywa wanted Tsu'tey to live his life among the Atykwe where his true mate belonged and she stated knowingly, "He is quietly stubborn with unyielding loyalty to the clan and it makes me proud of him. However, it can also be a hindrance towards a brighter future and that is what he needs now."

"I think the only reason he stayed here was for Joanna and his family" she admitted with mirth since the man had been a little anxious to leave with his goods and return to the comfort of his home. It would take very good persuasion to keep him rooted to her clan longer if they were going to convince him that the Atykwe was the right choice for him in the long run. When Tsu'tey arrived at her clan, Mo'at had instructed her to keep him within the vicinity of his family to show him the other side of a different life he could lead. Since Tsu'tey had now returned home, it was Nitari's turn to offer advice for her friend. She crossed her arms with amusement and chuckled softly to his behavior on the coast, "Otherwise, he would've left immediately. Next time, I will be utilizing his young cousins since they are quite infectious with their love- they really are sweet children."

"He won't want to leave soon after his trip which is why I request Joanna visit us in the coming weeks" Mo'at explained with a rare sneaky smile to divulge her plan and Nitari's brow rose in curiosity. She had never been one for very meticulous plans but after years in Mo'at's company, she'd learned a few tricks. It was a good help when she was starting out as a matriarch and had to show her unimpressed clan that she could handle trade alliances that would benefit theirs. Mo'at moved gracefully towards one of the orange flower bushes and peered at them as she deliberated carefully, "One of her dear friends, Cherylsmith, will be having her ceremony and would be quite happy for the visit. Of course, she's been too shy to ask but the celebration will cause our hunter joy with that visit so I will send a messenger to your clan soon. It will give us reason to send him along with her and you can counsel him on his bond plans."

"In order to budge Tsu'tey, we will need a _lot_ of parties advising him" Nitari mused with humorous emphasis because the man was unyielding towards leaving the Omaticaya. He was stubbornly rooted like a seedling to the earth and he wasn't eager to budge to move to a different terrain for growth. She didn't doubt his affection for Joanna but was it stronger than his bond to his clan? That was a question that the matriarchs would have to see as they observed the developing relationship and she agreed with Mo'at's idea, "His friends and family will need to slowly budge him towards the path he keeps eluding."

"I will work on pushing Tsu'tey to open his eyes on journeying to your clan while you. . .well, Joanna isn't nearly as stubborn" Mo'at chuckled gently about the other variable in their plan but the only concern with the huntress was her acceptance of the sacrifice Tsu'tey would undergo. The woman always tended to him with care as she encouraged him to be his best but knowing that reaching that zenith would end his life with the Omaticaya. . .Joanna would need to bear that burden as well. She wouldn't have minded keeping Joanna among them but Eywa required them to be in Nitari's clan and Mo'at would oblige Her. It was the main reason she sent Joanna to them in the first place to begin the process.

Nitari waved a slender hand as she laughed heartily and disagreed, "Goodness no, my Joanna has become quite attached and loyal to me- like a daughter, truly. It is humbling that she sees me as a motherly figure. . .she's made me quite proud since arriving and deserves a guiding figure. She caught a fish half my size one day and gave it to me as a gift."

Mo'at chuckled softly since Nitari mothered everyone due to her lack of children but a few had weaned their way into her heart and another was delving deeper. Nitari had always placed orphaned children with relatives or other couples to give them a chance at a happy life but she'd never fostered one for very long. The fact that Joanna had no family and looked for a motherly figure had made Nitari think on what to do to form a bond with one of her age. Mo'at could see Eywa had a plan in store for Nitari as well and she smiled sincerely, "When you are sick, I hope she will be by your side with the same loyalty."

"She carries an arsenal for the slightest sniffle-just today, she wrapped one of Tsu'tey's cousins in a blanket when she sneezed while playing in dirt" Nitari laughed fondly to the maternal air that exuded from Joanna whenever she was around children and Leti had become her unofficial favorite. She was ready to take her steps into a mated life, unlike her dear Anaya, and the matriarch would guide her there. There was no question whether the two were meant to be together but both had to be intellectually and emotionally hardened to head into what would occur the moment they began courting. She clapped her hands enthusiastically to the new plan underway as she enjoyed bringing two people in love together and promised, "I will make preparations for her and two others while you enjoy yourself with the upcoming celebration. I'll be sending a few goods for your kind accommodation."

"Nitari, there is no need for you to do that" Mo'at disagreed gently since she didn't mind doing favors or helping Nitari in any way and this was _her_ little plan this time. They were always sending small packages to each other with seasonal goods to offer friendly clan hospitality. Since Mo'at's hands were best at gardening due to its connection into healing, she inquired curiously about her recent delivery to Nitari, "By the way, did you manage to plant that sapling I sent?"

"I've never had the hands to garden like you, Mo'at, so I had to give it to one of the herbalists before I accidentally broke a branch" Nitari sighed softly with embarrassment since her forte lied in jewelry crafting and cooking. Healing had been an acquired skill for her role as matriarch but she could never plant or cultivate like other women that carried that natural touch. She'd learned many skills in her long life but she wouldn't give up on it just yet. Her fingertips lowered to trail over one of the flowers she'd conjured within their connection and she chuckled warmly, "I stood to watch the planting process and it's been going quite well. The earth is drier and loose here, especially with this current season, but we're trying our best with the land."

"You've always been dedicated, Nitari" Mo'at complimented pleasantly since the sea dweller was a determined woman much like herself. She'd come from a humble family without knowledge of what a matriarch rank was truly like but Nitari didn't falter in her path as she kept persevering- even if some hadn't agreed with her. Eywa worked in Her strange ways but Mo'at always pondered why a good heart like Nitari hadn't been gifted with a loving babe or growing old with her mate. It was why she remained loyally by her side to make sure her friend was happy throughout the years and assured kindly with a broad smile, "I'm sure Eywa will see that hard work yield something."

Nitari waved a delicate hand as her face broke into a sincere smile that brightened her features and chuckled, "As long as the clan can have tea, vegetables, or fruit- I am happy. I've never been one to focus on anything beyond the essentials for physical, intellectual, and emotional sustainment."

"Yes, I remember when Eytukan and I tried to give you a pa'li" Mo'at reminded playfully to older times when she'd barely stepped into her role as matriarch and Nitari had visited with Akon to congratulate the two. The Atykwe matriarch had become her closest friend despite the distance as their similar roles allowed Mo'at to learn from Nitari's experience and build her confidence on leading the Omaticaya. Mo'at's love was for seashells while Nitari's was Pandora's wildlife which led Mo'at to asking Eytukan to present her with a pa'li for all of her help. Nitari, however, had been bashful in accepting such a gift as she worried about separating the mare from its herd. In the end, Nitari had decided to leave the mare at the Omaticaya in Mo'at's care and would return to visit both to prevent removing her from the clan. A basket full of puffy pastries were the next alternative and Akon told Nitari to forget about refusing since they both loved them, which brought delight to the Omaticayan couple.

"She remained happy" Nitari stated matter-of-factly with joyous laughter since she'd ridden the pa'li whenever she visited the clan. Mo'at had even placed Sylwanin on the mare when the small girl wanted to sit on it like her father did on his. Now, the trusty mare was galloping across Eywa's plains alongside others that had passed on. Her gaze shifted to the benevolent pink that covered the horizon as she kept the beautiful colors of the willow tree in mind and asked serenely, "Have you taken your children to the Tree of Voices for their next step in training?"

"Soon, I am still deciding whether to begin in the coming months or after my grandchild is born" Mo'at replied quietly as she mulled over that issue frequently since her daughter yearned for a bond to her father but she wanted to be sure she could handle the mental exhaustion from a long conversation. Any na'vi could hold a short conversation with voice alone but to make a private setting like Nitari's took precise concentration that came from constant training. She folded her hands neatly over her stomach as she paced around the quiet pasture to admit, "It has been years since she's spoken with Sylwanin, holding onto the memories held here. To speak with either her or Eytukan would bring her extreme joy but I wouldn't want her health to decline due to the mental drain."

Mo'at had become very protective of her last child, especially now that she carried her own, and sighed softly as worry betrayed her voice, "Neytiri has always been one to engage in lengthy conversations and there have been times when Sylwanin has used childhood memories to engage her in old repetitive fun to begin the process without her knowing. Of course, Neytiri believes it was a simple run when the two would chase each other around Kelutral but Sylwanin makes errors by telling her words that don't match her old memories. It is hard to keep them at bay as a mother but Sylwanin has missed her sister greatly. I could never keep the two separate for very long and now that she is tsahìk. . .it is time."

Nitari's gaze softened since her large mental capacity could handle crafting and maintaining long connections but her older brother couldn't. It had been difficult for him to bear when he was able to connect to their parents but couldn't maintain the bond for more than a minute. She'd stepped in to play as the mediator between both to bridge each side as she gave him that privacy since she could venture there whenever she pleased. Sylwanin was ready to bring Neytiri into a new realm for exploration where loved ones were everlasting and Mo'at had to make the development seamless to prevent mental (even emotional) strain. She laid a hand on the matriarch's left shoulder to offer her support and suggested helpfully, "Be a moderator in their conversations when she cannot handle maintaining it. Keep practicing here to tap into Neytiri's full potential but I am certain she will know her limitations. Your children have always been smart, Mo'at, and your youngest always has a second plan in mind when the first fails. She is Eytukan's daughter, after all, and learned the best from both of you."

"Eywa watch over you, sister" Mo'at smiled tenderly and embraced her dearest friend as she offered the best advice when she needed a helping hand. With her mate gone, the younger matriarch needed feedback on certain questions and her high ranking tended to alienate her from most. Both had lacked having a female sibling and despite the decade of age between them, Mo'at depended on her sister just as much as Nitari sought her.

Maybe this had been part of Eywa's current plan for her since meeting Nitari so many years ago.

* * *

Jake and Norm traded glances as they watched Tsu'tey whittle a new batch of arrows. His fingers flew with precision to sculpt the shaft as he sanded it with a gray round tool that fit perfectly in his palm. His movements were almost mechanical as he finished one and moved to another, drawing everyone's eyes to the hunter. He mumbled out incoherent words whenever anyone asked him a question as he focused solely on his task and didn't join their conversations for very long.

Jake decided to test just how much his friend was actually participating in the conversation and spoke casually, "So, I hear my toruk caught fire. . ."

Nothing.

"Neytiri went into labor. . ."

"Ow! I'm bleeding!"

"Look! A palulukan!"

From across their grassy spot, Neytiri glared at her mate to silence his dramatics as she distinctly heard every word her mate said aloud. Cheryl, who sat by her side as she peeled fruit for the cooks, shook her head with humor since her friends were trying to draw the hunter from his new shell. Since returning from the Atykwe, Tsu'tey had become quieter and less animated in speaking with others as he preferred to be in private solitude or focused on his duties.

"A gentle hand would go a long way" Cheryl advised gently with a friendly smile since her interactions with Tsu'tey were always passive, offering advice only when he required it. Although she was older in mind, he'd become the eldest due to his rank and she was entirely giddy when he'd personally brought her Joanna's care package rather than send it by Norm.

"The trip there _was_ the gentle hand" Jake pointed out with a disappointed sigh as the outing served to make him even more of a recluse rather than give him extra pep. Throughout their conversation over the shady field, their noise and that of the natural wildlife failed to snap Tsu'tey from his passionate arrow making. This led the clan leader to directly poke his friend on the shoulder, breaking the spell completely with the prod and Tsu'tey's hands stilled immediately. All four individuals looked to him with curiosity to see what he'd say since having a lot of eyes on you automatically stated you had clearly missed something.

He appeared surprised for a brief moment but failed to recognize that he'd missed the last twenty minutes of a conversation and simply asked, "Yes?"

"Tsu'tey, you've been quite . . . solemn . . . since returning" Neytiri spoke up kindly with a sympathetic smile since her mother had advised her to tread lightly with the hunter. She had yet to realize what her dear mother had planned but whatever it was; Neytiri hoped it would bring him happiness. She leaned forward show that she would kindly listen to anything he had to say about his life and coaxed gently, "We are your friends and you can _always_ seek us for advice."

"I take full advantage of the friend package" Norm piped up amicably to wipe away the frown already forming on Tsu'tey's face and quickly grabbed his friend's arrows to prevent another escape from reality. They weren't trying to be intrusive on his personal life but when it began to affect friendly relationships, it was natural to worry about his overall wellbeing.

Tsu'tey felt no need to disclose his troubles, being a private person, and declined politely, "You all have enough concerns in your life-"

"That's the point of being a friend- we're here to help" Jake interjected matter-of-factly since he had no problem figuring out suggestions to his woes while Neytiri provided the emotional support. His friend longed for the missing piece in his life that would complete him but unfortunately, that part lingered miles away on the coastline. He'd yet to ask Neytiri or Mo'at on the process of inter-clan bonds but there was one clear fact on it all: either the Atykwe would lose Joanna or he'd lose his friend. Either choice would bring heartache to their loved ones but Jake respected his brother enough to let him roam free to find his happiness. Of course, he wouldn't jump ahead of the gun and pinpoint that as the main problem because for all he knew, the two decided to end. . .hmm, he'd no idea _what_ their official relationship was. Traditions among the na'vi strictly stated that a couple interested in each other had to publicly announce a courting to maintain respectful decorum but Tsu'tey hadn't done that- not with him or their friends.

The advisor quietly placed down his half-whittled arrow and looked to each of them to inform sincerely, "I am appreciative for the help but I've yet to finish sorting through it all. When I do, you will be the firsts to know."

Tsu'tey wasn't ready to confess his plans for bonding to Joanna until he was certain that she'd accept and he could bear leaving his beloved clan. They were all he had known since birth and he'd expected to be buried near the Omaticaya Kelutral when his time came to rejoin Eywa. The thought of departing for a new land and never seeing his friends or brethren again . . . he was afraid to say he wasn't ready, no matter how much he loved Joanna. If he asked the same of Joanna, he knew she couldn't either since she carried that same pride in her eyes that he held for his people. Right now, all he needed was time and a lot of meditation to ponder just _what_ Eywa had planned for him because he was starting to feel a little lost.

Jake could see that his friend wasn't budging in his stance as he returned to whittling once more and quickly spoke up before he lost him in the conversation, "We're still here if you need help solving any problems and practicing in the fields can take away daily stress. I go there every day when Neytiri-"

He stopped before he dug himself into a jam and smiled charmingly to his mate, who had now crossed her arms over her pregnant belly with a look that demanded answering. As for Tsu'tey, he merely eyed the couple silently before returning to his woodwork because prying into the life of others wasn't in his personality. The tsahìk's posture across the short distance told Jake he'd better answer fast or risk sleeping in their alcove alone tonight and he spoke carefully, "Dearest, you know I need my own time alone when the pregnancy and clan matters exhaust me. Also, you've been eating most of my food lately-"

"I am carrying your child!" she justified with embarrassment at being called on that new aspect of her behavior because although their child lacked a placental connection, she needed to maintain her energy with the new weight. Unlike her mate, she couldn't escape her pregnancy and its symptoms whenever she felt the need but understood everyone needed a small moment of peace in their lives. She grabbed one of the cubed orange pieces of fruit that Cheryl was cutting, purposely eating it with slow bites in defiance but cursed its deliciously sweet taste. Throughout it all, she watched her mate with a keen eye to finish matter-of-factly, "That is reason enough to indulge."

"You're persuasive but that reason will run out once our little one's crying for us" he chuckled amusingly as he allowed her to eat to her heart's content because his mate was notorious for keeping fit. He might've trained under her guidance but even so, Neytiri outran him without sparing a single breath while he trailed behind breathlessly. He might not be the gawky student anymore but Jake had to be fast on his toes to carry the same fluid agility of his mate- a trait he greatly admired.

Cheryl smiled innocently as she took Neytiri's side, being a woman, and pointed out nonchalantly, "I wouldn't worry about Neytiri. _You_ wouldn't want to gain weight during her pregnancy when you lack childbearing abilities."

"Ouch! Cheryl has tiny claws" Norm laughed aloud as the quiet herbalist rarely intervened vocally, being the most passive out of all. Everyone, except the reality disconnected Tsu'tey, snickered to his comment while Cheryl blushed bashfully as the attention focused on her. This is why she chose botany, nobody but the plants would be there to hear her meek opinions and they wouldn't talk back.

"Noren's been good in helping you come out of that shy shell" Jake complimented pleasantly since the sociable singer was never far from Cheryl once their tasks to the clan were finished for the day. The two were inseparable and as she slowly learned to overcome her anxiety with public socializing, Noren had delightfully surprised the clan by declaring their upcoming bonding. Neytiri had taken it upon herself to help her friend learn everything that was required for the ceremony and lifestyle. Tsu'tey, on the other hand, had almost been blasted into depression at seeing another friend seal a union while he hadn't.

Cheryl's moment of shyness ceased when the mother tsahìk entered their small field, her confident steps telling the group of friends that their playfulness would have to turn to respectful conversation. Neytiri smiled cheerfully in welcome to her unexpected arrival while Jake stood up to greet his mother-in-law like any respectful gentleman. Norm and Cheryl replied with the same courtesy since Mo'at was _the_ woman to be held in awe as the rank of mother tsahìk was a proud title to bear when your child was walking in your steps with the entire clan on her shoulders. The two politely excused themselves since they'd taken quite the time away from their leaders as the duo enjoyed spending their free time with friends, especially Neytiri, and they scuttled off to continue their day.

Norm's laughter echoed as he teased her about her sudden gumption, earning a look of approval from Mo'at since the herbalist would need assertiveness if she decided to head into a healing rank. The new silence in the field managed to break Tsu'tey away from his task, especially when he noticed a shadow looming over him, and he balked in surprise to see the mother tsahìk. How had he missed her? Jake tried to keep a straight face when the hunter literally threw aside his whittled arrow to stand up to greet Mo'at with a bowed head and hastily asked to make up for his lapse in alertness, "Apologies, mother tsahìk. Is there anything that requires my attention?"

"Tsu'tey, calm yourself" Mo'at soothed gently before he could ask further questions that would bring anxiety and smiled at the loyal hunter. His ears flattened modestly as he obeyed quietly, dipping his head once more to show his respect. He was the avatar of triumph for their people because he never failed to help others but Mo'at worried he'd run himself into the ground in exhaustion as he took on many responsibilities- even more now that he returned. Her child was trying to balance a problem that held no easy answer and she would provide him with aid on his journey . . . but first, she had to make him scuttle off. It was hard for her to do since she could see lines of exhaustion forming underneath his eyes (she often wondered if he was an old soul in a younger body) but a quick task would do the trick. She looked down to his bag of whittled arrows before returning her gaze to his and requested kindly, "Could you tell Maxpatel that I will be seeing him with Neytiri soon? I need to speak with my children for a moment."

Tsu'tey blinked with confusion since such small tasks were left for other members of the clan but he wouldn't dare question their matriarch. She quickly added in that he could bring his day to an end after that and he found himself antsy because his chores kept him occupied. Quite frankly, there wasn't much for him to do besides lay in his hammock or feed the tapiri herds (and Aci) once he finished a day's work. It was the main reason why he felt glum after Joanna departed because he'd finally found his partner, the one he could explore with or lay in her hammock to unwind without a care in the world. He decided that he'd read another of the painted Atykwe tales since he studied them in stride to absorb their history and replied courteously, "As you wish, mother tsahìk."

The clan leaders called out their goodbyes as Mo'at picked a spot next to Neytiri to sit by, tucking her legs neatly to the side. She didn't wander very far from Kelutral as her bond to their home and people kept her tightly rooted to its center. Also, she wasn't as spry as her younger days and didn't want to encounter a dangerous creature if she did travel outside the perimeter. Her hand tucked Neytiri's stray braids behind her ears, a routine action that failed to leave her since the first days she'd braided her daughter's hair. The young tsahìk smiled to her motherly doting because it was an act always done in private and Mo'at reminded warmly, "I hope you didn't forget you had to see Maxpatel today?"

"No, mother" she answered softly since her pregnancy had both her mate's and mother's eye on her wellbeing but the child was doing fine so far. Her healer was as respectful as she imagined, answering all of her questions and educating her about the birthing process to daily child care. Neytiri had no idea how fast the dreamwalker had learned about childbearing and newborn care but her mother had been quite impressed with her healing protégé. He had offered to bring a device used for tawtute that allowed an image of a body area to be seen from the inside which Jake informed would allow them to see their child. She was naturally wary of their advanced technology and cautious for her child so she declined its use unless it was deemed necessary if her pregnancy reached a problem. So far, it hadn't and she didn't regret it.

Neytiri grasped her mother's right hand between both of hers, her eyes lit with joy as she informed proudly with glee, "Our little one moved today for the first time and we felt them."

"The light flutter?" her mother clarified since spicy or saucy foods tended to imitate the same symptoms of a first kick but her daughter assured it was different from all other stirrings. Neytiri pressed her hand against her abdomen in hope that her baby would decide to reappear with its earlier kicks but felt nothing, smiling apologetically at her mother. Mo'at merely chuckled since babies weren't made to be ordered and squeezed her daughter's hand to assure her she believed, ecstatic to hear her grandchild was on the move. She placed her other hand on top of her head to show her affection and admitted warmly, "You were quite active in your space before the last months till delivery. Your father complained you kicked his back a few times during sleep."

The young tsahìk laughed sheepishly to that heartwarming picture since she did have that tendency during childhood and was kept at the end of their family group during sleep. Her father always made sure she didn't kick anyone while Sylwanin slept in their mother's arms and each girl was happy with their parents. Neytiri wondered whether history would repeat itself and found the idea humorous since her mate woke to the slightest sound due to his tawtute training.

Jake sat beside his mate to squeeze her hand, his brow creased in contemplation as he looked to Mo'at for input on a question and asked hesitantly, "Neytiri and I have been wondering about Tsu'tey. It simply can't be us that see him steadily focusing solely on his work?"

Normally, Mo'at would speak with a voice that carried decades of wisdom to bestow onto younger generations but the recent activities of her adopted child allowed her to sigh softly, "Yes, son, I've noticed that quite frequently. Unfortunately, we cannot pry into his life when he doesn't want aid. . .but I can safely admit between us that he does."

"He didn't end his. . .did Joanna reject him?" Jake asked quietly to maintain their privacy in the field despite its emptiness and Mo'at replied with a negative. He didn't know how to voice the unofficial relationship the two had but was glad Joanna hadn't broken his friend's heart. He tapped his chin thoughtfully as he pondered on the elusive conundrum and suggested with the topmost reason, "Then I can only pinpoint this new level of gloominess on his lack of contact with her. I can only imagine how hard it is because I'd become more than worried if I left Neytiri for more than a day."

"But we are mated and they are not, which begs the question if Tsu'tey is ready to court which means," Neytiri proposed thoughtfully to her friend's glumness since courting was always mandatory before a bonding ceremony. In her case, their courting consisted of a few hours since they'd jumped ahead and skipped a bonding ceremony but Tsu'tey was strictly traditional. Her ears dipped for a moment to the realization that an inter-clan courting would lead to a relinquishing of multiple ranks and she finished faintly, "We will lose him."

Mo'at watched their solemn faces with silent agreement and spoke gently, "This is his choice and one that he cannot take lightly, which means we will be encouraging him during these upcoming months. We all must bear the reality that he _will_ leave us, whether he knows it yet or not, and we must help him find his answers. We cannot intrude or overstep our bounds in his life because this is _his_ decision in the end."

"If he's ready to court after a single trip, he is a man in love" Jake commented with a kind smile since each person deserved their happiness, even if it meant losing one of his closest friends. The two had been giving off nonverbal signals since their days together in his clan so it was time that they found a permanent solution.

"Are you certain, mother? Can he not bring Joanna to our clan instead?" Neytiri suggested with uncertainty since Tsu'tey provided more for their clan than Joanna. Their clan also had an advantage since they'd both lived amongst them together so the Omaticaya wouldn't be new to Joanna. After growing up alongside Tsu'tey, Neytiri couldn't see an Omaticaya without the man that defined their hunting tier and whispered sadly, "I know it's not traditional but. . .he's family."

Jake couldn't help but voice his agreement on that one but Mo'at shushed their worries by stating calmly, "He is our finest hunter and advisor but he will have more to offer the Atykwe than he could ever provide for us. Nitari and I have seen this for a year in the making so now, we gently need to budge him in the right direction- no matter how much it will hurt us to see him leave."

The couple agreed quietly with a heavy heart but Neytiri smiled at hearing her mother use emotional words since she was normally very collected and even toned in speaking. She placed a comforting hand over hers since Tsu'tey had grown to be her unofficial child over the years and asked curiously, "What should we do?"

"Your best option is right before you: Cherylsmith's bonding ceremony" she explained carefully as she'd already hatched the foundations of her plan with Nitari and simply needed her children to execute it. The young herbalist had voiced to her friends that she wanted the last member of their small group to be there, especially since the two had shared a sisterly bond since arriving on Pandora together. If Mo'at sent her advisor to retrieve the Atykwe huntress, he would notice something was amiss and deliberated further, "Send a messenger to the coast and it will be a pleasant surprise to our dear Tsu'tey. However, I want you to encourage him to visit the Atykwe once more after the festivities end. His continuous contact with the other clan will make this transition easier because he will be very hard to budge towards a new life."

"You are a waterfall of endless wisdom" Jake complimented his mother-in-law's meticulously brilliant planning since she was always one step ahead. He could distinctly remember how she'd heckled Neytiri about him when he failed to understand a concept during their early days together.

"Of course I am, it isn't an easy path to tsahìk" Mo'at smiled confidently with a soft laugh as she squeezed Neytiri's shoulder, eager to see the potential her child would reach one day. She'd rushed with teaching her years' worth of knowledge once Sylwanin joined Eywa and the heir to their clan was gone- a traumatic moment that led Eytukan to choosing Neytiri as her successor. Mo'at had originally been against it since her little one showed potential with a bow rather than Eywa but her daughter had come in contact with atokirina more often than Sylwanin. That was enough of a sign for Eytukan and he'd assured her that their daughter would make them proud. Neytiri had handled the unexpected burden with graceful calm for one of her age and continued to do so when her father passed on. It reassured Mo'at that their clan would be fine in her slender but strong hands and having a mate with warrior prowess was a favorable addition.

Neytiri laughed amusingly when her mate complimented her mother with a wide charming smile, "Well, you carry it gracefully and agelessly."

Mo'at joined her daughter's infectious chuckling since Jake never treaded near her bad side, taking extra care with her rather than with Neytiri herself. The matriarch always carried herself proudly and exuded authority with each step while Neytiri's original annoyance with Jake's inexperience turned to affection once he was capable of handling himself in their world. Obviously, he would have more leeway with his mate and pissing off a matriarch would have you chucked out of a clan faster than you could say ikran. Mo'at sighed softly as she resumed her calm expression, the corner of her eyes crinkling in merriment to her family moment and warned lightly, "If my grandchild carries any of your charisma, they will be flocked by suitors when they're of age."

Jake's shoulders slumped immediately to the idea of his little one, especially a daughter, growing up too fast before his eyes and muttered flatly, "Then I hope Eywa gives us a _boy_."

Neytiri smiled impishly to his sudden fatherly protectiveness over their unborn child because she could imagine him demanding that each suitor prove themselves. His brow rose to decipher that little smile of hers and she stated nonchalantly, "I don't know, my love, mother had daughters only."

His ears flattened as he closed his eyes to the idea of giving away a daughter- _his_ precious child- to another. Would they even know how to treasure the little life he cared for? His jovial expression turned to fatherly melancholy and Jake shook his hands in the air to refute hastily, "Then I will demand that a man bring down a toruk for her before he's considered worthy."

"That only happens every few generations and you achieved that single opening for our time" she chuckled fondly since he'd defied their initial expectations at every corner and knew not to underestimate her mate. If their child carried both of their traits, they would be a good future clan leader in the making- along with their careful guidance to keep them on an honorable path.

"I still think you deserve better" he doted affectionately on the dearest person in his life since she'd literally shown him life in a new world, pushed him to be his best, and to do what was right. If something ever happened to him, Neytiri would have their child to carry on his legacy and she was a strong woman in her own right. If the position were reversed. . .he'd be lost without his other half.

He grinned with amusement as she hissed playfully, calling him a skxawng for old times' sake, but he loved her more for it. Seeing her business in the clearing as concluded, Mo'at left her squabbling children to continue her work around the clan and smiled on the inside to their carefree happiness.

Their cheerful farewells and reminders that they'd see her at the clan hearth to tell her of any more baby updates prompted her to reminisce of her younger days when pregnant with Neytiri. Her child was well on her way on accomplishing milestones that her oldest daughter wouldn't have a chance to do but Mo'at was thankful for the little moments like this.

* * *

Joanna sat on the calm sandy shore after another long day of practicing healing alongside Zika but it gave her a great sense of purpose and belonging in the clan. She'd managed to convince a stubborn toddler to drink their medicine by treating them as a mini adult, allowing them to pick how to take the medicine with their own little hands. She'd also realigned the broken foot of a young boy that had decided to throw himself off one of the boulders next to the sea in a sudden rise of bravado to impress a girl and broken it on the shallow area.

She gazed at the vibrant flower Tsu'tey had given her, its petals holding the slight wrinkling of wilting at the ends. It lay pressed into a thin square piece of wood with a clear glaze that locked it for preservation against time; his uncle had created it after she inquired about it. Whatever items she could keep from her beloved to maintain their bond would always be stored until the day came when they had to call it quits (she didn't want to). Peke's snout nudge the piece of wood from his place beside her as he laid in front of her hut to enjoy an outing away from the pen for a few hours. He enjoyed walking with the pa'li every day when it was time to explore or when Joanna decided to take them all as a group but his individual time with his rider was the best.

"No, my friend, this isn't for eating" she chuckled affectionately and patted his neck when he tried to lick the wood. She didn't ride Peke on the beach, only when they checked out the perimeter where the natural rock border was located to show her dear pa'li mutual respect. His antennae lightly tapped the top of her head playfully and she smiled widely, appreciating his sign of affection. The movements from his antennae had been lively and swatted anyone near his vicinity during his colt years but throughout the year, they'd grown coordinated and dexterous. She scooted inside her hut to place her flower square in a safe spot for safekeeping and returned outside in two steps to pipe up, "Let's go for a nice walk, hmm?"

At this, the young pa'li perked up immediately and stood up on his strong legs to whinny happily. Whenever traveling was involved with his partner, he failed to decline an offer as he was eager to explore the land since the pen lacked areas of different terrain to keep him enticed. Joanna laughed to his enthusiasm as he left her behind as he galloped over the sand with joyful freedom, his short tail flicking at the air as he headed south.

She ran after her partner before he wandered too far from her sight or into the water. He halted when she whistled the order, pawing at the sand before occupying his time by splashing in the shallow water to wait for his partner. Joanna wagged a finger towards him when she arrived to meet her ecstatic pa'li and chided playfully with a big grin, "You are eager today, Peke. Run free but stay within my sight and out of the water."

He didn't need to be told twice and the azure pa'li took off across the even terrain, picking up clumps of wet sands as he galloped freely. Among the Omaticaya, he was always watched over by caretakers and he could never wander far from the fields due to the danger of predators once they roamed past the perimeter. In his new clan, he could roam the endless beach for more than an hour and still be within his land- a pa'li had never known such sweet boundless freedom!

Joanna followed her giddy steed in a light jog since he knew better than to leave her far behind; the two always within each other's sight to prevent any mishaps. They traveled towards the hunter's cove as she fondly dubbed the area where her brethren gathered to prepare catches, train, maintain weapons, or simply partake in hobbies. The chalk white earth and small dunes that held sparse trees were wonderful for their rank but the best scenery was provided to the lorekeepers and artist ranks as the hills further north provided perfect scenic overlooks into the ocean to inspire. Anaya often joked that if she could move away from the beach, she'd set up her hut on one of the hills to watch the tide and enjoy the beautiful view.

Peke broke off from his straight line to head to the left when he noticed his favorite Atykwe resident picking seashells off the wet sand. Anaya was usually found on the shore during those hours two or three times out of the week as she perused the sand for seashells to add to her growing chime collection and other knickknacks she made. The huntress smiled in delight when the pa'li came to a stop next to her and she stroked the top of his head in welcome as she greeted sweetly, "I See you, Peke. My, aren't you excited today?"

"He's always excited" Joanna chuckled fondly as she caught up to the two, catching her breath because there was no way she could ever defeat a pa'li in a full gallop. Peke dug his front left hoof into the wet sand twice to show his agreement, his baby blue eyes sparkling gleefully. Joanna's golden eyes matched his brightness as she embraced her pa'li and chuckled softly, "He's had quite the adventure by traveling south to deliver goods and he reconciled with Tsu'tey, all within a few weeks."

"I remember his joy after that excursion, he left hoof prints all over the sand outside my hut" Anaya laughed jovially since Joanna had spotted her crafting a wind chime that day after returning and Peke had followed from behind. After inquiring about their outing, Peke had kicked sand in happiness and left prints everywhere as he'd been ecstatic to his first clan outing as an Atykwe. His young age and playful demeanor had earned Peke the title of most lovable pa'li as he interacted with everyone that visited him. He'd become the adopted son of the herd as he learned lessons about the land or hunts from the older members and groomed all of them to show his appreciation. It had been a large comfort to know the Atykwe pa'li weren't as dominating as those from his old clan or worse, the Horse clans, since he was a passive stallion in the making.

Peke gave his usual dose of affection by licking Anaya's right cheek before splashing the water to entertain himself. His size had increased dramatically since their first meeting (before Tsu'tey assigned him) but Joanna was pleased to see that his bright personality failed to change. His strong legs kicked at the water as he enjoyed frolicking in the gentle waves and she chuckled softly to her friend, "I always find it surprising how different Peke is from his mother. They're like night and day with him being the bright sunshine. She's a tough mare but I see a lot of her in Peke because he's not one to give up quite easily. Are you, my boy?"

He whinnied happily when she touched his snout with an affectionate smile because he'd follow her anywhere and knew she'd do just the same. He was thankful and honored that the Omaticayan matriarch allowed him to leave since he was a child of a very prized mare and expected to follow in her steps as a strong pa'li. The children had loved him but Joanna had been the one to claim him as hers with nothing but pure joy while others had passed him over to choose other worthier colts or stallions. No, Peke was loyal only to Joanna just as his mother was to Tsu'tey and he'd never leave the Atykwe after finding his true family with their pa'li. Anaya couldn't help but smile since her only partner was Taka but she loved him endlessly like a son as well and chuckled lightly, "He's a proud Atykwe stallion that'll have little colts of his own one day. Who knows, I might just have to take one for myself if they have his eyes."

Both women chuckled to the thought of little colts galloping about with his charming baby blue eyes. Anaya wanted to have a future where her sister would be there beside her and tentatively brought forth, "I know you long to be with Tsu'tey and the history that runs between you two back at the Omaticaya strengthens that commitment. Would. . .would you ever consider leaving us if he asked?"

Joanna stopped her coddling as she watched Anaya's ears flatten and stepped out of the water as the younger huntress added in, "If Tsu'tey has proposed that you choose him as a suitor, there are traditional laws in place but. . .he offers so much to his clan. What if he wants you to move away? What-"

"Nothing has been decided and I will _not_ leave any of you" Joanna interjected gently because the Atykwe was her home, not the Omaticaya. In the past, she would've rejected such an idea after bonding with Tsu'tey and his clan but Eywa's plan had been correct. This was her family and she wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. She laid a hand on her right shoulder in support as their close friendship had allowed for Joanna to express her sympathy and couldn't bear to see her dearest friend (besides Cheryl) somber. The young huntress was already stuck in a romantic tangle where her in-laws refused to accept her courting Arat and Joanna soothed kindly, "Xeki and Peke consider our beach home, just like I do."

"He could change your mind- you told me he's charismatic" she murmured dejectedly since Tsu'tey held ranks that neither she nor Joanna could achieve together in their lifetimes. He carried sway in his clan and his tie to the ruling family could lead to negotiations with Nitari to allow an exception. Anaya didn't want to lose one of her friends after Nitari had promised Eywa had stated the ones who would be in her life and sighed softly, "I don't want you to leave us."

Anaya wasn't going to be convinced quite so easily but Joanna smiled earnestly to comfort, "I promise I will never leave our clan for another, no matter how charming my future mate could be. You're all my family, I've settled my roots here and I want my children to roam this beautiful beach with yours. Only the matriarchs can interpret what will be and all we can do is to take one day at a time. . .but I'm not going anywhere."

The huntress chuckled softly to that faraway dream and the two strolled down the beach to enjoy each other's company. Anaya's bucket clinked with her shells and Peke followed loyally from behind with wet plops echoing with his trot; all sounds that Joanna wanted to continue hearing for many years to come. There would be changes coming and they wouldn't be in the form of the weather as it would challenge the future status of her and Tsu'tey. Whether it would benefit everyone or one side was one of the major questions, along with bearing the fact that sacrifices would have to be made.

Anaya smiled brightly when she spotted Arat and Xuret cleaning their fishing rods, maintaining any worn areas or polishing away any scuffs. She greeted the two with a jovial voice and approached Arat's side to help him finish faster as she offered to take one task off his hands. Joanna smiled at the couple that deserved a slice of happiness but Anaya was insistent to be accepted by Arat's family. As for the hunter, he didn't care what they thought since he'd had years to form the ideal mate he sought and Anaya had perfectly fit like a delicate string on one of the instruments she played. Time would decide the ending of their quiet romantic battle and a new dawn would greet the victors to allow them to begin building upon their win.

Joanna chuckled in amusement when Peke batted the hunters' heads in greeting to join the manly socializing. Both men patted his snout in welcome as they smiled to his lively greeting and Xuret's hand scratched him behind his antennae as an extra token for the gentle head butting. Peke's bright blue eyes shined happily to the affection as he mingled nonverbally and Xuret spoke quietly with a serene expression, "The sunset view and light breeze calms weary hearts. Doesn't it, Peke?"

The pa'li neighed with delight to agree with Xuret as he found the beautiful blend of colors of the horizon beautiful and had once tried to swim out to meet the sky. Of course, his rider quickly explained that the sky above them was endless and would only result in death since it was unachievable. Instead, she showed him the true view of the gorgeous sky as memories of flying with Xeki painted a clearer picture and the twinkling stars had given way to a limitless black veil that he would never comprehend. Peke considered himself quite the lucky pa'li and was eager to learn about the black shroud that existed past their innocent blue sky to see worlds that no pa'li would ever see. Joanna caressed his neck in wide circles to calm her partner and gently teased his perkiness with a grin, "I caught him trying to head into waist deep water more than once today."

Peke snorted at having his fun cut short, pawing the sand with his wet hoof and Xuret smiled faintly to lecture gently with a firm brow, "You must be careful, young Peke. The currents can turn swift in a blink and sweep you away into the deep ocean where Joanna won't be able to reach you."

His antennae flattened comically to that thought because he wanted to live for a very long time but they rose when Joanna promised she'd still go after him. He'd been ready to follow her at Iknimaya despite having no path in sight and Joanna would never let anything or anyone take him away.

"Do you need help with that?" Joanna asked softly since he'd trained her to fix fishing rods during their first lessons and always looked to master her skills. Her own rod was back inside her hut as most hunters carried one to enjoy the hobby for fun after sunset and Joanna wasn't one to miss out. At the moment, Xuret was polishing a rough edge at the butt of the rod since it would cause friction with the skin when grasping the wood. Also, he was trying to change the top of the rod with a new wood type that would allow more elasticity to cast his guide line into the water.

"An extra set of hands would make this faster so yes" he agreed cordially for the help and handed her the round polishing tool made of smoothly crushed clam shells. The Omaticaya used titanothere skin for smooth polishing but since the animals were nonexistent on the coast, crushed shells were the best choice when pieced together.

With a perky smile, Joanna began to buff out the rough edges to leave the grip smooth for its owner. Peke watched the two set of partners help each other out to cut down on the time and took a sudden curiosity with a small number of crabs that had begun walking over the sand a few feet away. He never tired of exploring his land and found himself helping the small shelled crabs in their burrowing by pawing at a few spots in the sand as they found their home for the night. His antennae lifted with pride when two violet crabs fell into his crafted holes to begin building their refuge and was glad to be of help to the tiny creatures.

From behind Arat, Anaya helped untie the knots in his fishing net since its large size allowed ample room for knotting. Her eye strayed from her work when she heard Xuret instruct Joanna to make sure she didn't buff out certain areas on the rod since it was accustomed for his hands only. Her witty retort brought a laugh from the group and Anaya smiled impishly from her spot as she hatched a thought that could possibly keep Tsu'tey rooted to their clan or allow Joanna to see other possible suitors were available much closer than she thought possible.

"What are you smiling about?" Arat asked curiously as he caught the wide sappy smile on her face as her plan began to form and his beloved flinched immediately as she was caught. Uh-oh, better make it good before she was caught.

"Banana fritters!" she answered hastily as the first thought that came to mind was food since last meal would be soon and returned to her work with a flustered face. Arat merely blinked with confusion to her strange blurt but this was Anaya and he'd become accustomed to such over the years.

* * *

**A/N**: Not as big as my other chapters but I'm wrapping up a school presentation on relational dynamics and I hate that I love colder weather but hate the sinus infections it brings me. Aside from that, I loved writing Mo'at as a major character in this chapter as she bonds with her best friend and family. And Peke, I can never have enough of Peke in my life and wanted to include a part of his day while Anaya craftily plans. We'll be reuniting the two lovebirds again for Cheryl's ceremony and I'm adjusting my outline on the story to make sure they're courting within ten chapters. This volume isn't as large as the first or the third so thanks for sticking with me as we charge onwards. On another note, I'm happy to see new alerts on my story so thank you and a warm welcome to new readers.

_Puffgirl1952_: They actually haven't begun courting, which is what the entire ruckus between them will be about since it means sacrificing his advisor role and leaving the clan. For now, however, they're simply allowing their affection to be known. Jake's definitely going to be happy with his little bundle of joy.

_Arwenia_: Congratulations on your acceptance into the program, I'm so happy to read the positivity radiating from you! I admire your dedication to the story; I've done the same for a few and went into a depressive slump when my most recent Mass Effect favorite stopped updated. Leti is adorable as can be and is a perfect mix for Tsu'tey to slowly cast aside his fear of them, especially after the thanator incident. Tarazi is indeed a proud huntress which is a trait that has both positive and negative sides. Norm will feel the sting of its bad side in upcoming chapters. Neytiri's delivery will be smooth but I will be using a complicated birth for another because with the lack of advanced medicine in their culture, mortality and complications arise. Ikran are monitored for their delivery to make sure nothing happens to the mother or the eggs don't crack but they'll lay three or four in my tale, similar to birds. I _love_ your idea of creating cross species plants for healing and painting the walls of the Atykwe clan since they've carved tales into the roots for history preservation. Thanks a bundle!

_Laithano_: Thank you so much, I'm glad you approve.

_Xahraxs_: Yes, Tsu'tey and Leti make a cute package so you can only imagine the love that will radiate from him when he has his first daughter. I like your idea since he will be taking lengthy trips after he leaves with Joanna in the next chapter but for the permanent move, he'll have to choose his replacement.

_Dracoessa_: Yes, they will. As for the ikran chicks, Xeki will have them before Joanna becomes pregnant.

_Kingoftooland_: Thank you for being a longtime reader, I love you guys since it's been a while when this little tale took off. I look forward to being in your list and hope you enjoyed this chapter.

_CrissYami_: Thanks!

_Rachelie_: The chapters for most of this volume relate to character development, especially Tsu'tey and Joanna. The two are trying to find their way to be together in the least harmful way while Jake and Neytiri prepare for parenthood; Norm's development with Tarazi will keep progressing as well with road bumps.

_No Longer Writing See Profile_: Thanks, I hope you liked the chapter!

_ForeverYoungForeverLostGirls _: Thanks for staying up so late for the story and enjoying it. I'm glad you poked me about that and began implementing the changes in this chapter. Hopefully, it will make an easier read but I'll be working on it.

_AnneliesW_: Wow, another reader that stayed up late to read the entire story. Thank you so much for that dedication to hit the next button until there was no more. I hope you enjoyed the rest of the chapters after 10 as well.

_Darklittleobsession_: Great, I love having Tsu'tey fans on this tale. He needs the love. Lol

_Claycarole_: Swizav is going to be one fussy ikran at home until he can return to his feisty Xeki. I'm glad this tale can be your refuge from reality because we all have those days when we just want to escape it all. I've always been liberal in thought but stick to polite traditions when interacting with others to offer that courteous respect but I've seen my share of people that lack it. One thing that's a pet peeve for me is seeing children, no matter what age (even more annoying as adults), disrespect their hard-working parents and exploiting them. Aside from that, Tsu'tey is very traditional and Joanna will follow him to show that respect. However, hormones are pesky and they'll get in the way- leading one matriarch to drench them in water when she catches them.

_casey21791_: Thank you for the kind words and yes, it follows after the film since I didn't want to repeat the entire franchise. As for the human base, I simply threw them in for a quick view since they'll appear in the last volume of the series much later on. I didn't want them to jump out of nowhere by that time and leave the readers wondering when they landed or their intentions.

* * *

**Next Time**:

Tsu'tey planned on starting his day by making a fly through around the perimeter of Kelutral to make sure no predators lurked on land and in the air. The natural boundaries around their land prevented large predators from entering and the hunters only allowed tapiri or hexapede to travel through their outskirts due to their herbivore diets. In the past, Tsu'tey used Aci to shoo away the tapiri herds that wanted to graze off the land (he was a cranky man in that time) but nowadays allowed them to roam free. There was something innocent and pitiful about the little herbivores that he couldn't throw them back into the forest without letting them eat. As for the air, the clan kept watch for any toruks that weren't the olo'eyktan's to protect their ikran but Jake's toruk had marked the area as his to guard. As Tsu'tey' prepared to begin his day, he didn't expect for his partner to rebel when he reached for him to initiate tsaheylu.

Jake had decided to accompany him for the day on his toruk and had already begun ascending the branches. Upon hearing Swizav's defiant screeching, he halted on the spot and assessed the situation. He looked down to see Tsu'tey pulling his irritated ikran by the banshee queue harness to yank him away from his private nest of leaves and broken twigs. Swizav hissed defiantly to being pulled away from the canopies because he wanted to stay home today and flapped his wings to move back into the concealing fauna. He'd been feeling melancholy since leaving Xeki on the coast and had spent many days watching the horizon from his nest with hope that they could reunite soon. His rider might not be open with his emotions in regards Joanna but Swizav wasn't one to shy away.

"We must go out today, Swizav" Tsu'tey insisted firmly but the blue ikran flailed his tail in a nonverbal version of 'go away' to leave the man facing his backside. Swizav had always been obedient to his orders since forming their bond but his newly mated status was proving to be frustrating. They had responsibilities to take care of throughout the clan and he wasn't going to bear anymore sass from his forlorn partner. He sympathized with his separation but there was nothing Tsu'tey could do about it and he stated clearly, "You know very well that we cannot journey to the coast. Our life is here and our leader needs us."

Swizav refused to meet his gaze this time and rumbled his chest to show he thought otherwise. Jake descended the branch and approached the quarrelling duo to see if he could help quell the rising tension between them. Tsu'tey turned to him with mild irritancy on his sharp features and informed quickly, "Swizav and Joanna's ikran mated during our visit to the coast. It was completely unintended since the two were fighting most of the time but he's become very protective of his unseen hatchlings. Well, I assume he left her with offspring."

"And he blames you for not going to visit?" Jake asked carefully with a knowing smile that hit the nail on the board and Swizav screeched in agreement. His blue head lowered somberly as the ikran played on their emotions for empathy on his new love life. As a mated man, Jake's heart went out to the poor ikran as its wings fluttered weakly against the nest and murmured softly with light surprise, "Oh man, ikran really do mate for life."

"You didn't know?" Tsu'tey asked with surprise since the man had two aerial creatures at his disposal but a toruk mating would have all na'vi diving for cover due to their territorial tenacity. Unlike Swizav, Jake's ikran was quite happy living the single life since he'd only spent a year outside the nest and was keen on exploring the world. Jake sensed another incoming lesson and Tsu'tey fulfilled his assumption when he stated knowingly, "Just as ikran find a na'vi partner, they seek their own kindred partner as well. They remain mated for life until death parts them and rear their clutch together with extreme care. Unfortunately, our mated pair in question is from two different clans so his partner is left to tend to her brood alone."

Jake felt sympathy for the azure ikran since he wouldn't want to be torn away from Neytiri at this very moment. He couldn't bear knowing she was caring for their child alone while he was elsewhere without knowledge of her wellbeing. Everlasting bonds were precious, especially those between parent and child, and the olo'eyktan ordered his advisor, "You have to go back and visit, I'm serious on that. You have a woman you love on that coast and now, your ikran needs to journey there too. He needs to know whether his mate is expecting and we can't stand in his way."

Immediately, Swizav batted the back of Tsu'tey's legs with his tail for emphasis because the olo'eyktan understood his plight far better. Tsu'tey hissed sharply for almost being knocked off his feet by the sudden move and decided that yes, his ikran would not relinquish his goal to travel back to the Atykwe. He wanted a happy ikran by his side but at the same time, he wasn't going to put his duties on hold to travel for the sake of Swizav and his own heart. Jake, however, was going to nip Tsu'tey's stubbornness on the bud before it flourished and stated a new set of orders for the hunter, "When Joanna visits for Cheryl's ceremony, I would like for you to take a few days to visit the Atykwe. I think your ikran will be better for it and please, use more than five days to fully enjoy the coast."

Tsu'tey was ready to argue about his numerous responsibilities but Jake beat him to the punch by reasoning evenly, "I'm olo'eyktan and I order you to have fun over there. I have the clan perfectly under control with Neytiri by my side and Mo'at is a leader in her own right."

"Jake-" he objected hastily since more than five days would drive him insane with worry about the safety of the clan but Jake directed a stern look to state otherwise. Tsu'tey could only swallow his disagreement but could grasp the justification in his judgment because the Omaticaya had nothing to be fearful of. Their prime enemy was gone and neither the elements nor wildlife had yet to breach their perimeter. Was it possible that he was being a tad overdramatic?

Without another word, Jake left the area to resume his task to secure their land and whistled for his friend not to take too long since two set of eyes were better than one. Tsu'tey stayed behind to look at his ikran. . .who had puffed his speckled chest and arched his neck to show he'd won this round.

"Don't look so pleased, we won't be there for long" the hunter chided to knock that confidence down a notch and his ikran hissed defiantly. Just for that, Swizav would make it his main mission to stay as long as possible by evading his rider and hiding in places he couldn't be reached. He _was_ a being of the sky, after all.


	41. Ripples in the Water

**Inspired By: **_Inon Zur- 'Love Scene' _(Perfectly summarizes the love and longing in this chapter!)**  
**

* * *

**Ripples In The Water**

* * *

Tsu'tey planned on starting his day by making a fly through around the perimeter of Kelutral to make sure no predators lurked on land and in the air. The natural boundaries around their land prevented large predators from entering and the hunters only allowed tapiri or hexapede to travel through their outskirts due to their herbivore diets. In the past, Tsu'tey used Aci to shoo away the tapiri herds that wanted to graze off the land (he was a cranky man in that time) but nowadays allowed them to roam free. There was something innocent and pitiful about the little herbivores that he couldn't throw them back into the forest without letting them eat. As for the air, the clan kept watch for any toruks that weren't the olo'eyktan's to protect their ikran but Jake's toruk had marked the area as his to guard. As Tsu'tey' prepared to begin his day, he didn't expect for his partner to rebel when he reached for him to initiate tsaheylu.

Jake had decided to accompany him for the day on his toruk and had already begun ascending the branches. Upon hearing Swizav's defiant screeching, he halted on the spot and assessed the situation. He looked down to see Tsu'tey pulling his irritated ikran by the banshee queue harness to yank him away from his private nest of leaves and broken twigs. Swizav hissed defiantly to being pulled away from the canopies because he wanted to stay home today and flapped his wings to move back into the concealing fauna. He'd been feeling melancholy since leaving Xeki on the coast and had spent many days watching the horizon from his nest with hope that they could reunite soon. His rider might not be open with his emotions in regards Joanna but Swizav wasn't one to shy away.

"We must go out today, Swizav" Tsu'tey insisted firmly but the blue ikran flailed his tail in a nonverbal version of 'go away' to leave the man facing his backside. Swizav had always been obedient to his orders since forming their bond but his newly mated status was proving to be frustrating. They had responsibilities to take care of throughout the clan and he wasn't going to bear anymore sass from his forlorn partner. He sympathized with his separation but there was nothing Tsu'tey could do about it and he stated clearly, "You know very well that we cannot journey to the coast. Our life is here and our leader needs us."

Swizav refused to meet his gaze this time and rumbled his chest to show he thought otherwise. Jake descended the branch and approached the quarrelling duo to see if he could help quell the rising tension between them. Tsu'tey turned to him with mild irritancy on his sharp features and informed quickly, "Swizav and Joanna's ikran mated during our visit to the coast. It was completely unintended since the two were fighting most of the time but he's become very protective of his unseen hatchlings. Well, I assume he left her with offspring."

"And he blames you for not going to visit?" Jake asked carefully with a knowing smile that hit the nail on the board and Swizav screeched in agreement. His blue head lowered somberly as the ikran played on their emotions for empathy on his new love life. As a mated man, Jake's heart went out to the poor ikran as its wings fluttered weakly against the nest and murmured softly with light surprise, "Oh man, ikran really do mate for life."

"You didn't know?" Tsu'tey asked with surprise since the man had two aerial creatures at his disposal but a toruk mating would have all na'vi diving for cover due to their territorial tenacity. Unlike Swizav, Jake's ikran was quite happy living the single life since he'd only spent a year outside the nest and was keen on exploring the world. Jake sensed another incoming lesson and Tsu'tey fulfilled his assumption when he stated knowingly, "Just as ikran find a na'vi partner, they seek their own kindred partner as well. They remain mated for life until death parts them and rear their clutch together with extreme care. Unfortunately, our mated pair in question is from two different clans so his partner is left to tend to her brood alone."

Jake felt sympathy for the azure ikran since he wouldn't want to be torn away from Neytiri at this very moment. He couldn't bear knowing she was caring for their child alone while he was elsewhere without knowledge of her wellbeing. Everlasting bonds were precious, especially those between parent and child, and the olo'eyktan ordered his advisor, "You have to go back and visit, I'm serious on that. You have a woman you love on that coast and now, your ikran needs to journey there too. He needs to know whether his mate is expecting and we can't stand in his way."

Immediately, Swizav batted the back of Tsu'tey's legs with his tail for emphasis because the olo'eyktan understood his plight far better. Tsu'tey hissed sharply for almost being knocked off his feet by the sudden move and decided that yes, his ikran would not relinquish his goal to travel back to the Atykwe. He wanted a happy ikran by his side but at the same time, he wasn't going to put his duties on hold to travel for the sake of Swizav and his own heart. Jake, however, was going to nip Tsu'tey's stubbornness on the bud before it flourished and stated a new set of orders for the hunter, "When Joanna visits for Cheryl's ceremony, I would like for you to take a few days to visit the Atykwe. I think your ikran will be better for it and please, use more than five days to fully enjoy the coast."

Tsu'tey was ready to argue about his numerous responsibilities but Jake beat him to the punch by reasoning evenly, "I'm olo'eyktan and I order you to have fun over there. I have the clan perfectly under control with Neytiri by my side and Mo'at is a leader in her own right."

"Jake-" he objected hastily since more than five days would drive him insane with worry about the safety of the clan but Jake directed a stern look to state otherwise. Tsu'tey could only swallow his disagreement but could grasp the justification in his judgment because the Omaticaya had nothing to be fearful of. Their prime enemy was gone and neither the elements nor wildlife had yet to breach their perimeter. Was it possible that he was being a tad overdramatic?

Without another word, Jake left the area to resume his task to secure their land and whistled for his friend not to take too long since two set of eyes were better than one. Tsu'tey stayed behind to look at his ikran. . .who had puffed his speckled chest and arched his neck to show he'd won this round.

"Don't look so pleased, we won't be there for long" the hunter chided to knock that confidence down a notch and his ikran hissed defiantly. Just for that, Swizav would make it his main mission to stay as long as possible by evading his rider and hiding in places he couldn't be reached. He _was_ a being of the sky, after all.

* * *

Since Mo'at had sent three individuals for their first visit, Nitari decided to do the same by having Joanna travel with her favorite emissaries. While Arat was keener on staying on the coast due to familiarity, Anaya was ecstatic and couldn't keep quiet about what she wanted to do and her favorite things. The young huntress enjoyed exploring the world and the Omaticaya had delighted her during the festival as the different food and tapiri herds brought her simple joy.

"I'm always in awe to the dense forest" Anaya smiled widely to the different environment surrounding them as the clear field encased them within Kelutral's safety zone. It was enclosing to the sea inhabitants as they yearned the open coast and the ikran flapped their wings to show they wanted larger space to roam.

"You should visit the scenic hills or the floating mountains" Joanna suggested since the spots offered magnificent views of the lush green forest while providing shady areas to relax. She'd teased Anaya that she had complete freedom to roam with Arat to enjoy time together away from the Atykwe. After all, what happened at the Omaticaya would stay at the Omaticaya. Anaya chuckled amusingly when Joanna batted her eyelashes dramatically and teased with a slow drawl, "It is _ve-e-e-ry_ romantic."

"I'll focus on my love life and we'll focus on yours" Anaya chuckled softly as the two kept their chat private from Arat, leaving the hunter to stare at them awkwardly. He didn't know what they were whispering about nor was he ready to tread into it. Joanna hissed softly as her fun was brought to an end as she tried to budge her friend into bonding with Arat without his parents' approval.

The trio didn't wait long on the grassy field before an azure ikran landed on the ground in front of them with a graceful swing of his speckled wings. It brought them all on alert as it screeched in greeting to the other three as it noticed their arrival minutes earlier and wanted to investigate. Immediately, the three Atykwe ikran turned around in defense since ikran of different clans could attack each other simply for trespassing. Joanna calmed her beating heart when she noticed the familiar color scheme and her Xeki purred with joy, leaving her rider behind as she practically swooped to her mate's side. The other two lowered their wings at seeing their sister joyful to the newcomer and the dynamics between the two allowed them to relax. Swizav purred joyfully to their reunion which left Joanna in awe to their doting behavior as they butted snouts delicately and rubbed each other's necks in another form of affection.

"Do you think Tsu'tey knows we're here?" Anaya asked uncertainly since an ikran didn't need to tell their riders where they wandered as they were free to roam. The fact that Tsu'tey failed to arrive with the ikran told them that no, the hunter knew nothing about their arrival as of yet. Apparently, Swizav had been too eager not to wait and flew out to meet Xeki to greet her with weeks of repressed affection.

Joanna chuckled as the two ikran communicated through growls and hisses to catch-up on lost time. Arat, being the designated leader of their troop, decided to head out on foot to find the advisor and announce their arrival. Anaya decided to play his shoulder imp as he headed out alone to follow the numerous paths back to Kelutral and called out, "Thank you, dear Arat!"

When Joanna tried to follow to help guide the way, Anaya held her back by the wrist and told her with a sneaky tone, "No, Tsu'tey must be surprised when he gets here. It'll spoil the joy if you're both surrounded by residents so you will wait."

"You have a crafty mind, Anaya. . .I love it" Joanna grinned mischievously as she wagged a finger and the two laughed together like little schoolgirls.

* * *

Arat didn't return alone as he brought along Tsu'tey, Cheryl, and Norm since the two wouldn't take no for an answer when they insisted following him. Tsu'tey brought the necklaces they created that contained their woodsy scents to place on the ikran for entrance. As advisor, he led his group towards the clearing but he was rather glad to be in the lead because he was anxious to be reunited with Joanna. Apparently, Swizav had decided to head out without him to be beside his mate. Before he could open his mouth to greet Joanna, their gazes met first and she was immediately in motion towards his direction.

Why was she running to him?! The tips of his ears darkened as she ran in his direction since na'vi didn't use touch often in public. It was an intimate moment shared only between family and mates- he was neither! Didn't she realize-?

He stared in sheer disbelief when she ran past him and enveloped _Cheryl_ into a hug and inaudibly declared words too fast for his ears. Cheryl returned the affectionate hug as she babbled the same incomprehensible words and he was left to stare in a frozen stupor. Well, that was . . . hmm, why did his unease turn to mild disappointment now?

_Run to the friend instead of the man you love,_ he thought amusingly as she played her trick well to confuse him but he was glad to see them happy. He and Norm had seen her weeks ago but Cheryl endured more than half a year without true contact with her friend. She'd been grateful for a care package when he returned and he treated her as a younger sibling out of respect to Joanna since the two had been inseparable. Tsu'tey envisioned the two being the younger dreamwalker versions of Nitari and Mo'at since they were unofficial sisters in bond as they lived apart.

"You came, I didn't think- oh, I'm so happy to see you" Cheryl babbled emotionally as the reunion brought tears to her eyes and clung to her dearest friend. The herbalist's meek demeanor shined through in the physical sense as her brown garb remained simple and modest with a single necklace (bracelets could become tangled in plants). Her hair was neatly combed into a single braid with a pastel pink fabric flower tying it at the bottom. Joanna's garb clashed against the one she shared with her friend as a simple green top and leggings clothed the huntress while she kept her hair at shoulder-length in multiple braids with shells.

Joanna pushed back her own to maintain a tough huntress façade and held her tightly, gushing fondly, "I promised I'd be here for your milestones and I am. There's no way I'd miss your most special day, Cheryl. Why didn't you send a message earlier? Oh, you. . ."

The two broke into tears seconds later and Arat stared at Tsu'tey uncomfortably, unaccustomed to seeing such catharsis from women in the open. The four ikran could've cared less while Anaya curiously looked on to see the dreamwalker interaction. The older hunter merely handed the Atykwe hunter a vine necklace to pass the time and stated earnestly with a faint smile, "They've always been like this so I've grown immune to it."

"It's true and I've known them even longer- Cheryl usually starts and Joanna follows" Norm agreed with an amused smile since Joanna originally held herself emotionally distant until she connected with another. Once she realized Norm was invested wholeheartedly to preserving Pandora and learning its secrets, he'd earned a spot in her heart too. Of course, he wouldn't cry with the women- gender roles and all that- but he'd do so if he was catastrophically distraught.

The two Atykwe placed the vine necklaces on their ikran for interclan safety but Xeki refused to allow anyone near her, hissing at her na'vi brethren. Swizav, instinctively protective of his mate, shielded her from everyone's sight and refused to budge from his spot. Tsu'tey trusted his ikran as he would one of his own limbs but approached him slowly for the first time. Although their bond was airtight, he also shared that space with Xeki now and had to respectfully tread into that territory. Swizav lowered his flared wings when he approached as a sign of mutual respect and Tsu'tey compromised calmly with an even tone, "I need to place this necklace on her for safety. Otherwise, she cannot venture into Kelutral and others will attack her on sight."

He eyed the necklace suspiciously but his sense of smell saw nothing wrong since it contained their scent, not the Atykwe's. Tsu'tey raised the green vine necklace to show it was perfectly harmless and continued gently in reminder, "You had to wear one on the coast, remember? It's why the two of you weren't seeing eye-to-eye."

Joanna caught sight of the hostile scene between the three and she released Cheryl before Xeki decided to spring on her beloved. Ikran were feisty enough and Xeki was a tough cookie by size alone so a cranky female deprived of her mate would be ready to claw anyone's eyes out. Quickly, she told Cheryl to stay with Norm and wiped her eyes free of crystalline tears as she strode forward to state firmly, "Xeki, you know Tsu'tey, Arat, and Anaya would never hurt a scale on your pretty head. I'm disappointed in your behavior."

She hissed softly to point out it could _possibly_ happen since her trust was placed solely on Joanna alone. The light flutter of her wings did nothing to sway Joanna's opinion as Xeki tried to earn sympathy points and the huntress took the necklace from Tsu'tey's hand. With the other, she stroked the side of her neck to calm her antagonism and soothed, "I'd never let anyone hurt you, my dear, and this will protect you. It will allow you to socialize with Omaticayan ikran and Swizav's true scent will be all _yours_."

Appealing to Swizav's traits, Xeki reluctantly lowered her head and she slid the necklace gently down her neck. Rubbing the center between her antennae, she whispered privately with a smile, "I trust Tsu'tey with my life so you will too. Just as you and Swizav are one, we. . ."

Xeki understood the analogy and looked to the hunter, who was reminding his ikran that he'd never harm any of his loved ones after years of loyal friendship. Swizav's flapping wings and Tsu'tey's finger wagging led the two females to share a similar look that transcended the species barrier. Their chosen mates would rather argue than compromise on matters, leading Joanna to pat her loyal ikran on the head. Tsu'tey motioned towards Kelutral to be free of his fussy partner and ordered hastily, "Since you're so anxious, lead the ikran back home to-"

Swizav didn't wait for him to finish and called them all to follow as he took to the sky, proud to share it with his mate. Xeki called out with a giddy chirp as her rider quickly untied her belongings to relieve the weight so the two could enjoy their day together. She'd never seen her ikran happier and would bear the leather bundle packs back to Kelutral. Joanna chuckled softly into her hands as she caught Tsu'tey's flabbergasted expression to the ikran's sudden leave and smiled cheekily, "Well, at least they're happy and we won't witness another mating scene."

Being in public, touching was off the table but Tsu'tey wasn't hesitant to voice his affection to the woman he hoped would be his mate one day. For the first time since they'd parted on that same land, they could freely admit their intentions to each other without being in fear as they were equal in age rank. She smiled broadly to seeing him safe in one piece without any new scars and remained the same in appearance- always strictly traditional. She hoisted her packs over her right shoulder and complimented with a fond tone, "Always a pleasure to see you, advisor. Unfortunately, we can only be here for a day due to the celebration of our newest adults- their rite is in two days."

"I'm happy to see you, even for a moment" he replied sincerely and her pearly smile widened, leading Cheryl to sniffle quietly at the reunion. She'd always been a sucker for romance and her upcoming 'nuptials' had gotten her teary eyed over anything sweet. Tsu'tey noticed her emotional display and he offered a sympathetic smile in her direction as he approached the herbalist to say, "Cheryl has become quite a good friend since you left and has grown into a very good herbalist for the matriarch. Apparently, my intimidating demeanor will fail to leave me but she's adjusted to the point of never fearing my outbursts."

"He is frightening when yelling" Cheryl chuckled nervously as she wiped her nose free of any clear mucus since there were guests at the clearing. Her day had become brighter with the new arrival and she linked her arm through Joanna's, stealing her away from Tsu'tey for the day. The hunter said nothing since the bonding ceremony would consume her time and he'd be free to speak with Joanna.

Joanna sighed happily to her friend's 'wedding' day since the couple had been matched perfectly from day one and mused tenderly, "I can't believe you're building a life with Noren. Oh, I can't wait to see how a family alcove looks like! It seems like yesterday that you were sitting at the hearth while he played his flute-"

"And Tsu'tey prodded you in the ribs to move because you'd sat on his tail again" Cheryl chuckled softly to their older days and the group laughed as they heard about their antics. Yep, the two had definitely been firecrackers but Joanna loved how far they'd come together since then. Tsu'tey joined the laughter since those days had filled him with annoyance and amusement to the witty woman that baffled yet enticed him as a friend originally before deepening. He ushered his small group forward to return to Kelutral where its strong walls provided safety and the two women followed as they fell into old habits. As for Anaya and Arat, he had to keep her within his sight before she wandered off to explore and batted her tail with his to keep her on the trail.

* * *

Joanna found herself ecstatic to return to her old alcove but the sleeping spot for her stay would be in the lower levels due to her huntress status. Anaya and Arat had brought blankets for added warmth after being accustomed to sleeping in huts but the warmer temperature of the forest rendered them useless. If anything, the two felt quite cozy with the humidity as they traveled around Kelutral and acquainted themselves with residents. They had visited before the rainy season but now that the warmer seasons were in full swing, humid climates and temperatures reigned supreme.

As usual, her greeting with the Omaticayan hunter involved finding the nearest empty alcove to kiss the man breathless and reacquaint themselves for lost time. Since Cheryl's ceremony would be that night, the two were only given a short time before Joanna had to run off to find the herbalist but it was enough for the hunter. Tsu'tey's day had turned incredibly brighter as he reunited with her and was certain his own ikran was roaming somewhere around Kelutral with Xeki beside him. Jake and Neytiri were pleased their plan worked when the hunter practically sauntered confidently through Kelutral and greeted everyone with an amicable smile.

Knowing absolutely nothing about mating ceremonies, Joanna was delighted to have her first glimpse as she helped Cheryl prepare for her big night. Neytiri and Noren's mother were present inside a private alcove at the base of Kelutral due to their larger sizes as they helped the bride-to-be. Neytiri explained that friends and female family members provided support by spending time inside the alcove to fix whatever was needed before the ceremony and keeping all anxiety to a minimum. Noren's mother was blissfully happy since she had all boys so it was wonderful gift to receive a new daughter into her family. She reassured Cheryl that she'd be the prettiest herbalist as she braided her hair, intricately weaving colorful beads and teal feathers into Cheryl's long raven hair. As for Cheryl herself, she calmly sat on a log bench as a white shawl draped from her shoulders- the white color symbolizing wisdom and hope for a new beginning. She lacked any anxiety, except for the public celebration that would have all eyes on her, because she was simply stepping into new shoes with the one she loved. Tomorrow, she would still wake to water the gardens and check on each growing plant to cultivate those herbs or fruits that were ready to be plucked. True, she would have a new alcove entirely to share with Noren but being alongside him is what mattered in the end.

The spicy and invigorating scent of burning incense filled the alcove as the thin smoke purified the air to calm the senses. Joanna found the rituals intriguing as she caught a glimpse into her own possible future and hoped she'd be as serene as Cheryl was. Neytiri smoothed away any folds from Cheryl's cheerfully yellow garb as she'd gone with the bright color to liven the celebratory mood. Cheryl held a simplistic but humble point of view so extravagance was not in her personality when she picked the pretty cloth and decided it was perfect just the way it was. She didn't require beading or colorful threading, choosing to add texture by using the same cloth in different folding techniques. In the end, it had turned out perfect in her eyes and Noren complimented that it matched her modest personality.

Neytiri looked to Joanna as the Atykwe glanced at everything in sight curiously since entering but busied herself with sorting through the differently sized and colored beads for Noren's mother. The tsahìk was certain that Cheryl's upcoming union would lead to questions from Joanna (Tsu'tey already knew the process) and explained amicably, "Each clan varies with their ceremonies but songs and rituals always carry Eywa's blessing for a couple. Both parties are bathed in support from loved ones until it is time to meet the matriarch presiding over the ceremony. Today, my mother will be the one holding that honor as I stand beside Cherylsmith in support."

"I remember witnessing one ceremony but I've never really known what occurs before that" Joanna admitted politely as she held out the box of organized beads to Noren's mother while she continued fixing Cheryl's hair. Oh, her friend would look absolutely radiant and graceful tonight. It was a milestone that Joanna was sure would arrive but could only await the day as she rested assuredly that her friend would live joyously. Both the Atykwe and Omaticaya were tightly knit with their residents, a trait she wished humans held but cultures had turned highly individualistic. She smiled at Cheryl to show her never-ending support, chuckling softly when she beamed happily and mused softly, "These moments bring an entire clan together, just as a birth or rite of passage does."

"Precisely" Neytiri agreed and looked to Cheryl as the herbalist sipped a cup of warm tea while one of her feet softly bounced over a crossed leg. Women tended to gossip about bonding and clan news to keep themselves occupied until the ceremony. Cheryl, however, wasn't the gossiping type and had simply asked each of them of their most memorable time with their mate. Noren's mother had admitted that the ceremony was the most treasured, especially the end, as it signified a new beginning. Neytiri confessed that since they were thrown into leading the clan and didn't really have a ceremony, realizing they would be parents was a treasured moment. As for Joanna, the huntress could only state that a passionate kiss in the fan lizard fields was her current moment of romanticism.

The tsahìk chuckled softly to Cheryl's serene attitude as she added incense to the bowl and she continued, "Each person reacts differently to their bonding day. Some are nervous, others incredibly energetic, or eager to get it over with, but Cheryl is quite calm about this. I actually thought she'd need a few words of encouragement to continue on."

"Life continues on and Noren will now be a permanent part of it so there is no need to be nervous" Cheryl smiled sincerely because she held nothing but optimism for her future and chuckled at the fact everyone thought she'd be nervous. After everything she'd experienced in the past with leaving Earth, exploring a dangerous (but intriguing) alien world, and rebelling against her people. . .she'd found her peaceful balance. Her days were filled with nothing but joy as she tended to her gardens and helped her clan thrive, smiling pleasantly as she spoke proudly, "And I have a new family to call my own after today. Oh, Joanna, when you receive the hammock you'll share with your mate . . . it finalizes your new role."

The Atykwe matched her broad smile because she hoped to find the same one day and stated confidently, "I've nothing but hope for you, dearest Cheryl."

"I might not be nervous but I am definitely tearful at everyone's good wishes for us" she sniffled softly because being surrounded by her loved ones and hearing their heartfelt approval for her choice pacified any nerves. When she first arrived on Pandora, she'd been nervous about the new world as she treaded carefully with the na'vi but they had welcomed her into the Omaticaya. They had given her a sense of purpose, new friends, and one she loved eternally, leading her to whisper appreciatively, "Thank you, all of you, for being beside me on this day and know that I treasure your regards for us."

Cheryl's heartfelt gratitude touched their hearts and no eye was crystal clear for the next few hours as they bonded.

* * *

The newly bonded couple beamed with joy as Mo'at tied their hands together with a decorative white ribbon to symbolize their new union as one entity. Jake and Neytiri stood in front of the couple both as leaders and friends to support them in their new lives together, wearing elaborate clothes that matched the quality of the young couple. Mo'at announced the ceremony as finished to the entire clan, presenting the two as mated adults as everyone shouted words of encouragement. The noise was deafening as the union was celebrated as strongly as a new life and Cheryl held back tears to the support thrown her way and Noren's. Even the youngest of children waved and hopped happily to partake in the festive mood and she chuckled fondly to their emotional outpour.

The two walked into the jovial crowd to begin the celebration, the white shawl over Cheryl's shoulders fluttering delicately in the wind. They encouraged residents to enjoy the food and dancing that would continue into the night (until morning in some cases) as they met with everyone to offer their gratitude for being there with them. Joanna offered her words of encouragement when Cheryl passed by her side of the large circle and wished them nothing but the best as they began their new lives. She promised Cheryl they would have the next day to continue speaking and couldn't help but become teary-eyed herself as her friend disappeared into the crowds with her own misty eyes.

She wanted that tender everlasting happiness with another and smiled at Anaya as the huntress fiddled with a lilac flower of simple rounded petals. Her friend had become enthralled with everything in the Omaticaya as her eyes darted everywhere since entering Kelutral and had begun collecting souvenirs. Anaya grinned sheepishly to her friend's curious stare and twirled the stem between her fingertips as she stated with admiration, "It is said this flower serves as an aphrodisiac to lure a partner."

Joanna chuckled amusingly to her new find since Anaya enjoyed hearing stories about items and teased, "Not too close then, dear Anaya. We might cause Tsu'tey and Arat a fright if that flower proves rumors true."

Her cheeks flushed to match the flower's tint and she placed it into her satchel to play it safe. She didn't want to cause a scene that would find itself in the ears of her matriarch and informed proudly, "I plan to use it on Arat. He is rather stiff and awkward during romantic celebrations so I hope it will help him loosen up."

"You are a sneaky one" Joanna laughed heartily to her plan but would keep silent to see how it would play out by tomorrow morning. It was harder to cover her laughter when Arat returned with a leaf plate of food and Anaya began to chat with him like she usually did. The man was obliviously innocent to her crafty mind and she merely smiled in greeting when he told her the food was magnificent.

_And here's another magnificent view,_ she thought immediately when she spotted Tsu'tey among the crowd and waved to him in order to nab his attention. The man was stunning in gemstone colors and his garb of sapphire blue and white feathers decorating his braided hair (pulled into a high ponytail that night) knocked the shells out of hers. Where was that whistling coyote cartoon that went hubba-hubba when you needed it? Since it was Cheryl's bonding ceremony, she'd brought her best clothing of a burgundy hue and a faithfully pleasing pair of brown leggings. Tsu'tey had returned his mother's necklace into her hands during their reunion chat and she'd donned it ever since- after kissing her beloved passionately, of course.

"You look ravishing tonight, dear advisor" Joanna teased playfully with a fond smile as he approached her with his confident steps and she met him halfway. His golden gaze pierced the dim lighting of the night as he met her jubilant gaze and she couldn't help but feel tiny standing against his frame. The smallest flicker of a smile perked her ears faster than seeing a banana fritter on a cold morning and the dancing flames from the fires burning around them highlighted his sharp features.

He invaded her personal space by leaning over to whisper in her ear with a sly grin, "Such words are more fitting for a private setting . . . but thank you, dear Joanna."

Arat pointed towards the mother tsahìk when he noticed the couple's doting glances and suggested good-naturedly, "The mother tsahìk is right there if you two are in the mood to add another bonding ceremony for the night."

"Not tonight, I'm afraid" Tsu'tey chuckled softly since each ceremony that passed brought to mind when his own would be but it would simultaneously mean the end of his Omaticayan life. He wasn't ready for that just yet and furthermore, he had never asked Joanna to court him. They were still in the early plans of going about such an interclan courting to deal the least amount of damage possible to both clans.

"I'd never been close to a bonding ceremony like this before" she admitted modestly as her emotions ran high after seeing Cheryl begin a new life and the man standing before her increased them. There was nobody else she could see herself sharing a life with and reuniting back in the clan she began from cemented the fact other couples were passing them by. Before Tsu'tey, nobody had dared to ring wedding bells in her heart but she would let things run naturally. She smiled widely to the jovial mood around them and her ears flattened against her braided hair as she stated earnestly, "It was. . .simply beautiful in all aspects. Nobody has become bonded in ours since I arrived so all my customs for such occasions comes from this clan."

"Would you accompany me on a stroll?" Tsu'tey asked politely to continue their conversation in a quieter area and pointed towards the fan lizard fields. She nodded excitedly since she hadn't seen them in a year and excused herself from her group of friends to walk alongside him. Joanna couldn't help but feel privileged to walk alongside the advisor as his handsome clothing matched his rank, displacing the humble appearance she'd come to love. If he'd dressed like he currently was every day, she doubted she'd have had the courage to approach him outside of a professional setting. The man was capable of appearing more intimidating than he normally was but she knew her Tsu'tey was gentle soul in private.

Anaya tried to follow along quietly by a short distance since she didn't want Joanna to leave their clan after finally finding her dearest friend. Tradition dictated that the man moved to the clan of his new mate but Tsu'tey held a rank high enough that he could ask the matriarchs permission to move his chosen mate to his clan. Arat, however, knew the other two needed to find a solid standing on their affection and grasped her by the arm. The huntress' eyes blinked comically as the tug registered and she looked to him in defiance as he stated calmly with reason, "No, Anaya, we must leave them be for now."

"I don't want her to leave us, she's part of _our_ family" she admitted sullenly to the idea of relinquishing her friend to her old clan and watched Joanna fade from sight. Anaya couldn't compete with a man like Tsu'tey and wondered what she could do to keep one of the members of her family from leaving. She pointed towards the dancing crowds where the couple had disappeared and stated matter-of-factly, "He's an advisor, Arat. He could twist tradition to sway his way and we'll never see her again. I don't want to lose my friend-"

"You're letting your worried heart fuel your mind with negativity" Arat pointed out gently since she was thinking with her heart and pulled her away by the arm to lead her towards the food benches. Anaya was easily sated with food as jovial celebrating usually turned her frowns upside down and he assured kindly, "Tsu'tey is not like that and he honors the ancient ways, just like we do. I saw a few desserts you'd like at the benches- the food is delectably aromatic. Come with me, Anaya."

"But-" she murmured softly in protest but he grabbed her hand into his, intertwining their fingers. Among the Omaticaya, they only held their ranks as guest hunters and the blue flute clan knew nothing of their personal lives- especially their courtship. It was a temporary freedom that allowed them the liberty to express some form of affection without having his family's eye on them, causing her to smile bashfully, "All right."

"Your smile lights the sky as if it was the sun itself" he doted affectionately to the one he loved and lightly rested his forehead against hers before heading into the crowds. Anaya forgot about her friendship woes as Arat's hand provided her endless support and the food truly did smell delicious.

She could always plan at a later time. . .with plenty of snacks in hand.

* * *

"You wore my mother's necklace tonight" he stated matter-of-factly as the polished white square stones caught his attention and lightly tapped the underside of her chin while walking. The simple touch brought a loving smile from the huntress as his private affectionate gestures meant the world to her heart. The delicate necklace had brought Tsu'tey nothing but somber memories of his mother and Joanna's leave worsened the meaning of his dearest heirloom once she'd returned it into his hands. He'd kept it in his alcove to avoid the pain both women left in his heart but now. . .he wanted her to keep it. His love hadn't waned nor was she trying to push him away so his heirloom would stay in her hands as a token of his affection. They hadn't ended their relationship and were slowly wading through the water to figure out where they were heading.

"A beautiful necklace for a beautiful ceremony" she replied earnestly and linked her left arm through his right to add a fond element of touch to their stroll through the fields. The brown twine bands around his biceps brushed against hers as she leaned against him and rested her head against his shoulder. The tranquility of the fields set her heart at ease as she returned to the land that birthed her as a true na'vi and whispered softly, "Although we haven't had time to talk, I've missed you terribly like a flower without its faithful sun. Your family sends their best regards. . .they're very proud of you and Leti keeps asking when you'll come back."

"How are the children? And my aunts?" he asked curiously since Joanna had been whisked away to greet his leaders upon arrival and he'd barely had time to ask about them. They hadn't left his mind since returning as he found himself bonding with his Atykwe heritage but Joanna had been yanked away to meet other familiar faces for her first return to the clan. He didn't mind sharing her but he'd really wanted to know about the children and the others, even the kind matriarch.

"Happy and healthy but Nara is due soon" she informed sincerely since the huntress was ready to pop out her child so she wouldn't have to waddle or be in bed any longer. Zika had laughed when Leti kept asking her aunt every day whether the baby had arrived and Nara kept replying that her little one had grown accustomed to its home. Either way, everyone was expectant to greet their newest family member and Joanna chuckled softly to inform, "The boys are never at a loss for company as they roam together while Leti either clings on for the journey or finds someone else to take her on walks. She stopped trying to eat shells though."

Yes, he remembered tearing away a few from the frustrated toddler as she demanded they be returned. His ears flattened briefly with longing for his family as he thinned his lips and admitted quietly, "It makes me guilty to find joy in both clans when I know my home has always been the Omaticaya but yet. . .all of you are on the coast. Eywa tests my will again but She has always done so."

"None of us want to pull you away from the only life you know-" she soothed gently as she halted their walk to squeeze his shoulders in support. Yes, she loved and wished he could be beside her on the beach but she also respected the man he was. It was a struggle to balance her love life and duty since the former wanted to keep him at her side but the latter knew the benefits he offered the Omaticaya as advisor.

"But I have tasted days of this completely different life. . .and I found myself enjoying it" he stated hoarsely because there were days he felt torn for longing to be with his family and partaking in what had been lost for years. He wanted to hear the stories of his elders and feign a grumpy face as he chased after the children that filled his heart with warmth. His shoulders sagged under her fingertips as the simple action displayed his internal struggle and he sighed sullenly with regret, "Of course, I felt guilty for that because the Omaticaya are my people and I was born here. My identity is being tugged by both sides no matter what I want and I've yet to find peace."

She seized him by the shoulders to kiss away his turmoil, offering him a token of comfort as she embraced him close. A moment's peace away from his thoughts and responsibilities was all he needed, clutching his beloved close to share that intimate moment. Joanna could only be reminded of their first kiss in that same field as they'd been filled with optimism for the future and a year later, they were in the same predicament with heavy hearts. His lips parted from hers with a soft touch, his forehead pressing against hers as he whispered with nostalgia, "This field always seems to bring me luck in seizing a kiss from you."

"I doubt kisses like these outweigh your love to the clan but it helps a little for dulling the pain" she replied somberly to the only option left open for them and couldn't do that to him as she saw the loyalty in his eyes. Her fingertips brushed over the apple of his cheek as her thumb lightly touched the bioluminescent dots and briefly wondered that if they had children, would they carry his markings? It was a selfish wish to want him to live at the Atykwe and a struggle to keep neutral as she stated softly, "I don't want to think about the hole you will leave-"

"Then we will never be together, that is the only other choice" he interjected softly since only two roads were available for them and he would prepare to tear away from the Omaticaya. Her ears flattened since she couldn't pry him from her heart and sighed softly when he kissed her forehead to empathize with her. Her fingertips brushed against the nape of his neck in a show of affection as the quiet field allowed them to bask in their sentiments and he whispered faintly, "Remember our past and the future we hoped to have? This is our only way. . ."

"That was within the Omaticaya" she pointed out somberly to their lost chance, leaning into him as her hands roamed over his shoulders. The silkiness of his skin never failed to draw her in as her fingers rested on the nape of his neck and couldn't help but smile fondly to the soft kisses he placed on her cheek. Could she truly imagine living without him for the rest of her days? It had been torture being without him at the Atykwe and his first visit had given her a sliver of hope that he fulfilled by resuming their relationship. She closed her eyes to remain strong as he fueled her resolve to find an answer and pleaded faintly, "I . . . could you just hold me? I've missed you."

He embraced her tightly by the shoulders to encase her smaller form, placing his chin on top of her head as hers settled in the crook of his neck. Each movement fit perfectly whenever they touched and Tsu'tey smiled softly with a kiss to her forehead, "Anything you want, my tanhí."

"This will be problematic" she sighed softly to the outcome of courting him and hugged her beloved tightly to be cozily tucked under his arms. She'd expected to live a modest life with the na'vi after gaining entrance to their world but never did she realize . . . how could she prepare to fall in love and build a life? Jake held no ties when he mated to Neytiri to blend into her clan as family but in her case, one would lose a treasured member. Joanna inhaled his familiar scent of rain water and freshly ground herbs to breathe softly against his neck, "Why have you ensnared me so?"

"Think about my request" he whispered gently with a fond smile to her question and hoped she would agree one day soon without hesitation. Their love would prevent her from seeking another elsewhere in the clan but eventually, his own would expect him to find a woman to have a family with. The cluster of bioluminescent dots around her hairline drew his eye as he compared them to the glittering stars above and he doted fondly, "You are the dearest woman to my heart."

"As are you, but both of our clans and daily lives play into this" she murmured sadly to the thought of how many faces would be disappointed to his leave and buried her nose in the crook of his neck. She'd be lucky if they didn't chase her out of the clan! Her beloved was a wonderfully articulate man that could pacify or rile the masses so hopefully, when the news hit, he would do the former. Her eyes met his as she raised her head and her hands lowered to rest on his chest, stating carefully, "We _cannot_ tread lightly with this decision, no matter how much we love each other."

"I do love you quite a bit, you might have heard this through the gossip chains" he joked lightly to lessen the tension in their atmosphere and kissed her temple to release the tension in her shoulders. He could feel the coiled muscles underneath his fingertips and squeezed the curve of her shoulders to dissipate the worry that rose to the surface. Joanna smiled modestly to his words as their playful nature had become buried under concern for the future since reuniting. When was the last time they'd chased each other in a friendly running competition? His nose brushed against hers as his hands lowered to grasp her upper arms and he stated charmingly, "Those hips can undo any man."

She chuckled softly to his suave words and joined him to put their worries on a shelf for the moment, "Says the man that is practically invincible and has the most alluring eyes I ever did see. I can only imagine how many more have fallen prey to the advisor's gaze."

His fingers cupped her chin to tip her head upwards to lock their gazes and he whispered with optimism, "And you can see them every day if you allow me to be your mate one day. It will be hard for me to leave but once I accept it, you will be all I see. The deepest part of my heart wants to build a home . . ._ our_ home . . . to grow old and watch our grandchildren run around. Can you imagine how many happy years we can live watching generations flourish that will carry our traits?"

Her fingers cradled the back of his head with a tender touch as she leaned against him with hope and anguish to what awaited them. Her choice would cement a new road that would carry them to a new beginning within a year's time and his sincere smile filled her optimism. She pressed a soft kiss to his lips that carried nothing but love for him and agreed with a soft voice, "If you can truly see yourself living a life with my people . . . I will allow you to be my suitor. However, I implore to think thoroughly on this to prevent horrible fallout."

He smiled widely with success at seeking her approval since a reluctant Joanna could have strained their relationship because he wanted a partner that would court him wholeheartedly. Her worries were understandable as they held his best interest at heart but he was a man capable of making his own decisions. He grabbed her hands to intertwine their fingers and she smiled warmly in remembrance to Cheryl's union. She could only imagine the overwhelming joy to the simple action of having their hands bound as a symbol of their eternal bond and squeezed his hands affectionately. They could not live without the other without bearing painful yearning and he stated carefully, "I will not be asking you until I am ready to begin reassigning my ranks to another and finalized my decision to leave. I have to integrate myself in your way of living first and ensure that the Omaticaya will have a strong advisor to support Jakesully. Oh, that will be hard alone and the weight of that choice-"

Joanna pulled him into a passionate kiss to silence his worries because it was a night to celebrate, not ruminate about the future. She'd had enough of 'what if's' for the night and wanted to bathe in the love she held for the Omaticayan advisor.

* * *

**A/N**: The chapter came out a little shorter than I expected for the first time but life gets in the way of writing at times and can't be controlled (ie. finals, annoying sinus inflammation). I didn't focus too much on Cheryl's ceremony since it will reflect Joanna's when we come to that point as she shares the same bonding time with her loved ones but I wanted to show a glimpse. Tsu'tey will head back to the sea next time to be bathed in little children eager to play and for advice from the matriarch while Mo'at shows Neytiri the extent to a matriarch's abilities. Also, I will be posting two sketches on my DeviantArt account this week- I've had the poor sketches sitting there for weeks. One will be Nitari and the other of Joanna and Tsu'tey's twin daughter while I finish Anaya after finals. I don't know why but I find drawing females easier but children are most difficult. Lol.

Thank you, new readers, I love seeing the alerts in my inbox for this story- I'm so happy that it's still my most popular. A shout out to clayclarole for the aphrodisiac flower idea she suggested a while back- we'll see its return in the next chapter.

_CrissYami_: Thanks for loving the chapters!

_Puffgirl1952_: School wasn't hard this semester, surprisingly, just a lot of presentations and papers. Thanks for the encouragement!

_Xahraxs_: I totally agree with you, Tsu'tey is like an overprotective daddy for his clan and has to learn that Jake can handle it- he is clan leader, after all. Lol

_Laithano_: Yep, they're ready for the two to be together but have to wonder what the consequences will be for the Omaticaya. Poor Tsu'tey, he'll feel like a lost baby cub.

_Pint-sized She-Bear_: I love the matriarchs and they're so subtle in their planning. I can't wait to write more chapters with the two consolidating their ideas while their kids remain in the dark.

_WhiteWolfWoman_: I'm glad everyone loves Swizav, Peke, and all the other animals I've included in this story.

_Dracoessa_: The two definitely miss each other as they try to figure out how to go about bonding permanently. Their stubborn ikran make it harder. Lol

_Fallenfaeangel_: Thank you very much, it is a long story indeed and the current geography will open up to further clans in the final volume as Joanna and Tsu'tey explore the world around them. Don't worry, we'll be seeing little ikran eventually since Xeki is definitely carrying little Swizav's.

_Lovingit_: Thank you for loving the story and I love receiving feedback from new readers. Culture shock is imminent with an alien culture, which was the major focus of the first volume with Joanna so I'm glad you liked that. I hope you enjoy the rest of your story as the two currently struggle with their identities and how to overcome the internal conflict.

_Kaanae_: I wish I'd understood what you were trying to review about but thanks for reading.

And a gracious thank you to my guest reviewers, I'm glad you love the chapters!

* * *

**Next Time:**

"I can't believe you woke early, you should be sleeping in and enjoying your honeymoon days" Joanna admonished gently with a motherly finger but wagged her brow with insinuation. Cheryl blushed instantly since she'd always been private with her romance life but the days after a ceremony was pretty common knowledge to adults as to what occurred. Joanna had been spending too much time with Anaya as the bold huntress didn't sugarcoat anything and she grinned cheekily, "You need to unleash the sexual tension that's been building-"

"You didn't drink any leftover intoxicating beverages, did you?" she interjected with a knowing gleam in her eye, adjusting a warm yellow shawl over her shoulders. Her friends had kept a joyous mood after the day of her union as Jake supplied drinks he'd made with Tsu'tey, leading to a lot of giggles from an inebriated Joanna. Needless to say, Tsu'tey fought off amorous hands that night as he helped her to her temporary alcove so she could sleep it all away.

"No, Xeki would throw a fit if I tried to make her flip with items strapped to her back" she mumbled flatly as she'd eaten a good breakfast to keep her awake and remained thankful a painful hangover didn't linger. Unfortunately, she couldn't say the same for poor Norm as her friend was a lightweight. She embraced her bashful friend with a tight hug, wishing she could carry Cheryl away in her bag to keep her on the beach but their roads had grown in separate directions. Their bond endured over the distance and Joanna wondered if she could ask the matriarch for a return trip to the forest so she could spend time with her friends. She'd truly missed them as she visited each resident on her only day to make true on her promise of returning- Leka had been quite joyous. There wasn't enough time to fulfill all of her itinerary (she really wanted to feed tapiri herds) and she smiled broadly to the kind herbalist that made her visit happen, "Your ceremony made my first trip unbelievably outstanding and I'm so proud of you. You've officially built your life on this world and I will be here when you have your first little Cheryl or Noren. Quite frankly, they would be adorable either way since you two draw that 'aww' factor as a couple already."

"I plan on being invited to your mating ceremony before I reach that point" she smiled slyly because Joanna deserved her slice of happiness too. Cheryl was in no hurry to procreate as her focus was the clan and Noren at the current moment but one day, she'd be ready. In Joanna's mind, however, Cheryl would be passing her prime by the time she and Tsu'tey resolved their issues. Her dainty hands squeezed Joanna's shoulders in reassurance that everything would be fine and smiled warmly, "I'll have a little me until I see you with Tsu'tey, permanently bonded, and that is a promise."

Joanna's ears dipped since doing so would mean removing their advisor and she sighed forlornly, "Cheryl, you know what must happen for us to be together and he loves you all so much. This is his home-"

"But he also loves you and that is a powerful emotion" she pointed out gently and embraced her to encourage her friend in her travels. Cheryl held the optimism that the two would be mated soon and if it meant losing or gaining the couple to the clan, she would be happy. Tsu'tey had given enough to the Omaticaya for a lifetime and Joanna followed his teachings to do the same for hers since she was still a new member. Cheryl smiled kindly since she held nothing but hope for the two and suggested, "Do think about it and don't be stubborn. You encouraged me so I must return the same hope."

She chuckled softly to her endless well of support and earnestly admitted with a pout, "Oh, you've no idea how much I miss you. Even plants seem gloomier without you tending to them and we don't have many to speak of as it is. You have always been the young sister I've wanted and couldn't be happier to see you in the arms of the one who'll cherish you till the end of time. Live prosperously, dear Cheryl."

"Take care of yourself out there" Cheryl sniffled sadly before she bawled as she had when they parted ways but separations always brought tears to her eyes. She could already see herself doing the same in the future when one of her children decided to undergo Iknimaya and left her behind to await their return. Cheryl would always be a worrier by nature but it made her dear to everyone's heart and she whispered faintly, "Please visit us soon, I miss you."

"I will and I'm happy to always have a home away from home" she smiled warmly in farewell and hugged her dearest friend one last time since time would tell when their next reunion would be. Joanna hoped it would be within the year to see the growth of her friends' lives as she held similar connections to the Omaticaya just like Tsu'tey held to the Atykwe. She didn't want to keep her far from home for too long since Cheryl had tasks to do for the Omaticaya and released her with a squeeze to the shoulders, "Enjoy your new life."

Cheryl nodded somberly but Joanna reminded her with a perky grin, "Chin up, Cheryl. You have a fantastic mate waiting for you back at home and it's still the early morning. He might like an early wakeup call, if you know what I mean."

"Oh, Joanna, hush" she giggled embarrassingly for her daring talk and the herbalist left the canopies with a happier heart to head home.

The tranquility of the morning brought Joanna melancholy at leaving her Omaticayan friends but her home beckoned her back to the sea. She didn't wait long for Tsu'tey to arrive as he'd always been on time for trips and this time, Swizav offered no resistance to his orders. The azure ikran was as happy as he could be at the side of his mate and the two had become extremely tame to their riders to show their appreciation. Tsu'tey nursed a small bump on his head after the jovial night with his friends ended with him hitting the top of his skull on Joanna's alcove roof. The woman had been charmingly inebriated and had attempted to pull him into her alcove numerous times until he used a leather pack to imitate himself. Joanna couldn't tell the difference and she'd hugged the pack close to fall asleep immediately.

"Are you ready?" Joanna asked gently since leaving one's home, even for a few days, wasn't easy. Her eyes noticed a small purple welt on the left side of his shaved head and remembered his protesting hisses when his tall form hit the ceiling of her alcove. Well, she had to remedy that lapse in coherent judgment when they returned to the coast. It seemed intoxicating beverages didn't mix very well in their current relationship and one would have to live without it to maintain the integrity of their dignity. Her ears dipped with embarrassment to her wandering hands and she assured cheerfully, "I promise you'll have fun, you're due for some."

"I find fun in the smallest of things" he protested with a feigned pout since they both sought adventure in the wilderness around them. After all, they'd literally pelted each other with fruit until they resembled the color itself. There were many memories shared between them and yesterday's amorous scuffle was another to add into their list. His raven braids swept over his right shoulder as he turned around swiftly and pointed out with demand, "But no dancing, I've had enough to last me until the next mating ceremony."

"I like seeing you dance, that tail of yours knows how to move" she teased playfully and he chuckled bashfully, missing the moments of innocent flirtations between them. In her older days, she drove him insane with her sharp-tongued jabs but now . . . she teased gently and followed with a compliment. His Joanna had certainly grown just as he had and he smiled widely when she informed proudly with a witty grin, "Leti's learning to dance, actually. She goes like this whenever anyone claps."

Joanna shook her hands in quick short movements and raised her feet comically before shaking her midsection, avoiding shaking her hips since children lacked a defined torso. He hid a boisterous laugh between his hands because although she looked absolutely ridiculous, Leti's small form would add the cute factor that let her slide away with her happy dancing. Oh, he would have to see that once he arrived and could imagine the glee on her little round face. Joanna halted her erratically outrageous dance to tie the last straps of the packs of Xeki's back and beamed happily, "She'll be so happy to see you again, Tsu'tey. Everyone will, even Peke."

* * *

_Thank you as always for reading the story and have a safe wonderful day!_


	42. The Eternal Bonds of Family

**Music Inspiration: **_Jesper Kyd- "Enough For One Life"_**  
**

* * *

**The Eternal Bonds of Family  
**

* * *

"I can't believe you woke early, you should be sleeping in and enjoying your honeymoon days" Joanna admonished gently with a motherly finger but wagged her brow with insinuation. Cheryl blushed instantly since she'd always been private with her romance life but the days after a ceremony was pretty common knowledge to adults as to what occurred. Joanna had been spending too much time with Anaya as the bold huntress didn't sugarcoat anything and she grinned cheekily, "You need to unleash the sexual tension that's been building-"

"You didn't drink any leftover intoxicating beverages, did you?" she interjected with a knowing gleam in her eye, adjusting a warm yellow shawl over her shoulders. Her friends had kept a joyous mood after the day of her union as Jake supplied drinks he'd made with Tsu'tey, leading to a lot of giggles from an inebriated Joanna. Needless to say, Tsu'tey fought off amorous hands that night as he helped her to her temporary alcove so she could sleep it all away.

"No, Xeki would throw a fit if I tried to make her flip with items strapped to her back" she mumbled flatly as she'd eaten a good breakfast to keep her awake and remained thankful a painful hangover didn't linger. Unfortunately, she couldn't say the same for poor Norm as her friend was a lightweight. She embraced her bashful friend with a tight hug, wishing she could carry Cheryl away in her bag to keep her on the beach but their roads had grown in separate directions. Their bond endured over the distance and Joanna wondered if she could ask the matriarch for a return trip to the forest so she could spend time with her friends. She'd truly missed them as she visited each resident on her only day to make true on her promise of returning- Leka had been quite joyous. There wasn't enough time to fulfill all of her itinerary (she really wanted to feed tapiri herds) and she smiled broadly to the kind herbalist that made her visit happen, "Your ceremony made my first trip unbelievably outstanding and I'm so proud of you. You've officially built your life on this world and I will be here when you have your first little Cheryl or Noren. Quite frankly, they would be adorable either way since you two draw that 'aww' factor as a couple already."

"I plan on being invited to your mating ceremony before I reach that point" she smiled slyly because Joanna deserved her slice of happiness too. Cheryl was in no hurry to procreate as her focus was the clan and Noren at the current moment but one day, she'd be ready. In Joanna's mind, however, Cheryl would be passing her prime by the time she and Tsu'tey resolved their issues. Her dainty hands squeezed Joanna's shoulders in reassurance that everything would be fine and smiled warmly, "I'll have a little me until I see you with Tsu'tey, permanently bonded, and that is a promise."

Joanna's ears dipped since doing so would mean removing their advisor and she sighed forlornly, "Cheryl, you know what must happen for us to be together and he loves you all so much. This is his home-"

"But he also loves you and that is a powerful emotion" she pointed out gently and embraced her to encourage her friend in her travels. Cheryl held the optimism that the two would be mated soon and if it meant losing or gaining the couple to the clan, she would be happy. Tsu'tey had given enough to the Omaticaya for a lifetime and Joanna followed his teachings to do the same for hers since she was still a new member. Cheryl smiled kindly since she held nothing but hope for the two and suggested, "Do think about it and don't be stubborn. You encouraged me so I must return the same hope."

She chuckled softly to her endless well of support and earnestly admitted with a pout, "Oh, you've no idea how much I miss you. Even plants seem gloomier without you tending to them and we don't have many to speak of as it is. You have always been the young sister I've wanted and couldn't be happier to see you in the arms of the one who'll cherish you till the end of time. Live prosperously, dear Cheryl."

"Take care of yourself out there" Cheryl sniffled sadly before she bawled as she had when they parted ways but separations always brought tears to her eyes. She could already see herself doing the same in the future when one of her children decided to undergo Iknimaya and left her behind to await their return. Cheryl would always be a worrier by nature but it made her dear to everyone's heart and she whispered faintly, "Please visit us soon, I miss you."

"I will and I'm happy to always have a home away from home" she smiled warmly in farewell and hugged her dearest friend one last time since time would tell when their next reunion would be. Joanna hoped it would be within the year to see the growth of her friends' lives as she held similar connections to the Omaticaya just like Tsu'tey held to the Atykwe. She didn't want to keep her far from home for too long since Cheryl had tasks to do for the Omaticaya and released her with a squeeze to the shoulders, "Enjoy your new life."

Cheryl nodded somberly but Joanna reminded her with a perky grin, "Chin up, Cheryl. You have a fantastic mate waiting for you back at home and it's still the early morning. He might like an early wakeup call, if you know what I mean."

"Oh, Joanna, hush" she giggled embarrassingly for her daring talk and the herbalist left the canopies with a happier heart to head home.

The tranquility of the morning brought Joanna melancholy at leaving her Omaticayan friends but her home beckoned her back to the sea. She didn't wait long for Tsu'tey to arrive as he'd always been on time for trips and this time, Swizav offered no resistance to his orders. The azure ikran was as happy as he could be at the side of his mate and the two had become extremely tame to their riders to show their appreciation. Tsu'tey nursed a small bump on his head after the jovial night with his friends ended with him hitting the top of his skull on Joanna's alcove roof. The woman had been charmingly inebriated and had attempted to pull him into her alcove numerous times until he used a leather pack to imitate himself. Joanna couldn't tell the difference and she'd hugged the pack close to fall asleep immediately.

"Are you ready?" Joanna asked gently since leaving one's home, even for a few days, wasn't easy. Her eyes noticed a small purple welt on the left side of his shaved head and remembered his protesting hisses when his tall form hit the ceiling of her alcove. Well, she had to remedy that lapse in coherent judgment when they returned to the coast. It seemed intoxicating beverages didn't mix very well in their current relationship and one would have to live without it to maintain the integrity of their dignity. Being the lightweight out of the two, she'd have to sacrifice it. Her ears dipped with embarrassment to her wandering hands and she assured cheerfully, "I promise you'll have fun, you're due for some."

"I find fun in the smallest of things" he protested with a feigned pout since they both sought adventure in the wilderness around them. After all, they'd literally pelted each other with fruit until they resembled the color itself. There were many memories shared between them and yesterday's amorous scuffle was another to add into their list. His raven braids swept over his right shoulder as he turned around swiftly and pointed out with demand, "But no dancing, I've had enough to last me until the next mating ceremony."

"I like seeing you dance, that tail of yours knows how to move" she teased playfully and he chuckled bashfully, missing the moments of innocent flirtations between them. In her older days, she drove him insane with her sharp-tongued jabs but now . . . she teased gently and followed with a compliment. His Joanna had certainly grown just as he had and he smiled widely when she informed proudly with a witty grin, "Leti's learning to dance, actually. She goes like this whenever anyone claps."

Joanna shook her hands in quick short movements and raised her feet comically before shaking her midsection, avoiding shaking her hips since children lacked a defined torso. He hid a boisterous laugh between his hands because although she looked absolutely ridiculous, Leti's small form would add the cute factor that let her slide away with her happy dancing. Oh, he would have to see that once he arrived and could imagine the glee on her little round face. Joanna halted her erratically outrageous dance to tie the last straps of the packs of Xeki's back and beamed happily, "She'll be so happy to see you again, Tsu'tey. Everyone will, even Peke."

"I brought her a blanket with tapiri sewn on, I think she'll like it" he chuckled softly as he patted the leather bags and couldn't wait to see the little toddler squeal her trademark nickname. She had managed to ensnare his heart within two days and he wanted to clear away the guilt of lying to her the night before he left. Leti was the sweetest child that he'd yet to fear and wanted to embrace the giddy child to keep her happy. He never thought he'd find himself partaking in child games but his young cousins had slowly begun to shape his perspective on rearing children. Yes, it would be frightening but it would also bring numerous rewards to last a lifetime.

The gentle breeze flowing through the trees reminded him that the scent would change to a lighter saltier tone within hours. His ears dipped with a hint of shame for being eager to leave his longtime home and admitted quietly, "I always feel guilty leaving the clan . . . but I am most happy to see my family when I arrive."

Arat entered their vicinity with his faithful Xaza in tow as the female ikran was the tamest of all- that wasn't to say she wouldn't bite your head off though. Anaya followed the two as she fiddled with the flower from the previous night since she'd kept it in water to keep it alive longer. She wanted to press it into the collection of flowers she and Joanna had begun to gather to preserve it with the help of herbalists. Anaya dangled the lilac flower above Arat's head from behind as she approached him, eager to see if it would work after failing horribly the previous two nights. Arat was beginning to mull the idea of faking attraction to please her but he'd always been strict on honesty, leading him to object simply, "I keep telling you, it's useless."

"Fine, but I'm keeping it" she replied stubbornly and waved the flower in emphasis to show she wouldn't admit defeat. Her fingertips touched the lilac petals since the flower was beautiful in its own right and wished she could entangle it into her braids for a splash of color. Unfortunately, her return to the Atykwe land would send that poor flower flying into who knows where with the speed her Taka could achieve.

Tsu'tey cleared his throat to point out their presence to the squabbling two but caught sight of the familiar flower. Being a flower native to their clan, he knew its true usage while other clans fell prey to the myth and could see Anaya had. Did she really think it caused men to fall into the clutches of an amorous woman? He smirked with amusement as Anaya hid it behind her back to cover up her romantic plan and Tsu'tey informed, "It's not really an aphrodisiac nor does it lure partners, Anaya. The flower is more traditional for women of age to have in our clan to announce they're ready to court. Don't believe all of the gossip you hear because not everything dates back to tradition."

Her shoulders slumped in disappointment but she placed it into her satchel to keep it nonetheless. It was a beautiful flower in its own right and could see why young women wore it . . . but wished she could've had a little more fun with it. Her slate ikran butted her on the head gently to cheer up his rider and she smiled to his doting, "Let's go, dear Taka."

* * *

It wasn't long after landing and watching Swizav fade off towards Kelutral with a joyful Xeki on his tail that his rambunctious cousins managed to find him. Although young, most na'vi children obeyed their parents without raising a fuss and his cousins were no exception (they were of his bloodline, after all). They enjoyed exploring the beach to play and discover little treasures of their own but never broke their parents' rules to avoid a lecture or worse. It was shameful enough to receive a lecture but the children would never dare to disappoint their loving parents after the trust placed in them. Tsu'tey had been on his way to thank the matriarch for the chance to spend time alongside her clan for a week (maybe add a few days) when the boys shot out from behind a hut with happy faces. They had been running through the beach playing tag and meeting their Omaticayan cousin had been the last thought in their minds that day.

It was a wonderful surprise!

Tsu'tey glanced at the three boys as they appeared exactly the same as last time and offered them a friendly smile in greeting. The boys, however, smiled with full-blown joy for the visit and their cheerful high-pitched voices carried over the short distance.

"Tsu-Tey!"

"You came back!"

"Are you staying long?"

"How was the trip?"

Before he knew it, the boys were dragging him by the arms towards their family huts for a reunion and he allowed himself to be taken captured willingly. His cousins had become dear to his heart after his first visit and their jovial laughter was quite infectious as they promised to tell him _everything_ that had happened in his absence. It made Tsu'tey feel a part of their life already and he wasn't living there at all! He quickly told the boys to be careful as they darted between huts, dodging walking residents, and he had to excuse their hastiness with a quick apology.

The huts blended into blobs of color as the boys led him directly to Avi's hut since most of the family gathered there after finishing their work for the day. Nara was expected to deliver in the coming weeks and Avi had become an overprotective ikran mother as she tended to her youngest sister with care that matched Kovi's. The huntress had attempted to escape the smothering but her waddling had been too slow to keep out of Avi's reach. She'd even tried hiding behind her mate to shield the coddling, which had been blissful during the first months, but Kovi relented to Avi when the family matriarch demanded it.

The boys' rambles became louder as they stopped in front of the sapphire hut that was decorated with different fabrics and stretched leather hides to keep its inhabitants cozy. Since each hut held their own sewn illustrations on the walls, Avi's held moments with her children as the twins and Wätu were embroidered on the hut during their periods of their childhood. One had the twins playing with crabs in the beach while another held Wätu after his rite of passage and one of Avi and Akhil as a newly bonded couple. Avi was a proud mother and matriarch of their family, delighting Tsu'tey when he found a familiar couple holding a child with a toothy smile with red feathers in his hair.

Him.

He would return to run his fingers over the sewn figures and wondered if his mother had helped his aunt weave the small portrait. For now, however, his cousins pulled him into the open entrance of the large hut to meet Avi and Zika as the two folded laundry that they'd washed earlier in the morning. Zika held the most clothing in her basket since three young children became messy rather quickly and Leti enjoyed splashing wet sand onto her clothes for fun. Avi washed her and Akhil's clothing only since their children were old enough to care over themselves but she provided her children shelter nonetheless. It would be a while until their daughters completed their rite of passage and she was more than ready to kick her little Wätu out of the nest. The boy was more than ready to find a mate but she'd be waiting for a while.

The women spoke amongst themselves despite the growing rabble behind them, accustomed to the loud noise on a daily basis. Leti played with a fabric doll on the floor, making the little blue fabric legs walk over the ground as she smiled widely with glee. Her aunt Avi had made it for her a few weeks before and the soft squishy doll failed to leave her side whenever she traveled. She treasured it more than all of her toys due to its softness but she gave attention to all of them to make sure they'd never feel left out. Leti glanced up to see what all the noise was about since the boys had left without her early in the morning, leaving her alone with her mother and wanted to show them that she resented that.

Her little pout, however, shifted when she noticed a familiar face that had been pulled inside and Leti scrambled to stand on her legs with a wide smile. Could it really be? Tsu-Tsu had returned! Leti opened her arms widely as she shook with glee from head to toe and squealed with a beaming face, "Tsu-Tsu!"

Her small hands pulled at her mother's skirt rapidly to catch her attention and called with a jubilant high-pitched voice, "Sa'nu, it's Tsu-Tsu! _Tsu-Tsu!_"

Tsu'tey tried not to allow the name to poke holes into his ego but the giddy toddler was adorable enough not to sigh and fawn at for her sheer delight. He leaned down and picked her up before she fell over in joy, chuckling when she hugged him tightly. The little child had definitely ensnared his heart and he chuckled fondly when she whispered Tsu-Tsu between her squeezes, making sure he wouldn't leave her anytime soon. Her two little braids slapped against her shoulders as her short chubby legs wiggled in the air and Leti was determined to keep him on the beach this time.

Avi and Zika smiled warmly to the touching scene of little Leti squeezing her cousin's neck like a sea sponge but Tsu'tey showed no discomfort. She was quite small so it wouldn't do much for constricting his airway. Zika smiled widely in welcome as her little one waved her arms to beckon her mother forward and Avi set their baskets down elsewhere to maintain her tidy home. Laundry could wait a while since arriving guests took precedence but she could always make either of her girls fold them.

Zika walked over to cup her nephew's face with joy to his return since his leave had brought her children sullen faces and greeted pleasantly, "Welcome back, Tsu'tey. We have missed you and my Leti has not forgotten you."

"No, no, Tsu-Tsu always here" the young girl agreed chirpily and tapped the top of her braided head to prove her mother's point. He chuckled softly to being remembered so well by her young mind and handed her a small puffy pastry from his satchel as a token for her affection. She squealed with joy to her little square gift and hugged him with one arm as she waved the pastry in the other to show her mother with a beaming face. How lucky was she today? It was so shiny from the tree sap used for sweetening (processed during spring into syrup) and she could see little lines at the edges where the bakers had added the design to keep the filling inside.

The boys uttered a whine of protest as they watched Leti nibble happily on the treat and Tsu'tey assured their sullen faces, "I brought you all something so don't worry."

"You don't have to bring anyone anything because your company is enough" Avi stated firmly to dissuade any excessive spoiling since Tsu'tey caved easily and the boys' happy faces deflated. It wasn't fair; they wanted the same delicious sweet pastry that Leti was able to receive. Tsu'tey patted the top of their heads to turn the frowns upside down since he'd be there to travel the beach alongside them and would give them the small gifts later on. He smiled when his aunt Avi embraced him tightly, causing Leti to squeal gleefully as she was wrapped in it as well, and the seamstress asked caringly, "How have you been, nephew?"

Tsu'tey found himself slowly basking in his aunt's doting since all of his aunts tended to mother him. He wiped the crumbs off Leti's lips as she chewed her pastry to keep her appearance clean and answered truthfully with a sincere smile, "Wonderful, one of my friends became bonded and I've missed the little ones."

"They've missed you too" Zika chuckled gently as she stroked the back of Keron's braided head and his little ears flattened against his head shyly. Was he that obvious when he'd asked his mother?

"Well, I'm here to stay for more than a few days this time" he reassured the children and their ears perked in delight to have him at the beach for a longer time. Tsu'tey would be sure to explore everything he could and spend his time with the children since they'd been the most eager to be with him. Well, he'd make time for Joanna as well but she understood his renewed bond to his family.

* * *

The sweet tweets of birds filled the land surrounding the Tree of Voices as Mo'at walked through the empty fields with graceful steps and neatly clasped hands over her clothed stomach. Behind her, Neytiri followed with careful steps as she kept an eye for any protruding roots and kept a cautious hand under her belly in case anything dangerous was blocked from her sight. At six months pregnant, Neytiri protected her developing child as her stomach showed heavily and she'd frowned with every stretch mark that formed. Somehow, she knew her little one would not be so little.

Mo'at chuckled softly to her careful steps since she'd been the same with her first child, wary of any uneven dirt that could cause her to fall. She encouraged her daughter to maintain her daily walks around Kelutral but jumping over branches was completely out of the picture until the child was a few months old. Neytiri would be protective of her little one but Mo'at would do the same with her after doing so for decades.

After mulling over Neytiri's training, Mo'at decided to heed Nitari's advice and beckoned her daughter to follow her without any indication as to where. Neytiri was used to her mother's ambiguity when it came to training and the only time she disclosed their trips, it regarded her unborn child. She hastened her pace when her mother stopped at the Tree of Voices, the tree standing taller than all of the others with long thin vines that almost touched the ground. Mo'at's hands brushed over the delicate vines as they shrouded the two women in their curtain and she approached one of the thick roots protruding from the ground.

It provided a perfect seat for both women and Neytiri sighed softly since her feet had started becoming swollen halfway into her day. Mo'at smiled as her daughter wiggled her toes to circulate her blood flow and stated gently, "I brought you here because it is time I showed you the capacity of a tsahìk's abilities. I hesitated for weeks due to your pregnancy but you're a strong woman in your own right and I must accept that I have to let go of your hand. Your small dainty hand that ripped grass to make dolls-"

"I might not be a child but I'll always need you in my life" Neytiri comforted as she squeezed her mother's hands since she wasn't old or presumptuous to say she could do everything alone. Her mother was wise in many fields and her life experiences would help shed light to her own questions as she grew older. Mo'at smiled warmly since she should've allowed her daughter to undergo the full potential of tsaheylu with the Tree of Voices. Well, she couldn't do anything about that now since it was in the past but she could mold the present to help her.

"Memories of the past are not the only connection tsaheylu provides here" she began carefully since it took practice for others to achieve what she and other naturally sensitive na'vi could. It was a privilege to connect to the older world beyond memories and Mo'at would have to hope for the best with Neytiri. She'd trained her daughter as best she could and explained confidently to boost her own morale, "I have trained you for many months and I am certain you can hold one of these bonds to breach the realm of Eywa."

Her eyes widened with disbelief since it was a rarity to travel to the realm of the dead and the goddess herself, leading her to whisper, "I. . .I thought those were children's stories."

"Due to history but it is very possible indeed" she chuckled softly to the awe clearly written on her daughter's face as she blinked with surprise to the news. She'd held the same expression many years ago when Eytukan's mother told her the same words and she'd been frightened to anger Eywa to say the least. Her ears flattened in a rare display of emotion since her child was her dearest confidante nowadays and she admitted with regret, "I had to ensure you were ready and although I worried for the baby, it was my motherly worry holding me back. I want to protect you like a fragile atokirina but I cannot contain you and must let you fly on your own. Every time you longed to have your father or Sylwanin beside us was hard to bear because there was a way . . . but you weren't ready."

Neytiri had never been one to be impatient and although it did hurt to be kept in the dark about that fact, she understood. If it had been her daughter, she'd want to keep her safe until she absolutely sure nothing would harm her. She missed the rest of her family terribly but she trusted her mother to look out for her just the same, smiling softly, "Mother, you always know best and I will not question it. I have you in my life and I am thankful to Eywa for it. This clan would be very lonely without you by my side."

"And you wonder why I watch over you, my dear child" Mo'at chuckled gently since both her daughters had been kind and respectful to both her and Eytukan. What else could a parent ask for? She was relieved to see her daughter held no ill will for her choice and patted the top of her hand to instruct carefully, "Now, I want you to form the bond and I will join you. First and foremost, I want you to clear your mind and focus on an environment. It can be just about anything like a small clearing, a stream, your alcove- as long as it is small."

Neytiri decided to use the hearth where the clan shared their meals to be her focus point and grabbed one of the vines to initiate tsaheylu. Mo'at followed her daughter to immerse herself in the endless void of memories as voices failed to be silent but today, they would require it. Neytiri found joy every time she took a walk through history but her mother's voice beckoned her away as she stated slowly and evenly, "I need you to focus on your background to render the area silent and bring privacy. You will feel a strain as you weave your own realm but take the time that you need. There is no pressure for you to achieve it-"

Mo'at felt her daughter disassociate from their present link as she began the process and found herself impressed that she didn't struggle with the first step. Hmm, her daughter could become a greater tsahìk than her with time. Given the fact that she'd condensed so many teachings into Neytiri and her daughter surpassed each expectation, Mo'at smiled to herself, "My Neytiri will keep me proud when I leave this world one day."

The matriarch followed after her daughter since her presence was easy to detect as Neytiri parted the endless memories to create her own pocket in the strands of time. She passed by joyful voices and old songs that carried through the ages, carving her own path behind Neytiri. As for the young tsahìk, it did put a fair amount of pressure in her connection as she ignored the memories swimming around her to calm them into nothingness. It was an eerie feeling after years of basking in them but forming that image of the base of Kelutral worked to fade away everything. She didn't know how her mother could do this as it pulled at the base of her skull but again, her mother had decades of experience under her belt.

She could only compare the feeling to dipping her foot in the shallow end of a river and a smoke cloud would appear in the clear water to obscure her limb. Similar to that blinding cloud, voices surrounded her at the start but as a dirt cloud in the river slowly diffused back to the bottom . . . so did they. Eventually, the pressure pulling at her bond to beckon her back to the large pool released her and she was left in tranquil silence. The figurative cloudy water in her mind receded to crystal clarity as she found herself standing in an exact copy of Kelutral's base. She stood by herself as fires crackled around the base with realism and felt the lightest throb at the base of her head due to maintaining the area. It lightened when Mo'at appeared and the matriarch eyed her daughter's creativity and ability to keep herself tied with Eywa's realm.

"You're doing exceptionally well" she complimented with a motherly smile but kept vigilant watch over Neytiri's wellbeing. She would sustain the connection if her daughter lost her hold since the pull could be rather sharp the first time and Mo'at would have no stress touching her child or grandchild. The sparse patches of grass tickled her feet as it would in reality and she smiled widely to her success at another trial, "This is how you maintain your own private bubble away from the mainstream of memories to breach past them. The limits to tsaheylu allow you to speak to your lost ones, a gift that is bestowed to the most dedicated of students. This is how I keep my connection to your father, Sylwanin, and many of our ancestors- one that I am passing onto you."

The thought of seeing either of them brought years of hidden sorrow to the surface and the pain increased as her hold wavered. Mo'at stepped in to maintain the perfect setting as the image faded in similarity to worn cloth and reminded, "Keep your mind clear, Neytiri. Emotions can either fuel or hinder you and this one causes the latter."

"I'm sorry, mother, it's just. . .I miss them" she admitted guiltily with a faint whisper since dreams were the only refuge to relive old memories, along with the Tree of Voices.

Mo'at brushed her daughter's hair back to calm the woe in her heart and smiled warmly, "They've always been by your side. Memories are guarded here but they also allow spirits to breach into them as well to relive happier times. You never stopped to think that some memories with Sylwanin varied slightly once in a while? Or noticed your father added a smile or a hug when you remembered there had been only a specific number?"

Had they really been there all along when she sought happiness alongside her deceased relatives? If only she'd only known, she could've said something or-

"Don't fret over it" Mo'at advised gently with a soft chuckle to her shocked expression because nobody could really take notice unless they knew where to look. She squeezed Neytiri's shoulders to encourage her onwards and waved a hand over the area, "Whenever you seek to find someone specific, this is where you can go. If you want to meditate to commune with Eywa for clarity in deciphering Her words, this is your sanctuary."

"How can I talk to them?" she asked tentatively since greeting her family, even for a few seconds, would be worth the last ounces of her mental strength.

"Think of them to beckon them here" Mo'at answered easily with a smile since they had become used to interacting within Neytiri's memories. Her daughter gave her a skeptic look because it sounded too easy but Mo'at kept her face straight because a matriarch never lied. Knowing her mother, it wouldn't be easy at all.

Neytiri followed her guidance and focused in a similar fashion to when she crafted Kelutral's base but kept the former image in her mind as she did this. Simple but heartwarming memories of when her father carried her on his back as she pretended he was a pa'li and cutting fruit with Sylwanin after they swam in the old river back in their first Kelutral filled her mind. She missed creating new memories with them and wondered how different their days as a family would've been with them living among them. Her life as the new tsahìk would not have existed and many other factors would've failed to occur but Neytiri wished she could've kept her sister just the same. It didn't seem fair that she was living the life Sylwanin trained for-

"And you've trained just the same" her sister's voice spoke with crystal clarity and Neytiri turned around to find her older sister sitting on a log bench. She appeared exactly as she did the last time they'd been together. Her long hair was tied back with a leather tie while a twine headband kept her hair away from her face and red beads clicked together in the silence. Her brown garb remained the same but held a longer skirt since Sylwanin had never hunted extensively as Neytiri had since she focused on purging the tawtute off their lands. Her older sister resembled their mother the most in facial features and Neytiri remembered asking their mother why her eyes were bigger than theirs. Apparently, she took after her father and Neytiri was proud to carry that trait as she saw him in her reflection.

"You're here, you're . . . alive" she whispered weakly as the sight was unlike anything she'd ever experienced in her training and moved to embrace her sister. Sylwanin chuckled softly since she existed only in Eywa's realm as 'alive' and would disappear as soon as Neytiri left the Tree of Voices. Mo'at decided to support Neytiri's concentration since the reunion was bound to alter her calm state of mind. She smiled faintly as her daughters embraced and Neytiri sniffled as she fell into her sister's safe arms to murmur, "I can't believe this is possible. I've missed you for so long. . .there were days when I really needed you by my side."

"You've turned out stronger than I would've imagined" Sylwanin beamed proudly as she longed to reunite with her sibling after relived memories failed to bring the joy of true communication. Nothing could compare to waking in the mornings to greet her little sister as they bounded to the eating circle together and planned their day. She brushed a hand over Neytiri's braids to press her cheek against her temple and encouraged, "Don't doubt yourself over the past and moments that cannot be changed. If my leave from the living realm was a part of Eywa's plans, then I am proud to know you've kept our clan strong with your resilience against enemies. You've become a mate and soon, will be a mother to beautiful child so cherish the gifts that occurred from this."

Neytiri's ears dipped to flatten against her hair because hearing of her death that fateful evening was not something that would ever leave her. She had lost a sister and an aunt to her child and her parents had lost a child they had cared for over many years with tender love. Sylwanin hushed her lingering worries and assured softly with wisdom, "Sometimes, one must be sacrificed to save the many and a small ripple creates a wave that will wash away all of the dangers around us. You have done so."

"Your story is not yet finished but you aren't alone in your journey" Eytukan's voice agreed with its calm but regal tone and Neytiri craned her head to find him standing next to her mother. She didn't want to separate from her sister but wanted to embrace her father tightly to erase the last painful memories of him in her arms. There were no injuries on either of her family members as they appeared as perfect as Eywa Herself and he smiled kindly, "Atokirina are messengers but wonderful eyes for those that want to keep watch over loved ones or guide future generations."

"I'd rather have you both than a pretty atokirina" Neytiri admitted softly with a pout since Eywa's messengers couldn't talk nor offer advice when she needed it. Her parents chuckled since they'd seen that expression on her younger face when she didn't want to eat a specific food. Some things never changed with their youngest daughter.

Sylwanin released her so she could reunite with their father, gently ushering her with a nudge to her shoulder. Neytiri found herself immobile as maintaining the connection took a lot of strength on her part, allowing Sylwanin to guide her back to their family. Small and quick movements were all she could do, leading her to embrace her father before she lost the bond entirely. It was harder than she anticipated and given that her mother complimented her success, Neytiri was grateful for the chance.

"I never thought I'd see my little Neytiri awaiting her own baby" he mused fondly since parenthood had instilled that his children would always be the same toddlers that cried for milk and laughed at his shadow puppets. He was proud to see their lineage would continue and glad that his mate would be beside their daughter to ease her into that transition. Neytiri chuckled since her pregnant image hopped on for the ride but after months of watching her body slowly change, it was her new identity. Her child was the most precious person in her life at the moment and Eytukan remembered his mate having the same happy glow. His little Neytiri was not so little anymore but he loved her dearly and promised with a kind smile, "We'll be watching over you and your dear child for years to come."

Seeing that her father's tone carried finality to it, she turned to her mother with reluctant regret, "Oh, mother, no. I want to stay longer."

Mo'at was having none of it and squeezed her shoulder to remind firmly, "You will have many chances after this because you need practice. Your father and Sylwanin aren't going anywhere-"

"Grandmother likes to walk the fields of Eywa's gardens" Sylwanin added in quickly since being dead didn't necessarily mean you were stagnant for the rest of eternity. Just like the living carried on their lives, the dead could venture through the endless void to meet others and have their own. Mo'at silenced her quip with a mere furrow of her brow and Sylwanin stood straight with a little smile on her lips.

"So you and I will be returning to eat to regain your lost energy" their mother finished firmly and Neytiri frowned when her father embraced her one last time. She didn't want to let go of either of them after years of missing them and Mo'at insisted to get her moving, "We will come back another time and you'll have many more relatives to greet as your hold in this realm increases."

"But mother-" Neytiri attempted one last time since she still had a decent hold but Mo'at failed to mention she was already wielding the realm as her own. If she allowed Neytiri to gain full control, it would barely allow her to stand once she left.

Neytiri sighed softly as Kelutral's base disappeared from sight and her family faded away like phantoms in a dream. The silence failed to console her as everything dimmed in color but soon, voices surfaced to announce her return to the entire pool of memories. Figures ran through the illuminating void from all ages but Neytiri followed her mother as the matriarch solidified her form to announce her presence. The pull at the base of her skull lessened and soon, it was a light throbbing at her temples as she left the realm completely.

Opening her eyes, the field of willow trees filled her vision but her eyelids felt heavy from the energy used to pierce into Eywa's realm of souls. Goodness, she felt like she'd been running for hours on end! Her mother held none of the fatigue after years of endless practice and grabbed her arm to steady her sitting position. Neytiri didn't really believe it would be such a toll to her body and her mother lectured gently, "Always listen to your mother, child. You're living for two so let us return home where you'll eat soup and take a nap."

"Thank you for bringing me here" Neytiri smiled with gratitude for the gift her mother bestowed and allowed her to lead her away from the tranquil field. There were no words to adequately describe her emotions at reuniting with her loved ones and would await her next visit. Now that she knew a little about the origins of atokirina, she'd be wondering if Sylwanin would be tagging along with one somewhere within the forest. A yawn left her lips as she found herself quite sleepy and would enjoy curling up in her hammock for a nap. For once, her little one decided to behave and she felt no happy dancing inside her belly as she walked back home.

* * *

The night was filled with music as the end of the dream hunt finished to signify the new induction of adults in the Atykwe and Nitari had proudly presented them to her clan. Every season, she was joyous to induct new adults, delighted to bless little newborn babes, and lamenting for the departure of old residents into Eywa's arms. Joanna shared their excitement since she'd been in their footsteps many months ago and had encouraged the young adults to be the best they could. Tsu'tey had been interested in the Atykwe rite and woken up early to participate as Joanna stood beside him to answer any questions with a positive smile. When he'd seen the students head out in canoes towards a site that reached far beyond his sight, he had to admit it matched the intensity of Iknimaya. Joanna had explained her entire rite during his first trip but seeing it for himself, without the cliff, was enough for him to be proud of his ex-student. The dream hunt, of course, remained the same as it was in his own clan and deemed himself privileged for sharing the Atykwe tradition. Briefly, he wondered how his life would've been if he'd been raised as an Atykwe but doubted he and Joanna would've crossed path as they had a year or so ago.

The food, of course, was impeccably delicious and Joanna had laughed when he ate everything in sight and returned for more. There were so many types of cooked fishes, stews, crustaceans, and many more foods that he couldn't pile onto one plate. He'd shared food with his little cousins as they placed their leaf plates together on the floor so they could all eat from them all in makeshift buffet and Wätu joined with his sisters to join their small feast. Joanna smiled when he shared his clam chowder with her and Wätu had joked that the two were more than ready to share something beyond food. The twins laughed to the union joke while the children were lost to its true meaning, their bright eyes returning to their large bundle of food to bite into crispy crackers dipped in creamy buttery sauce.

The mood brightened when Anaya, Arat, and Xuret joined their small group as they greeted his elders with smiling faces and kind words. As always, little Leti drew everyone's eyes with her adorable grin as she offered her tastiest bites so she could share the wealth and Joanna couldn't help but scoop the toddler into her arms to hold her. Everyone had eaten with delight and soon, the music muted their jovial conversations as the music and music went into full-swing for the night. Tsu'tey heard familiar songs of history shared by all of the clans but those that pertained to Atykwe traditions and old clan leaders were entirely new. He smiled with warmth when the matriarch danced with a young child when they played a song about Akon's plight to reunify their clan. That was one song Nitari would always dance to honor her dear deceased mate. For an elderly matriarch, Nitari was still spry at her age and delighted her clan with her down to earth demeanor as she blended in alongside them.

When Anaya pulled along a bashful Arat to dance, everyone laughed with amusement to the secret couple as they bid them farewell. The children cheered on Leti when she stood up to dance her own little jig, calling to her parents to show she could move like all the others. Joanna couldn't help but lean in against Tsu'tey as they sat together, watching the little girl's humorous dance as a couple would their own child. They clapped to encourage her festive spirit but after a few minutes, Leti tired from her happy hopping and scurried off with a giggle to plop down in her mother's lap to rest. The twins left the group afterwards to join their friends around the beach and Wätu danced in his seat while nudging Tsu'tey to join the mood.

The hunter, however, merely directed a flat stare to his cousin for each little nudge and stated stiffly, "Stop that."

Joanna chuckled since he was not the type to dance unless absolutely forced to and stood up to smile, "Well, I'm going to celebrate. Let's dance."

She pulled Xuret to his feet as the hunter hissed since he wanted to prevent a stomachache after eating but followed her. Wätu allowed them to leave together with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes as he kept the children company to humor them as they mimicked his moves and kept nudging Tsu'tey. The Omaticayan hunter, however, shifted his entire focus towards the duo that left since he wanted to be the _only_ one dancing with her (children were the exception). Yes, he didn't want to dance after eating a large meal and wasn't keen of dance itself but he certainly didn't like another male leaving with her.

Wätu caught on to his cousin's piercing stare into the dancing masses and bit into a crunchy cracker to smile, "I can assure you that Joanna only has eyes for you. How do I know this, you ask?"

Tsu'tey reluctantly admitted to himself that he was indeed curious but Wätu's answer was humorously simple, "Because she's not courting him yet."

"_Yet?!_" Tsu'tey found himself exclaiming to his cousin's logic and eyed the dancing couple with further scrutiny for any tell-tale signs from Xuret that he desired his Joanna. Was he being distrustful of her? No. Was he being territorial? Possibly. Did he see the other hunter as competition? Absolutely.

"They'd make a nice couple and the matriarch adores her- she'd be direct family" Wätu pointed out his reasoning since the two spent time together in leisure activities with Anaya and Arat. He had been in Xuret's hunting group until the man decided to devote his full time towards teaching all ages and had enjoyed complementing his quiet personality with his energetic one. Tsu'tey wasn't feeling any better by this because Xuret carried a respectable ranking in his own right, especially by being family to the matriarch. If the man actually held any sort of interest for Joanna . . . Tsu'tey would have serious competition.

Wätu smiled impishly as he tickled Keron's sides as the little boy passed by to ask his mother if he could play and the hunter chuckled, "There's only so much of Leti and the children we can throw at her to show we're a much more adorable family."

Tsu'tey chuckled since he found easy camaraderie with all of his relatives and hoped Joanna could see herself spending a life alongside them rather than the matriarch (although it was alluring for any resident). The children had decided to chase each other over the sand as they found dancing boring and Leti followed them with happy squeals. Being the littlest member, she followed everyone to share in their fun and explore the world. How could his little cousins not be extremely adorable? He decided to let Joanna dance her heart away since he'd be there waiting for her on the other side.

"Wätu, go dance and find a nice young lady" Avi lectured her child as her bare feet wiggled in rhythm to the music and leaned against Akhil with a fond smile. Her mate was currently enjoying a variety of nuts that had been toasted but he said nothing after growing used to her gentle heckling for Wätu to find a mate.

Wätu frowned with disillusion since that would kill his fun mood and stood up to shift his activity by calling out, "What's that? You children need my help. All right, I'm coming!"

Avi's lips thinned as her oldest slid away into the night to follow the children rather than providing her with grandchildren. Honestly, her boy would be past his prime before he decided to settle down and pondered about taking matters into her own hands. Akhil merely squeezed her left shoulder to pacify her motherly worry and offered her nuts from his wooden bowl. She smiled sweetly for the gesture and Tsu'tey sighed despondently in his mind to the wonderful couple role models bathing his line of sight. How could he not want to be in their shoes? He could even imagine himself sighing with Joanna over a carefree son one day.

Joanna returned a while later after ushering Xuret to dance with a jewelry maker and had returned to Tsu'tey's side with skips in her steps. Every rite of passage brought her joy and she enjoyed dancing alongside her friends once she'd learned to be a decent dancer. Having Tsu'tey on the beach made the occasion even more joyous as she had the man that helped mold her future at her side. The hunter had taken to making dolls out of the dry portions of his leaf plate and she kneeled in the cool sand to smile, "What are you making?"

"Dolls for Leti, she likes playing with them" he replied earnestly as he placed them inside his satchel to hand them to her later on at night. She'd be joyous to name each of them when he unveiled them and looked to around the beach to see whether he could find the children or Wätu. No, the darkness was impenetrable past the fires but doubted they were far from their parents.

Joanna smiled warmly since he would've been whittling something or polishing a knife but making children's toys? Her lady parts practically swooned in adoration to the scene and her right hand grasped his left, drawing his attention when she asked, "Can we go somewhere private?"

His cheeks tinted lilac instantly as the glow of the fire brightened the hue and she quickly corrected herself with an amused grin, "To spend time on the beach. Where was your mind heading, advisor?"

He stammered for the first time as he tried to find a decent answer to cover the amorous thoughts floating in his head but decided to forgo it. Somehow, admitting the truth would land him in an even stickier situation and swallowed everything to keep it silent. His actions spoke louder than his words and he stood up as he decided to head to the area of the beach where his family's huts were located. First, however, he bid farewell to his family for the night like any respectable man and his aunt Zika handed him a bundle of pastries that the children had gathered to eat later.

"It's best they run out of energy than gather a storm" Nara had stated because she wanted her little Sìlpey to land in his bed and fall asleep instantly. Being in the last weeks of her pregnancy, she wanted her son to be on his best behavior.

When the dancing and beats of the drums were far behind with the fires fading against their backs, the two ran off hand in hand. Joanna chuckled with glee to his lack of reserve as they ran underneath the night sky that glittered with diamond stars and squeezed his hand tightly. The waves were gentle upon the white shore but they tides were low tonight since the rite took place when they were lowest to allow for better maneuvering to the shoreline. Their hearts beat in the same rhythm as the drums echoed in the distance and Tsu'tey picked a spot where they could dip their toes into the cool water.

He'd forgotten his responsibilities back at the Omaticaya as he spent last meal with his family, laughing as they traded pieces of food to find the best one of the night. Apparently, the crisp crackers with herbs were the tastiest along with a marinated red fish. It had been a long time since he had left his cares and decided that for tonight, he would not be plagued with guilt because Eywa offered his family in the clan's stead. They sat down on the cold sand and he shivered to the sensation on his bare behind since the earth was warm in his Kelutral. She smiled to see the slight shiver of his body as he brought his knees to his chest and Joanna wrapped an arm around his side to offer body warmth. Her nose brushed against the end of his shoulder to show her affection and she mused softly to the serenity, "This is nice."

"I've forgotten how cold the sand is" he smiled modestly as he adjusted to the new environment and reminded himself that this would be home one day. Hmm, he would _really_ need those leggings when winter came. The interior of the forest was warm with a bit of humidity but the beach offered none of it; the air unforgiving as it carried its foreign fresh taste. He would have to ask Wätu how to bear the new climate since he wasn't keen on being directly under the sunlight from dawn until dusk.

The climate, however, would be bearable with Joanna by his side as she offered support in multiple ways. His nose brushed over her forehead affectionately before turning around to open his satchel filled with goodies. Tsu'tey unveiled the plump golden desserts filled with cream that he'd stolen from his cousins since the little ones didn't need extra energy at this hour. Joanna smiled widely to his catch of the night since the freshly made cream from milk (extracted from grains) was absolutely delectable in its sweet taste. He set the leaf plate on the sand between them to share the desserts and smiled pleasantly to utter kindly, "A perfect end to an evening."

"You love your desserts" she mused playfully with appreciation to his selfless sharing and grabbed one to bite into the creamy center. They burst into laughter when white cream covered both of their lips as they resembled the children when they'd bitten into them. Joanna missed their carefree moments when they could cast aside their ranks and be common na'vi that shared the simple joys in life. She wiggled her half-eaten dessert to thank him for the treat with a serene smile, "They are delicious."

He agreed with a mouthful and smiled when she wiped away excess cream filling from his lips to eat it herself. His manners were always impeccable but Joanna brought a laidback aura that let him slide through the messiest of foods. She leaned against him with her own content smile since she needed only him to be happy and the rest would be a blessing. His soft chewing kept the smile plastered on her face and she laughed aloud when he tried to feed her another pastry. On the fourth attempt, she conceded since she wouldn't be dancing anymore to give herself a stomach ache and chided gently, "You always win, don't you?"

"It is my best and most annoying trait" he replied smartly with a smug smirk and her cheeks puffed in laughter as she kept eating. She'd missed his witty banter that matched hers when they lounged leisurely in her hammock and were now finding temporary places to recreate that freedom. The side of her palm traced the contour of his cheek in affection to his generosity, albeit humorous, and she loved every bit of it.

"I miss the sound of wildlife back at the Omaticaya" she reminisced softly as she tried to find a shooting star across the night sky, smiling to the beautiful diamond stars that littered it. She remembered him asking what each star was when she first explained astronomy by using her laptop (ironically, it died by his hands) and now, they were content simply watching them. Her head rested against the hollow of his neck as she pressed her nose against his warm skin and smiled with nostalgia, "Remember how we tried to figure out what each sound was?"

"The night life is better at my clan" he jested playfully with a witty smirk and she chuckled softly, nudging her shoulder with his for the jab. Their games and talks at night had been special to him since he'd never experienced such private moments with anybody else nor did he want to after meeting Joanna. They could talk endlessly for hours on all topics of any kind and even if they'd taken a nap (which they often did), they'd woken to restart their conversation. He gazed at her she huddled against him with a serene smile and admitted softly, "I miss those nights between us where only you and I existed in that hammock, lost to the world for just a moment in time. I miss _you_ by my side, most of all."

Her fingertips brushed over his right cheek as she missed his company after reuniting and longed to be at his side as well. Unfortunately, they still had responsibilities to uphold in their clan and his was the most important. Joanna hoped with all of her heart that she wouldn't be pissing off Eywa by courting him when he was ready to ask. She smiled fondly when he leaned into her touch, cupping his cheek with her palm as her skin livened to touching his. It was electrifying every time that they touched, reminding her of a cold breeze upon her bare back after a heavy downpour. How could she not love him after everything they'd been through? One day, their children would have dozens of stories for entertainment from their shared adventures.

Joanna's lips kissed the tip of his nose and she returned the heartfelt sentiment, "I miss you too."

He grasped her right hand and kissed the palm gently with his lips since he wasn't hesitant to show his affection in private anymore. There was no question in his heart on how he felt but the circumstances were delicate with his rank alone. He should've chosen an Omaticayan woman to bear his children as he tended to clan business but no . . . . his heart wanted to shares hers. If he'd never fallen on her back after she helped him, they never would've argued until they were purple in the face as they fought for dominance. They never would've made themselves vulnerable to change for the better and huddled together like ikran mates after they declared their affection. Each moment was a beautiful portrait that created an endless ribbon of memories that he would not have shared with another of his clan. Most likely, a woman of his clan would've been happy to be chosen and have agreed to his every whim- but not her. She set his head straight when he was being careless and he wanted to keep hearing her little witty quips for years to come.

His hand released hers to caress her jawline with a feathery touch and he met their gazes to confess affectionately, "I love you, truly, I do. There isn't a day that passes that I don't think of you."

Her eyes softened to his admission, proud to receive such adoration from her honorable yet humble warrior but she worried for him. Her fingers squeezed his as she tried to speak, ready to return the same devoted love he harbored for her and promise she'd wait a lifetime for him if she needed to. He leaned forward to kiss her and she didn't resist but fate, it seemed, had a twisted sense of humor.

"Tsu-Tsu!" his cousins exclaimed out of nowhere as they bounded in around them and the warrior sighed despondently to having his kiss cut short. Secondly, these were his energetic fun loving cousins- enough said.

Joanna caught Leti as her little legs quaked from her quick walk, grabbing the young toddler into her arms as she laughed giddily. The three boys practically wrestled Tsu'tey to the ground by landing on top of him over the sand and he declared in vain, "No, it's too late for a sturmbeest hunt!"

"Tsu-Tsu" Leti squealed to his nickname, clapping her hands as Tsu'tey tried to pry off all three boys as they latched onto his limbs to immobilize him. It was a losing battle for the warrior since they _really_ loved sturmbeest hunting and two hands couldn't fight off six.

Joanna decided to dive into the fray and save her poor hunter as she called out, "Good hunters strike during the day. Now, how about a story at one of the warm campfires? Your mothers will be looking for you soon."

A rabble of agreement had the children receding like water and Tsu'tey breathed in relief to having his limbs back under his own control. All of the tiny hands unsettled him and he made a note to _never_, in his life, father more than three children. Oh, and be sure they had decent age gaps to prevent being mobbed like a hexapede with a viperwolf pack. He didn't know how Joanna could bear all of that, watching as she stood up with Leti in her arms while the boys yanked on his feet to get him to stand.

"I'm going, I'm going" he assured hastily and stood up with a tired grumble, shaking off sand as he ushered the boys back to the burning fires. They ran around him in a giddy circle and Joanna laughed to their happy laughter, squeezing Leti affectionately as she kicked her little legs in the air. Tsu'tey decided that this would be great preparation if he accidentally fathered more than three children one day and hoped he wouldn't lose his sanity keeping an eye on all of them.

"You have to be fast or predators will get you" Sìlpey pointed out with a determined face and Tsu'tey fought not to laugh at being lectured by a small boy. Didn't they know what kind of predators he'd faced already? Since his little cousin had two heroic parents, Tsu'tey was certain Sìlpey would follow in their footsteps and had heard various stories of honor and valor before bedtime. Tsu'tey had loved hearing them from his father when he'd cuddled between both his parents for sleep while his mother recited clan tales rather than personal accounts due to her seamstress rank.

"Where's Wätu? Isn't he supposed to be watching you?" Tsu'tey asked with a firm tone fit for a father since unattended children at night was unacceptable. The darkness could confuse children and he didn't want them to become lost. Although he was their cousin, his age was old enough to make him an unofficial uncle to the little ones and he wouldn't hesitate to keep them safe. Hmm, uncle did have a nice sound to it.

The children eyed each other with a knowing look before answering in unison, "Eight Waves."

They ran off giddily with a rabble of laughter but Tsu'tey stuck back as he waited on Joanna to meet up with them. Leti played with Joanna's white necklace while the woman cooed over the pretty pink cloth covering her chest as appliqués decorated the edges. Avi didn't hesitate to lavish the littlest member of the family with clothing since she didn't need much fabric and missed sewing little girl's clothing now that her girls were adolescents. Leti squealed happily to the affectionate doting and waved at Tsu'tey with a beaming smile when they approached. He chuckled to her excitement as Joanna bounced her against her hip to keep her smile alight and he tapped her little nose to say, "You are energetic tonight, little Leti. It will soon be time to sleep with Eywa though."

She pouted with disillusion at having her joyful night cut short since everyone was so happy and mumbled, "I want to play."

"His stories will entertain you" Joanna assured with a chuckle since Zika liked having her kids drained of energy and ready for sleep. Leti didn't take much to put her to sleep since a story had her snoozing in someone's arm but the boys took a while due to their ages. Leti asked if ikran would be in it and Tsu'tey replied that they might, which stirred an instant happy grin from her lips.

"And if not, I will tell you one before you go to sleep in your family hut" he promised kindly since the little girl was the most likable from the children as she never pulled on his hair or appendages. At this rate, he might be inclined to prefer raising a daughter like Leti instead of a rambunctious boy that would tear his limbs off. Again, each child was unique and he could end up with the opposite but Tsu'tey would try his best to raise a respectful friendly child. His hand laid down on Joanna's right shoulder to guide the two along, her skin livening to his touch and affectionately batted her tail with his. He smiled to her playfulness, one trait that never left when they were in private, and he leaned over to kiss her temple. Leti smiled to their affectionate display since she saw it often between her parents and she liked receiving little kisses on her head from either as well. Did this mean Tsu-Tsu would have his own hut and little Tsu-Tsu's as well?

His smile widened when Joanna leaned into him and closed her eyes for a brief moment. It gave him hope that maybe . . . just maybe, they could have that future together soon.

* * *

Tsu'tey returned to Zika's hut with his little entourage in tow after telling them a story from his clan regarding atokirina while keeping the children in sight of their parents. He'd lectured Wätu on the way but the young hunter pointed out the children had strict orders to never approach the shore and had only allowed them five minutes of play. Tsu'tey hoped his young cousin wouldn't father children anytime soon because youngsters tended to disobey when curiosity bit them hard and the boys liked adventure. He was slowly realizing that, yes, he had traits fit for a father and his skills were developing as he cared over the young children.

"Eywa watch you, Tsu'tey" the boys chorused in farewell as Rafil shooed them onwards to sleep before they decided to split into different parts of the hut. When it happened, Rafil would spend the next hour fishing them out of their hiding spots but tonight wasn't one of those days. Tsu'tey replied warmly to their farewell and Sifu reminded that he promised to show them how to throw wooden knives at targets.

"You're going to be throwing those tonight in your dreams, son" Rafil ushered gently when his oldest tried to break away from the group but he grasped Sifu by the shoulders. His son pouted as he was forced to obey his father since running off would show disrespect in front of company and followed Keron to their bed. The smaller boy merely smiled shyly over his shoulder and scuttled off to his room since he was a good boy. The cook looked to his nephew with a sigh since putting his children to bed was a battle and thanked, "They're not as energetic as they usually are. I'm sure you remember your first day here."

Rafil scooted his children into the adjacent room as he held the cloth flaps open, glad that Sifu wasn't running circles around him to play pa'li and hunters. Tsu'tey chuckled to their innocent defiance and smiled when he felt two little arms wrap around his right leg. There was only one tiny person they could belong to and he looked down to place a hand over her braided hair. Leti peered up at him from below with a happy smile and he picked up the small toddler because he knew his aunt was somewhere looking for the little adventurer. Her eyes were bright with joy as he led the way, believing they were on for another exciting journey, but he stated matter-of-factly, "We must go to bed now, Leti."

She whimpered with disillusion as her playtime came to an end but smiled appreciatively when he hugged her. There was nothing better than receiving a hug from her loved ones for Leti and she'd missed Tsu-Tsu. When her mother stepped through the entrance of their sleeping room, her small hands outstretched to be switched over. There was no better hug in her world than her mother's . . . but her father's tied as well because he was sempu. How could she not love him too? Zika enveloped her little one in a motherly hug as she cooed that it was time for sleep and gently freed Leti's braided hair from its twine ribbons to let it uncurl freely. Leti snuggled against her mother to whimper that she wanted to eat bread pudding tomorrow for first meal. Zika walked into her tidy room as she stated that her father cooked whatever was planned beforehand and Leti pouted for having her idea snatched away.

She kneeled down over the warm blankets laid over reed flooring to deposit her toddler in a small bed of blankets weaved especially for her. It allowed either parent to sleep on the other side in their normal bedding while adding space for Leti to crawl back to them. Tsu'tey had to admit it looked quite comfortable in comparison to the hammocks since having a toddler crawl around him or his mate would worry him. Leti grabbed her new yellow blanket that Tsu'tey had brought her to wrap herself in it but beckoned Tsu'tey to hug her goodnight.

"It is time to be a good little girl and sleep in Eywa's embrace" Tsu'tey chuckled gently since he'd enjoyed his evening with his family and kneeled down beside her little bed. He squeezed her softly so she could sleep at ease and tucked the blanket around her when she lay down to keep her warm. Zika couldn't help but watch their interaction as her daughter obeyed Tsu'tey without question while Wätu failed to warrant the same. Her fingers smoothed Leti's hair free from its two braids to let the curled tresses fall over her little round pillow that was filled with dry grass.

"Will you be here, Tsu-Tsu?" she asked sheepishly since his leave upset her for the first few days and he assured her with pure honesty that she would. Leti set her lips in a straight line to make sure he stuck to his word or she'd be very mad when he returned again. Well, not mad, but _very_ disappointed in Tsu-Tsu. Zika simply chuckled to her daughter's attachment and kissed her on the head, hearing her murmur hopefully, "Sa'nu, can Tsu-Tsu take us to the crabs?"

She smiled fondly to her dear little daughter as she lay in bed and agreed softly, "Of course, but you have to fall asleep first."

Leti wrapped herself up into a cocoon quickly and pretended to be asleep to fulfill her promise even faster. Her mother couldn't help but grin to her excitement for tomorrow and could only remember Tsu'tey's similar reaction when she promised to take him sightseeing as a child. Time flew by quickly sometimes and she turned to thank her nephew with a caring smile, "Your campfire stories put her to sleep quite fast. Not even her father or I can do that- you are a very good storyteller."

"I usually tend to scare children but Leti is different" he chuckled modestly to the common reaction he received when he made youngsters scream from his stories back at the Omaticaya. That or they found him boring when he wanted to teach them a skill. His cousins, however, offered a new face to his interactions as they sought him every chance they could. His stories had become better (thankfully) and altered his narration so he wouldn't frighten anyone, much less Leti. She still asked if a thanator could ever breach their rock walls but everyone assured her it couldn't. Tsu'tey would never live that story down and smiled sincerely to admit, "She's quite happy and never cries unless there's a need to. I like those kinds of children."

"Oh, Tsu'tey, you have a lot to learn about parenting but you will" his aunt smiled with a soft chuckle as she gazed at her daughter since she'd been stubborn to sleep during her first months. Keron had refused to drink his milk during the first week of life and Sifu had opened a bag of harvested grain all over the floor of their hut when he'd first learned to walk. Nonetheless, she loved her little ones dearly and knew Tsu'tey would be the same as she advised, "You are a natural protector which is a wonderful trait to have when you bring a child into the world. Your children will be your pride and joy, no matter how much they will infuriate or dismay you throughout life. Your parents were so happy when you arrived in the world and I hope to see that same expression on your face one day."

"I don't . . .," he hesitated softly as his ears flattened to the thought of leaving either the clan or his family on the coast. It was a pull that hadn't left since he told Joanna on his first visit that he would be willing to move but it was hard to start walking that path. The Omaticaya symbolized family and his roots for him but at the same time, his blood ties and the woman he loved were on the beach. The matriarchs had always stated he held a strong heart and it would take a severe thrashing with this journey. He glanced at Leti as the small girl lay snuggled into the blankets on her right side and admitted quietly, "The women in my clan do not attract my eye and I can be finicky."

"Because you care for Joanna?" Zika asked gently with a knowing twinkle in her eyes and his shoulders sagged to having that fact known. Was he truly that transparent? If Wätu managed to figure it out within minutes at the celebration, Tsu'tey reluctantly accepted it. She caught the bashful glance as he lowered his gaze to the floor and remembered it on her own face years ago, chuckling warmly, "There is no need for alarm, nephew. I've watched your interactions with our family and as you work together, you have that same tilt in your gaze that your father had for Kaana. . .except now, the clan is reversed. I will not push any thoughts into your head because this is your choice for a future life. However, it is nice to have you here, child, and we would care for you with the same love as the Omaticaya."

"She doesn't want me to abandon my duty with regrets" he murmured glumly since Joanna held her own worries for him and didn't hesitate to voice her guilt for prying him away. He was happier leaving those distressing thoughts out of mind during his visit but he couldn't avoid the choice altogether. Eventually, he would have to arrange his leave from the forest and he confided in his aunt, "My life has always been alongside the Omaticaya and she doesn't want to intervene between that but we must. I . . . I don't know how I will be able to do that either. How can I choose between love and duty without causing pain to either side?"

"You both hold the clan above all else but this is a choice for your future" she lamented softly to their conflicted affection since interclan bonds were hard but Tsu'tey's intricate position made it even more delicate. He would slowly have to weave himself out in the gentlest manner possible to prevent upsetting his people to his leave. Adulthood brought many tough decisions that would leave you to bear the consequences and she advised tentatively, "To choose duty over love is never easy and although it is admirable, you will be sacrificing a part of yourself. Could you see yourself living a life without her? Could you bear losing her to another if you choose the other path? I am sure the matriarchs could help you on your decision- they are the wisest of us all. You deserve your happiness, young one."

"Tsu-Tsu" Leti murmured softly in her peaceful sleep and her left leg kicked out in joy. Whatever she was dreaming of, he was certain it included pa'li or little crabs.

Tsu'tey couldn't help but love that simple little action from the small girl as it carried nothing but innocence. He hoped that he could watch a similar move by his own child one day and hear the word sempu from their lips. Would Eywa grant him a son or daughter one day? Would he be a good father to them? Would they love him unconditionally as he would them?

Zika smiled amusingly to her sleepy murmurs since she was often snuggled against at night by her daughter and mused dotingly, "And one of these little wonders."

"I would like that" Tsu'tey confided with a warm smile in regards to the sleeping child that he would take to watch crabs scurry in the sand tomorrow morning.

* * *

**A/N**: All in all, everyone had pretty happy reunions with their families and Neytiri received closure with her loved ones. If only we all could, right? I loved my maternal grandfather (way nicer than my paternal) but since I lived in a different country when he died, it was hard to stay behind when all the adults left for the funeral. Anywho, Tsu'tey is slowly walking the path that he's decided to throw himself into and wants to hold no regrets. We'll see more of his stay in the next chapter as he escapes an encounter with a sea predator because they need that old adventurous spark in their lives and we'll switch to the Omaticaya as well.

_Thank you_ for the new alerts, I noticed quite a few this week and it made my day. As always, I thank my reviewers for their words but I'm afraid I can't reply to you this time or place a preview of the next chapter (I haven't started it) since I'm fighting a bad sinus infection with antibiotics. I was actually holding off seeing a doctor until after the holidays and my sinuses are being stubborn with pain with the antibiotic treatment now. Not to mention, we have freezing temperatures this winter and I'm a rainy weather baby (not winter frost) so my poor fingers are suffering. Lol. So stay safe out there this winter for those readers that are enduring cold temperatures but I want all of you safe and sound in the world. :)


	43. Pieces Fall Into Place

**Music Inspiration: **_Two Steps From Hell- "Titan Dream"_ (I couldn't find a better piece for Tsu'tey)

* * *

**Pieces Fall Into Place  
**

* * *

Tsu'tey carefully eyed Joanna with Xuret as the two prepared a recent catch together at the hunter's cove since their group was due for one. He'd been watching their interactions for the past five days and the two were quite the pair as Anaya helped Arat whenever they set out together as a quartet. Tsu'tey had followed them on one of their hunts to see the process to get a better view on their hunting tactics, not to spy, and liked their use of different nets. Since the Omaticaya didn't have large fish at all in their rivers, they used only one type of basic netting or a wooden box with slits (to allow the water to exit) to catch fishes. He was a man that enjoyed the relaxing hobby and seeing an entire ocean opened new challenges for him to explore with the different array of equipment. As much as he eyed Xuret suspiciously for any behavior out of the ordinary (he couldn't find anything!), he respected the man since he focused solely on his target and not showing off like some hunters tended to do. Being the nephew of the matriarch, Tsu'tey approved of his demeanor since he tended to be a little arrogant in his earlier days before Joanna knocked sense into him.

He sat next to Wätu as his cousin shucked a few oysters with a sharp knife to pry the gray shells open. Since his team hadn't gone out today, he'd fetched a few oysters from his week old traps in the west to give to his uncle Rafil for cooking. He'd kept a few for him and Tsu'tey as an afternoon snack which is why he was fiddling with the stubborn shells to introduce the raw food to his cousin. The three little boys played with a wooden circle wheel on the beach as each one held a stick to keep it moving over the sand. Whoever couldn't hold it up or when it fell, the game ended. Since Leti couldn't run after them, she'd opted for playing with her little fabric doll as she pretended to be a healer like her mother. She'd dug little holes in the sand and pretended each held medicine as she gave her doll medicine with her fingers.

"You know, staring at them isn't going to make him go away" Wätu chuckled amusingly as he caught Tsu'tey's brief staring and rejoiced when he found a soft spot against the closed oyster. Tsu'tey merely ignored his cheeky comment as he was caught being a worrisome potential suitor and took fascination with Leti's pretend play as she hugged her doll. Wätu wedged the knife between the closed shell's lips to push against it with his strength and offered kind advice, "You could just ask Joanna about it. From what I hear, she's had to contend with a horde when it came to you and you're worried over a single person on her end- who might not even see her in that manner."

Tsu'tey shot him a glare since his popularity with women was quite known throughout the continent but he hadn't encouraged it at all. It wasn't his fault he allured women! He knew it had been a bother to Joanna's confidence as she believed he could do better and stated crisply, "She knows of my devotion and it's not jealousy, not really. I just wish that if I'd been an Atykwe by birth, I wouldn't feel guilty for having to leave my clan. It would be easier to simply have been born here-"

"If you had, you never would've met and who knows what your life would've been like" he intervened with a sympathetic smile to make him see the better side of that scenario and cracked open the oyster with a triumphant smile. He grabbed a small canteen from his open satchel and popped open the wooden cork to drizzle a liquid mixture onto the fresh oyster for extra taste. It held a spicy yet sour and salty flavor due to citrusy fruits and aromatic herbs but the Atykwe loved it. As he prepared the oyster snack, he continued explaining the different perspective of Tsu'tey's wish, "The clan leader was male and he hadn't officially bonded with his intended before his death, leaving no heir. You wouldn't have walked the same path of future clan leader as you had with tsahìk Neytiri and could've had a different rank altogether. Despite your dazzling personality, Joanna could've been different herself without you when she arrived and there's no certainty you would've met since we're a larger clan than the Omaticaya. You became woven in each other's lives when you met at the Omaticaya without being any the wiser and now, you two are like tree sap. Here, eat this."

He gave Tsu'tey the oyster and the older man stared at it warily since he'd never eaten fresh food out of the ocean. Despite Wätu's insightful words towards his problem, the same couldn't be said for the food and he held it cautiously in his hand. Wätu reassured him as he motioned for him to eat it and the hunter placed his lips on the edge to slurp everything. The slick oyster was like water but Wätu's seasonings brought out a myriad of flavors with every chew as he swished it around in his mouth. He swallowed it afterwards before the spiciness overcame his senses and slowly stated with a hoarse voice, "That . . . was surprisingly good."

"My mother says soup is good for a soul in woe but I say spicy seafood" Wätu grinned wittily since he'd learned a few tricks in seasoning from both his mother and uncle Rafil. Tsu'tey smiled to his easygoing demeanor as his younger cousin began to shuck another oyster. He might not have his Omaticayan friends but his cousins were winning their own spot in his heart as Wätu inquired, "You'll win her yet but like you said- are you ready to leave the Omaticaya?"

"This is my second visit, I can't suddenly decide to cast aside everything I've known to live here" he pointed out swiftly since he'd expected to relax for the first days but now that he had, it was time to seriously think. Unfortunately, each thought plagued his heart since leaving the Omaticaya could make them vulnerable but he'd taught his hunters and Jake well. The question was: would the clan forgive his leaving? Leti heard his outburst as she played in the sand and her little ears dipped because she loved living by the sea. She held her doll close because she thought Tsu-Tsu would stay with her and didn't want him to leave the beach. Didn't he find it beautiful too?

He sighed softly for disappointing her and scooped up the toddler into his arms to apologize gently with a solemn smile, "I'm sorry, Leti. Your cousin is simply worried but I will move here eventually. It's just very hard for Tsu-Tsu to leave his home so quickly."

"We're family" she insisted with a pout but understood somehow in her young little mind. She wouldn't want to leave her family for another land until she knew she'd like it too. Her arms hugged her fabric doll close and her golden eyes twinkled against the sunlight as she piped up with hope, "We'll be here, always."

"It is words like that that make it worse and better" he chuckled softly with melancholy to that impending decision and squeezed her close. Leti enjoyed the affectionate hug and wagged her little right foot at Wätu as he fiddled with the stubborn oyster. Tsu'tey needed to return to the Omaticaya to begin narrowing the candidates for his position because he wanted the clan and the ruling family (especially the baby) to be cared for under a man or woman that held a similar mindset. The longer he stayed on the beach, the more _natural_ his life seemed as he spent time with Joanna and his family- not to mention the hunting. He smoothed down any hairs sticking out of her two braids and smiled fondly to say, "You are undoubtedly my dearest little cousin."

"What about me?" Wätu pouted humorously and placed the knife on a flat rock to tickle her little foot with his index finger. Leti giggled with glee as she huddled against Tsu'tey for protection against anymore tickling and Wätu laughed jovially to her happy face. His aunt Zika had created a beautiful child in little Leti and she was growing to be as sweet as her parents without a single ounce of being spoiled.

"Oddly enough, you give decent advice but you need a woman" Tsu'tey grinned smugly to playfully chide his cousin and Wätu groaned since he liked his bachelorhood. Tsu'tey could see himself in the younger man since he'd thought the same after being expected to lead the Omaticaya but when the chance disappeared, he hadn't been eager either. His past self wouldn't have even considered holding Leti as he was now and the thought of a child didn't bring him fright. It brought him hope for the bright future he could give them and the joy they would bring him.

Tsu'tey smiled warmly at Leti as she whispered to her doll that Wätu's mother had hidden his Eight Waves game set and he admitted with optimism, "If I ever have a daughter, I do hope she's as sweet as you."

Leti couldn't be prouder to have heard that since she loved having friends and beamed with happiness.

* * *

Tsu'tey chewed on a violet fruit as he sat outside of his aunt Zika's burgundy hut without the children since they'd run off to be with their father. Rafil named them his little emergency cooks to boost their confidence as they helped bring in baskets of foods or arranged cut pieces of fruits on a platter. The boys like to watch their father cook meat over a roasting fire while Leti was delighted by throwing in sprigs of herbs into soups. He'd invited Tsu'tey to join them but the chamber was already crowded enough with cooks preparing and cooking foods. Instead, he'd headed out to relax by the beach to watch the rolling waves that brought tranquility as the endless horizon and open space no longer brought his previous apprehension. The huts with their wicker mats were still an odd way of sleeping after decades of being an Omaticayan but the clear sky that threatened to engulf him into its azure dome was quite a view.

The Atykwe didn't have much in fruit or vegetables due to their dry and eroded soil but made the best with what the land gave. He longed for the colorful and large stock of fruit stored in the alcoves of the Omaticayan Kelutral but when he returned, he'd miss the delicious fish and numerous edible shellfish that the Atykwe provided. Regardless, he'd lose something but the prospect of having a mate and a family to call his own was something worth fighting for. If not, what would his life be-

"There you are, my sneaky ikran" Joanna interrupted his train of thought as she leaned down to squeeze his shoulders affectionately. He blinked quickly to disperse his ruminations and looked up to peer into her cheerful eyes, leaning over to meet their lips for a soft kiss. Her fingertips cupped the bottom of his chin as they shared the sentimental action and she added a gentle peck to his nose for a bonus treat. This was what he loved about his time in the Atykwe and would have to bear the loss of the Omaticaya to gain it. Sitting down next to him, she wrapped her right arm around his shoulders for an affectionate hug and smiled sweetly, "I've been looking for my old comrade in adventure. How are you feeling on your first week here?"

"A little homesick. . .but I do love it here" he admitted guiltily with a faltering smile since his family fulfilled a part of his heart that the Omaticaya, especially Mo'at and her family, always held. Wätu had become a pleasant friend and when they weren't chatting, the children were running circles around him with endless questions. Joanna hugged him close to offer his troubled heart a little comfort since she would provide strength where his failed and pressed her forehead against his temple. He leaned against her with gratitude and she whispered softly to coax him away from his conflict, "I wasn't lying about missing our adventures and we're due for one, even if it's boring. How would you like to travel to the south for some underwater diving?"

"I doubt thanators will be swimming there and waiting to spring on us so yes" he agreed as his face lit up to the enjoyable activity since he'd be making the most out of his trip. Joanna chuckled to his playful jab since she did have a penchant for attracting trouble in older times but that dangerous excitement had left her life after departing his clan. The best adventures had always been at his side and she wanted to regain that old bond, pulling him by the hand to lead him toward underwater exploration. It wouldn't be like their old hikes and mountain climbs around the dense Omaticayan forest but an adventure didn't need to have a specific setting.

They didn't need their ikran to travel to her particular spot in mind since it was reachable on foot but farther out than his first diving experience. They'd been searching for sea cucumbers that time but Joanna's place contained only sea life and a young coral reef that increased the colorful fishes already there. She wouldn't answer any questions regarding the area since she wanted him to be pleasantly surprised and laughed aloud when he tried to pull her tail as a last resort, "Tsu'tey, you must allow yourself to be surprised once in a while. There is excitement in the unexpected."

"I'm a pragmatist, Joanna" he pointed out because he was logical by nature and wasn't going to change that anytime soon. She shook her head with a grin to his cautious outlook of life and surprised him by jumping onto his back for a piggyback ride. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders with a fond smile and kissed the edge of his right ear, remembering her first ride after a fight that turned humorously romantic for them. He locked his fingers to place them under her legs to keep her in position and chided playfully, "You always were an insistent woman."

"And yet, here we are in one piece" she smiled toothily as she squeezed his midsection with her legs and laid her head next to his. Every minute granted with him was a blessing from Eywa and she chuckled low in her throat when she heard a little defiant hiss from his end. He would never change from his conservative demeanor but she loved every bit of him, inside and out, and informed helpfully, "I'll lead you so there's no surprise and my compensation will be this free ride."

"All right, but you'll carry me back" he replied smugly to play along with her joking and her laughter delighted his hearing as they strolled down the beach.

* * *

Tsu'tey stood over a large flat boulder and peered into the blue water where gray shadows of fishes swam by with lightning speed. The underwater coral reef decorated the water in a crescent shape farther out into the sea and that's where Joanna wanted to swim out to. She didn't hesitate to dive into the water since it was clear enough to show that there was no danger lurking beneath and Tsu'tey followed like any valiant warrior.

The cold water seeped into his bones immediately as the changes in temperature stiffened his body and demanded his adjustment to the new environment. He didn't know how Joanna could swim like a fish itself as he saw her feet kicking underwater while his teeth chattered like bones upon the ground. How long would it take for him to adapt to this new lifestyle? It would be a horrible shame if his future children plopped into the water without a second thought while he tested it with his toes. Somehow, he could see that happening due to Joanna's lively spirit.

She surfaced without causing a splash and smiled sympathetically to his frowning face since he couldn't appear more vulnerable. His ears were flattened against his head, his teeth chattering between pale pink lips, droplets of water stuck to his thick eyelashes, and his eyes were narrowed but ablaze with discomfort. He groaned miserably when she wrapped him in an embrace since he liked appearing tough for his partner and Joanna chuckled, "Oh, my dear, you'll warm quickly."

"And if I catch my death?" he questioned skeptically since he wasn't accustomed to the cold water of the ocean and spit out the salty liquid. He preferred the freshwater rivers that were relatively safer but Joanna wasn't budging from having a little fun by watching fishes.

"I'll fight Eywa Herself for you" she reassured with a kiss to his lips and cupped his face to add an extra show of care towards him since parting would cease all of their private moments. She couldn't see a life without him by her side and hoped he'd see his promise through to the end.

He uttered one last sigh before she pulled him underwater to swim towards the reef in the short distance as large rocks covered the field in comparison to the open sand where the cucumbers had been. Multiple species of fish swam away from the new intruders and sought refuge inside grooves in the boulders or headed for the coral reef. Tsu'tey had never seen the rock-like protrusions and their gray shadow in the water eventually transformed into colors of red, white, orange, blue- all vivid hues! The texture of each varied just as the colors and when he neared one that held upright branches of prickly rock, little violet fishes burst out from their hiding area to find refuge elsewhere.

He wanted to touch the natural formation of one that reminded him of a red helicoradian but Joanna grabbed his hand and shook her head to show that it wasn't allowed. She used her thumb across her throat from end to end to motion that a single touch could bring an imbalance to the wildlife and he wouldn't dare to harm a living creature. He was satisfied at seeing the different types of coral that was slowly forming into a reef after decades of growth and wondered how large it would be one day. He'd never encountered such life and wondered what other stunning secrets the Atykwe held in their sea as a sapphire fish sped by right under his chin. Pointing to it, he almost laughed aloud to its daring swim and Joanna smiled to his open curiosity since he'd been cautious on his first dive with a group.

She grabbed his right hand to lead him to a round blue coral covered with tendrils of anemones as little fishes swam on with their lives around their underwater city. He could feel the force from their tiny fins against his skin as he swam through the reef maze, looking in through each nook and cranny in the vibrant rough coral or the large rocks. He reared back when a long but thin black creature slithered out of its home to cut clear across to the other side of the reef for a new temporary hideout. Joanna wasn't alarmed by the eel-like fish since it was pretty harmless and would only coil against itself in defense to appear larger to frighten predators.

Returning to Joanna's side, he decided to venture alongside her before a fish or crustacean did decide to take a bite out of him. He couldn't allow the beautiful colors and schools of fishes to rip him out of his cautious shell so he stuck close to Joanna instead. When they needed to resurface for air, the swim took only a few seconds as they used the boulders to shorten the trip by kicking off them. Joanna's flexibility in swimming could only remind him of a sea creature he'd spotted during an outing to the islets far from the shoreline that had gracefully flipped out of the water. He'd never seen it again since he spent most of his time alongside his family but if time permitted it, he would fly out again in the hopes of seeing the small but elegant animal with the long translucently thin fins.

Time was of no concern as the clear blue water failed to change and the two played tag underwater for an extra dash of fun. They hid between the large boulders to spring onto their partner when one sought the other and Tsu'tey loved their playful outing. Joanna was happy to bring a little joy to his heart to help encourage him that he'd have a great life on their shore and had the potential to amount to something fulfilling.

Poking his fingers into the white sand, he fished for remnants of sea shells since he enjoyed bringing trinkets to share with his clan. If a fish or any other creature was hiding underneath the sand in camouflage, it would shoot out to swim away with the utmost haste to avoid him. He was surprised he hadn't scared away a third of the wildlife with his curiosity but Joanna didn't reprimand him as she kept an eye on him to avoid any snafus.

Unfortunately, that couldn't be said for wildlife since Pandora was a beautiful but deadly world to explore- na'vi or not.

Joanna noticed a large shadow heading in the direction of the reef and knew it was a predator by the sheer size alone. There weren't many that would travel inland but the coral reef's large population provided food for wayward travelers and na'vi were on the available menu today. She pulled Tsu'tey by the hand while he'd been pocketing a new find and quickly swam towards the biggest coral nearby to hide behind it. She'd heard of the deadly predator as its serrated teeth could tear through the strongest shell and its bioluminescent body attracted prey until it realized its grave error too late. They couldn't break for the surface with the creature in the area and Tsu'tey could already see something was wrong with Joanna's iron grip on his wrist and the sudden leave of all life amongst the coral.

The water that had been filled of fish mere seconds ago was emptier than the saltiest of seas and he wondered what was wrong. Joanna angled her head over the edge of the coral to determine where the predator had gone and could see its faint bluish-white light in the short distance. Most likely, it was investigating the coral for openings where fish hid and she pitied what poor creature was trapped between its strong jaws. While freshwater bodies had dinicthoid, the ocean had its larger counterpart, the ril'rat, with four long fins in a blue-gray hue that allowed it to blend with the water if one wasn't careful of their surroundings. Joanna's back pressed against the coral as her heart hammered worriedly since their air supply wasn't limitless and Tsu'tey's lung capacity could barely match hers.

She decided to use the coral reef as a maze to return back to the shore or at least, a large piece of land that protruded out of the water to provide safety for them. Her free hand motioned for him to keep watch for any shadows from the beast while she stuck low to the sand to swim around the coral. The natural formation curved towards the shore in a crescent shape and she aimed to follow it but at the same time, Joanna had to make sure she had a hiding spot ready to avoid becoming lunch.

Her worry wasn't for herself but Tsu'tey since this environment was new to him and unlike their thanator experience, they were at a heavy disadvantage. It felt like a chase between cat and mouse as she squeezed through coral openings to weave into another area in the reef and kept moving west to shore. This wasn't her first swim in the reef but outsmarting a predator for survival definitely was. Its double set of fins, not to mention its lean agile tail, allowed it to move with the deadliness of a thanator and Joanna swam into action when its shadow loomed behind them. Quickly, she darted into a crevice within the rocks to hide inside and hoped the beast would pass them.

Tsu'tey's back pressed against the end of the deep crook in the rock while Joanna positioned herself in front to shield him against danger. He wasn't comfortable taking the backseat in a dangerous situation but she had the experience in this field while he could make a grave mistake if he decided to lead on. His lungs had begun to slightly burn for air as he sat cramped inside the opening but Joanna refused to let him budge as the predator lurked into sight.

The dinicthoid fishes weren't a match for the size of the large pa'li sized predator whose four elegant fins were almost as long as his own legs. Bioluminescent dots covered its face as the lights would draw in innocently curious fish into its gaping jaws full of sharp teeth. He could see black round eyes on its ugly face from his place underneath the boulder and hoped Eywa would spare them from becoming food. All he'd wanted to do was see the harmless wildlife of the reef with his partner and now, he faced either drowning or being eaten alive.

The large beast passed by as it saw nothing in sight to fill its belly with as the waters were void of sea life but it continued scouting the reef. Joanna's hand was squeezed by Tsu'tey as he signaled that he needed air soon and she had to make a decision as to what to do next. She couldn't let her beloved drown when the surface was so close but at the same time, they would leave themselves vulnerable to a hungry predator. Well, she wasn't sure it was hungry but Pandora's predators were always ready to take a bite out of you. Cautiously, she peered over the side of the rock to see both areas were clear from danger but the passage ahead split in two directions.

Tsu'tey's grip on her hand didn't lessen and she made the decision to swim for the shore with all her fury. She motioned the same to him with her free hand and when he squeezed her hand in agreement, she swam into the open to head down the clear passage. At the end, she stopped at the last minute to peer in both directions and took the left route since it would curve towards the flat boulders that lined the shore. They stuck close to the bright corals and gray rocks littering the path as she took the lead to make sure nothing happened to him. Her eyes were wide open as she scrutinized the area like an ikran and when they neared a large boulder that oddly resembled a pa'li, she knew they were close.

The boulders laid a trail for them to follow in a straight line for the shore and Joanna swam with all of her might to lessen the oxygen deprivation for Tsu'tey. He held an incredible amount of self-control but his lungs were aching terribly for air and he was glad to have the extra pull from her hand as his kicks were becoming sloppy. If he lived, he'd be training in the sea for hours to master the same skills she held. Tsu'tey felt the most uncomfortable sense of being watched and after years of honing his awareness, looked over his shoulder to see that familiar outline that had frightened them. That was enough to get him moving with the last ounces of oxygen stored in his lungs and Joanna saw his haste when he matched her in swimming stride. She didn't dare to look back out of fear of slowing him down and kept swimming towards the coast since it was their only salvation.

She saw bubbles exiting his mouth and knew he had to get air immediately and pushed for the surface to break it since they could continue on the same road. This left them completely exposed to the wandering ril'rat but she wouldn't dare allow him to drown when they so close to surface. Tsu'tey gasped aloud as he filled his lungs with the needed gas to continue living and managed to yell, "Go!"

She didn't need to be told twice as they spotted the safety bundle of flat rocks that they'd dropped off from and prayed that the ril'rat took notice of something else. The predator wasn't very bright but it made up for it in ruthless ferocity as all hunters feared the creature and only a few had tangled with it to tell the tale. Apparently, gouging out its eyes or spiracles tended to do the trick but Joanna wasn't eager to test it. She dove underwater to gather a better view of the beast and saw that it had begun to follow them with curiosity. That was not good and she resurfaced to find that Tsu'tey had fallen behind in his swim which led her to grabbing his hand to keep their paces together. He refused to let her sacrifice her own pace for his when they were both in mortal danger and hissed defensively, "Keep swimming- don't worry about me!"

"Absolutely not! What kind of woman would I be?!" she retorted swiftly because she wouldn't abandon him so callously and kept their hands entwined. Dangerous predator or not, he hadn't abandoned her when she needed him against the thanator and she wouldn't either. They were partners and if she was to be his mate, she'd stand by him to the bitter end because there was no Joanna without Tsu'tey. It was as easy as a one-step equation as to _who_ solidified her happiness and she'd go down with him if a critical situation arose. She could only close the gap between the water and the rocks as her heart hammered dangerously to the unknown proximity of the ril'rat.

Joanna reached land first and she gripped the grainy rock firmly in her hands as she used the grooves to propel herself out of the water. Her feet hadn't touched the floor of the flat boulder she'd landed on when she reached for her partner to lift him safely onto it as well. Both pulled themselves out of the water just in time to avoid the sharp jaws of the ril'rat from tearing into their soft flesh as it had been mere _feet_ away from Tsu'tey's legs. Joanna's hands gripped him tightly with terror to the idea of losing him since they'd been at a heavy disadvantage but they'd given it all they had. They'd survived! They watched the ril'rat's dark shadow submerge back into the depths in defeat as the meal it had eyed was no longer available and had to search elsewhere in the sea. Thankfully, it couldn't break the surface to chase after them and they quickly crawled to the opposite side to be safely clear of the edge. Tsu'tey sighed in relief when the water remained calm and assured himself that sea predators couldn't breathe on land just as thanators avoided water.

"Thank you" he panted softly to that rough moment within their hiding spot since they'd swam in suspense after leaving the nook in the rock. He wasn't adapted to long moments underwater like the Atykwe and for once in his life, felt vulnerable to their environment. His lungs had ached painfully for air and hated being the weaker of the two after becoming accustomed to protecting her. What kind of mate would he be if he couldn't protect her from danger? Her hands squeezed his as she huddled against him since that was another harrowing experience they could add to their collection. His forehead pressed against hers as he breathed deeply to shake off the fear induced shivering from the encounter and admitted quietly, "I . . . I've never experienced that."

Joanna smiled sympathetically because for the first time, he walked in similar shoes as she had during her first months among the Omaticaya. She hadn't come close the type of encounter they'd just faced since living among the Atykwe and didn't want another looming on the horizon anytime soon. Just as he had taken care of her a year prior, she would provide the same support and assured gently, "I'd never let anything happen to you and it's about time that I repaid all of those times you saved me."

He managed a shaky smile to her remark since she had put him in quite a few binds but she was capable of caring for herself now. She wasn't a student anymore but a huntress and one that the matriarch had taken a shine to due to her incredible sense of loyalty. He was very proud of her and brushed back one of the wet locks dangling beside her ear to murmur softly, "You don't owe me anything, seeing you safe and happy is enough. If I ever lost you. . ."

Her ears flattened against her head, pinning his finger behind one and he watched the inner turmoil in her eyes as she gazed at him. He closed the gap between them with a gentle kiss to show he meant every word he uttered because otherwise, he would not seek her out to admit those same words. She reacted instantly, her hands cupping the sides of his face to bring him closer. Her strength in the kiss was more ardent than his and he followed the rhythmic dance of her tongue as she tugged him close.

He'd missed everything about her for the past months and each reminder hit him with full force every time they kissed. Her soft skin. The little cluster of bioluminescent dots that traced around her hairline. The way she'd cup his face before leaning in to kiss him. He yearned to have _all_ of that back in his life and clutched her close by the waist as he strengthened the passionate kiss.

Joanna took notice of her misdeeds immediately from their tight embrace and the physiological longing stirring within her body. There was no question whether she was attracted to him and being in sopping wet clothing didn't help simmer that yearning to consummate their relationship. It was times like this that she admired Tsu'tey's self-restraint and every other navi's because humankind didn't think twice about jumping into bed with someone nowadays. She stopped their kiss, placing her palms on his shoulders as she breathed heavily, "We are obviously not thinking clearly-"

"We never have after dangerous encounters" he intervened matter-of-factly since they tended to leave them with a catharsis that revealed hidden facts about each other. Her fall from Kelutral had mended their antagonistic rift as each acknowledged their misconceptions, the thanator encounter left both reeling with uncertain feelings, the lenay'ga brought their morals into question, and this ral'rit seemed to have sprung an amorous mood that showed they needed to make their relationship permanently official.

"You are too perceptive sometimes" she chuckled gently since there were times she couldn't deny her attraction and a near death experience qualified. She reminded him of her previous objection as he placed another kiss on her artery pulse and tugged gently on the braids that dangled over his shoulders. Hmm, he could be such a charmer with well-placed kisses. Her nose brushed against his before delivering a chaste kiss to his upper lip and she whispered fondly, "I do love you-"

"As do I" he replied earnestly as he peered down at the woman he'd chosen to ensnare his heart and was rather proud of the choice. She wasn't afraid to speak up for herself and when he was wrong, she would clearly state so without fear of being impertinent. That wasn't to say she would disrespect him in public since she stood by his side to see all the valid points within a discussion rather than casting all but the logical choice. Weaving his fingers into her damp braided hair, he pressed a fond kiss to her forehead and confessed softly, "I've been a stubborn fool at times by not being truthful with you. It's led us into quite a few sticky situations but this time, we weren't arguing and I'm more certain this solidifies my need to make plans for my leave."

"You don't have to-"

"If we are to be bonded, I have to cut my ties to my old life" he pointed out grimly to the upsetting aspect after years of living among his people but the Atykwe were good folk. He could see why the matriarchs were tightly bound as sisters as their clans shared similar aspects and they cared very deeply for their residents. He would be proud to call this place his new home where he could live amongst his family, make new friends, and be a loyal mate to Joanna. She looked away with guilt for what he had to do but he would not hold back on the inevitable and stated clearly, "It must happen sooner or later and delaying it would only sour our own union with the passage of time. It hurts both of us to be apart and the sooner we can make a home together, the sooner we can mend the wounds our parting brings."

She wrapped her arms around his neck to hug him close and sighed softly, "Always so eloquent, my dearest."

"Another dazzling trait that led you to me" he smirked slyly as he placed a small joke into their solemn mood after almost being devoured as fish food. Joanna chuckled softly since there were many factors to her attraction towards him but she did admire his concise and detailed manner of speaking.

"One of many" she agreed sweetly with a fond smile as she held him close and allowed the sun to dry their drenched skin.

* * *

"Tsahìk, I hoped to have a word with you if possible" Joanna smiled politely as she entered the matriarch's private alcove and sweet incense reached her nose. It reminded her of vanilla flowers but their beach had none that held such a familiar scent and wondered if another clan brought it during trade. She stuck close to the side of the open doorway as she used her left hand to push the emerald cloth aside to maintain a respectful manner.

Nitari hoped nothing happened on the beach since her hair was wet but her clothes were completely dry. Had her little fish been swimming today? She ushered her inside with a wave of the hand and Joanna thanked her sincerely as she sat down across from her on a brown reed mat. The matriarch's alcove was full of bowls that held different herbs but the majority had sewing materials and beadwork. Nothing helped Nitari better after meditation than making jewelry or sewing a new knickknack to give away. The stray braids that dangled beside her cheeks clicked together as she tilted her head to the right and asked softly, "Is something wrong? You look worried."

"In a manner of speaking" Joanna admitted sheepishly since the only woman she could seek advice from about life was the matriarch herself. Anaya was a dear friend but neither of them held the life experience or wisdom of Nitari and Joanna wasn't close to anybody else. She knew the matriarch cared for her intended and wrung her fingers nervously as she continued, "I'm worried for Tsu'tey. Although I agreed that I'd allow him to court me if he asked, the road to that question weighs more on him than me. I know we can't replace his birth clan but I want to make the transition easier."

"Has he rebuilt his bonds to his family? A few friends outside of them can also help to build his confidence" she suggested helpfully since she slowly tweaked Tsu'tey's path with every visit but it seemed that he needed more validation. Mo'at took care of guiding him when he was at home but it would always feel darkest before the breaking dawn of a new beginning. Joanna agreed with her ideas since he'd become attached to his family and Nitari advised wisely, "His exploration of the land will also increase his knowledge and having him join the lorekeepers will help with learning our history. He's a sharp one so he'll have no issue fitting in. He keeps an emotional guard up but that man can have his heart broken like any other and you need to be there to keep him strong."

"That's just it- I don't know how the separation will weigh on him" she sighed softly since he was quiet with his turmoil until it boiled to the surface. She didn't want to wait until that point because healing the first ache would be easier than numbing gaping wounds in his heart. Her ears dipped as she remembered his worry every time he mentioned the Omaticaya and she explained gingerly, "Right now, he's happy to be here because of his family and I. He has to understand there will be no going back for quite a while when he moves and I don't know if I could bear hearing him say he'll return home instead. I can promise and kiss his worries-"

Nitari's brow rose with curiosity to her disclosure and Joanna blushed bashfully with mortification, "Oh, dear. I said that aloud, didn't I?"

"You must keep any wandering hands to yourselves until mating and the lips until courting" she lectured gently and Joanna's shoulders relaxed since she expected chastising from her leader. Nitari adhered to the old traditions but understood there could be leniency when one was absolutely certain there was a future invested in a courting relationship. She waved a dainty hand as her face brightened with youthful glee to old times, "We were all young once with ikran songs floating in our heads about love and I have my own share of memories with Akon. Since your union is a bit different, a kiss here and there can make a man feel strong enough to lift Kelutral itself."

Joanna smiled modestly to the free pass but Nitari still held her motherly gloves on.

"But I will be talking to Tsu'tey because I want you to keep to tradition" she smiled matter-of-factly since she saw the way the two eyed each other when they were together. If the two had been behaving the same at the Omaticaya, Nitari was certain Mo'at would've been batting them away with a broom to keep them proper. Joanna dipped her head in acknowledgement since she wouldn't risk disappointing her matriarch and would keep any lovey dovey looks private. Had her mask been slipping recently? Nitari sighed softly since it wasn't often she gave advice about love and smiled kindly at the bashful woman, "Love can make us do crazy things sometimes. You're lucky he hasn't covered himself in flour or broken pottery by trying to play a flute."

"He's fallen down a hill in search for a fan lizard but not to that extent" Joanna chuckled warmly to what he'd done for her favor back at the Omaticaya and wondered if Nitari's mate had actually done that. From her personal accounts, her mate had cherished her dearly and they held a love that Joanna had yet to see in another couple of Nitari's age. The fact that Nitari carried on strongly with her mate's memory spoke highly of her since others would've succumbed to the grief of losing their other half. Tsu'tey was her other half and Joanna would wait for him for as long as she had to but murmured with hesitation, "I cherish him more than any other man but I don't want him to resent me once he begins living here. He enjoys his time here but what will happen once he realizes his friends and every inch he knew of Kelutral is gone? It was hard for me to adjust when I arrived here and I can't imagine how it will be for him after living for decades with the Omaticaya."

"Unlike you, he's had a few trips here to acquaint himself" the matriarch pointed out since the hunter was a strong soul in his own right but it could take a thrashing just the same. The only cure for that would be time and reassurances from his loved ones. She inhaled the sweet scent from the bowl of incense lying between them and advised carefully, "All we can do is reassure him that he will have a future here because he will be a perfect team leader for the hunters. When the storm season arrives, he will be perfect in leading hunts into the forest after years of experience."

Joanna fidgeted in her spot since her partner was tenacious and stated cautiously, "Do you think he'll feel inferior to no longer being an advisor or the leader of the hunters? He's been incredibly valued by the Omaticaya and the change in ranking . . . I worry his confidence will plummet."

"Eywa has her plans and Tsu'tey will do great work for our clan, I assure you" Nitari stated with a kind smile because having titles removed would indeed remind Tsu'tey that his position would not be the same as it had been. Nonetheless, she had no worry that the man was a hard worker to earn respect at every task given. If there was one word to describe him, the matriarch would use indomitable. She laid a gentle hand on Joanna's forearm and met her gaze to state firmly, "You must remind him of his worth and the home- not to mention, family- he is coming here to build with you. Hard work and loyalty in one's bones will be repaid in full for a life of fruition and Tsu'tey is on that road. It seems long to him after many years but it is _almost_ over so assure him of this. . .by picking the spot of your future hut."

"But we're not courting yet" she stated nervously since she didn't want to appear too forward by doing so and have the clan wondering about them.

Nitari smiled wisely to her hesitation since it treaded close to straying from tradition and spoke softly, "With a man like Tsu'tey, I'm certain your courtship will be rather fast and you'll be having your ceremony within that same month."

"You always set my heart at ease" she smiled weakly since she and Anaya were her confidantes in the clan. Being heavily involved in her healing studies and hunting team, Joanna didn't have time to forge tighter bonds with all of the residents but she tried her best. When she was troubled, she always had the two women to rely on for advice. Her mind had been set at ease since the transition from a single woman to married one wouldn't be easy and she sighed softly with gratitude, "I could not be any prouder to have a matriarch like you.

"It is what mothers do" she chuckled serenely since she treated her people like her children but Joanna was the little pa'li with none to call her own. When orphans were left without parents, Nitari found them a home within days and had cared for a few herself while new parents made preparations for their arrival. With Joanna's case, she was too old to have a family take her in and her background always had her seeking a surrogate one of her own. She treated her animal partners and friends like siblings but she'd yet to find any to deem fit as adoptive parents.

Joanna's lips thinned for a moment in bitter memory and she murmured under her breath, "Most mothers, anyway."

"We are your present and future- the past will only bring pain" Nitari advised carefully since her particular past had molded the antagonistic Joanna that neither Joanna herself or Tsu'tey had liked. The same could be said for him but they had cast aside their old selves for their true identities and the untapped potential was still being unveiled. The next words touched Joanna's heartstrings in a way that not even her own mother could do when the matriarch smiled caringly to state softly, "_I _am your mother and I will never let anyone hurt you, Joanna."

She was speechless because whether she meant it literally or for encouragement, they were the kindest words she'd heard from a role model in decades. Well, Dr. Augustine counted but she was more of an admirable older sister than a mother since Nitari outranked everyone she knew by age alone. How could one not see a matriarch as an admirable role model to follow?

"All I can say besides my everlasting thanks is that you'll always have my loyalty in your hands" Joanna whispered emotionally as her smile faltered to the heartfelt words and breathed deeply to compose herself. A huntress of the matriarch would always carry themselves respectfully and she would do no less.

Still, she felt like a million bucks.

* * *

At the Omaticaya, Neytiri continued speaking to her deceased relatives to increase her mental potential but Mo'at always kept a close eye on her daughter. Neytiri reassured her that speaking to her father and sister, not to mention old relatives that had passed many years before kept her in an unbelievable delightful mood. If her mother could teach her to mold the realm to her liking to speak to her loved ones privately, then she would do the same in the future when it came time to train a new tsahìk. As for Jake, he kept running the clan smoothly without Tsu'tey's input and realized his absence since there were questions he had about certain subjects he'd never encountered. He worried over his friend's impending leave but he didn't know who could take his place after years of Tsu'tey's dedication to the clan. For that position, Jake would trust only Tsu'tey's input but there was no question that there would never be another advisor like he.

While caring for Neytiri, Max's reputation as a good healer had skyrocketed since he dedicated his full time to medicine alone and didn't look back on his short hunting career. Mo'at was a proud matriarch for nudging him in that direction and expecting mothers had gone to him for advice on their pregnancies. The na'vi weren't inclined to fast change since only female healers were reserved for pregnancies but this was one tradition Mo'at could forgive. Neytiri didn't mind it either since the health of new generations was a top priority rather than keeping to an old rule of society. There were a few that resisted it but each person was entitled to their opinion and Max's concern was for an unborn child and its mother, just like his patients believed as well. Cheryl's botany background helped tremendously as she studied plants at home or her old laboratory back in the ruins of Hell's Gate since advancements in homeopathic medicine intrigued Mo'at. The na'vi didn't trust human technology when it came to medicine but Cheryl and Max could bypass that with the limitless herbs and flora that Pandora provided for maintaining one's health.

Norm kept himself busy by training when his hunting group wasn't off tracking prey for the clan and was happy in his little niche. In the recent week, he'd begun to spend a few hours with Tarazi's father in his working alcove to learn more about bows and their accessories. The bow maker had been more than happy to share his knowledge on the field since his young son didn't share his passion and doubted he'd want to train in the field. Tarazi thought her brother was wasting the potential in his blood since she loved working alongside her father when she wasn't hunting and had delighted him when she'd brought him wood from the Atykwe clan. She might not carry on his profession like she'd dreamed of when she was young but she'd make sure to implement those teachings to her future children.

Zakal was happy for company in his alcove near the pa'li clearings and enjoyed his afternoons showing Norm tips for carving flawless arrows. There were numerous stacks of smoothed wood and those that still held bark were placed on wooden stands to contain them until they were needed. He could see why Tarazi enjoyed spending her free time alongside her father and when she did happen to be there with both of them, she was focused solely on her projects. He'd never noticed it until he began visiting Zakal but Tarazi's concentration during a hunt varied greatly to the one she dedicated when crafting a bow or any wooden weapon or tool for use. Her eyes warmed with each stab of her whittling chisel and her tense posture slackened when she shaved off bark from freshly cut wood to throw them into a pile to use for mulch in the gardens. It was almost as if she became an entirely different person than the fiercely stoic Tarazi that hunted alongside him.

Norm couldn't help but ask her father about that as they worked on cutting vertical rectangles out of a small log for practice arrows that the new Iknimaya students used. He remembered using them and having that embarrassing incident with Tarazi where he couldn't keep the arrow in the target since they were for practice by having a blunt point. He used a stone axe to cut away each piece carefully along the dotted line he'd made with paint since he was new to any kind of woodwork. When he made arrows, he usually received the cut portions so he could whittle them himself.

"Zakal, has Tarazi always been this passionate about your work?" Norm asked carefully about the woman's natural knack for making a single bow and brushed away wooden debris from his hands. He used a moist towel to collect the particles to avoid tiny splinters from burying into his flesh and placed it next to the work table to continue.

The bow maker halted his work on whittling the practice arrows and looked out of the alcove where Tarazi sat on a log bench outside, smoothing wood for a new bow. Her long braids had been pinned back in a low ponytail and the firm stare that was her trademark had shifted into delicate smoothness. She eyed the movements of her hands carefully and again, Norm noticed the warm delight in her gold eyes that were void when she hunted in the forest. At last, Zakal glanced away from his daughter and answered honestly, "She's always helped me since young and it continues."

"She has a knack for it" Norm commented about her skills since she'd been the one to help him craft his bow despite she'd originally sent him to Zakal. Like any huntress, she held her personal bow as the most prized possession in her life and didn't hesitate to offer tips on maintaining one. The woman was a good huntress but she shined when it came to crafting bows as she traveled to the interior of the forest to handpick materials herself rather than risk her father's life. Unlike her, he didn't have training and wasn't as young as he used to be. He saw the same fervor in her face that Cheryl held when handling plants and asked her father, "Why didn't she choose this rank if she has a gift for it?"

"There hasn't been a woman bow maker in generations so the ranking usually falls to men" Zakal informed easily since he'd never heard of a woman wanting to have the role of a bow maker. Omaticayan women either became huntresses due to the untamed wild around them or took roles for contributing to the clan's welfare like crafting clothing. Their clan was known for having the most luxurious fabrics from the looms so not many would be itching to make bows with their bare hands. His Tarazi, however, had followed after him since birth due to being the oldest and only child for many years until his young son (now ten) was born. He blew on an indent he carved into the wooden log to rid it of debris and explained, "Who would want to be one when our fabrics are prized by many clans? If she lived in a clan that warred often, I could see it happening but not with ours. We're very peaceful so there aren't many of my profession."

"But if a woman wanted to, could they have that role?" Norm asked with confusion since Tarazi was a very tenacious woman and didn't hesitate to tear through anything to reach her goal. If she loved working alongside her father since childhood, why had she headed in the opposite direction? Hunting shifted her demeanor entirely and when she worked in the open with different species of wood, even her words were kinder to him! He didn't know if Tarazi herself noticed this but he did find curiosity biting at him. It was usually around this time that either Jake or one of his friends nipped it in the bud before he stuck his foot in his mouth but he wanted to pursue this little mystery.

"Yes, but it would be a rarity in our clan" Zakal admitted with a kind smile since he'd be happy for more of his rank since there were many youngsters running about with handmade bows that weren't decent for hunting. He was proud of his work and was pleased to say he'd instructed Tsu'tey, Peyral, and many other strong hunters to design their strong bows.

Norm kept his words in mind as he continued working alongside the man to pick up a few more of his tricks towards making perfect arrows. Zakal held limitless patience and didn't critique an individual when they made a mistake, simply advised him on where the problem was so it wouldn't be repeated. It made him the perfect picture of friendly sunshine compared to Tarazi's solemn night.

He approached Tarazi during his next visit to the bow maker's alcove as she decorated a leather quiver with colorful twine by intertwining two colors (blue and yellow) through small holes. Whatever accessories were involved with bows, she knew how to make them and would find even tiniest of items to slap on for design. During an excursion to hunt hexapede, she'd found a colorful blue speckled rock and had glued it onto her own quiver for luck.

"Tarazi, could I ask you a personal question?" he asked as calmly and amicable as he could to avoid having his eyes verbally gouged out. When she was in huntress mode, she didn't hesitate to bare her teeth at him and he usually slunk away in fear. Although young, she was quickly earning the nickname Peyral II by those she encountered during hunts since she was relentless in taking down prey.

Her golden eyes narrowed slightly as she scrutinized him for a second but conceded, "You may."

"How much of your father's work do you know after years of learning from him?" he asked curiously since the time from childhood to adulthood gave an individual plenty of time to soak up knowledge like a sponge. His parents had loved studying the history of Earth and it had been easy for him during childhood to decide that he wanted to travel the stars to find a new Earth to call home.

Tarazi offered a rare smile of pride as she glanced at the unfinished quiver in her hands to answer, "Most of my life, my first memories are of him in that alcove while I watched him. Many children receive toys from their parents but I helped my father make mine as he taught me how to assemble the pieces or whittled them for me. Everything that I know about my bow, I owe it to him."

"It's not hard to see the same dedication when you're here with him" he agreed since her work passed as his nowadays after years of learning a multitude of knowledge. A ghost of a smile crossed her lips since she took the same pride in her work as her father and continued twisting the dyed twine to loop it through each hole at the top of the quiver. It was moments like this that lowered her defensive stance towards others and he pushed his luck by continuing, "Since I've started coming here, I can see that you hold a natural talent for this- even more than you do for hunting. You can tell me what's wrong with a bowstring just by looking at it. I suppose I'm curious as to why you chose the latter instead of-"

"My decision is none of your concern" she stated coldly to his question and her entire posture stiffened considerably as he touched a subject that she never approached herself. There was a reason for each of her decisions and the one he wanted to know about was not in his place to ask. She'd exhausted herself asking the same questions when she was young and had learned to swim with the river's current rather than fighting against it. Each choice she'd made in life was for the benefit of her future and to make her parents proud with her skill in hunting.

"I didn't-" Norm quickly intervened to salvage the conversation as he struck a sour nerve and hadn't expected the backlash on her part. He'd only meant to ask a friendly question but it seemed he'd angered the sleeping huntress as the calmer woodworker faded away.

"No, you didn't think and expected me to disclose truths that are mine alone" she pointed out shrewdly as she attacked his figurative jugular to take him down. He raised his hands immediately to show he was peaceful and would back away to leave her be. There was absolutely no way he was going to risk angering her further and chose the best option to retreat for the time being.

He walked away slowly to avoid having items thrown at him at the last seconds and scuttled away from the pa'li fields with all of his limbs intact. Nobody said friendship or love was easy to maintain but hopefully, time would allow her to cool off. He really hadn't meant to anger her with the subject since her flair for creating bows surpassed her ability to hunt (not that she wasn't great at that either). Tarazi was a conundrum wrapped in sharp barb wire that was soaking under sulfuric acid but he would surpass it all one day.

Until then, he would wait patiently for the next chance to talk to her.

* * *

As quickly as he'd arrived to relax from life's stresses, the days had gone by considerably fast for Tsu'tey when it came time to leave. He'd lived through an exciting encounter, delicious meals, heartwarming moments, entertaining talks with his cousins, and coddled by his aunts. The matriarch had advised him that it was best to begin early with choosing the ones who would assume his positions back at the Omaticaya. The only solace about his future life had been picking the land area where he'd live with Joanna and raise their family. They had chosen a spot that overlooked the ocean but was safe enough that he didn't feel uncomfortable about drowning in his sleep. His aunt Avi insisted they live nearby so they could keep their family clustered and they agreed since keeping their future family bonded would be a blessing. Zika had assured them that nobody would take the spot from them and Leti had already placed a wooden stake in the sand to signify that was Tsu-Tsu's and Nana's home. It had been a joyous moment for the unofficial couple and Tsu'tey felt confident that a good life awaited him once he finished his duties at the Omaticaya. He'd hoped to be there when Neytiri gave birth to her child and play as their unofficial uncle for a few weeks but it seemed that he would have to leave before all of that.

The morning sun had barely risen over the horizon to light up the lilac-silver sky as Tsu'tey tied his belongings with a heavy heart for leaving and longing for home. How would he be able to bear leaving it one day? The beautiful coast of the Atykwe would rub in the guilt further but both matriarchs reassured him they wanted what was best for him.

"It will be all right, don't look so glum" Joanna encouraged as she helped him tie a few strings over Swizav's back and embraced him tightly to bolster his confidence. She felt empty at heart without him by her side and cherished the two weeks he'd stayed with them. It was better to have him temporarily than not at all and would take whatever amount of time she was bestowed to count his blessings. His arms encircled her shoulders to hold her close and she leaned against his warm body to murmur softly, "Do what you must and come back. Please, return home to me."

He sighed against the side of her neck as her own body warmth relaxed him and whispered solemnly, "Do you've any idea of the heavy weight those words bring?"

She kissed the artery pulse on his neck as her hands ran soothing circles over his lower back and stated gently, "Nobody said this would be easy but time mends wounds and you're the most resilient man I know. We will take each day at a time with the bright hope that someday soon we can build our hut on this beach."

Tsu'tey parted his lips to reciprocate the same heartfelt sentiments but incoming ikran screeches cut off his speech. The young couple parted from their embrace to find a sepia and jade ikran heading towards them, leading Swizav to screech in welcome. Tsu'tey knew the riders of those familiar ikran as home flashed in his mind and smiled forlornly at his partner, "It seems my trip is truly at an end now."

Joanna offered him a comforting squeeze on the shoulder as their private moment was over and waited for the two Omaticayan ikran to land. Norm and Tarazi had been sent by Neytiri since the two were the only ones who knew the path besides their trading messengers and it was best to see a friendly face on the way home. Jake had informed her of Norm's recent glumness after reaching a sour roadblock with the huntress and the young tsahìk decided that trips made the best times to reconcile differences. Thankfully, her idea paid off for Norm as he apologized profusely for breaching her privacy and promised to never do so again to maintain civility between them. Tarazi had been slow to warm up to his attempts for forgiveness but she eventually agreed since it had been an honest mistake out of sheer curiosity.

It wasn't his fault that he'd treaded close to a question she'd pondered for many years but finally blocked out of her mind for the sake of keeping an honorable rank. She was a good huntress and that is all anybody needed to know while the rest . . . that would be hers to bear. She managed a faint polite smile when he commented about the sparkling ocean lying before them because it was a quite a sight to see. The land was vulnerably open in her view and couldn't understand how her clan advisor bore the endless landscape that went on for miles.

Norm and Tarazi hopped off their ikran since they would make their visit quick since they didn't have the necklaces Swizav wore. The last thing they needed was to be chased out by a mob of furiously territorial ikran but the two ikran weren't in a hurry as they delved into a conversation of hisses and growls with Swizav. Apparently, they had a lot to catch up on in ikran speech and Tsu'tey greeted the two with one important question, "Is everything well with the clan?"

"We're fine, thank you for asking" Norm joked good-naturedly since his friend didn't put the clan aside from his mind for a minute and wondered if he'd been driven insane by worry. It had not been easy to budge him from home but all of the people close to him could see the man was ready to move on with his life at the Atykwe.

"Everything is well, advisor" Tarazi reassured since the olo'eyktan took great care over them and their tsahìk made sure nothing was overlooked. She'd never heard of such an efficient ruling couple that was as young as they were but their clan prospered. Norm added in that their hunters were perfectly on schedule and Tarazi continued, "The tsahìk sent us to retrieve you but she stated that if you need more time, you are welcome to stay."

"Why do I have the inkling that she's trying to keep me bound here?" Tsu'tey asked dryly with thinned lips since Neytiri was the subtle type for initiating plans. He was almost inclined to believe that she knew what his true purpose was for visiting the clan but he'd never uttered a word about courting Joanna and moving away. Either Neytiri was shrewdly perceptive or he was really bad at hiding his true intentions.

"Tsu-Tsu, wait! Tsu-Tsu!," a tiny squeaky voice called desperately over the beach and he recognized that familiar timbre from his little Leti. Had she really waken this early?

The hunters turned to see her waving her chubby little arms in the air since she was too little to run and was safely nestled in her mother's arms. The three boys tagged along beside Zika as they called out to him as well since they hadn't said goodbye that morning. He'd slipped out of Zika's home after bidding farewell to her and his uncle since a departure always left children melancholy so he wanted to avoid it. The quartet greeted the healer and the children as they approached them with the boys scuttling to squeeze Tsu'tey's forearms in farewell.

"I really tried to keep them asleep but they were determined" Zika smiled tenderly since there were no words that kept the four at bay and Leti had swayed her to leave the hut by crying. The boys had made a plan to wake early in the hopes of seeing him off since they wanted to be old enough to do so but had slept in a little longer than anticipated. Sifu had been the first to wake when his parents were tidying up their bed to begin their day and had quickly roused to wake his relatives before clinging to his mother's waist. The healer had been no match for four children with large golden eyes that glittered sadly and she'd relented to make the journey.

"We wanted to say goodbye" Keron murmured shyly as he squeezed the hunter's arm in farewell since they wouldn't be seeing each other for a while. Tsu'tey placed his hand over Keron's neatly combed hair as he offered a warm smile to lighten his heavy heart.

"I appreciate all of you coming here but I will be back before you know it" he reassured the worried children since he always said his last words at night before he left the following morning. Their bright eyes pulled at his heart as they gazed at him with unyielding fascination and his resolve to leave seemed to break with each second he held their gazes.

"Tsu-Tsu, don't go" Leti sniffled sadly as she broke the spell and kicked her little legs to motion she wanted to be placed back onto the ground. Zika allowed her to do so but tapped her gently on the nose as she reminded her to behave politely. Leti was more than happy to listen to her mother as long as she could leave and scampered through the sand to clutch his leg tightly. Her right cheek pressed against his skin as she peered up at him to offer a bargaining chip, "You have to stay. You can have my doll!"

"I'm sorry, Leti, but my clan needs me" he declined gently and the Omaticayan hunters behind him were almost ready to blurt that he should stay. They'd never seen a child _touch_ the advisor and he rarely spent time with them as he focused solely on the prosperity of the clan or keeping his hunters on schedule. To say they were surprised was the least since they'd never expected Tsu'tey to have such a soft side towards children.

"We're your clan, _we_ love you" she whimpered sadly since they were more than ready to be his home and he kneeled down to pick her up. A child had yet to break his heart but she was doing a mighty job of it as she curled against him with flattened ears and watery eyes. He held her close like any father would with their little crestfallen child but he would not be able to bring cheer to her face that day. He looked to Joanna for any input but the huntress could only smile solemnly as Leti reflected her inner turmoil perfectly.

The boys shared her crestfallen expression as they returned to Zika's side and Tsu'tey tried to explain his leave, "I am the advisor, I have to go care for the Omaticaya clan or I will fail in my responsibilities to my people. That doesn't mean I won't be back-"

"But you'll leave again" Sifu pointed out with a small disappointed pout on his round face since his trips weren't foretold or frequent. The two younger boys mumbled out a halfhearted agreement since they could only abide to Tsu'tey's leave since he was their elder. If they were old enough like Wätu, they would've risked his ire by tying him to the nearest hut pole but they were to small and weak to do so. Na'vi families were accustomed to living together in one clan and although they had been wary of having an advisor for a cousin, Tsu'tey fit into their family life perfectly. They didn't want to lose a piece of their puzzle that had been gained but what could they do?

Zika came to his rescue before he had a little mob on his hands and comforted the sullen children, "Now, now, we should be grateful that Tsu'tey took time out of his responsibilities to stay with us. He didn't have to come to our clan but he did so out of love and it deserves appreciation, children."

"But sa'nu, he should stay" Leti cried with insistence as droplets rained down her round cheeks and he held her tightly to quiet her sobs as she trembled. Crying children were formidable against tearing down his defenses and he rubbed her back gently in comforting circles to halt her soft sobs. Her small tail batted his arm as she wiped her blurry eyes to peer at her mother and sniffled sadly, "Tsu-Tsu can't go. We picked his home."

"Wish your cousin well because he protects his clan" Zika coaxed gently to stop her crying but it didn't make Tsu'tey feel better at all. He wanted to stay at the Atykwe but it would be very hard to explain to the children as to why he had to shuffle from one clan to the next.

"Goodbye" the boys murmured sullenly with downcast glances as their fun came to an end and they would be left alone to their own devices. They enjoyed Tsu'tey's company more than Wätu's since the older man kept a strict watch on them but played alongside them as an uncle would. Wätu, on the other hand, was still exploring his own independence and had his own hobbies to partake in. Tsu'tey wasn't able to reply when they left the area in a hasty run to return back to the family huts and he sighed despondently. He could deal with Leti being upset since she was incredibly young but the boys brought his leave a more somber outlook.

Norm watched the children leave and turned to Tsu'tey to offer him more time on the coast, "If you want to stay longer, it's perfectly fine with us."

Joanna's heart fluttered for a moment but she knew the best decision was for him to return home to resume his duties. Tarazi gazed at the glittering sea before her since it was a sight one could sit for hours staring into and agreed politely, "The olo'eyktan has everything running smoothly and he made it clear that he will allow more time. The sights around us are enough to understand your hesitance, advisor."

"Do not worry, they will be happy again in a few days" Zika reassured warmly since she understood her nephew had important responsibilities in his clan and would comfort their little hearts with food from Rafil's alcove. Food could cure a soul faster than herbal tea and her mate was a marvelous cook with anything he put his fingers on. She approached Tsu'tey to grab her little toddler back so they could be on their way since she was due at the healing alcoves soon. Unfortunately, Leti had other plans in store because she wasn't letting him go.

"If Tsu-Tsu goes, _I_ go" she insisted defiantly as she puckered her bottom lip to show she meant business and clung to him. Joanna's heart melted at seeing her rebellion to stay by his side and liked every chance of seeing Tsu'tey hold a child in his arms. All she could hope for was that his move to the Atykwe would be an easy transition and not too far away in the future to prevent breaking Leti's heart. Zika cupped her daughter's sides to pick her up and she protested with a weak whimper on her tear stained face, "Sa'nu, no."

"Leti, his clan misses him as much as you do" she sympathized softly and rubbed her back to help her release him so he could be on his way. The sun would soon rise over the horizon and it would be best for them to arrive back at the Omaticaya before the sun was strongest to prevent any sunburns. Norm and Tarazi helped the healer by agreeing and naming a few of the many responsibilities to show that Tsu'tey was just as important to them as he was to her. Leti eyed them suspiciously since she believed he was happier with their family but her mother stated gently, "Come now, he'll return before you know it."

"And I will stay longer, I promise" he vowed because each of his visits would undoubtedly increase in length as he became accustomed to living with them. Staying longer in his current visit would not do well since he needed to begin preparing for his future and to flourish it, he had to release the ones that had raised him for over a two decades.

"No, you have to stay" she sniffled softly as she gazed at him with large teary eyes and squeezed his neck in one last hug. Zika pulled her by the waist with a firm 'Leti' and the girl wiggled in her grip furiously because she was more than ready to fly away with Tsu-Tsu to see the world. It was hard for the other three to see her pried away from her beloved cousin and Tsu'tey could only bite his bottom lip to keep his face stoic. Leti sobbed openly as Zika enveloped her tightly to comfort her aching heart and Tsu'tey blinked away tears for the first time. This was why he avoided saying goodbye to the children because he knew sadness would plague their hearts and his own.

"We will go before it becomes harder than it should" Zika spoke quietly to offer him that saving grace since Leti's loud crying had quite the effect on them. Joanna had never seen Leti so upset since the child was always bubbly and upbeat but Tsu'tey's charisma had the tendency to draw him into their hearts. She and Zika understood that his life was bound to another clan's and the healer smiled sincerely to offer her good wishes, "Be careful and return safely to us whenever you can."

"I will have to hasten it to prevent Leti's heart from breaking again" he spoke softly with a shaky smile and leaned forward to wipe away Leti's tear stained cheeks. Her little ears were flattened against her combed hair and he wanted that round face to beam with the giddy smile she shined upon everyone. He could only insist that he would stay permanently one day to offer her a glimmer of hope and bid her farewell, "I will come back for good one day but I do love you and our family, little Leti."

She hid her little round face in her mother's neck since she'd failed in making him stay and would take comfort in her embrace. Zika touched her nephew's cheek with the palm of her hand since only time would tell when they would meet again and left the sandy clearing afterwards.

Norm breathed a sigh of relief that he'd been holding since crying children made anyone weak in the knees and commented, "That was rough. Are you _sure_ you don't want to stay?"

"I'm certain" Tsu'tey replied earnestly since it was time to return and the two Omaticayan hunters returned to their ikran. Joanna looked to Zika's retreating back as the sand dunes obscured her from sight every once in a while and she had to be at the alcoves as well. Learning the art of healing would come in handy to occupy her mind away from her heart's woes of the day and smiled at her crestfallen hunter.

"Remember what I said: Take each day at a time" she whispered softly to encourage his resolve since emotions would always be tied to farewells. One day, they would all be united on the sea as one family and that was the hope to hold onto while they were separated. She embraced him tightly one last time since they weren't hesitant to show that they would be an official couple soon and her fingers grasped the back of his shoulders to hold him close. Their noses pressed together as their foreheads touched and she met his gaze as she murmured wisely, "You walk a bumpy road but you have friends and family to light your way when you're uncertain. I will be here waiting for you and nothing can change that, my dearest."

"May Eywa always watch over you, my love" he whispered softly as the words encouraged his resolve and could see that her talks with the tsahìk were improving her insight. How could he not love a woman that cared so well over her matriarch and his family? She released him to let him go on his way before he left too late and waved to the other two before carrying on her way with a hasty pace. After all, bidding farewell to her loved one should not interfere in her studies alongside Zika. Similar to Tsu'tey, she would give one hundred percent of dedication to her matriarch's request and had committed to seeing her training to the end.

"This is easier on you than me" he told Swizav as he tore his gaze away from Joanna before it became harder to bear since leaving his home would be hard. How did couples entering an inter-clan marriage deal with the loss of one clan? He never imagined finding himself in that position but the tawtute had brought severe changes to their world. When he did stop to think about his old life, he was more than certain he would've been happier with Joanna than any other pureblood na'vi woman he was intended to bond with. Hopefully, he could make that a reality in the coming months. The ikran snorted air from his spiracles because he wasn't keen on leaving his Xeki at all and Tsu'tey hastily corrected, "I meant the Omaticaya leave."

True, he was right on that one.

He butted his head gently against his rider's to show affectionate loyalty and Tsu'tey sighed with a faint smile, "I can only do one or two more trips because I can't bear seeing their faces every time I depart."

Swizav's tail swayed with anticipation because although he had ikran friends back at the Omaticaya, he cherished his mate more than any other. He wanted to sleep besides Xeki for the rest of his days and watch their eggs hatch after she laid them.

"Are you ready?" Norm asked calmly since he wanted his friend to know that he had the option of staying if he wished it. His sepia ikran had relaxed his wings long enough to make the return trip and shifted his weight on his legs, leading Norm to smooth his hand over his speckled back. Tarazi's shoulders slumped slightly since she'd hoped to spend a few minutes flying over the white cliffs since she enjoyed fishing shells to bring to her father. Norm offered a sympathetic glance since it would be best for Tsu'tey to leave rather than prolong pain. Tarazi quietly dipped her head in acknowledgement since their task had been to retrieve the advisor but would hope to visit again soon. She wanted to find that spiky fish that left her foot with a scar and roast it over a fire to taste its meat for the first time.

"Let's go home" Tsu'tey murmured despondently since he wasn't leaving the Atykwe with the happy anxiety he held on his first trip back home. He hated feeling torn between two clans but hopefully, it would dull until he could replace it with happiness at returning to the beach. Making sure his leather packs were secure, he mounted Swizav to leave the welcoming coast for the dense forest and the ikran spread his wings for ascent.

His mind found it hard to focus after bidding farewell to his loved ones and his movements were instinctive over his ikran as he allowed Swizav to control their bond. He didn't even have the heart to gaze at the sparkling sea one last time. Nonetheless, he managed to glance over at his two hunters as they prepared to fly alongside him and tipped his head towards Norm, "Thank you for your discretion in this matter. You've been a good friend, Norm."

"I always will be" Norm chuckled awkwardly since he'd missed the private conversation between the hunter and his ikran, oblivious to what Tsu'tey's next move would be. He assumed the man merely appreciated his kindness to allow him the chance to stay without any pressure on his responsibilities and thought nothing else of it.

Tsu'tey, however, would begin planning for his future once he returned home.

* * *

**A/N**: I had writer's block for the first time with this story, it astounded me! I had to rewrite the chapter twice since certain parts weren't to my liking so it took longer than expected. I'm trying to keep a spotlight on all of the characters without having to push back the inevitable courting of Joanna and Tsu'tey so I'm tinkering with the outline. In the next chapter, Tsu'tey will begin making it clear to his friends that he intends to leave but it won't make it easier when he feels the Omaticaya don't need him anymore. Of course, that couldn't be further from the truth.

_CrissYami_: I do feel better nowadays but my sinuses still give me grief with pressure. And yes, Leti is the poster child for 'adorable toddler na'vi' because she can make your heart melt.

_Puffgirl1952_: Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

_iluvmycorgi22_: Ooh, I love your idea since Leti was along for the ride when they picked their future home spot. When he returns to the Atykwe again, I'll have her ask since she's insistent that Tsu-Tsu stays and she'd love a little Tsu-Tsu to play with.

_Laithano_: Since Tsu'tey and Joanna know they love each other as mates do, their courtship will be incredibly short. Tsu'tey wants to move to the coast to begin a new life and with that, they will be preparing their home during the courtship. I will write about their bonding ceremony and Joanna's future pregnancy since the story wouldn't be the same without it. ;)

_Deep Blue Dragon_: I'm incredibly touched that you love this story so much and won't hesitate to PM if it's been a tad too long between updates since I try to keep one months as the max.

_OmegaPhaedra_: Thank you for loving the chapters and hope you enjoyed this long one as well.

_Xahraxs_: Tsu'tey will definitely be a great dad now that he's grown out of his discomfort shell around them since he doesn't hesitate to pick up Leti. Since he's already lecturing Neytiri and Jake about child safety, we can only imagine how much he'll be coddling his children and checking them for boo-boos.

_Nykki13_: I was late with this one due to writer's block but I'll try to have the next one up in regular time.

_Dracoessa_: Don't worry, Tsu-Tsu will choose his Jojo with Leti clapping in glee.

_Kunfupandalover_: I shall try my best!

_Morgaur_: Thank you for loving the characterizations and plotline, I love writing on the former when I see interesting characters like Tsu'tey. I don't think anyone cannot love Two Steps from Hell, they make such wonderful pieces of music.

_Claycarole_: If only we could leave the planet. Lol. Every time I play Mass Effect 1, I think of all the different planets and stars in space. I love that everyone calls Tsu'tey by Leti's humorous moniker, it really is catchy. As for Arat and Anaya, I want to focus on them tying the knot after our main couple since it will put into perspective as to what they could have if they ignore seeking parental approval.

_Hawtphoenix_: lol, it totally is that Bleach song title since it reminded me of the situation.

* * *

**Next Time**:

The ikran were loudest during morning as they woke to greet the sun and ate to their heart's content by hunting over the water before heading out to enjoy their day around the coast. Joanna's ears were filled with excited screeches, curious squawks, content purrs, and greeting calls as she climbed to Xeki's particular branch that she called home. She's been a bit lethargic and fussy for the past two days, leading Joanna to summon Xeki's breeder to check on her health. It had been confirmed a few weeks after Tsu'tey's leave that Xeki was indeed carrying multiple eggs as she began eating heavier and drinking water to prepare her body to support the number of eggs she carried. The incoming arrival of the eggs caused her fussy mood swings recently but her rider and breeder were there on shifts to check on Xeki to make sure everything was comfortable for her.

Joanna had brought twigs, dry grass, leaves, and reeds to help fortify her nest for the eggs to keep them warm when they arrived. It was similar to birds on Earth but Xeki's nest was filled with leaves as the majority to make her comfortable. Xeki had purred her delight to add extra cushioning to her nest and Joanna assured everything would be fine with both of them on the job. Since many females were expecting and currently laying eggs, the land had been foraged dry when it came to nesting materials but Joanna explored the caves for extra. After dreaming for so long about her partner, she would take the very best care of Xeki and give her anything her heart desired. She'd fed her partner meaty fishes she'd trapped to keep her strength up since delivering eggs couldn't be easy.

The fact that her ikran was ready to lay eggs any day now had reminded Joanna that one day, she would be in the same position. There was no second guessing her relationship with Tsu'tey and they had conquered all of their obstacles to wholeheartedly acknowledge that they belonged together. No other man could make her heart flutter or light up her face with laughter and her days weren't the same without him by her side. Joanna wasn't the only one with that same longing since Xeki rowed that lonely boat alongside her as she waited for Swizav as well.

Joanna had been cleaning Xeki's coat clear of dust with a soft brush in the afternoon when Xeki cried out sharply and the ikran calls on her branch ceased. Joanna stopped immediately and watched Xeki move towards the egg nest with haste to lay down over it. She had never seen Xeki exhibit such behavior during her pregnancy and it told her to move fast to call her breeder. Xeki lay in her nest with her wings fanned out over the ground and hoped that her rider would return fast with help (not to mention, understood why she'd laid down). Despite being a feisty ikran, she didn't want to be alone after finding her family. Thankfully, Kunu arrived quickly with Joanna on his tail since Xeki was the only ikran in his care that was expecting while the others had delivered.

"Already by the nest? Good girl" he encouraged gently as he entered the nest to rub her backside in soothing circles and sat beside her. Removing his satchel, he set to work by observing Xeki's breathing rate, external body temperature, and the amount of lubricating secretion from her birth canal. He would help deliver the eggs to the best of his abilities and make sure nothing went wrong with the delivery since Xeki was a first time mother. He turned to Joanna as she kneeled in front of Xeki, rubbing her neck for comfort, and the breeder informed carefully, "It will be a long process, Joanna, so I hope you are ready. Riders aren't obligated to stay with their ikran-"

"I'm not leaving her alone" she smiled tenderly because they worked as one symbiotic unit and rubbed the top of Xeki's head, receiving a purr in return. Xeki was territorial and would bite the head of anyone else that ventured close to her right now but not them. She trusted both with the health of her eggs and shifted her weight between her legs when pain shot through her. Joanna hummed to her gently to focus her attention away from the pain and promised earnestly, "I'll be with you until that last egg is out, even if I have to sleep here. I won't be going anywhere, Xeki, you can count on it."

"You might have to because laying eggs can take up to a day" Kunu stated with an amused smile since the two were new to ikran pregnancies and Xeki growled at the prospect of that many hours. She could barely stay in her nest during the day and grew irritated at having to stay in one spot for hours on end.

Joanna, however, stuck to her word because she'd want someone holding her hand if the roles were reversed.

The first egg came an hour after she'd settled over the nest when Kunu announced it. Joanna was surprised by how little noise ikran made during delivery while human beings could tear limbs in a fit of hormonal rage. She left Xeki's side to check on it since Kunu firmly ordered Xeki to stay put for her own safety and the ikran hissed in defiance but listened nonetheless. Joanna crawled underneath Xeki's wings to approach Kunu's place behind her ikran and smiled widely to see a large tawny colored egg with little speckles of black here and there. Kunu placed the knee-length egg on a soft spot inside the prepared nest to keep it warm against Xeki's body heat. He traced his fingers over the top of the black speckled egg and looked to Joanna for a brief moment to explain with an approving smile, "A hard shell is exactly what I look for in every female. I'm rather proud of my first inter-clan match but I do wish her partner was here because it makes the female incredibly comfortable."

Joanna chuckled softly as she laid her fingertips over the smooth egg but it was damp from lubricating fluid that helped pass the eggs from Xeki's body to the outside world. Childbirth was indeed a marvelous wonder, no matter what species you were. They had welcomed a new generation of Xeki's bloodline and Joanna returned to her side to gush fondly, "Oh, you have the prettiest egg. I'm very proud of you and so is Kunu."

Xeki purred for the support since some riders tended to let the breeders do the work for an easier transition. Being young and a first time mother, she wanted Joanna by her side for never-ending comfort and treasured her partner. The fact that she couldn't have her mate by her side like all females did made her incredibly lonely for Swizav and hoped Joanna really would stay the entire time. A small growl left her jaws as pain bit her for a moment and Joanna grabbed a nearby cloth to soak it inside a bucket of cool water. She rubbed the side of Xeki's neck to cool her skin and provide comfort to her aches since she didn't know what else to do. Kunu was focused heavily on delivering the eggs and she pressed the cold cloth over the sides of her face while murmuring gently, "There, there. I'm here."

It would be two more hours before the second egg arrived.

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_Thank you all for your continuous support in reviews and appreciate each one. May you all have a wonderful day or night!_


	44. Son of Two Clans

**Music Inspiration: **John Lunn- _"Story of My Life"_ and Benjamin Bartlett-_ "Giant of the Skies"  
_

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**Son of Two Clans**

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Returning back to the Omaticaya was the same as everything carried on normally without a problem and Tsu'tey received greetings from cheerful residents at the canopies. Everyone was happy to see his return to the clan and although he loved returning home, his heart didn't feel that familiar twinge of longing that it previously held. For some reason, he felt isolated among his own brethren despite his face melted easily among the crowds like any other. Swizav wasn't particularly happy because he knew his Xeki was expecting and wanted to be there to see his little bundle of eggs when they arrived. He'd waited patiently to find his mate in life and wasn't about to miss the milestones because his partner wasn't ready to fully commit. Na'vi mindsets were often strange to him but he was sure they thought the same of his kind; either way, he still loved his rider.

Tsu'tey removed the leather packs from his back to relieve the weight from his faithful friend and assured, "We'll go back . . . eventually."

The ikran hissed because it held no definite answer and headed off to the thick trunk of Kelutral to ascend to his lonely home. For the rest of the day, he didn't want to be disturbed unless it was Tsu'tey coming to tell him they were leaving again. Tsu'tey shook his head to his ikran's fussing and walked down the spiral staircase to head to his empty alcove. Being a bachelor and leader of the hunters, his spot was on the first protruding branch of Kelutral to maintain a protective defense against the higher levels filled with families. The thought of them brought his own to mind after leaving a heartbroken Leti behind and hearing Joanna ask that he return to their home. Yes, the Atykwe would be their home and as he arrived at his lonely alcove. . .

He wondered whether all of this heartache was worth returning to a clan where he no longer felt the love of his family and Joanna radiating.

True, the clan leaders appreciated him like a brother but they understood his need to see Joanna and allowed it without question. If they'd been indifferent, he would've been bound to them and the idea of leaving could've been problematic. Instead, he would have to face his two dear friends and tell them to begin preparations for finding the newest advisor and hunt leader. Tsu'tey felt comfortable leaving the latter position to Jake due to the man's previous life as a warrior for the tawtute but he couldn't force more responsibilities to his clan leader. The position of advisor though, would be trickier since nobody in particular struck him for the role. He was granted the position since the aftermath of Kelutral's destruction killed the previous advisor and after relinquishing Eytukan's rank, he filled the advisor's role easily with his experience. There had been no younger advisor in past generations and Tsu'tey would be looking for someone older than himself since wisdom was often bestowed to those with numerous winters behind them.

He didn't take very long in placing his items of clothing and other belongings inside his alcove. Any gifts for other members of his clan would be distributed later because at the moment, he wanted to relax by himself against the wall of his quiet alcove. The familiar chirps of birds singing their songs of the day and insects chattering filled his hearing but it didn't calm the cold loneliness settling into his body. The waves crashing upon the beach were gone and the people that had beckoned him with glee were miles away while he was alone in his alcove. He was Omaticayan on the outside but inside, the Atykwe had begun infecting his heart with every smile and compliment thrown his way.

His eyes caught sight of a necklace made of cone-shaped white seashells and wooden beads that lay on a natural shelf beside him. All of his cousins had crafted the necklace with his aunt Avi's help to give it as a gift when he left the first time. Family was the most important unit in his culture and Tsu'tey was torn between blood and his clan as the former grew stronger. He couldn't face leaving the Atykwe again after Leti's growing attachment, not to mention the boys, so there could only be one more trip to the Atykwe before he broke their little hearts even further.

Tsu'tey never realized how much he truly wanted a family but Joanna and his relatives had brought out the best traits within him. He didn't want to be that bitter version before the battle nor the lonely warrior he was now but a happy man that had a mate at his side and a cozy hut to invite his family to. When Leti had placed a wooden stake in the land he picked out for his future hut, Tsu'tey knew he wanted his child running between the family huts calling for either him or his Joanna. He wanted to see himself grow old alongside his family and watch his little cousins grow up to be their own adults.

Residents passed by his alcove and those that caught sight of him offered their advisor warm words of welcome as Tsu'tey held the necklace in his hands. Normally by this point, he was sauntering down the staircase to greet his friends and clan leaders to let them know he'd arrived. He'd been delighted and hopeful during his first return after ensuring Joanna would accept a courting proposal but now . . . it was time to begin his preparations. He acknowledged the melancholy was stirred by his growing attachment to the Atykwe and he needed to bring an end to it all. It wouldn't be easy but-

"Welcome back, brother" Jake's voice surprised him as his leader cut into his thoughts and Tsu'tey quickly placed the necklace on its rightful shelf for safekeeping. He greeted his leader by clasping his shoulder in welcome as he stood up gracefully since he did miss his small group of friends when he was away. Thankfully, last meal provided equally pleasing company with the children and home had to begin sinking into his mind as being the Atykwe only.

With the alcove only serving to bring him reminders of the beach, he exited quickly into the fresh breeze that trickled through the canopies. He remembered the first day he had seen the towering Kelutral and its strong, not to mention large, canopies were a prime reason to pick it due to their clan's population. The familiar chatter of laughing children and conversing adults carried over the wind to fill the numerous levels of the gigantic tree. He breathed in the humid air with the hint of fresh earth mixing into its scent and greeted his brother in arms, "It is good to see you well again. Has-"

Jake chuckled to cut off the first question that would undoubtedly ask about the clan's wellbeing and reassured with a friendly smile, "Everything is _perfectly_ fine. Nothing is amiss, nobody is missing, and there are absolutely no problems. Well, the tapiri herds have started coming closer into the base but the children love them."

"You're coddling the herds, Jake" Tsu'tey stated dryly since his friend had begun to develop a sweet spot for children as he awaited the birth of his first child. Jake had continuously practiced his whittling skills until he achieved a decent ikran toy that he could one day make for his child to avoid embarrassing his offspring. The changing role of his friends as they found partners and began families wasn't lost to Tsu'tey because he should've been there alongside them. He already had a concept in mind for crafting his own child's toy since both his ikran and Joanna's were in the blue color family. If that wasn't a clear indication that he was ready, he didn't know what was.

"If it makes our people happy, why not?" his friend shrugged it off with a laugh since Tsu'tey was driven by logic rather than emotions when it came to running a clan. He hoped his days at the Atykwe had loosened his 'all work, no play' attitude but every time he returned to the Omaticaya, he was even more ready to jump back into his advisor's role. He hoped that part of it was due to his tendency to hide his true feelings since Joanna and his family had grown dear to Tsu'tey so it couldn't have been easy to return. It was why he and Neytiri insisted he travel to the Atykwe so he could see where his future truly lay so he could finally be happy.

As the two descended the spiral staircase, Tsu'tey asked with curiosity to his visit, "How did you know I arrived?"

"I didn't, actually, since Mo'at sent for me to fetch you" Jake explained with wonder laced into his voice since he hadn't known a thing until she approached him. He had been preparing a fishing rod for the next morning since he took his peaceful excursion to the nearest creek to relax. Matriarchs were naturally shrouded in mystery due to their intricate connection to Eywa and Jake was always surprised to see her approach since she made no sound with her graceful steps. The fact that she knew when something happened, had happened, or would happen tended to unnerve him and wondered when his mate would develop that strange 'sense'. He understood why matriarchs were revered, especially Mo'at, and commented with admiration, "I don't know how she manages to figure out each occurrence but I won't be questioning her when she's right every time."

"I've seen the same with matriarch Nitari as she manages to read my innermost thoughts without even trying" Tsu'tey admitted with a small smile to the old but incredibly wise matriarch, remembering her songs to the children. The two matriarchs were very alike when it came to running their clans and their abilities were to be respected by the younger matriarchs in other clans. During his first meeting with both matriarchs, he'd scuttled off to hide behind his mother as their perceptive gazes saw into him and refused to budge until his dear mother told him they were to be respected. Years later, he still felt the same in their presence and informed his friend with a little history, "It is of no surprise as to why they are similar since the mother tsahìk often traveled to the Atykwe coast to learn from Nitari. The matriarch has always had a natural talent and with her fondness for Mo'at, allowed her to be a disciple during her tsahìk training. It is why our clans have always been allies as each ruling couple learned from the other and I hope that friendship will endure for the coming generations."

The two men continued down the staircase as Tsu'tey shared the highlights of his trip, particularly the food. He had brought back a few edible goods for the clan and promised to deliver them after his meeting with the matriarch. Jake dropped him off at the pa'li clearings where he'd been making his fishing rod and spotted the matriarch feeding colorful bell-shaped flowers devoid of nectar to the tapiri herds. The herbivores waddled with glee for the delectable flowers but they scattered at seeing Tsu'tey as the newcomer. He fought the urge to chastise a familiar beige-purple tapirus that Joanna had dubbed 'Fred' since he saw it all the time and it should've known he was harmless by now. The matriarch turned to the two with a faint smile gracing her stoic face and welcomed her clan child once more, "I See you, Tsu'tey. How was your stay with the Atykwe?"

"Wonderful, there are no complaints" he answered truthfully since he'd enjoyed himself quite well alongside his cousins and Joanna. He had fished alongside Joanna and her team to learn the basics of their techniques, not to mention eating his bounty at last meal. Most importantly, he had picked the future spot for his home with her and all that was left was asking for permission to court her.

The matriarch appeared pleased to the outcome of his trip and looked to Jake to state courteously, "Thank you for bringing him to me. You can continue on with your work while I speak with our advisor about a few things. There will only be so many fishing trips before the baby keeps you at home."

Jake's ears dipped slightly since he'd been trying to hide his early morning trips from Neytiri since they shared a noon walk to the creek and he liked a little solitude. In a few months, he'd be swimming in everything baby and he didn't want to resent not having time to himself prior to the birth. He was more than certain Neytiri had her own little 'me' time designated in the fan lizard fields but he wouldn't pry into it out of respect. Again, he was struck by the matriarch's perceptiveness since he only spoke about the trips to his male friends and Mo'at pointed out with a hint of amusement, "Eytukan did the same with both of our daughters. By Neytiri's fourth year, he was teaching her to fish in that very same river at our old home."

The olo'eyktan left with a bashful smile as his secret was discovered by his mother-in-law and Mo'at turned to Tsu'tey to chuckle gently, "You, on the other hand, will be teaching your children to either ride a pa'li or ikran during their early years."

Tsu'tey had been rather eager to ride a pa'li in his youth and fallen off every time but his father had been there to catch him. In the coming years, he would play the same trusting role with his son or daughter since they would likely inherit his tenacity and Joanna's gumption. Mo'at caught the melancholy glimmer in his eyes as he ruminated about the future and she knew it was time to prepare for the leave of her most loyal resident. She had been proud to deem him worthy of leading her clan alongside her youngest but Eywa deemed it fit to divert their paths to others, converging Tsu'tey's with the Atykwe. Her gaze softened since he would bring pride to another matriarch for years to come and smiled somberly with finality, "It is time, Tsu'tey, and the longer you wait, the harder it will be on your heart."

"But the clan-"

"We have survived great catastrophes and we are hardy folk" she reassured his worry since they had not two, but three, wise elders leading the Omaticaya. She wasn't going anywhere and their clan had a perfect balance in leadership with her children but the Atykwe matriarch needed a younger generation to follow in her steps. Tsu'tey didn't appear entirely convinced since a protector of a clan would always remain vigilant for any speck that could bring harm and she stated confidently, "We will be all right, Tsu'tey. It is natural to be wary of a new life but you will not be going into the arms of a stranger. If you and Joanna would've been in this clan together at this moment, you would have been bonded for quite a while. Eywa's plan is for you to live over there because otherwise, that dream will not be."

He was ready to ask why that dream couldn't have been lived out amongst their people and Mo'at supplied the answer, "Joanna was never meant to be one of us and you will provide greater value to her matriarch. You have been blessed to have a home within two clans and it is time that you walk the path to your family on the shore. You will always be a child of my clan but it is time to walk your own path."

"This isn't as easy as I thought it would be" he murmured softly with honesty since his affection for Joanna gave him a boost in courage to face a storm. The weeks had passed into months and he could no longer put it off, especially when the matriarch herself was telling him to hop to it. He looked to the pa'li clearings where somewhere, Aci was eating and had absolutely no idea that she would be moving very soon. Swizav was more than happy to pack his figurative belongings but would his mare do the same?

"The hardest decisions always are but you've always shown incredible valor against your obstacles" Mo'at complimented kindly to the young man that had almost lost his life more than a year ago but he was persistent to keep protecting the clan. He agreed that throughout most of his life, there had been nothing but tough decisions to endure. For the first time, there was a light of happiness at the end of the sadness shrouding his leave and he wasn't wrong in seizing it. The matriarch grasped the side of his shoulders to offer him reassurance and smiled warmly, "It is enough for me to wish you well on your journey when you are ready to take it."

"But will my final choices for the clan work well?" he asked worriedly since he hadn't reached a definite choice for the two positions he would relinquish. Time was running out for second guessing but he couldn't afford to make a grievous error at the same time. Many good people had been lost in the battle against the tawtute and with them, suitable candidates that could have filled his positions. With the newest generation of hunters and current residents, nobody really struck out at him. What could he do about that? He couldn't allow his choice to be a burden to the clan and muttered listlessly, "Not to mention a leader for the hunters."

"Meditation always clears a conflicted mind" she advised gently to remove the stress over his choices since he wanted control over them. She trusted him completely with both choices but wouldn't be surprised if he found the leader for the hunters first due to his constant contact with them. The advisor's role would affect the clan leaders since the position carried great trust and Mo'at suggested helpfully, "You could always let your beloved matriarch make the choice."

He smiled to her concern but he wanted at least one choice for the position and stated politely, "I would love to but you already have enough tasks without my uncertainty to add into it. Trust me, I will find the right choices and you will not regret any of it. . . I hope. If so, you are free to drag me away from the Atykwe to make reparations."

Mo'at smiled kindly as she caught the usual firm faced hunter uttering light jokes and advised softly, "You are at a crossroad in life and it is time to decide which road it will be, regardless of the fear induced by these decisions. You cannot hold any regrets or they will linger with time, festering like an old wound until the happiness you sought turns sour. You don't deserve that and neither does your future mate so for both your sakes, try to relax. This is a natural process in life and you will see the same one day when your own children are ready to make their own lives in this world."

Tsu'tey's ears flattened as he posed the question he'd been dreading for months but she gave him the strength to do so. She was his unofficial mother in this world and as much as it hurt to sever their bond, he requested with a clear voice, "Mother tsahìk, I request to respectfully leave the clan to find a home with my father's."

"Child, I'd be disappointed if you _didn't_" Mo'at chuckled warmly with relief as she finally saw her unofficial child find his way in life and the route to his happiness. It had been a long road after his recovery and she worked meticulously to make sure he was pushed into Joanna's path, not to mention Nitari's. All of their work paid off to reveal a wiser and levelheaded Tsu'tey, leading her to smile with pride to his accomplishments, "I want nothing but your happiness alongside your chosen mate. I've been waiting for this day and can only encourage you to leave with happy memories because you will undoubtedly make more in your new home."

He could barely manage a grateful smile as it was tinged with sorrow for leaving the matriarch he had served faithfully for years. After becoming accustomed to an indifferent mask for years, Mo'at always managed to create hairline fractures to shatter it as she allowed her own to disappear. She had watched over him for years with the same care as a mother and his expression turned modest as he whispered with gratitude, "Thank you. . .for everything you have given me in this clan."

"You've earned it all, young one, through hard work" she reaffirmed kindly since his dedication to her clan had been present even before training for Iknimaya. His lack of siblings had led him to helping others and performing chores for the elderly on his wanderings through Kelutral, showing his potential to the matriarch. She had seen him grow from a small child wielding a toy ikran to a man that that led the clan's hunters so her work was finished now. Her influence in his life would echo as he lived on in the Atykwe lands but he would be in good hands with Nitari. She would trust no other _but_ her dearest friend with her most loyal and squeezed his shoulders one last time to comfort with a serene smile, "You will serve a new matriarch and she will treasure you as much as I have. Try not to worry about all of this, especially us, because a new family and adventure awaits you."

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Tsu'tey quickly returned to his hermit lifestyle at Kelutral and once his friends noticed this, they decided an intervention was necessary. Norm had bravely offered to be a sparring puppet to allow the man to vent his internal frustrations but Jake didn't want Max patching up the tattered remains of Norm. He was, after all, a part of the hunting teams and everyone needed to be at their best to succeed. Cheryl offered to subtly slip calming herbs into his food to remove the stress about moving and Neytiri took note of it for future reference (Jake didn't know whether she'd use it on their friend or him when he became fussy at home). After endless suggestions, Neytiri's idea of making him feel needed by the clan would help tremendously and they crafted a little lie to uplift his sullen mood.

After last meal, Tsu'tey had found himself making leaf dolls out of the plate in his hands after doing so for Leti back at the beach. She loved to hear him tell stories and act them out with the little dolls but at his Kelutral, there was nobody to share that with. The glow of the hearth made lively shadows out of the doll in his hands and sighed softly at realizing he could've made a story for Leti like this as well. As the day rolled by in slow hours, he could only wonder what the little toddler was doing on the beach alongside her siblings.

A pair of feet blocked the glow from the hearth and he looked up to find Norm smiling cheerfully, "Tsu'tey! Just the man I am looking for. Could you follow me, Jake and Neytiri have something urgent to tell you."

Immediately, he sprung to his feet as the possibility of danger sent his blood pumping faster through his veins and he asked swiftly, "What is it?"

"No time to explain, follow me" Norm intervened hastily to prevent the man from getting in a word edgewise because any leeway would leave Norm with a man that carried a silver tongue. He wasn't going to ruin the first step of Neytiri's plan and hurried quickly to their spot at the clan hearth where the couple sat on a log. With last meal finished, Neytiri was free to sew clothes for her little bundle of joy while Jake watched a game of tag between the clan children off to their right.

Tsu'tey was on guard as he approached the two and noticed his small group of friends was gathered around the fire. He had the oddest sense that this wasn't as important as Norm made it seem, especially when the tsahìk was knitting cozily without a hint of worry on her face. If this was truly an emergency, she would've been fretting and wringing her hands with worry. When Neytiri caught sight of him, she handed the bundle of yellow yarn to Cheryl for safekeeping and greeted him with a warm smile, "Welcome, Tsu'tey. I am glad Norm found you at the utmost haste because I have a matter that needs your attention_ immediately_."

"Of course, what is it?" he agreed without hesitance since he was ready to serve his clan and looked between his leaders for what the problem was. Did somebody need his help? Had somebody become lost on a walk around Kelutral? Had somebody been injured?

"The lorekeeper's Stone of the Ancients has gone missing and I've deemed it fit that _you_ are the only one to accomplish this task" Neytiri stated dramatically as she tried to carry the severity of her request in order to draw his attention. In reality, she'd simply borrowed the old orange hued stone to relight the fire that had left the advisor's eyes and it seemed to be working. The man was completely engrossed with her request since a cultural loss to the clan would not stand and Neytiri swore his chest puffed up confidently when she asserted, "You have my full authority to investigate this."

Tsu'tey stared at his friends for confirmation and couldn't help but feel needed for this important task. He couldn't even remember the last important mission he'd been on! The clan leaders had chosen him above everyone else to lead the search and he began mulling over possible places. Finally, he could use his outstanding tracking skills rather than pondering about the uncertain future because helping the clan was possible in current moment and he'd seize it. He pointed to the large branches above them since his first idea was to search the lorekeeper's meditating area, "Could it be in the lorekeeper's alcove?"

Neytiri disagreed quickly since the old lorekeeper had told her to lead their advisor to the Tree of Voices where the discovery would feel more profound. The willow trees were revered due to their link to Eywa and it would be far better for the young man to find it there than among the numerous bowls of herbs and incense lining the alcove. He needed a sign to tell him everything would be all right and when one questioned their value, they always sought Eywa. The tsahìk wanted to steer him in the right direction and pointed towards their group of friends, "Take Norm and the others to help you along the way. I would like to but as you can see, I'm not fit for running anymore."

Cheryl returned her sewing items to help the hunter on his search and Neytiri nudged her mate's side so he could make sure Tsu'tey found the stone. Max was more than ready to join them on the search but the clan leader waved his hand to point out, "If I have to be away from Neytiri for more than an hour, I want her to be in capable hands. Since I know nothing about pregnancies, you're staying by her side until I come back."

"I always stay behind" Max groaned miserably since he never had exciting adventures anymore while healing residents. The closest he came to danger was setting a broken bone or hearing his mate's recent hunting excursion in the forest. He didn't mind the peaceful life set before him but at the same time, he didn't want to grow agonizingly bored from it as well.

"Think of it as an honor" Jake replied with a witty grin as he shed a brighter light on staying behind. Neytiri didn't particularly enjoy having a babysitter since her pregnancy wasn't going to spontaneously end and could take very good care of herself. She'd become accustomed to being independent before bonding but within a year, she'd transitioned her role towards being a mate and a new mother. Eywa had provided her with a happy life because if it had been Tsu'tey in Jake's stead as originally intended. . .she would've been driven to frustration. She wished the best to Joanna because Tsu'tey was a mother thanator that didn't release its grip when it came to protecting his loved ones and appreciated that Jake let her roam freely without following her every step. Neytiri would miss seeing that between her two friends since the same occurred when Joanna healed and the young woman had indeed been ready to chuck him into a river.

There was nothing Neytiri couldn't handle as she tackled each personal challenge but she'd always wanted a little one that would follow her with the same 'sa'nu' she'd used with hers. She could already imagine the sweet little round face that would snuggle between her and Jake at night. This time, however, she shot her mate a small glare for having a caretaker and her mate ushered the group along to avoid sleeping in their alcove. Tsu'tey was more than happy to lead his new adventure to search for the lorekeeper's stone and headed for the spiral staircase to begin with renewed vigor.

"What other places do you think it could be at?" Cheryl asked curiously to plant a few locations in his head as they ascended the stairs. Tsu'tey had zoned in on searching the lorekeeper's area since it would be the most likely area to misplace an item. Also, age could make one forget where they placed something when their entire focus was history. Sometimes the likeliest place to find something would truly yield a result.

"Many places" the hunter replied confidently since a stone could be left only within their land and he would find it if it took him all night. He could track an animal for hours and never grow tired from the lack of action so this would be just the same. His three friends, however, glanced at each other with a little worry that he might head into the night with this search. They hadn't exactly counted on missing precious hours of sleep but they would sacrifice as many as they could to bring back some of his old cheer.

Norm quietly leaned over to speak privately to the two while Tsu'tey walked on by himself, "Maybe we should've done this in the morning."

Jake hushed him just as Tsu'tey turned around with a wide smile to declare, "We will check the clearings after this. Sometimes, it could be where we _least_ expect it!"

It was official; they would be foraging through the dark for a few hours.

* * *

By the time the quartet finished checking the lorekeeper's alcove, pa'li clearings, and Kelutral base nooks, the trio was growing tired. Jake hadn't expected his mate's plan to run into the night and was certain Neytiri was sleeping away in their comfy hammock by now. The fires around the base had slowly died to become embers between the dry ashes and only the glow of the blue lanterns was visible as they trailed along the paths circling Kelutral. Tsu'tey had not considered searching the fields of the Tree of Voices at all and Jake wondered whether it was time to plant that seed into his head.

"I've forgotten how beautiful the night is when the forest surrounds us" Tsu'tey murmured more to himself than anyone because the illuminating bioluminescence was heavily lacking on the beach. The forest had always shrouded him in beautiful colors but at the Atykwe, only their Kelutral would offer the same with its lanterns. There was beauty in a single leaf of a plant greeting the moonless sky and Tsu'tey would miss all of it when he left.

Cheryl was more than ready to dull the pain of his leave and reminded, "But it is also dangerous if one lingers."

Tsu'tey had to admit she had a point because the natural rock barrier around the beach kept dangerous wildlife from breaching the coast. Whenever a weakness occurred within a boulder, binding glue was used to prevent further damage or it was replaced completely with another from the shore. The pa'li were strong when it came to pulling them long distances and the ikran were handy for lifting them as the last step. He motioned with his hand for the trio to follow him as he headed east but Jake decided to hand him the location by proposing, "Do you think it could be by the Tree of Voices? The clearings are always a popular spot for older generations."

Tsu'tey pondered the suggestion because the old lorekeeper did enjoy wandering the fields after recounting tales. He had once walked around the fields of the old one as the lorekeeper told his small class of children the story of creation. Jake's idea was a good one to use, not that he wouldn't have thought of it himself, and agreed, "Yes, we will search it _afterwards_."

Norm muffled down the dejected groan rising in his throat since he expected his friend to go there immediately. Wouldn't it be a better choice after all? They couldn't possibly find anything in the foliage lining the dust path and unless the stone decided to magically plop down from the nearest tree, Tsu'tey wouldn't find it. Cheryl wrung her hands over her stomach since she hadn't expected to be out so late and hoped Noren had gone to sleep rather than wait for her.

"The night is still young so come along" Tsu'tey encouraged his small entourage as he caught the small flicker of wariness on their faces to reassure them he would succeed. The lorekeeper was counting on him to retrieve his lost stone and being in charge of the search party told him the mission could not fail. What kind of hunter would he be if he did? His band of helpers, however, seemed to be keener on returning home rather than wandering the dark paths but he was undeterred.

Since they didn't want their friend to become lost in the dark, the trio followed Tsu'tey loyally every step of the way. There were no utters of complaint nor questions of turning back since they were there to keep him focused on something besides leaving their clan. It gave him meaning to keep contributing to the clan since everything kept running smoothly without him and he wanted to know he mattered somehow. By the time they arrived near the Tree of Voices, only the voice of chattering fan lizards could be heard as the wildlife of the night roamed the forest.

"Let's split the area in four squares and search it carefully" Tsu'tey instructed as he assigned an area to each of his friends to make the search more efficient. He'd keep an eye on Cheryl and Norm since the two appeared ready to fall asleep while he had no issue. There was a reason the leader of all the hunters was admired by his followers and it was due to their relentlessness to succeed at their designated tasks. He had never been the kind of man to tolerate failure, especially with himself, and that tenacity allowed him to be targeted as the man to lead the team.

Jake had no problem perusing through the bushes as their natural bioluminescence aided his search but he didn't bother the plants. There was absolutely no need to, in his case. Norm was the one with the stone in his hands since Tsu'tey wouldn't expect him to hide the item. Jake's task was to prevent Tsu'tey from catching onto Norm's foraging to hide the stone as he slowly wandered into Tsu'tey's search area to find a perfect hiding spot for it. Cheryl was the innocent control group of their plan since her fake foraging would fail to cause any suspicion from Tsu'tey so he'd be more inclined to keep watch on her to prevent mistakes. Jake was almost inclined to laugh when he heard Tsu'tey lecturing her about efficient foraging and she reminded him she was an herbalist, meaning her profession thrived on foraging.

Unfortunately, mistakes were prone to happen and just as Norm was placing the round orange stone inside a small bush next to an ethereal pink willow tree . . . everything went awry. His hand had breached the sanctuary of one feisty fan lizard and it jumped out of its spot towards his face to viciously defend its home for the night. Norm yelped to the small red-orange animal trying to take a bite out of his nose and inadvertently dropped the stone from his right hand towards the open field. The stone sailed through the air as the bright hue caught everyone's peripheral vision, along with Norm's hasty escape from the livid little lizard. The young hunter left the bush alone to prevent a scuffle and the red-orange fan lizard returned triumphantly to his home.

Tsu'tey, however, didn't allow the incident to pass by him since he needed that item returned and had wasted _hours_ looking for it! Questions began to circulate through his mind as he looked to Norm with wild eyes that caused the poor man to back up nervously to the man's brisk approach. He'd already been beaten in a sparring match when the man wasn't looking to hurt him and wasn't ready to face the real thing at this hour of the night. He decided to improvise his accidental slip and pointed to the fallen stone with a nervous pitch in his voice, "But what you didn't know is that it's been with you _all_ along since the mission began, just like all of the clan."

"You stole it?!" the hunter accused lividly after wasted hours of searching and didn't want to believe his friend had it the entire time. Had he been blinded by friendship to see his thievery? His mind found it very hard to accuse the good-natured Norm of committing such a shameful crime and clenched his fists as he tried to calm himself. He wasn't the only one in this field who had the authority to punish individuals since Jake had come along as well. They had all seen what happened and it was taking every fiber in his being not to hang Norm over a branch by his tail.

"_What?!_ No!" Norm objected swiftly since he was anything but a thief and wouldn't be dared to be branded as such. He'd never meant to drop the stone from his hands after hiding it in his belt's back pouch but what could he do now? The fan lizard had ruined everything with its surprise attack! There were only two options left to him that were either to come clean or spin another web of lies to lead his friend away from the truth. He pointed to the bioluminescent teal bush where the accursed fan lizard ruined everything and declared lividly, "It was inside the bush all along!"

Tsu'tey wasn't easily convinced after chewing out students for far less but this was a stone that was held important to their clan. The lorekeeper wouldn't just hand it to just anyone and wanted the truth from his friend, snapping harshly, "And it just happened to fly out of your _hand_?"

Jake crossed his arms as the entire plan fell to shreds at the hands of a tiny reptile and sighed aloud with disappointment, "Ah, Norm."

"It was the lizard, I tell you!" Norm accused madly as he was tempted to pull the little critter out of its home to face all of their rage. Had nobody seen the red-orange lizard trying to eat his face?! Tsu'tey watched his other two friends as Jake failed to chastise Norm for having the stone in the first place while Cheryl appeared resigned to their outing. Weren't they mad to the crime Norm committed? Why weren't they saying anything about it? Why. . .

His face fell to the horrible realization that his friend had it the whole time for an entirely different motive than stealing. Norm didn't have any bad traits and if anything, would only commit something for the wellbeing of a friend or loved one. He had been the one to beckon him to Neytiri for the assignment and she'd stressed that he was the only one to find it despite Jake, his own _leader_, was by his side the entire time. Had they all known about this since the beginning? And they'd let him ramble on about his ideas? Is that why they kept voicing other suggestions to head elsewhere? He didn't know whether to feel enraged or betrayed for being led along like that!

"It slipped, I'm sorry" he apologized with a crestfallen face at ruining the plan and Tsu'tey's shoulders slumped as he confirmed it. They had planned the entire mission for his benefit and it was only because of a lizard that he knew the truth. Did they all pity him to the point that they were assigning him to fake missions?

Cheryl stepped forward with tentative steps to meet his gaze as he turned around to avoid all of them and she whispered softly, "We only wanted to cheer you up. You've been so quiet-"

"I don't need to be coddled like a child and I would expect my friends to respect my need for privacy" he hissed coldly because he expected his friends to respect him rather than conjure schemes to make him feel important. He didn't need false security about his abilities after providing safety to his people for numerous years and felt insulted by their idea. Yes, it came from a good place in their hearts but he needed time rather than false errands to solve his internal conflicts.

He left the field with hurried steps and a tense posture that warned the trio to only venture close if they wanted to lose a limb. All they could do was allow him to leave to grant him that privacy as their plan blew up in their faces in the most horrible way. Jake picked up the oval stone from the grass since the lorekeeper wanted it returned as soon as possible and inspected it carefully to make sure Norm hadn't cracked it. The younger man apologized for ruining the plan since he hated being a butter fingers or party pooper but Jake smiled faintly to reassure, "It's all right, don't worry. All we can do now is follow his wishes rather than poke our fingers where they don't belong."

* * *

The ikran were loudest during morning as they woke to greet the warming sun and ate to their heart's content by hunting over the water before heading out to enjoy their day around the coast. Joanna's ears were filled with excited screeches, curious squawks, content purrs, and greeting calls as she climbed to Xeki's particular branch that she called home. She'd been a bit lethargic and fussy for the past two days, leading Joanna to summon Xeki's breeder to check on her health. It had been confirmed a few weeks after Tsu'tey's leave that Xeki was indeed carrying multiple eggs as she began eating heavier and drinking more water than usual to prepare her body to support the number of eggs she carried. The incoming arrival of the eggs caused her fussy mood swings recently but her rider and breeder were there on shifts to check on Xeki to make sure everything was comfortable for her.

Joanna had brought twigs, dry grass, leaves, and reeds to help fortify her nest for the eggs to keep them warm when they arrived. It was similar to birds on Earth but Xeki's nest was filled with leaves as the majority to make her comfortable. Xeki had purred her delight to add extra cushioning to her nest and Joanna assured everything would be fine with both of them on the job. Since many females were expecting and currently laying eggs, the land had been foraged dry when it came to nesting materials but Joanna explored the caves for extra goodies. After dreaming for so long about her partner, she would take the very best care of Xeki and give her anything her heart desired. She'd fed her partner meaty fishes she'd trapped to keep her strength up since delivering eggs couldn't be easy.

The fact that her ikran was ready to lay eggs any day now had reminded Joanna that one day, she would be in the same position. There was no second guessing her relationship with Tsu'tey and they had conquered all of their obstacles to wholeheartedly acknowledge that they belonged together. No other man could make her heart flutter or light up her face with laughter and her days weren't the same without him by her side. Joanna wasn't the only one with that same longing since Xeki rowed that lonely boat alongside her as she waited for Swizav as well.

Joanna had been cleaning Xeki's coat clear of dust with a soft brush in the afternoon when Xeki cried out sharply and the ikran calls on her branch ceased. Joanna stopped immediately and watched Xeki move towards the egg nest with haste to lay down over it, dipping her backside to touch the eggless nest. She had never seen Xeki exhibit such behavior during her pregnancy and it told her to move fast to call her breeder. Xeki lay in her nest with her wings fanned out over the ground and hoped that her rider would return fast with help (not to mention, understood why she'd laid down). Despite being a feisty ikran, she didn't want to be alone after finding her real sense of family with Joanna and her incoming eggs. Thankfully, Kunu arrived quickly with Joanna on his tail since Xeki was the only ikran in his care that was expecting while the others had delivered all of their bundles.

"Already by the nest? Good girl" he encouraged gently as he entered the nest to rub her backside in soothing circles and sat beside her. Removing his satchel, he set to work by observing Xeki's breathing rate, external body temperature, and the amount of lubricating secretion from her birth canal. He would help deliver the eggs to the best of his abilities and make sure nothing went wrong with the delivery since Xeki was a first time mother. He turned to Joanna as she kneeled in front of Xeki, rubbing her neck for comfort, and the breeder informed carefully, "It will be a long process, Joanna, so I hope you are ready. Riders aren't obligated to stay with their ikran-"

"I'm not leaving her alone" she smiled tenderly because they worked as one symbiotic unit and rubbed the top of Xeki's head, receiving a purr in return. Xeki was territorial and would bite the head of anyone else that ventured close to her right now but not them. She trusted both with the health of her eggs and shifted her weight between her legs when pain shot through her. Joanna hummed to her gently to focus her attention away from the pain and promised earnestly, "I'll be with you until that last egg is out, even if I have to sleep here. I won't be going anywhere, Xeki, you can count on it."

"You might have to because laying eggs can take up to a day" Kunu stated with an amused smile since the two were new to ikran pregnancies and Xeki growled at the prospect of that many hours. She could barely stay in her nest during the day and grew irritated at having to stay in one spot for hours on end. There would be enough of that once the eggs were delivered since they would need her body heat constantly. She almost worried about the prospect of hunting since a trip to the sea for fish would leave her eggs unattended and vulnerable to heat loss.

Joanna, however, stuck to her word because she'd want someone holding her hand if the roles were reversed.

The first egg came an hour after she'd settled over the nest when Kunu announced it with cheer to its good condition. Joanna was surprised by how little noise ikran made during delivery while human beings could tear limbs in a fit of hormonal rage. She left Xeki's side to check on it since Kunu firmly ordered Xeki to stay put for her own safety and the ikran hissed in defiance but listened nonetheless. Joanna crawled underneath Xeki's wings to approach Kunu's place behind her ikran and smiled widely to see a large tawny colored egg with little speckles of black here and there. Kunu placed the knee-length egg on a soft spot inside the prepared nest to keep it warm against Xeki's body heat. He traced his fingers over the top of the black speckled egg and looked to Joanna for a brief moment to explain with an approving smile, "A hard shell is exactly what I look for in every female. I'm rather proud of my first inter-clan match but I do wish her partner was here because it makes the female incredibly comfortable."

Joanna chuckled softly as she laid her fingertips over the smooth egg but it was damp from lubricating fluid that helped pass the eggs from Xeki's body to the outside world. Childbirth was indeed a marvelous wonder, no matter what species you were. They had welcomed a new generation of Xeki's bloodline and Joanna returned to her side to gush fondly, "Oh, you have the prettiest egg. I'm very proud of you and so is Kunu."

Xeki purred for the support since some riders tended to let the breeders do the work for an easier transition. Being young and a first time mother, she wanted Joanna by her side for never-ending comfort and treasured her partner. The fact that she couldn't have her mate by her side like all females did made her incredibly lonely for Swizav and hoped Joanna really would stay the entire time. A small growl left her jaws as pain bit her for a moment and Joanna grabbed a nearby cloth to soak it inside a bucket of cool water. She rubbed the side of Xeki's neck to cool her skin and provide comfort to her aches since she didn't know what else to do. Kunu was focused heavily on delivering the eggs and she pressed the cold cloth over the sides of her face while murmuring gently, "There, there. I'm here."

It would be two more hours before the second egg came.

"How many do you think she'll lay?" Joanna asked curiously since the mystery of the eggs was quite interesting. Her Xeki was rather large and she wondered if she could truly carry the largest capacity for an ikran, especially for her first pregnancy. Quite frankly, Joanna hoped she'd have the minimum so her first time being a mother would be easier with fewer mouths to feed since Xeki would need practice. If Xeki was overwhelmed in numbers, it could affect her health immediately and the same would follow her hatchlings.

"Could be three or four, no more" Kunu called back from his spot since he failed to move and after breeding ikran for years, he was accustomed to sitting for long periods. Xeki uttered an indignant squawk since passing one egg was enough for her and wanted to skip forward in time to where she was tending her eggs. Kunu smoothed a hand over her back but held her tail in the other to prevent her swatting the egg in the nest. She was a strong female in her prime and he deliberated further, "More eggs mean more liability she could break them while moving."

Xeki uttered an indignant hiss because she was confident in her abilities and he lectured gently about cockiness, "Xeki, you know a single move can cause it and ikran don't see very well in the night. I'll make sure your nest is perfectly suited to your body, though."

The sun began to set before either realized how late it had become but Joanna would miss last meal to stay with Xeki. A hungry stomach was the least of her worries when Xeki needed her support and it would be a cold day in hell when she abandoned her ikran. If her ikran did happen to have future offspring again, Joanna dearly hoped Swizav would already be living with them so he could be by her side with his own support. Nothing beat having your other half beside you.

The third egg arrived by sundown and Kunu furrowed his brow with worry to the last egg. The first two eggs were the perfect example of a healthy egg but her third and he suspected, her last, would need his care. He carefully held the new egg in his hands to set it down next to the other two speckled eggs but wrapped a supportive blanket around the bottom. He made sure the egg couldn't touch the others but was close enough to absorb the same radiating warmth, calling out to Joanna, "The top of the shell is a bit soft. It must've not formed as quickly as the others but the ikran is safe inside for the time being."

Xeki was ready to turn around to see her little egg for herself but Kunu kept a firm hand on her back as he instructed, "It will be all right, Xeki. I will take care of it every day but all it needs is a protective covering."

He rubbed her back for reassurance but Xeki wasn't appeased by words alone and looked to Joanna. Ikran eyes weren't very expressive since they used sounds for communication but Xeki's sharp darting eyes towards the back pleaded with her to help. Joanna hugged her head and obliged her partner as she moved to the back to see the third egg. It was similar to the other two in its size, shape, and coloring but there was something about the top that she couldn't explain. The spots were faint and the color wasn't as solid as it was with the other two. Kunu pointed to the bone white top of the egg and explained the problem in layman's terms, "When you touch it, which we won't, it isn't hard like the rest. It must've been the last to be formed, which happens a lot for mothers who don't receive enough nutrition to harden the eggs. As long as weight doesn't bear on this area, it will be fine because I've certainly seen worse cases than this. After Xeki finishes laying the eggs, I will place a protective cover that will allow the mother's warmth to reach it but prevent shattering the weak shell."

Joanna hoped for the best as the three eggs lay together in the nest and he arranged dry grass between them to keep them warm. She returned to Xeki with haste as her partner hissed with irritancy and Joanna reassured her, "It looks just like the others but you'll have to be very careful when laying on them for warmth. It's softer at the top but we'll take good care of it, I promise."

Xeki laid her head in Joanna's lap for support and to rest as the pain accompanying the eggs had begun to leave. Joanna never thought she'd find herself holding her ikran's figurative hand but it was a memorable moment. Minutes ticked away as Joanna gently stroked the top of her scaly head and hummed softly to lull her Xeki into a small nap. Her ikran briefly closed her sharp golden eyes since Joanna's touch was quite therapeutic but they opened when Kunu stated aloud, "I believe those are all the eggs. Everything looks fine on this end and she seems quite content. I will tend to the eggs while you tend to our new mother."

Breeders took care of clan ikran by making sure the birth was perfectly safe for the mother by preventing infection or physical weakness. Joanna's pail of water had been lapped up completely until it was dry since expecting mothers drank a lot of it till the end of the gestational period. She wasn't ready to leave Xeki's side in her condition and leaned against the natural domed wall of her nest to relax. Xeki's antennae lifted slightly every once in a while as Joanna rubbed her head and soothed gently, "I'll be by your side until you nestle in with your eggs tonight and back again at first light. I don't expect to fly at all now so I hope you won't mind me dropping in with goodies for you to eat or babysit while you catch some me time."

Xeki purred softly with content as the hard part of her egg laying was over and could rest easy for the rest of the night. Her eggs would need her warmth soon but for now, she could take a few minutes of solace to lie in peace.

* * *

After the lorekeeper's stone debacle, Tsu'tey's friends let him be to avoid a fight that would leave him annoyed with them. It was out of love that they fretted over him and although Tsu'tey appreciated the sentiment, he simply wanted to be left alone. In the end, that is exactly what they did to show him the respect he deserved since they'd rather remember him as a friendly face than a raging thanator ready to snap their necks. It was often easy to forget that he was a force to be reckoned with and Jake could only imagine what Joanna did to pacify him into a mewling kitten. Either way, he wanted his friend's last weeks to be peacefully spent at their clan and for him to lead a happy life when he left to the Atykwe.

Jake decided to journey with Tsu'tey to have a small hunt for a hexapede since new generations were being born for the next three months as the gestational periods ended to bring new life. There would be old members to hunt and males past their prime to keep the balance since hunters were banned from touching the young, fertile females and young males. The clan leader needed a small break from life since responsibilities and a pregnant Neytiri often didn't leave him with leisure time. He could only imagine when it was time to care his newborn child since he planned to be next to his mate's side at all times and care for their child as she healed. During his time at Hell's Gate with the avatar drivers and other scientists, Jake had been unlucky to catch a glimpse of human childbirth as part of a study to theories of na'vi labor. In three months, he would receive all of the answers he needed and cringe to the might of female anatomy.

Behind the two hunters, Norm and Tarazi tagged along since the duo had been training with Tsu'tey when he arrived in the fields. Tarazi had been courteous in agreeing to the extended invitation but she'd been a giggling gleeful child on the inside to participating in a leisure hunt with her leader. She was on her best behavior to show she was a good huntress for their clan as she kept constant vigilance over the forest under her feet. Norm had reassured her that Jake wouldn't be testing her efficiency but she was always prepared for the worst and kept a hand on her bow at all times.

Tsu'tey and Jake, however, were off in their own conversation as they walked over the thick branches of the intersecting trees. The colonies of hexapede were known to the clan as hunters kept careful track of any shifts in their prey's environment since one change could be catastrophic for many species in the ecological chain. Jake noticed the glossy look in Tsu'tey's eyes as his posture remained tense since arriving home and had allowed his friend time to address what problems plagued his mind. Unfortunately, he was tougher than a walnut to crack open and Jake was left with the only option of merely asking about it. He maintained careful watch over their surroundings in the trees for any surprises but breached the subject as they walked with a calm tone, "Is there anything you'd like to talk to me about? I don't want to pry but I've noticed you've been very distant since returning."

"I. . .my mind has been preoccupied, yes" he admitted hesitantly since he wasn't overly eager to admit he was going to leave them all to begin a new life. He frowned slightly when Jake shot him a knowing look since his ability to hide his inner thoughts was breaking over the months. He didn't want to leak everything from his mind into the open but if there was one thing humans were, it was curious. When they were curious, they would not relent until they found all the pieces to their puzzle and Jake was similar to all of the other dreamwalkers.

He understood that his leader held his best interests at heart but felt an entire weight lift from his shoulders when Jake whispered privately, "I know you will be leaving us soon, Tsu'tey. It is natural to feel nervous about moving from one home to another but rest assured that we will be fine. Not to mention, you have a wonderful family and one lucky woman waiting for you back at the Atykwe."

Tsu'tey's ears dipped since he could never find the right words to apologize for following his heart's desire and Jake smiled forlornly, "You have been invaluable to our clan and I highly doubt anyone will ever match your reputation for years to come. Neytiri and I will handle the clan as best we can but if we miss spotting a certain detail, I'm sure Mo'at will take care of that. It's been an honor to have you as my friend and advisor so don't worry about us."

"I know you'll be all right, it's just. . ." Tsu'tey voiced quietly as he felt his conflicted emotions rising to the surface and tried to keep a straight face. It had been incredibly easy more than a year ago but now, he had a tendency to leak his internal emotions. He wasn't ready to face the thought of packing away his belongings and bidding his alcove farewell for the final time. He'd been so proud to have an alcove of his own after Iknimaya and even more so when he'd been chosen as the next leader of the hunters when his predecessor retired to teach. The greater question that kept plaguing his mind was choosing his successors since he had not only one position but _two_ to consider. Time had granted a deep trust between the two men and he didn't hesitate to voice his second guessing, "Will those that I choose in my stead do their duties? I am afraid that my choices will be wrong-"

"Have you seen the Kelutral we live at?" Jake questioned with a friendly smile since it seemed ages ago that they'd sat inside the office in Hell's Gate to find their new home. During those hectic times, Joanna and Tsu'tey had been at each other's throats but time had served to bond them as loving partners. His friend had flourished from a gruff and curt man to a wiser and verbally open individual, all starting from the day they moved to their new home. Their current home had been a bridge to cooperation between the avatars and na'vi, one Jake was proud to have the anthropologists spearhead, and told him with confidence, "You chose our home while dealing with abdicating your title, not to mention healing from major injuries, and it was the best choice imaginable. You've brokered trades with other clans after years of lacking communication. Not to mention, you helped me grasp every piece of history and traditions to lead this clan when a lesser man would've left me to rot after relinquishing leadership. Why would _any_ of your choices steer us wrong?"

"Well, I did jump into a tawtute vessel and almost died" Tsu'tey tried to make light of his near death experience since he'd been ready to sacrifice himself for the greater good. Unfortunately, he'd forgotten how painful branches were when one's spine bore the brunt of the force. It was a good thing Joanna had been squishy in breaking his fall or he would've undoubtedly bled even worse from his wounds that day.

Jake scoffed dismissively since the man had helped tremendously with that deed alone and pointed out, "Because you were protecting the clan and it helped buy us time to destroy it."

Tsu'tey smiled faintly as his worried face smoothed into calmness and considered himself lucky for finding good friends after that battle. He did have a tendency to get frustrated when wrinkles dampened his carefully laid out plans but he understood that his friends only wanted to help. Being grouchy over his problems didn't have to expand towards his friends and he offered an olive branch of peace, "I do have a choice for the leader of the hunters. At first, I thought of you but you will be incredibly busy keeping the clan safe and caring for your child. There's only one other person that I would allow my hunters to follow in my absence and that is Peyral."

Jake met his gaze to let him know to deliberate further on the choice and Tsu'tey continued assuredly, "She is a formidable huntress in her own right and I would trust her judgment with the hunters more than any other. She is strong enough to keep cohesion within the groups and knows every inch of the forest as well as I do. You will not be disappointed with her in my stead."

"I trust your choice" he agreed with a satisfied nod since the huntress could make anyone fall in line with one glare alone. He remembered steering clear of both Tsu'tey and Peyral when he'd arrived at the old Kelutral since the two were scary enough from far away. Nowadays, both were more approachable as Peyral's permanent bond with Max leaked a few of his patient traits into her demeanor. Tsaheylu was a powerful bond that helped balance a mated couple and Jake felt it himself over the year as Neytiri's levelheadedness trickled in to smooth any crazy ideas he might've wanted to engage in. Since the choice for hunting leader was unanimously decided, he asked about the next vacant position, "What about the potential candidates for advisor?"

"I am at a loss with that one" he sighed softly since nobody in particular spoke out to him for that important role and kept pondering about it. They needed to know everything about the clan to keep it functioning without a problem, especially its relations to other clans. They were the olo'eyktan's right hand man while the tsahìk was his left to keep the clan stabilized against all conflicts, internal and external. He didn't want a novice assuming his role nor another that would grow arrogant in the high position but a person who would be humbled to work alongside the same family that took him in as their own.

Jake clasped him on the shoulder to reassure him everything would work out well in the end and encouraged with a friendly smile, "We're not in a hurry to solve this since haste will only result in disaster but I'm glad we have one of two positions filled. I'm sure Peyral will be pleased for your recommendation."

"Or glare me into submission since everyone expected me to keep leading them until my body could no longer perform" he chuckled somberly since his hunters respected him highly without question and to see him leave would not be easy. None of it was easy but he wanted to leave with a clean conscience by knowing the clan's ruling strength would carry well into the next generation. He winced with disappointment when his toes crunched dry leaves on the branch as he let down his guard and mentally smacked himself to keep his mission on target. His fingers kept a firm grasp on the hilt of his blade since he wouldn't have false security as he walked above ground and admitted to his friend, "I hope they understand that I'm leaving them because I want to have a family after finding my other half. Otherwise, I would not leave the clan so easily."

"You don't owe any explanations after giving numerous years of service to the clan and they can't ask for more" Jake reassured to dissipate the guilt dwelling within him because they all wanted his happiness and had cheered him on for it. How many times had he personally popped out of trees to scare Tsu'tey into making a move with Joanna? The residents admired him greatly, yes, but they had plenty of other honorable examples to follow besides Tsu'tey.

He could hear the apprehension in Tsu'tey's quiet tone after hearing the same from the avatar drivers when they moved from Hell's Gate to Kelutral as they left their only home for an unknown place. Thankfully, Tsu'tey knew the Atykwe lands (not to mention, his family) enough to feel welcomed and Jake reassured him about the life he was leaving behind, "You've made life the best it could be for our clan and now it's time to make the same out of yours. The others and I will be here whenever you need us and I'm sure your family is ready for you to join them. I doubt you'd want to be old before you decide you wasted decades on lingering here?"

Tsu'tey chuckled somberly because he'd wasted a year and quite a few months as he traveled between clans to see his loved ones. He would focus on the hexapede hunt at hand but his mind could rest easier at knowing his leader approved of his first decision. The question was: who would be the new advisor? Jake grasped his left shoulder to offer brotherly support with any problems he wished to have advise on and smiled warmly, "I do have one last order for my advisor once you leave: Bring Joanna and your future children to visit us."

That was one order he would not disobey.

* * *

**A/N**: Just as Tsu'tey finds it hard to leave, I found it hard to find the right emotions to push into this chapter since it's not the end yet for his time with the Omaticaya. In the past chapters, he's been swaying over the 'will she or won't she' question for Joanna and he knows she will accept it wholeheartedly when he asks for her hand. The distant future is not so distant now and it's time for him to jump into the marriage boat or slink away. He will be returning to the beach in the next chapter and it'll be a heartwarming chapter as well as Leti has her cousin Tsu-Tsu back. One final note is an apology for the length in updates since I recently lost my seven year old rabbit and it tore my heart pretty badly to bear her loss.

_CrissYami_: Thank you for loving the chapter!

_Sasha Erin Alexain_: I do hope life has been looking better for you since depression is a hard battle, especially if you're prone to falling into it numerously. I hope you enjoyed re-reading the entire story (I need to do it too when I'm not swamped with work) and thank you for using my story as an example to improve your writing. I've done the same with other authors during my years on since there's always one that makes you go 'wow, I want to use that kind of writing so how do I go about it'.

_Puffgirl1952_: I hope you liked the chapter but I can't believe it's been more than a month! I've been swamped with teaching kids to improve their core subjects.

_iluvmycorgi22_: Lol, it was a kind of Jaws and I drew inspiration from the ancient marine animals during the dinosaur era (or the Hyneria from the Denovian period). There are a few after their extinction that I actually wouldn't mind transforming for Pandora since the Walking with (Dinosaurs, Beasts, Monsters, Cavemen) series is amazing for providing examples. As for the baby question, Leti will be asking it in the next chapter and calls them 'little Tsu-Tsu's. lol

_ReiVin_: Thank you for loving the detail and the characterizations. It's been quite a road to get Joanna and Tsu'tey to where they are now but we've still got a way to go.

_Xahraxs_: Joanna and Tsu'tey are getting close to having their bonding union. In the chapter after next, he will finally ask for her hand in courtship and it won't be long after that that it will turn permanent. As for children, they will take that journey in the third and final part of the story (which won't be long since this part is almost over).

_OmegaPhaedra_: Tsu'tey's departures always get me sad too and adding a crying Leti draws good emotion from the reader. Don't worry about the distance, it won't be long now before Tsu'tey big move.

_kitty clover_: Thank you for loving the chapter and yes, they're always long. I feel bad between update lengths so I have to make it up. Lol

_babyboonisha_: At first I wasn't going to add the children but their love for him, not to mention outpour of emotion, can really draw the same from readers. Nobody can deny the cuteness of little Leti. Lol Tsu'tey and Joanna will be making the right decision, don't worry.

_Dracoessa_: In the deleted scenes of the extended version, they did show how female na'vi look during pregnancy. Since they're not placental mammals, I imagine the baby would stay low to match Cameron's view since the placenta's location determines whether the baby bump is low on the stomach or in the center. As for the twins, they won't know until they're born since they don't have technology like ours to see nor would they condone using it.

_Taronu 'Ewan_: Joanna follows the formalities since it is a new culture for her and she would never want to set a bad example for others of her kind. As for Tsu'tey, he's an old-fashioned kind of guy so he'll be sticking to his rules. He will definitely be staying with his wonderful family and Joanna soon so Leti will no longer bear seeing Tsu-Tsu go away. Lol, I think we'd all like to be na'vi because then, we can have a cool ikran buddy.

_Life Is Like An Hourglass_: Thanks for loving the story.

_Suger-Hyper_: Thank you for the links but when I put them into Youtube, nothing came back and I was sent to the home page. I'd love to know what group they were so I can look them up.

_animelovergirl474_: Thank you for loving the story and I do hope you loved this chapter as well.

_Kaanae_: Thank you for loving the story and I will try to be faster on the next.

_Claycarole_: Yes, the last and this chapter will be tying up most of the loose ends since the final push is rearing its head soon. You have read my mind _completely_ on the pearls because Tsu'tey will be giving her a bonding gift that has a single pearl on it to signify their upcoming union. I'm sure Wätu has a stash of pearls somewhere after all of the trapping he does. lol

* * *

**Next Time**:

Tsu'tey prepared his items to build his first and only hut on the beach as Joanna helped by sorting each material into a pile. They had collected fine hardwood, twine, leather, and cloths of a single hue to use to build his home. She smiled supportively since she'd felt the same uncertainty during her first time but she'd had help as well and would provide it this time. Although Tsu'tey was building his own hut for the time being, they were making it large enough for a family since this was their marked spot for their future home. They would set the foundations with three rooms in total, one for a common area and the other two for bedrooms, so they would have enough space when it was time to make a family of their own. Tsu'tey was not only nervous that it wouldn't stand upright but that he was finally taking that large step to cementing his new life.

"If it falls during the night, I will return to the alcoves" he stated firmly because he wouldn't asphyxiate under that thing and crossed his arms to push the point across. Joanna chuckled with amusement to his fussing since he'd asked nonstop questions since setting out from Kelutral. He wanted to be sure everything would flow perfectly smooth without any issues but after being accustomed to sleeping a hammock, he was uncertain about the beach.

"Don't be dramatic, you'll be fine" she assured gently and smoothed out the forest green fabric he'd chosen as it reminded him of his forest home. After years of looking into the canopies in his hammock at Kelutral, it was a soothing color for him and would serve as a memento of his old life. Also, it would help prevent frightening him that he was no longer in the safety of the trees but at the mercy of the sea. He didn't know how Joanna bore the change and would ask for tips when it came time to his first slumber on the beach.

"Tsu-Tsu!" Leti's cheerful voice echoed and they turned to find all of his little cousins approaching them. Tsu'tey didn't want to babysit while building something crucial for his future but would keep them company if there was nobody else. Joanna, however, sauntered over the sloping dune to snatch Leti into her arms with a wide smile, doting on the little girl. Tsu'tey could already see this happening at least five times a day once they began living here as a mated couple one day. Leti clapped her hands giddily with joy to being part of the duo's activity and exclaimed proudly, "We help!"

He was more than certain 'helped' meant eat his snacks and play with the pieces of wood stacked by size. The boys walked over to see the different materials they would use to make the hut since their family hadn't made one in almost a decade. Nara had been the last when she bonded to her mate and Wätu wasn't going anywhere anytime soon so he had stayed put with his parents. Tsu'tey tickled Leti's chin since she was a crafty little thing for one so young and smiled warmly, "All right but Joanna and I will do the heavy lifting. You must be very careful to never stand underneath heavy or unstable objects."

Leti nodded her small head to show she would obey him and he added in, "Your job will be to guard the materials and hand the smaller ones to us. Under no circumstance will you approach us or the hut while we're moving to prevent an accident."

"Sa'nu sent this over from Aunt Avi" Keron informed helpfully as he handed him a folded tapestry cloth of a sky blue hue. Tsu'tey felt the sewing thread that created a portrait right underneath his fingers as he held it and wondered what his aunt had weaved for him. There was no question she created beautiful works and had always wanted one for his home after seeing the many that covered his aunts' homes. Keron smiled shyly as Tsu'tey thanked him and relayed the message his aunt had told him, "She said 'every home needs a pretty picture and you're ready for one'."

"I will tell her thank you for the generous gift" he promised with gratitude and unfolded the portrait to reveal his azure ikran and Joanna's sapphire partner flying over a cerulean sky. He couldn't imagine a more perfect picture for his future home and could see himself telling his children about the faithful ikran. Joanna's hand touched his right shoulder to offer a caring squeeze as the sewed cloth touched her heart as well with Xeki's image. He met her gaze with warmth as they received the first gift to decorate their home with and smiled broadly, "This will make my- _our_- home beautiful."

* * *

_Thank you for reading my story and taking the time to do so. May you have a great day or night and stay safe._


	45. A Home of Our Own

**Music Inspiration: **_Adiemus- "Kayama"**  
**_

* * *

**A Home of Our Own  
**

* * *

Xeki had become a very good mother as instinct kicked in to protect and tend to her eggs loyally to the point that she was wary about leaving the nest to eat. Even though her fellow ikran were there to keep watch on her eggs, she didn't trust smaller lizards to prevent moving her eggs or for birds to land on them. Without a mate to watch over her nest when she ventured out, Xeki was greatly reluctant to leave without her partner caring over their eggs. Since Swizav was back at the Omaticaya, the poor ikran had almost starved herself as a protector until Joanna brought over fat fish for a treat and had seen her wolf it down with haste.

They had trusted each other well enough to only need tsaheylu during flight or hunts but Joanna had quickly initiated it after seeing her hunger. At realizing her Xeki was unyielding to leave the nest without Swizav beside her to care for the eggs, Joanna had begun fulfilling his roles (except the ikran smexy time). She kept her partner full by catching fish for her and watched over the eggs when Xeki felt safe enough to venture out of the canopies to hunt by herself. It built a tremendous trust between them since Xeki wouldn't leave her children with just anyone but her partner was correct. Starving herself wouldn't help anyone and everyone would suffer if anything happened to her. In the end, everything returned to normal as she managed to stay fed and her eggs were safe from any kind of harm.

Today, Joanna had burst in to delight her with wonderful nesting material after finishing her studies with Zika. Xeki was always glad for fresh leaves or twigs to keep her eggs warm and had accepted them gratefully when she arrived. She loved her small rider with as much dedication as she held when she'd tried to eat her on that cliff . . . but thankfully hadn't.

"Oh, and I found these reeds for the nest" Joanna smiled brightly as she dropped the bundle at the edge of the nest since only Xeki herself knew how to arrange it. The ikran mother fixed each thin reed carefully over her eggs with purring content to make sure all of them were perfectly warm, not too hot or cold. The light showers of the rainy season were due soon so Xeki would be taking great care to make sure not a single drop fell on her treasured eggs. She never ceased to amaze Joanna with her handiness and dedication, leading the woman to chuckle fondly as she sat by the dip of the nest, "Look at you."

Xeki grabbed a few in her mouth to pile them under the nest for extra cushioning since she had her eye on the weakest egg. Kunu had indeed placed a protective layer to prevent further damage as it lay next to its siblings and Xeki took great care with her little egg. It would've been better if Swizav was there but what could she do? She couldn't exactly fly to the Omaticaya and peck him with her snout until he flew all the way back to the beach . . . could she?

"These are your golden days, Xeki" she chuckled softly as Xeki fixed her nest with the new reeds, replacing the old with the new. The withered and brittle bedding went to her side of the nest when the eggs no longer needed heating while her children kept the new. Joanna could spend hours just observing her behavior as the inner anthropologist burst through to catch every glimpse of ikran parenting. Life had indeed turned out better for her after so many struggles and Joanna could only wonder what the future would bring all of them. She smiled to hearing Xeki's little purrs and trills, a symphony of lullaby music, as she fixed her hut and asked curiously, "Do you think we'll have little Xeki's or Swizav's?"

Xeki uttered a squawk and puffed her chest to show she'd be more dominant in that field and Joanna laughed with amusement. Oh yeah, her ikran would be one protective mother. Xeki opened her wings to flutter them irritably since she'd laid the eggs, watched over them, and this was _her_ clan . . . so they'd better have dominant sapphire. No, no, she would just be happy if their eggs hatched safe and sound with both parents to greet them. Ikran mated for life so the loss of a hatchling would carry for a while and the loss of a mate was greater- a reminder that kept Xeki worried for Swizav as he lived miles away. She lay down in her nest to spread her wings over the eggs to keep them lightly warm since she'd been rearranging her home to fit their needs.

"I'm sure he'll visit as soon as he can" Joanna reassured since the same melancholy arose in Xeki as it did in her when she thought of Tsu'tey. Every time she saw his cousins, she almost expected to see him chasing Leti since the little one adored him like a brother. Recently, however, Nara had given birth to a healthy baby to bring joy to the entire family and Leti was over the clouds in happiness at seeing the newborn every day. She had deemed herself the baby's protector, matching Sìlpey's brotherly loyalty, and the two were never far away from the small child.

Xeki raised her head in alertness as she sniffed the air cautiously and other ikran nearby called out to each other in squawks and hisses. Joanna was ready to ask what was wrong when an ikran landed on the branch beside them and she moved back to avoid becoming a strange ikran's footstool. Although she was a capable huntress, Xeki was the tough cookie when it came to facing ikran and she opened her wings to shield her nest. If the ikran decided to get feisty or territorial, she wouldn't let them touch her na'vi partner or the precious eggs.

The ikran, however, was a familiar azure shade that was rare among theirs and Joanna exclaimed with cheer, _"Swizav!"_

Tsu'tey barely had time to dismount his partner before the ikran skittered away with haste to meet his mate as she called to him in joyful greeting. Joanna backed away quickly to give them space for their reunion since two ikran were large enough as their chattering increased. Being squished under their weight was not a welcoming prospect and she had someone else to greet with her own joy. She ran to meet Tsu'tey to reunite with her ikran in shining armor and embraced him tightly in welcome, "You've lit up my day considerably."

"It's what I do best" he smiled suavely with a chuckle and captured her lips for a passionate kiss as he lifted her off her feet. Joanna was more than happy to engage in a lingual tango after missing him greatly and couldn't have asked for a better surprise of the day. He had managed to sneak away one last trip before the big move after seeing how everything in the clan ran perfectly smooth without him. Peyral had been stunned to be chosen as the leader of the hunters but she'd promised to carry the honor well while ordering him to show the Atykwe a thing or two about hunting. The clan leaders were more than happy to see him leave so he could grab his own slice of happiness and Swizav had almost shot out of Kelutral without him when told of the news. He held his beloved as the strength in her hugs and soft-spoken voice reminded him of what he was fighting for and admitted fondly, "I've missed you, my tanhí."

She hugged him tightly while murmuring that he hadn't been out of her dreams for more than a day. Eywa had been kind to grace her with old memories and flickers of the possible future so she would be thankful for that. Her fingertips dug into his shoulder blades as she leaned into him with a grateful smile just to have him before her. Did he know how happy he made her with a single smile or kiss? She squeezed him one last time to avoid crushing her poor beloved and chuckled with glee, "I don't think Leti could handle any more departures so make this one the last, my love. She's really attached to you, cousin Tsu-Tsu."

"It will be the last, Joanna, so prepare yourself to be asked to be my mate soon" he agreed to put her mind at ease but the playful voice made her smile. Would he really make the leap this time? She didn't know what males did when it came to asking their female to court but whatever he did would be heartwarming- even if he simply asked while they cut pieces of meat on the beach. That's how much she loved him.

"Let's get you settled in for this trip then" she beamed cheerfully since her week would be considerably brighter and grabbed one of the two leather packs from the floor. Swizav had barely allowed him time to remove them and could see half-formed knots still on the straps as she lifted it to sling it over her right shoulder. The two hunters watched the mated ikran purr and trill to each other as they gazed at their little bundle of eggs with the same dedicated care as their na'vi counterparts.

Swizav would be spending his time in the nest acquainting himself with his eggs and Xeki was not only happy for his return but for the fact that he could lighten the burden of caring for them. It wasn't easy to hunt and keep her eggs warm at the same time so now they could balance that chore together. Tsu'tey chuckled to seeing his partner happy since the ikran earned it after being cantankerous at home and called out to the couple, "Stay safe, we will return later."

The ikran called out in appreciation as they were left to enjoy their time together and Tsu'tey offered a carefree grin to Joanna and asked, "Shall we enjoy the beach together?"

As if he had to ask.

* * *

His first stop on the beach wasn't an outing with Joanna or a visit to his family but the leader of the clan. One couldn't simply land in another's territory without offering a greeting, could they? Being the courteous man that he was, he'd found the matriarch at the bottom of Kelutral as she sewed a new teal shawl to add to her growing collection. She was particularly fond of bright cheerful colors since a sour mood helped absolutely no one and Nitari always looked to the brighter side of things. If her skirt happened to rip, well, she'd have a peaceful evening sewing. If she happened to step on a piece of spoiled fruit, her feet just received a nice moisturizing mask since women often crushed fruit into pulp to keep their skin hydrated.

Nitari was waiting for the Omaticayan advisor to arrive after her latest chat with Mo'at through the Tree of Voices. When she spotted Joanna with the man in tow, she smiled warmly to his arrival and would subtly tweak his desire to stay on the coast. She had been informed that he'd already requested leave from the Omaticayan clan and it was time to tighten his relationship to her clan to form the bond he needed to stay grounded. Tsu'tey was the kind of man who provided unbelievable loyalty and Nitari would grant him open trust to make him feel welcome.

"I See you, Tsu'tey" she greeted kindly as she stopped her sewing and motioned to the empty log bench in front of her so he could take a seat. The sewing circle was rather empty that day since the growing frequency of showers called the women to fix any small tears or crannies in their huts. A seamstress' fingers were invaluable when it came to keeping a home in perfect repair and now was the time to prepare against the coming rain. The hunter returned the same courteous words and she pinned the needle into the soft cloth to smile, "I've been waiting for your arrival. Have you been well since the last time we met?"

Tsu'tey would never understand just how she predicted his arrival and offered Joanna a seat on the bench first like any gentleman. Joanna appreciated the kind sentiment and quickly sat down to beckon him alongside her with a pat to the open spot. When he sat down beside her, the advisor straightened his posture to smile cheerfully and admitted freely, "I'm glad to say I've been in good health but when I'm here, it increases."

"I've no doubt of it when you have someone like Joanna and your family waiting for you" she chuckled warmly with emphasis to the tight bonds he'd formed with her residents and knew he'd continue with the rest of her clan. Their ikran had already begun to live a bonded life and Nitari knew it was past time that the two hunters started on theirs. She decided to gently prod the polite hunter with a figurative stick as she asked serenely, "Have you given thought of moving here one day?"

Tsu'tey swallowed thickly since he hadn't expected to ask this early but he'd already requested leave from the Omaticaya. Did she happen to know that? Matriarchs were indeed mysterious women and he had to wonder the extent of their abilities. Joanna tried not to let the question affect her visibly because she did wonder when he would be ready to move and heard him reply without hesitation, "Within the month."

Her head snapped in his direction with surprise since that clearly meant he was ready to begin a family life once he arrived. He'd distinctly told her during one of their walks that when he moved, their courtship would be short because he wanted to begin living a life alongside her. They knew they were meant to be and that cut the extra time needed to familiarize that other couples needed to determine that important question.

Nitari smiled pleasantly at coaxing an answer since she expected him to avoid the topic entirely and advised, "I am most happy to hear this, Tsu'tey, and I assure you our home will bring you plenty of happiness. While you're here on this trip, I would suggest building your hut to begin down that road."

"But I don't know how to build a hut or how to go about it" he admitted honestly after years of sleeping in his comfortable hammock as it hung from Kelutral's branches. How would he even begin to gather materials for it? How long would it take?

"Joanna will help you because a home is as strong as the people who build it" she stated confidently with sagely advice for the young couple to get them moving. They were sweet individuals that the matriarch couldn't believe had been quite embittered over a year ago but time mended their wounds to bring them together as one. There was great potential in both of them, just as she'd seen in Anaya and Arat, and Nitari would make sure to flourish it to its full capacity.

The young huntress adhered to her leader's suggestion and smiled at her beloved, "Of course, I wouldn't have it any other way. We can begin gathering materials as soon as you're ready and could have it finished within a day if we begin early enough."

Tsu'tey was reassured somewhat in having her hand in building his first home since he hadn't expected to do so quickly. At the same time, he couldn't exactly refuse the logical choice of the matriarch because he really did want a home to call his own. As happy as he was to that thought, he couldn't help but lean forward on his elbows as he sat and asked quietly, "Tsahìk, I would be most honored to live in your land but there is one question I must ask: What will be my role here?"

"You are experienced enough to be a leader of one of the hunting teams or resume your days as a teacher- either is available to you" Nitari offered kindly since the role for advisor was already filled and would continue with Arat when his father stepped down one day. His life in the Atykwe would not hold as much sway as it had with the Omaticaya and Tsu'tey would have to adapt to that change. He remembered his days as a leader of a hunting team and he'd distinctly sought the role of complete leadership so he could make the calls.

He had become accustomed to having his say after being admired for many years but now, he had to work from the bottom up to regain that same respect. Joanna gazed at him with sympathy since she knew he would be making a great change in roles and would repay that sacrifice with providing him a home full of love. Tsu'tey accepted the offer since he didn't really have any other option and dipped his head to say, "I will gladly oblige, tsahìk. I should meet your hunters and begin familiarizing myself-"

"Tsu'tey, you hold so many expectations for yourself- relax" Nitari intervened gently to prevent the young man from burning himself out before he started his new life. He was always ready to tackle a new project and she could see he was striving to prove himself worthy of her clan. She didn't question his loyalty at all but there was a time to work and one to relax- this time was the latter. The advisor had arrived to spend his final days on the beach as an Omaticayan hunter before adopting the Atykwe name and she soothed calmly, "You are already an accomplished man and you will enjoy yourself on this trip because that is what you are here for. There will be plenty of time to worry about your new rank later but for now, wander free."

"I don't mean to sound forward with my request" he apologized since his subconscious could sneak in a presumptuous tone that had been present in his older days. The last thing he could do was inadvertently insult the good nature of the tsahìk and quickly tried to amend with a bashful tone, "I-"

Nitari raised her hand to dismiss his apology because she required none and smiled sincerely to look at her half-finished shawl, "Take one day at a time, child. Just like each stitch on this cloth, each day adds to the overall design of what your life will be. Right now, focus on the joy of being here and tomorrow, plan your next step. When the time comes to return to Eywa, make sure you've lived a good life full of memories to represent each little stitch."

"Yes, tsahìk" he abided willingly and took her advice to mind because yes, he _was_ here to see his loved ones. Planning for the future could wait for another day since he'd yet to settle in at his soon-to-be home and there was a little girl he had to greet. His little Leti had left such an impact on his last leave that he'd brought her _three_ fabric dolls as a gift and had even picked out what color cloth they had as skin. If that didn't tell him he loved children by now, he didn't know what would.

"You're a planner, it's natural for you" Nitari chuckled kindly to soothe any inner worries and smiled to his bashful appearance. It was quite a different face from the one she'd met during her stay in the aftermath of that fateful battle and wanted to keep the latter for years to come. Mo'at had guided the young man beautifully and now, it would be her turn to develop the last step to Eywa's plan and she spoke cryptically, "You have walked a long path from the man I met after the battle and it is time to close one chapter of your life to begin another. Build your hut and take the next step that I know you've been dwelling on. I assure you that you won't be disappointed."

She made a shooing motion with her hands but her smile was full of warmth as she smiled, "Run along and enjoy your time here. I assure you'll love your new home and I expect to be invited soon to offer a gift."

"Of course, tsahìk" he chuckled amusingly to her carefree nature and tendency to be a simple resident rather than wield the dual titles arrogantly. He would have no trouble following a sincere woman like Nitari for the rest of his days and would call it an honor in life to serve two strong women.

The matriarch pointed towards Joanna with a cheerful smile and reminded playfully, "And you, my young huntress, have a history lesson soon with the lorekeepers."

"Of course, tsahìk" she mimicked the hunter's tone to show the same commitment to her suggestions and Nitari smiled with contentment to the children Eywa had brought her.

As the young couple planned for their future, so would Nitari.

* * *

"Tsu-Tsu! Tsu-Tsu!" Leti exclaimed happily as her new favorite cousin returned to her home with gifts in hand for his loved ones and scampered over for a tight hug. He was glad to receive a warm welcome after crushing her sweet little heart weeks ago and he pulled her close into one arm with a smile. Leti giggled to his display of affection since her family was gathered at Nara's since Avi tended to her like a mother to make sure her sister healed well. Of course, when the first month passed, Nara had escaped to find freedom after being stuck to her hut for the latter half of her pregnancy. Still, Avi tended to her and the new baby with loving care to make sure nothing went wrong.

"Greetings, everyone" he smiled at his family members as the end of the day brought everyone home to their huts to mingle about their day. With his family living in close quarters, visitors would find them all in any of the three huts. The young children turned swiftly with surprise as their attention had been focused on the cooing baby in the back of the room and they immediately crowded his legs with questions about his arrival. He chuckled warmly since he'd expected the cold shoulder after their last interaction but the children didn't hold a grudge, especially when he was there to see them again. Tsu'tey ruffled each of their hair as they grabbed the wrapped bundles from his arms and he stated, "I arrived an hour or so ago but visited the matriarch to speak with her. I'll be staying about a week this time since there is an important matter to handle at the Omaticaya but for now, I am happy to see you all."

"You met the matriarch?" one of the twins, Rila, asked with awe since they always saw her as a magnificent woman- even when she simply sewed in her mother's circle. The two young women clasped each other's hands with glee since it was always a privilege to hold an audience with her and wondered what an advisor would speak to her about. When he admitted that he always met her upon arrival or during his stay, they considered themselves lucky to have family members that saw her.

Tsu'tey greeted each of his uncles as the men had been talking about the recent weather changes affecting the clan's fishing and welcomed the young man. Kovi told his nephew that his new knives had come incredibly handy while Rafil joked that his utensils made the flavor better than the knife set. Tsu'tey enjoyed their laidback nature as they relaxed at home with their loved ones while his aunts focused on their own chats about the clan. All in all, it was the perfect picture of family that he'd sought for many years and never thought he'd have.

He survived his aunt Avi's constricting hug of joy to his return as she checked him to see if he was in good health. If she ever found anything suspicious, she sent him to Zika immediately but she deemed him fine this time. The healer, on the other hand, merely welcomed him with a fond hug since he brought them joy and chuckled softly, "Welcome back, nephew. The boys won't mind helping you settle in-"

"Actually, Aunt Zika, I am ready to build my hut while I'm here" he admitted modestly to delight them with that surprise after spending numerous nights with the boys. He didn't mind it at all but he wanted a home of his own where he could share the same hospitality with his relatives. Avi clasped her hands with joy to the thought of another of their family adding a hut to the beach and he smiled sheepishly, "Although, I don't know how to do so."

"Oh, child, just about anyone can lend a hand- even the children" Avi chuckled warmly to his apprehension to living on the beach since he'd been in awe of their way of living from day one. Zika reassured that building a home would only help to forge bonds but everyone was glad to hear that their nephew would have a home on the beach to stay at. It gave them a reason to believe that maybe, just maybe, he would stay since the children's gossip about his numerous walks with Joanna had spread through the family like wildfire. Avi grasped his hands into hers to squeeze them fondly since another addition to their family clan would be splendid and gushed, "We'd be happy to have you build a home alongside us."

The brown curtain separating the living area from the sleeping rooms opened to reveal a slim Nara as she yawned softly into her hand. She'd been taking a nap after tending to her newest bundle and blinked rapidly to adjust to the brighter light filtering into the hut. Her gaze caught onto the new visitor with disbelief as she briefly wondered whether she was still dreaming but her mate assured her that Tsu'tey was real. The huntress relaxed since her sleep cycles had been thrown off with the new baby and she smiled broadly, "Well, what are you waiting for? Come over here and hug your aunt."

"It is good to see you well, Aunt Nara" Tsu'tey chuckled warmly to her lively mood as he embraced her and no longer worried about nudging her pregnant stomach. His aunt had gladly returned to her pre-pregnancy body by exercising relentlessly since a huntress couldn't lose her dexterity. Tsu'tey could see where he inherited his stubborn determination since his mother's side of the family had been rather passive while his aunts. . .well, he fit right in. He hadn't met the slimmer version of his aunt since her pregnancy had been midway when they met and he grinned to tease, "For a moment, I thought you were one of the twins."

Nara laughed giddily to his compliment since Avi's twins were quickly matching up to her height as they grew taller in their adolescence. Despite being of different ages, Avi and Zika were almost the same in height (give or take one finger's width) while Nara was the smallest of the sisters. The huntress clapped him on the back for his sense of humor and pointed towards the back of the room where a small reed basket was located. He could see the edges of a white hand-woven blanket spilling out and she smiled proudly to state, "That is where the rest of me went."

Sìlpey was quick to sneak between them and tugged him by the hand to beam ecstatically, "Come meet my little sister."

His parents chuckled to his enthusiasm to present his small and only sibling to anyone who visited them. Sìlpey failed to feel envy for his first sibling as she received numerous attention from his family and since she was a girl, he didn't feel replaced. He was more than happy to play protector and care for his little sister since she would undoubtedly look up to him one day. For now, the six year old was happy to have a sibling of his own and being included in her care made him feel incredibly important. Tsu'tey smiled as he brought him to the wicker basket filled with comfortable blankets and inside, a small two-month old girl lay curled with bright golden eyes. She took after her father with his bioluminescent dots along the crown of her head but the stripes were similar to Nara's as the infant glanced at the newcomer. Tsu'tey smiled tenderly at the tiny girl whose limbs were concealed inside her thin blankets and she eyed him curiously with perceptive eyes. Why did he find that adorable as a grown man?

"Look, Híri, someone's come to see you" Sìlpey spoke cheerfully as he ran a hand over the soft tuft of hair on top of her head before grabbing her little hand. Her tiny fingers clamped down over his in reflex but Sìlpey loved spending time with her, especially since she was so small. Nara and Kovi merely watched their son interact with their youngest child and were quite happy to avoid having a child envious of their newest sibling.

Tsu'tey spoke with his softest voice possible to prevent scaring his littlest cousin to introduce himself, "Hello there, Híri. Aren't you a sweet little child of Eywa?"

"You can hold her" Nara allowed easily since her daughter was quite amicable with everyone, especially their family. She rarely cried when she was in their company after becoming accustomed to the faces but they were blessed in not having a fussy baby. They had been rather surprised to see Híri enjoy her quick baths rather than cry in fury, which had occurred with Sìlpey. Tsu'tey's face flickered with nervousness at holding a smaller child than Leti but Nara reassured calmly, "Don't worry, she loves being held . . . a little too much, I think."

"Quite a change from you since you fussed in my arms continuously" Avi chided gently with a soft laugh as she handed Nara a bowl of freshly cut fruit and the two women laughed. They were lucky in being able to recount so many memories of their youth with the next generation and the women hoped they could do so with a third generation. Tsu'tey's news about building a hut had already set in motion a task that Avi could complete and present to him to subtly nudge him down the road of bonding.

Tsu'tey leaned down to carefully scoop the cooing infant, along with her bundle of blankets into his arms. Using his left arm to embrace her, the right fixed her blankets to prevent her becoming cold or catching a draft while under his care. Her bright golden eyes peered at him as he looked at her round little face and he smiled fondly to speak gently, "I'm your cousin, Tsu'tey, but you can call me Tsu-Tsu. You are undoubtedly the cutest baby I've met and look at these little toes."

The fingers of his right hand gently grazed the toes of her left foot as it peeked out of the blankets and watched it withdraw quickly in reflex. Her hands, however, shot out in an attempt to grasp the pretty beads dangling from his side braids and he chuckled to her enthusiasm. When had babies been this cute to be around? He never thought he'd find them fascinating since Leti had been the only one to capture his heart but she was a toddler. He was almost tempted to bring Híri to Joanna at that very moment and show her that they could have a cute wriggling infant just like her someday.

"Aunt Nara, Uncle Kovi, you have a beautiful little daughter" he congratulated the couple since they had tried their best to build a family after years of fertility issues. Nara could count the dozens of ways she'd tried to increase her chances from teas, watching tide changes, diet changes, and bedtime rituals that left her annoyed at the lack of results. Kovi had even begun pointing her north during their intimate moments and had been short of losing an arm when she caught him trying to eat a rumored aphrodisiac flower in the middle of it. A few months after giving up trying, they had been pleasantly surprised to find Nara was pregnant and decided to never again bear through all of that.

As Tsu'tey gazed at the little infant, he was more than ready to build a life towards holding his own child within the short future. There was a life ready to be lived on the beach by resuming his hunting duties for a new clan and Joanna had her own rank; they weren't the same people of a year prior. They had finally converged at a point in life where everything was perfect to build a life and it was time to set it into motion.

* * *

Tsu'tey prepared his items to build his first and only hut on the beach as Joanna helped by sorting each material into an organized pile. They had collected fine hardwood, twine, leather, and cloths of a single hue to build his home as the sun had begun to trickle over the land. She smiled supportively since she'd felt the same uncertainty during her first time on the beach but she'd had help as well like every na'vi that was taught to help another. Although Tsu'tey was building his own hut for the time being, they were making it large enough for a family since this was their marked spot for their future home. They would set the foundations with three rooms in total, one for a roomy living area and the other two for bedrooms, so they would have enough space when it was time to make a family of their own. Tsu'tey was not only nervous that it wouldn't stand upright through the night but that he was finally taking that large step to cementing his new life.

"If it falls during the night, I _will_ return to the alcoves" he stated firmly because he wouldn't asphyxiate under that thing and crossed his arms to push the point across. Joanna chuckled with amusement to his fussing since he'd asked nonstop questions since setting out from Kelutral. It reminded her of her first day as his student when she'd been eager with numerous questions but in this case, he was apprehensive of sleeping over a sand dune. He wanted to be sure everything would flow perfectly smooth without any issues but after being accustomed to sleeping a hammock, he was uncertain about the beach.

"Don't be dramatic, you'll be fine" she assured gently and smoothed out a forest green fabric he'd chosen for the color of his hut since it reminded him of home. After years of looking into the canopies in his hammock at Kelutral, it was a soothing color for him and would serve as a memento of his old life. Also, it would help prevent frightening him that he was no longer in the safety of the trees but at the mercy of the sea. He didn't know how Joanna bore the change and would ask for tips when it came time to his first slumber on the beach. Would it be possible to be mated that very day just so he could have her by his side for support?

"Tsu-Tsu!" Leti's cheerful voice echoed and they turned to find all of his little cousins approaching them. Had they really woken up this early in the day? Or had they heard their noise and woken up? Tsu'tey didn't want to babysit while simultaneously building something crucial for his future but would keep them company if there was nobody else. Joanna, however, sauntered over the sloping dune to snatch Leti into her arms with a wide smile to dote on the little girl. Tsu'tey could already see this happening at least five times a day once they began living there as a mated couple because the toddler was insatiable for affection. Leti clapped her hands giddily with joy to being part of the duo's activity and exclaimed proudly with a toothy grin, "We help!"

He was more than certain 'helped' meant eat his prepared snacks and play with the pieces of wood stacked by size. The boys walked over to see the different materials they would use to make the hut since their family hadn't made one in almost a decade. Nara had been the last when she bonded to her mate and Wätu wasn't going anywhere anytime soon so he had stayed put with his parents. This would be the first time they would see a home being made on their family's side and they wanted to help so they could learn for future reference. Tsu'tey tickled Leti's chin since she was a crafty little thing for one so young and smiled warmly, "All right but Joanna and I will do the heavy lifting. You must be very careful to never stand underneath heavy or unstable objects."

Leti nodded her small head to show she would obey him and he added in, "Your job will be to guard the materials and hand the smaller ones to us. Under _no_ circumstance will you approach us or the hut while we're moving to prevent an accident."

"Sa'nu sent this over from Aunt Avi" Keron informed helpfully as he handed him a folded tapestry cloth of a sky blue hue. Tsu'tey felt the sewing thread that created a portrait right underneath his fingers as he held it and wondered what his aunt had weaved for him. There was no question she created beautiful works and had always wanted one for his home after seeing the many that covered his aunts' homes. Keron smiled shyly as Tsu'tey thanked him and relayed the message his aunt had told him, "She said 'every home needs a pretty picture and you're ready for one'."

"I will tell her thank you for the generous gift" he promised with gratitude and unfolded the portrait to reveal his azure ikran and Joanna's sapphire partner flying over a cerulean sky. He couldn't imagine a more perfect picture for his future home and could see himself telling his children about the faithful ikran. Hopefully, they would like stories filled with adventure. Joanna's hand touched his right shoulder to offer a caring squeeze as the sewed cloth touched her heart as well with Xeki's image. He met her gaze with warmth as they received the first gift to decorate their home with and smiled broadly, "This will make my- _our_- home beautiful."

"What about the little Tsu-Tsu's?" Leti asked curiously as she bit her fingertips with glee to the idea of them and kicked her chubby legs. It would be marvelous to have little Tsu-Tsu's running around her in circles and they'd play _everywhere_ until sunset! She was giddy with joy as she shook in Joanna's arms with bright eyes to await his answer. Would he give her little Tsu-Tsu's? Oh, she could just burst with joy!

Tsu'tey was lost to that question completely and the other children giggled to a joke he didn't grasp at all. What did little Tsu-Tsu's mean exactly? Did she want him to get smaller? Her nicknames for everything were adorable but it was hard to decipher their meaning when she had a tendency to name them after people or things they resembled. He looked to Leti since he didn't want to disappoint her by refusing to answer and asked gently, "What are little Tsu-Tsu's?"

Leti couldn't explain it either since the image was merely in her head and simply repeated cheerfully, "Little Tsu-Tsu's!"

"She means babies" Sifu corrected with a shy but amused smile since she took to calling people's children by their parent's names. Leti giggled with glee to the word baby since her aunt Nara had brought a beautiful new cousin for her that she adored. Now, it was only a matter of time before Tsu-Tsu would have one to join their family as well! She could have new little cousins in the coming years to love and play with.

Joanna's ears flattened in modesty since she'd be producing these little Tsu-Tsu's and her future mate was tall enough to make her uterus worry. Tsu'tey cleared his throat awkwardly since he and Joanna hadn't spoken about children at all but were certain they wanted one. Well, he did, at least. He wouldn't have thought the same a year ago when Joanna had read to the Omaticayan children while he'd shooed them all away and chastised her about coddling the little leg grabbers. Now, he wanted to squeeze the little child that would grab his leg as they smiled with the blended features of him and his mate. Leti's eyes merely blinked innocently for an answer to her question since she was still lost to the true mechanics of baby making and he answered uncertainly, "Well, you see, Tsu-Tsu has yet to have a mate like your parents do. We must have one in order to make little Tsu-Tsu's and-"

"But Nana's right here like sa'nu is to sempu" Leti smiled brightly and beamed at Joanna since she was perfect for Tsu-Tsu since the two were always together. Whenever the two met, she saw how his eyes lit up with joy and Leti knew they could love each other just like her own parents did. He was the best in her eyes and Nana always had snacks for her when her mother was busy so she could enjoy that bonus even further. If they took such good care of her, they would be wonderful with a little Tsu-Tsu of their own. She patted Joanna's cheek with happiness because only she was deemed worthy of her dear Tsu-Tsu and declared matter-of-factly, "She's sweet and smart like Tsu-Tsu."

"Yes, but we need to bond first and then we'll have Tsu-Tsu's" Tsu'tey answered with a blush growing on his cheeks at having to explain the bonding process to a child. Eywa would strike him down if he ventured even further since he hadn't learned about the origins of babies until he was much older (he wouldn't admit the age out of embarrassment). He needed to find the easiest manner in which to tell her no without explaining and took a small breath before answering, "Right now, we're making a home but one day, we'll have a Tsu-Tsu for you."

"But not now?" she pouted with disillusion and he groaned mentally at seeing her little ears flatten. No! If she began whimpering, his own will would fail him at seeing a crestfallen Leti and cursed being wrapped around her finger.

Tsu'tey squeezed her shoulders affectionately to soothe her disappointment because he wasn't ready to have a baby just yet. Whenever he happened to decline an offer, Tsu'tey always shed a brighter light or different perspective to make the original request appear unneeded. Leti was quite young so he would be able to sway her and reminded gently with a smile, "We have Aunt Nara's baby now and isn't she just pretty to play with?"

Leti agreed happily since she truly was and Tsu'tey compromised by putting a stop to any future babies, "Wouldn't it be wrong of us if we took the attention away from her to a little Tsu-Tsu? It wouldn't be nice for Híri, especially since she's such a small baby that needs our love. I will tell you what we will do, little Leti. We will love her each day and when she's old enough to follow you around, I will have a Tsu-Tsu you can _both_ love. Wouldn't that be nicer?"

Now that she thought about it, it _did_! She'd never want her little cousin to feel left out and couldn't believe she'd been more focused on her happiness than Híri's. What would her little cousin think of her? The little Tsu-Tsu's would have to be on hold until Híri could share a little Tsu-Tsu to have fun with and Leti beamed cheerfully, "Yes!"

Tsu'tey smiled widely for averting that baby request since he wanted to dodge disappointing Leti but the small girl was happy just to have a little cousin to play with and a future one for later. Joanna chuckled softly to her giddiness as her little tail smacked her left side and thought with amusement, _He is quite the charmer with his words and only the cleverest can slip through his grasp. The man has the best silver tongue I've seen and I'm certain he'll be getting use of it as he adapts into the clan._

"Tsu'tey, make sure you double-knot every leather tie you use" Sifu reminded with a helpful smile as he pointed to the small pile of ties and Tsu'tey withheld a sigh of dismay. He never expected to be handed advice by children since he was the top ikran of his people but here . . . he was a lost tapirus. He stared at the sturdy ties because he'd never expected to build a hut, on the beach no less, and truly hoped it wouldn't accidentally suffocate him when it fell.

"Wätu tried to make a hut once so we could use it as a small playhouse . . . but it fell" Keron explained with a shy smile as Sìlpey laughed to the memory of Wätu trying to rebuild it to no avail. Joanna chuckled since she'd seen the flattened red hut on her way home after training with Zika, along with the little quartet chasing the young hunter for his shoddy skills.

"Well, mine will be better and stronger" Tsu'tey assured because he really didn't want to eat his words if it happened to collapsed horribly on top of them.

* * *

The entire process took many hours into the late afternoon but with the help of the children and Joanna (all right, and his uncles every hour or so), they managed to create a sturdy green hued hut for the Omaticayan advisor. Tsu'tey found himself surprised when it didn't fall within the hour as he served snacks to his little helpers (Leti squealed happily for the stuffed pastries) and told himself that he'd survive the night. He kept the children entertained by asking questions about their huts so he could gain a better understanding of Atykwe homes. Leti promised to visit him every day since his hut was located next to hers since the open area on top of the sand dune made him feel safer against the incoming tide. Also, Leti and the boys had pleaded with him for hours to choose the open space next to their home rather than the one at Nara's so they could enjoy his company. Who was he to deny the affection of his little cousins?

When the first showers of rain met the land, Tsu'tey led the children back to Kelutral to ward off any colds since he wouldn't have them ill on his watch. They were incredibly reluctant to head back home as their fun came to an end and tried to hide inside his hut for refuge. Joanna laughed humorously to their plan as they jumped out of his way whenever he approached them. It was clear that they didn't want to go anywhere.

"Children, we must go home" Tsu'tey insisted firmly as she watched him play the role of a caretaker as he stood perfectly straight and aimed a parenting gaze at each of them. The children, however, continued to ignore his requests for obedience since they were rather fond of their playtime and the showers refreshed their sun kissed skin. Joanna laughed when he began to chase them in an attempt to catch them but they all scattered in different directions.

Tsu'tey hissed under his breath as it felt like chasing stubborn prey and found it impossible to corral four children into his hands. Whenever he approached one, another would zoom past him or they would attempt to hide behind his new hut. Joanna, of course, was of no help to him as she remained a neutral party that decided to merely watch the antics. He halted after his fifth lap around the hut and over the beach, pointing to each child to show he meant business as he ordered, "Children, I am serious."

Leti thinned her lips in a pout as she hid behind the hut (she was too small to run) and declared defiantly, "We stay . . . with Tsu-Tsu!"

"Time to put that charming personality on to sway them" Joanna chided gently with a chuckle and smiled when Leti scuttled to grab her leg for protection. She knew that Tsu-Tsu would never take her away from Nana because she loved holding her and wouldn't deny her that. Also, she was small enough to be concealed behind her and smiled innocently at Nana as she allowed her refuge.

Tsu'tey, on the other hand, was ready to declare her a traitor.

If parenting would be anything like this . . . he was going to have a _lot_ of work on his hands. He didn't know whether to chase one or let them stand in the showers until they agreed to go home to prevent being drenched in water. Somehow, the latter option told him he'd be chastising himself for compromising their health. Tsu'tey tried to snatch Sìlpey when the boy ran past him but he rolled out of the way before Tsu'tey could bend down as his taller height became a hindrance. Why couldn't these children be taller? Leti did the smartest thing at this point to avoid detection and hid inside his hut to nestle between his bags to remain concealed. Tsu'tey paid her no mind at all since pulling a toddler from her hidden spot would be easy but the boys. . . .

All three ran in separate directions and with water covering the land, they managed to make clumps of sand into sand balls. This turned their simple game of catch into a different sort as projectiles came into play and Tsu'tey didn't have a good feeling about it. Sifu was the first to strike him on the arm to keep him at bay to catch them and threw another at his chest to cloud his vision when he almost grabbed him. The hunter coughed to prevent any particles from sticking to his lips and growled at their new advantage as he dusted himself off. It wasn't this hard to corral a hexapede herd!

Tsu'tey pointed to the boys as they molded the balls in their hands with mischievous intent in their eyes and he ordered sharply, "Put it down! Don't you throw it! Don't- _ow!_"

Reverse psychology was lost on the children as Tsu'tey was bombarded with sand by the children as they scattered from his grasp. Joanna muffled her laughter at seeing a grown man chasing after little children that were beating him with sand. It was humorous to see the vicious warrior that fought humans tread carefully with little children that held mere dirt in their hands. In the end, he caught Sifu in one arm and Sìlpey in the other to keep them away from each other or running off. The two were a troublesome team when they worked together but Tsu'tey could see the light flicker of hunting strategy in their movements during the chase- he was proud of it.

Keron's shy nature compelled him to listen when he realized that both boys had been caught and he marched in front of Tsu'tey all the way to Kelutral. Unlike his bold brother and cousin, Keron wouldn't defy his elder cousin and didn't have the heart to do so. Halfway through their trek, Tsu'tey remembered Leti had hidden away in his hut and returned once again to have Keron fetch her. It wasn't easy pulling out the reluctant toddler as she cried bloody murder to having her fun end for the day. Even Joanna had been tempted to sway him into letting her stay but Tsu'tey was adamant the children stayed out of the rain. Either way, he managed to accomplish the task with four grumpy children.

His uncle Rafil took them off his hands with a hearty laugh to the sand covered hunter and advised him to bribe them with fruit next time. When he was certain that they would stay inside Kelutral with his uncle, he promised to see them after the rain ended and headed back to his hut. By the time he arrived, his raven braids were drizzled with crystalline droplets and his skin had brightened with the sheen of fallen raindrops. Rain had been simply watched from his Omaticayan Kelutral as the large canopies were large enough to shield them from the rain but the Atykwe enjoyed strolls through the showers. This was something he would have to become accustomed to since he preferred to be immaculate in his appearance. He'd expected Joanna to leave since he was gone for quite a while with the children and knew she had her own tasks to take care of.

Instead, he was pleasantly surprised to find her fixing his items in the classic Atykwe fashion to keep them out of the rain as she'd kept the cloth curtain open. She'd bundled his folded clothes in the farthest left corner of the living area and placed his trinkets on the opposite side while the empty packs rested near the entrance. In the larger bedroom, she'd arranged his bed of blankets in the classic style of their people with a reed mat on the bottom for cushioning. Joanna stood up with a sheepish smile since she hoped she hadn't overstepped her bounds and explained, "I hope you don't mind but I fixed your bags-"

He cut her off by enveloping her in a searing kiss, relishing the warmth of her dry skin against his cool wet flesh as he appreciated the gesture. She reciprocated the passionate kiss with a fond smile and drew him inside to ward off any cold drafts from seeping in. His right hand closed the green cloth with its waterproof leather layer underneath to keep the drizzle outside to shroud them in darkness. The small hut dimmed immediately to the lack of inside light and he pulled her close by the waist to mold her hips against his to close any gap between them. Her fingertips roamed over his damp shoulders to outline his familiar contours and he parted their lips to whisper fondly, "You bring the closest sense of home to me."

"Home will be here soon for you" she reminded quietly to the big move that awaited him if he was certain his upcoming leave from the Atykwe would be the last. He captured her lips again to silence the known fact in both of their minds and tenderly cradled the back of her head in his hands. It would be worth every mile just to be home with her permanently so they could begin a new life.

He trailed kisses down her cheek with enthusiasm after failing to spend private time with her since his visits to family and her duties kept them occupied. The days when they spent their evenings in each other's hammocks were long gone and he desired greatly to revive them. Their adventures of exploring the world had ceased with her leave and he wanted to rekindle each one after finding his other half. Joanna didn't question his resolve with each feverish kiss to her flesh and her trip to cloud nine ended when he stopped at her jawline. Her golden eyes opened to peer into his glittering orbs as their foreheads touched and he whispered with optimism, "Imagine that this hut is already our home and nothing else surrounds us on an isolated island. Would you stay or leave me in this cozy home, even with my solitary nature?"

She'd never part from his side and had fallen in love with him for each little quirk in his character because neither of them was perfect. Joanna shook her head against his hands as they were entwined in her hair because she would not leave him after assuring he was the only one in the world- _universe_- for her. Her voice wavered as she spoke but the meaning in her words provided no form of weakness, "When have I ever denied the man that literally fell from the sky on top of me? My home would be with you, _always_, and I would be your shield whenever you need me to be."

"I am yours, Joanna, all you need is ask" he whispered against her lips with a delicious lure she couldn't ignore, burying her fingers into his tied hair. The parting of his queue braid drew an instant groan from his lips as she livened every inch of his skin with the simple touch. His posture slackened against hers immediately as the neural sensation coursed down his spine to every fiber of his being. She was there to embrace his slip as her arms supported his entire weight and leaned against him to keep their balance. Her fingertips traced against the bottom of the queue at the base of his skull to observe the sensory overload that the sensitive strands held. He was a proud hunter that exuded confident control in his posture but her touch rendered him immobile, embracing her close as his knees weakened.

She'd never heard a man groan like he did as a slight hiss from his throat mixed into the pleasurable sound that electrified her hearing. He'd buried his face against the crook of her neck to muffle the sound against her skin and his own warm lips nipped at her skin gently to return the same affection. They had never reached a point this intimate since the last had been in the open beach but it all felt so long ago. This time. . .

"And I am yours, Tsu'tey" she murmured against his neck and held him in her arms as she slowly kneeled down on the ground covered with reed mats and soft hand-woven rugs. His movements mimicked hers because he would not object to whatever she had in mind and enjoyed having her as his first guest. Was it still too late to have a quick ceremony just so they could spend a cozy night together underneath the stars?

His acute sense of smell picked up a captivating scent that he'd only heard from his father's lectures about 'growing into adulthood' and 'bonding ceremonies'. He was rather glad to have had those man-to-man talks before losing his father but it struck the target on what he sensed. It was a moment that brought him surprise and pride since he'd never detected a woman's scent before and ran the tip of his nose down the side of her neck to confirm his suspicion. Joanna nuzzled his cheek affectionately as she pulled him over her by the arms to lay down underneath him with a coy smile and he stated breathlessly, "You're in heat. I can smell it."

"Hmm, I guess I didn't mask the scent as good as I thought I did" she murmured dismissively with a warm chuckle and ran the tip of her tail across his back. If she'd been in the company of anybody else, she would've scrambled off embarrassingly but she held none of that at his side. Only mates were able to sniff the distinct scent of their partner due to their close proximity and Tsu'tey definitely detected a stronger change from his past visits. He'd never caught the elusive scent for as long as he'd known her but cherished the intimacy born from that exact moment as she rested in his arms. Instead of being a coy woman, Joanna merely kissed him on the lips with a delighted smile and admitted, "Even if I wasn't, I'd still do this exact same thing."

"You smell . . . nice" he commented awkwardly since she was the first person to share such tender moments with and she chuckled softly to his modesty. How could she deny that sweet bashful face? It was such a rarity from the confident man that walked through clans and exuded nothing but warrior prowess. If they were going to be together for life, he would have to live with that scent for decades until her childbearing years were over and her teeth nipped his earlobe as she reminded him. He would not mind it at all because it would simply mean more chances at creating a small family of their own.

"You really haven't had much exposure talking to women, have you?" she teased playfully to his lack of a dating life and he admitted shamefully that no, he hadn't. With the natural charms he carried, she would've expected him to be extremely knowledgeable in the field of love but he was a newbie just like her. Her fingers trailed down the contour of his sternum, drawing a surprised gasp on his end when they traveled south down his navel. What was she-?

She halted her touches immediately with a fond chuckle since she'd keep the same decorum of respect to her partner. He never tried to push their relationship further as he respected his culture's traditions and she admired that loyalty because he'd show the same in their union one day. Hopefully, she would live up to being the honorable mate he deserved since his popularity would undoubtedly rise in her clan. He might not believe he wouldn't add much to Nitari's clan but Joanna saw never-ending potential with her beloved- it was why Hell's Gate had kept tabs on him! The man was a force to be reckoned with when the military was looking more into Tsu'tey than Eytukan and Joanna always found that interesting when Grace mentioned it. Now, that same man was in her arms with the most tender smile as he shed the warrior mask aside and she whispered sweetly, "Your honesty has always been quite alluring to me. How can a woman deny a brave hunter with those traits?"

He chuckled softly as her fingertips gently traced the unique stripes of his face and closed his eyes as she admitted sheepishly, "I _really_ tried my best to not to find you attractive during our training. You made it easy at first with your fussing but eventually, I really did want your approval as much as I did your affection."

The fact that his respect weighed as heavily as his affection had was news to him since he pushed her rather hard when it came to both. It was easier with the first since he never produced poor hunters but the latter was harder to bear as he tried to avoid fracturing their growing friendship. She had slowly grown to be his _everything_ as she filled the last open gap in his heart to complete it and could see the same sentiment in her gaze. Her eyes peered into his with that same fond glitter he'd witnessed when she first admitted her feelings and Joanna stated softly, "It was hard trying to live up to your level of skill, not to mention respect, and I felt so inadequate when you were strutting around past the fawning women."

"I didn't strut" he pointed out with an amused grin to her little joke to lighten the mood and kissed her forehead to push it all aside. She had never brought him disappointment, even when he'd nagged she would, and was proud to see her ikran when he first arrived on the Atykwe coast months ago.

"Not in _your_ mind" she replied with a cheeky smile since he'd made women swoon wherever he walked due to his rank and popularity. She'd always felt tiny comparing herself to the other women because they were natural born na'vi and held more allure than her own strange features. Not to mention, they were accomplished in their skills while she'd been swimming to find her own calling. As they laid in the quiet of solitude of his new hut, she didn't hold any trepidation about her past worries and confessed earnestly, "I always second guessed whether you could really care about me but after reuniting with you. . ."

She paused for a moment as each little memory was enough to fill a collage and whispered with a tearful smile, "I want this home to be filled with the laughter of our children- _grandchildren_- and I want to see you every waking morning for the rest of my days."

He pulled her into a kiss that delivered every single shred of passion he'd held for her for the last year as he finally felt it was time to make true on his promise. The thought of waking to her and a small child by their side had been but a pleasant dream for months but it was becoming a reality with each passing day. He wanted to trace his fingers over every curve of his mate without being chastised that they weren't even courting and keep her in his hut like any partner would when night fell upon them. Joanna, on the other hand, was currently free of any worries since her other half rested in her embrace and wouldn't be releasing him until the showers passed. They needed a good reason to stay indoors, after all.

She liked the playful dominant streak Tsu'tey displayed when he pinned her wrists next to her head and Joanna returned a little defiance with a small hiss. He muffled the sound with an open mouth kiss that turned her bones into goo as her tongue danced the lively tango with his. There was nothing that could compare to that feeling of wholeness- _completion_- as she lay with him in that small hut and wished it was their home already. When his lips parted from hers, they traced the arch of her throat to litter it with soft kisses until touching the center indent of her clavicles. Was it possible for one to melt and evaporate into steam in one move? Joanna almost believed it could happen when those plush soft lips kept traveling south and her breath hitched. Would he dare to venture where nobody had gone before?

Of course, her dear hunter adhered to his gentlemanly traditions and halted where the maroon cloth covered her chest to maintain propriety. She breathed his name with a panting chuckle to his physical obstacle, hearing a defiant hiss in return and asked him to lie on his back. If he'd been kind enough to offer his affection, how could she not reciprocate? He didn't need to be asked twice and she smiled in the dark to the immense trust between them, crawling on top to straddle his hips. His body warmth was comfortable enough as the water had either evaporated or been swiped away through their embraces that it almost lured her to fall asleep on the spot.

Outlining his shoulders in the dim lighting filtering through the huts gaps, she cupped his face and leaned down to kiss him feverishly to convey every shred of passion she couldn't show in public. If she could keep a part of him for a lifetime, she would choose his strength (both inner and outer) because any clan would be lucky to have him. It struck her heart with shame for having to tear him away from such a good clan but he had made his decision and she would abide by it.

"I love you" she whispered tenderly against his warm neck to bathe it in kisses while outlining the contours of his pectorals. These were moments she would cherish because they would not last until they were permanently mated and could only compare it to the rainbows that appeared after certain showers. She was wholeheartedly prepared to provide him with a life as his loving partner and knew the same could be said for him after their year together. His hands swept over her back to settle on the curve of her lower back and she smiled serenely to state, "You've given meaning to my life since meeting on this world and I would love nothing more than to be by your side for the rest of our days- no matter how short or long they are."

"Even provide me with a little Tsu-Tsu within a few years?" he teased softly with a fond smile because he would love a child of his own, especially with her. There was a reason he'd made the other sleeping area near the size of his because he wanted children (emphasis on plural) to follow after both he and Joanna. After being an only child and wishing for a sibling to relate to as he grew up and after his parents died, Tsu'tey didn't want his little one to be alone if something befell them one day.

"With your charm and my wit, they'd be unstoppable" she agreed fondly with a kiss to his lips to seal the deal and enveloped him in an embrace. Her fingers weaved into his damp braids while her thumbs brushed over his pointy ears and Joanna could see herself doing this every night for as long as she lived.

They continued their intimate moment but it only served to solidify one thing for Tsu'tey: he would ask her to court officially within the next two days.

The question was . . . what would be the best way to present her with the life changing proposal?

* * *

**A/N**: More sweetness from the couple because the next chapter will have Tsu'tey popping the question to court and soon (possibly two chapters), the question to set the date on their bonding ceremony. His little green hut will undergo changes once the two are permanently bonded but I'd like to think he'd choose green to remember his old home. Also, how cute is little Híri? There's a growing abundance of cute babies popping and Neytiri's won't be far behind to present the world with the next generation. With the second volume soon coming to an end, we'll be opening to the last with Joanna's pregnancy so we'll be expecting that.

_Hope of the Darkness_: Yes, their relationship is finally coming full circle with Tsu'tey ready to move and the next chapter will have him asking for her hand. Thank you for loving the story because it's definitely been a joy to build upon Cameron's world.

_Puffgirl1952_: Thanks for the vote of confidence, I'm a natural helper by nature so tutoring students is a good perk and learning to be nurse to care for people is an added bonus. :)

_iluvmycorgi22_: Now that Swizav's back, she's definitely making him do most of the work by hunting and caring for all of them while she relaxes and simply keeps the eggs warm. Lol. It's the least he can do for the labor, right? I hope you liked the little Tsu-Tsu's bit since Leti definitely loves having little babies to play with and she's darn adorable.

_Kunfupandalover_: Thanks for loving the story.

_OmegaPhaedra_: I imagine the ikran being similar to birds, especially birds of prey, as they stay with the hatchlings until they're old enough to fend for themselves. I loved watching the upbringing of a harpy's eagle chick on PBS and the craftiness of the mother to protect her chick from parasitic flies by using plants as a roof that naturally held insect repellant. We'll be seeing more of them too since they've yet to hatch.

_Laithano_: Thank you for loving the story with each chapter and yes, the little eggs are now on their way to hatching. At the same time, Tsu'tey and Joanna are ready to begin their own nest on the beach.

_CrissYami_: Thank you, I still miss my big girl but I adopted a companion for her daughter when I learned an animal shelter opened up near my house. When one door closes another opens and I offered my home to a bunny in need. Yes, Tsu'tey is preparing to leave since building a hut is a big move and I'm sure his cousins will be having sleepovers there all the time.

_Suger-Hyper_: I loved the song suggestions that I had to use one so thank you for them. As for Neytiri, she will have the baby at the start of the final volume as it focuses on the bonded adults forming their families and ridding Pandora of the last remnants of humankind. I'll keep the baby's gender as a pleasant surprise since we already know the future of Joanna and Tsu'tey.

_Sadie_: If you've reached this point of the story, everything was resolved so don't worry since the couple does have a happy ending of sorts after all.

_Dracoessa_: Since the avatars were made to match na'vi DNA perfectly, I'd imagine that any differences would be in the number of fingers or down at the genetic level. They might be susceptible to certain diseases like cancer or something similar when they're in older age but that might be the most. Don't worry, the kids will all be okay.

* * *

_This time, I didn't add a preview since I want the courting moment and everything leading up to it to be a surprise. I will say, however, that Tsu'tey's plan starts with a trip. :)_


	46. The World Is Ahead Of Us

**Music Inspiration: **Tom Tykwer_- "All Boundaries are Conventions"  
_

* * *

**The World Is Ahead of Us**

* * *

"And so, I have come to you for guidance on this task" Tsu'tey finished politely as he requested the help of the only people available that could create a perfect ambience to ask Joanna to court. He needed a simple but elegant way to ask for her hand as her suitor without sounding overly sentimental. He wasn't accustomed to portraying his emotions but he was certain Joanna knew them after every private moment between them. At the same time, he wanted their steps to cementing a future to be particularly memorable for her. It wouldn't be a fetching story for their future children if he merely popped the question while they ate a meal so this called for a little finesse in charm.

With that in mind, he had set up a small meeting with handmade snacks for his uncles to weigh in his options.

"All of us expected Wätu to ask first but we'd be honored to help" Akhil answered warmly with a chuckle to grant his nephew's request. A bonding union was celebrated by all of the clan, especially family, and he'd be happy to help Tsu'tey. His mate would be gushing with joy for days when she realized he'd truly be staying on the coast with them. She'd always been adamant about keeping a family together and after meeting Tsu'tey after years of not seeing him, she wanted to envelop her nephew in their little niche.

"We would've helped anyway" Kovi chuckled since they were a united front as a family and had been through the same steps as well. He had wondered the same when it was time to ask for Nara's hand and his fellow brothers went through the exact same thing. With Tsu'tey being an only child without parents, guidance fell onto them to help answer his questions.

Tsu'tey smiled with gratitude because he was lost to the dance of romance and admitted sheepishly, "My father didn't tell me much past courting etiquette and frankly, I've been lost on much of what happens afterwards. The only person I ever asked to court was Eytukan's oldest daughter and a simple flower sufficed for her since we were to be bonded anyway."

"I can safely say this: _never_ use the same technique twice" Rafil advised to avoid having Joanna feel second best to a clan leader's daughter. When one individual was of an incredibly lower social status, they did not want to be reminded of the more accomplished women that had vied for their suitor's heart. He picked up a baked cracker to dip it in a bowl of tasty orange dip and grinned with amusement to admit, "My brother tried the same outing with a woman and after hearing the previous woman he courted tell the exact same story months prior, he ended up with a face full of mud."

"So, no flowers then?" Tsu'tey asked uncertainly to make sure he planned everything right. He didn't want Joanna leaving in a huff if he said something wrong but he doubted she would due to her laidback nature. His Joanna didn't seem the flower loving type as their personalities craved exploring the outdoors or simply relaxing in each other's company in a quiet area. He was certain he could find something within her likes to use as his setting and gift offering to ask her.

The men looked at each other for mutual consensus and finally, Akhil spoke wisely, "Only the flowers but of a different variety."

"She likes the bright flowers the pa'li eat from" he answered helpfully since he brought them so Peke could eat them as well. The growing stallion no longer treated him with animosity after the two brokered peace and he reluctantly admitted that his blue eyes did have an adorable quality. He was thankful for the fact that their partners agreed with each of them (except Aci, who was quite tenacious) and he stated with a warm smile, "She appreciates that I care for her partners since she does for mine."

"What do you two enjoy? Is there a particular place or item she's fond of?" Akhil asked to keep creating ideas because the beach had endless sights to behold. It is why he never had the itch of wanderlust to leave since there were coves to explore, places to dive into, cliffs to climb, trees lines to run through, and sand dunes to tumble off of. It was the perfect place to raise his children and Tsu'tey would see the same once he began a family life as well. The oldest gentleman of the group smiled in fond remembrance to his courting days and deliberated, "When I asked Avi, I carved her a willow tree figurine of where we first met since I was collecting wood for new projects and she was seeing old memories. She never lets it out of her sight or the ones of our children which I whittled later on."

"I can't compete with sentimentality" Kovi chuckled with amusement since the story always made the women fawn. His own story was more action packed than romantic but Nara was not one for being the swooning or flower holding type. Thankfully, he came from a family of boys so it wasn't too hard to find an outing that would allow him to ask Nara. Unfortunately, he didn't count on her taking a detour during a fly over the ocean before he could ask her and shook his head to admit, "Frankly, I chased Nara over the sea until we ended at Uteho'awkx itself. Needless to say, the woman made me redo the climb until I caught her and won the right to court her."

Tsu'tey balked at even attempting that dangerous option and asked with pure disbelief, "You climbed an entire cliff? Again?"

"Love makes you do insane things . . . but she was my Nara" the hunter replied earnestly since the huntress had tried to catch his attention multiple times. Unfortunately, he hadn't paid her any attention until she literally dropped fruit on his head during a foraging trip. He was a decade older than her so he had been rather surprised to know the younger huntress had a romantic inkling towards him. When he finally paid attention, he was pleased to find his other half since the outdoors and hunting was their passion in life. A master tracker and an expert archer made the two a deadly unit on their outings and Kovi knew right away she was the one for him.

He looked to his last and youngest uncle for input since Zika was Joanna's teacher so maybe something slipped in during last meal conversations. Rafil always managed to get stupefied looks and amused laughter so he recounted, "I met Zika when I burned my lower arm in preparation for a large feast. She took such diligent care of me that I invited her to eat the food that was left for the cooks for tasting before presenting. She was such a kind girl that I asked her to court on the spot and I never regretted a single moment."

"You hadn't even known each other for more than a _day_?" his nephew asked incredulously with another shocked face to that admission. If he'd chosen what to do with Joanna on the first day he met her, he would've gutted his future mate right on that very same spot in the forest. Either his uncle had been out of his mind in bravery or his aunt Zika made quite an impression on him. He gaped in surprise that it made the men laugh to his shocked stupor.

"It made Avi quite alarmed when she accepted" Akhil laughed with remembrance to his mate's shock and the impending arguments that followed. Nara had been the one expected to mate after Avi but when Zika popped in to say she'd met the future father of her children, the seamstress had hit the ceiling of her hut. It took both him and Nara to keep her from stomping into the cook's area to demand that Rafil end it all. However, when she finally did meet the young cook, the anger left and she took a liking to the humble man- especially when he asked her permission to bond with Zika.

"There are times when you do need time to grow into the people you're meant to be but Zika and I were compatible from the start and still are" the cook explained truthfully about his fateful romance because he wouldn't have changed a thing. Zika had given his life further meaning and provided him with three beautiful children to love endlessly. He considered himself blessed for having a loving mate to share a life with and advised Tsu'tey with a friendly smile, "I didn't wake up thinking I had to court a woman that day, it merely happened on the right time at the right place. Every individual has that pivotal moment in life and yours has arrived after numerous obstacles. This land is your right place and the right time . . . we have to figure that one out."

"The tide will be low tomorrow if you'd like to go exploring" Kovi informed since he knew their shared ranks allowed for similarities between them. Tsu'tey's head snapped to the left immediately to that because Joanna indeed loved visiting the areas to the south. The older hunter smiled as he saw his nephew's eyes light up and chuckled softly, "I think he has an idea."

"The caves, Joanna loves exploring them" he agreed as he found his perfect setting since he'd been debating between the cliffs, willow trees, or a spot on the beach. The Atykwe land held natural beauty that it was hard to decide where to ask her but then again, he could save an area for the final question to cement their union. He wouldn't wait very long during their courting to ask her to set a date for their union and suggested his ideal setting, "Arat told me of a particular one that has reflective stones of color peeking from within the rock. I can scope it out tomorrow in the early morning and lead her there when the tide is lowest."

"Good, we have a place" Akhil smiled to their success of the afternoon and refilled his drinking cup with water. Since he couldn't have this talk with his son, who was who knows where at the moment being single, he enjoyed helping his nephew on his path. He never imagined doing so after waving goodbye to the little six year old years ago but Eywa worked in mysterious ways. He tapped his fingers against the wooden cup as Tsu'tey keep dipping a chip for the tenth time and asked gently, "Will you cancel the flowers?"

"Possibly, I want to give her something meaningful like you did" Tsu'tey pondered quietly but frowned when the chip in the dip broke in half from growing too soggy. His shoulders slumped as the food conveyed his inner brewing emotions and Rafil handed him the leaf plate full of chips so he could grab another. This time, he only dipped it once before biting into the crispy cracker and stated simply, "She has always been fond of jewelry making but I gave her my mother's necklace and made her earrings. It's too late to make her anything decent-"

"Never say never" the men said in unison because even the smallest trinket could delight their loved ones. Tsu'tey took their advice to mind since they were happily mated men and produced wonderful families to show for it.

Tsu'tey pondered because it _was_ tradition to bestow a gift to one's partner and he wanted her to love it. She enjoyed items to wear or to decorate a home so he wondered about a symbolic gift. His uncle Akhil had given him an idea with his figurines but Tsu'tey wanted a different approach to leave Joanna in awe. Thankfully, she wasn't very hard to please and a simple shiny stone would make her happy. Due to that, he'd make a heartfelt gift to show his love for her simplicity.

"I will give her a scarf and she can wear it for our ceremony" he decided easily on the wearable gift that would give his beloved huntress a delicate look. Since they would live on the coast, he imagined the cold season left her eager to grab a wrap and his would come in handy. He wasn't sure whether a warm or thin wrap would suit her best but he'd decide on that later. For now, he had a basic idea and began to munch on crackers with enthusiasm as he added in, "And tree seeds so we can plant them to show our commitment to this bond for many years to come. I could even ask our herbalist friend in the Omaticaya to bring seeds for a garden when we invite her for the union."

The men nodded agreeably to his choice as their meeting produced a good result and Akhil reminded, "It's best that you be fast, Tsu'tey. Avi has a nose for secrets like a thanator and I can only hold her off for so long before she discovers it."

"She'll be showing Joanna family recipes before you know it" Rafil chuckled since they hadn't had a female join the family by a union in many years. Tsu'tey's mother had been the only one and Avi would be happy to do the same with the next generational line. Since she already knew the young woman through Zika, it would only be a matter of time before Joanna was learning their family traditions.

Tsu'tey smiled modestly since they had both been longing for a family to fit into and admitted, "I think she'd just be happy to finally have someone to call an aunt."

His partner had wandered to find her sense of home and after finally discovering it, a new family would be coming along. She already loved his cousins endlessly and a man didn't need any more signs to know when he'd met the one to share his life with. Life was developing splendidly for him and although the heartache of leaving the Omaticaya was slowly creeping near, he would face it without fear.

After all, a warrior didn't shy away from the unknown and would only tread forward.

* * *

"I have a trip for us today" Tsu'tey declared with a bright smile as he surprised her with the first step of his plan. Joanna had arrived at his hut with two bowls of fruit that his uncle Rafil had given to her as she wandered Kelutral. The men had been in cahoots as to how the plan would be executed and Rafil had been placed as the lookout to hand the fruit. As he worked outdoors for the day, Akhil had directed her where to go since Kovi had been roped into baby duty with his infant.

He rose to his feet hastily since he'd been inspecting his handy satchel for any last minute items he might've forgotten. His gift had been made by a joyful Avi as the two bonded in her hut and the seamstress hoped for the best. She had brought in a basket full of beads, stone, and colorful thread to make sure his scarf turned out beautiful. If the huntress dared to reject her nephew's sweet gift, Avi would be incredibly disappointed in her.

"You lead, I follow" she smiled eagerly because a trip meant adventure for the two and held up the bowls to pipe up, "I brought snacks."

"I have a basket to add, actually" the hunter informed with a sly smile as he picked up a wicker basket from the rear left corner of his home. His first days sleeping in the green hut had been unnerving and it had reminded him of his first days alone without both of his parents. Uncertainty, wariness, and a hint of nervousness had flickered through him on the first night after expecting to drown or have the hut fall on him. When it hadn't, he had been just plain happy to see the rising sunset to live another day. It was a transition he was still enduring but if water dared to tread anywhere near his hut, he'd be moving his hut all the way to Kelutral.

He met her at the entrance to greet her with a fond kiss and she smiled widely, "Hmm, don't tempt me to stay instead."

She scuttled out as he closed the front flaps of the hut and he led her towards the huts of his family next door. He had employed the help of his adorably friendly cousins for this plan and instructed them to learn specific questions to pop during the small picnic. As expected, the children were playing at the front of Nara's hut since it was Kovi's turn to be on watch duty while everyone tended to their errands and work. The hunter was tending to his little daughter as she cooed to herself in his arms while he held a rag in the other. With that free hand, he cleaned a white residue off his chest from a recent gift from his daughter.

"Let me guess, she spit up milk on you again?" Tsu'tey chuckled softly since Nara tended to feed her child until she couldn't hold any more. He wouldn't be surprised if he ended up seeing her pudgy through the months but Nara loved to feed her children often to ensure maximum health. After numerous attempts to have children, she would make sure her two children would lead healthy lives into adulthood. That, and it was an immense relief to her breasts to remove the milk.

Kovi agreed with a hearty chuckle as he rocked his small infant and Tsu'tey greeted her with a soft voice. Híri cooed giddily to his familiar face and her pudgy feet kicked out when he tickled her left cheek with a soft chuckle. Every time he glimpsed at the children, he wanted one of his own and looked to Joanna as she stood at the doorway. She was already doting on Leti and playing with the ikran toys the boys had brought out to entertain themselves with. Hmm, he could still remember her trying to peck him with one back in the Omaticaya.

"Well, I am here to take the children on a short picnic" he informed but the older hunter already knew of the plan and on cue, the youngsters cheered. Frankly, they were still happy to spend time with their cousin and enjoy free food. There was no question whether he spoiled them but Tsu'tey didn't care. After having no family to call his own for years, he was happy to bask in the new bonds he'd formed on the beach.

"Run along then, I will stay here and try to put this little atokirina to sleep" he chuckled warmly and tickled his daughter's belly to stir a happy twinkle in her eyes.

Tsu'tey squeezed her little hand and clasped his uncle's shoulder in farewell before heading to the small children. He was amused to find red smears over their lilac pink lips as they tried to play innocent and Joanna informed with a chuckle, "They, ah, ate your fruit while waiting."

"It was yummy" Leti stated cheerfully without abashment as she smiled through red stained lips. Joanna chuckled when she clasped her hands behind her back and peered at him with pride for doing a good job at finishing the fruit. The four children had devoured the red cubes in mere seconds but Joanna showed him her uneaten bowl so they could share as a couple.

Tsu'tey sighed to their daring nature around him but merely shooed them out of the hut so they could begin their trek towards the beach. Hopefully, the cliffs surrounding the coast would shroud their picnic area with shade because the sun wouldn't make it a cozy outing if it blared down on them. The boys walked ahead in front of them as Tsu'tey guided their path and Leti grasped his free hand to stay safe with the adults like her parents taught her to.

"Joanna, I will only ask this again when I'm an old man and unable to feed myself but could you give me a piece of fruit?" he requested politely despite the embarrassment tinting his cheeks. He didn't exactly have a hand to spare when Leti held one and the basket was in another, leading Joanna to chuckle. She pierced one fruit with the thin stick utensil in her hand and held a cubed piece to his mouth with a smile.

"You can ask anytime, I'm always here to help" she assured gently because she would be there for better or worse as the years passed. He wasn't the type of man to choose a safe rank or to be relaxed so she would always be prepared for the worst. Leti peered up at her with sweet innocent eyes that were _too_ innocent and Joanna asked knowingly with a raised brow, "You want a piece of fruit too, don't you, little Leti?"

Leti smiled with glee when she held out one cube and nibbled on the free treat. She loved freebies! As the three walked onwards, she used Tsu'tey's tall form for shade and asked with a toothy smile, "Nana, can I stay in your new hut when sa'nu lets me?"

Joanna chuckled to her enthusiasm to be a part of their lives before they had bonded and chuckled, "Of course, you're more than welcome. The same goes for all of you."

Leti smiled cheerfully at the thought of having a little bed of her own in their hut and squeezed her cousin's hand. For a moment, Tsu'tey could imagine himself doing this with a little daughter of his own one day as he took his family to a stroll down the beach. As the boys walked ahead of them, Sifu turned around as he overheard their conversations and asked Joanna, "Tsu'tey told us you pelted him with fruit once?"

"Yes, he had been rather irritating that day in the forest" she smiled with amusement to their fruit fight because they'd been at each other's throats. They had left each other a colorful array of colors to the point that they were no longer cyan and it had taken a while to wash everything off. The cherry on top was the lecture they'd received by Neytiri when they returned and it only led Tsu'tey on another angry rant towards her. They had endured quite the predicaments together and she chuckled to tell the intrigued children, "However, we must never waste food and it is best to treat others cordially, no matter how much they irritate us. For all we know, they will be the ones who light up our lives for years to come."

Tsu'tey couldn't help but tease her about that incident, "I did win that battle, you know."

"A baby nantang fared better than you did" she shot back with a warm laugh since she'd landed critical strikes on his butt. He had been so immaculate with his appearance that he'd been thrown into a rage from the first strike. She could still remember his hisses but she'd added a few of her own as well.

"And did he really trap you after a clan game?" Keron asked curiously as he fell in between both groups for protection. He always held a respect for the sea and if any waves decided to swallow him up randomly, Tsu'tey would be there to keep him safe from harm. The little boy was proud to have a clan advisor as a friend, even better as a cousin, and was happy to be lucky enough to spend time with him.

Joanna laughed merrily to that particular memory because poor Norm had been flattened into the ground while she'd hung like a carcass. Tsu'tey could still remember her feisty hisses and she answered with a cheerful smile, "I hung like a poor tapirus by one leg."

"Is it true you kept tapirus herds?" Leti squealed with glee since the little animals on her blankets brought her joy. It was a rarity to see a tapirus on the coast and most that had wandered in from other areas of the coast or managed to solve the maze of their natural rock border. Oh, what she'd give to see a little fat tapirus in front of her!

"Oh yes, I loved feeding them" she sighed with longing to the waddling animals that brought her joy when she'd felt her lowest. They were always happy to eat the little scraps she brought and even though Tsu'tey made them scram, they sought her for protection. All in all, she'd become an unofficial tapirus by nature and wondered how the herds were doing. She looked to her beloved with a mischievous glint in her eyes and smiled, "I even named one after Tsu-Tsu."

"Don't remind me" he muttered dryly because that specific tapirus was as plump as plump could be and it was only a matter of time before it was eaten by a predator. If it somehow managed to survive for longer, Tsu'tey might just deem it the luckiest tapirus of all.

"Tsu-Tsu, when will you bond?" Leti asked innocently as she popped one of the questions he'd taught her. Nobody could deny the cuteness that was Leti and he was using it to his advantage to set the mood on family. He couldn't have too many questions aimed at Joanna or she'd grow suspicious of the outing. She pouted to unleash her most swaying ability and murmured with disappointment, "Wätu will never have little Wätu's for us. That's what aunt Avi says."

"One day soon, Leti" he replied calmly to maintain his innocent and looked to Joanna with a charming smile, "If my intended accepts."

"Oh, I'm quite sure she will" she smiled bashfully as the thought of stepping into a married life excited her and brought nervousness at the same time. Could she be a good mate to him? Were there certain traditions between bonded couples that she had to learn beforehand? There were many questions spinning in her mind but in the end, there was no hesitation whether he was the one for her.

* * *

His plan hit the first bump in the road when the children refused to return to the huts because they wanted to see their cousin pop the question. Leti had clung to his leg defiantly and reminded she'd been promised a little spot in his hut. Normally, courting questions were done in private but Tsu'tey had become an everyday part of their lives so he decided to bend formality. He was certain they would be occupied enough by the glittering cave so he'd relented and allowed them to accompany them. Their involvement would be a sweet reminder in the years to come and when the children themselves were ready to undertake the same tradition, he'd be there to help.

Joanna had carried Leti over the slippery rocks to prevent her from falling while Tsu'tey kept the boys close to him to prevent any accidents. The cave was located south so they had to journey over the rocky path that the low tide revealed for them to walk over. They passed caves of all sizes and at each mouth, the children asked if it was the right one. By the eight cave, Tsu'tey was ready to tell them that he'd alert them when they arrived but they broke into an 'are we there yet?' loop of song. This helped to remind him to have children far apart in ages to prevent being overwhelmed by cheerful little hands.

When they finally arrived, the children scampered inside but he was quick to lecture them to be careful. He wasn't ready to nurse a bleeding toe or dislocated ankle this far from the huts. Tsu'tey could barely hold his excitement but wanted his nervousness gone as Joanna stepped into the small cave in front of him to allow Leti to walk with her brothers. Joanna's eyes caught the crystalline sparkles of the natural mineral deposits that coated every inch of the cave from top to bottom in various colors. Green! Blue! Pink! Yellow! Goodness, she could even see the faintest glitter on the floor she walked on as she headed inside with a smile. There was so much beauty in the small cave and wondered just how she'd missed seeing this before.

Her fingers touched the glittering stones that peeked within the rough rocks and she sighed softly, "Oh, it's absolutely stunning in here. How did you find this one?"

"A little huntress with a historical mind and an advisor in training" he supplied innocently with a small smile to her closest friends and his voice echoed. Hearing it, the children giggled and they erupted into laughter when their own echo replied. Tsu'tey pointed towards mineral stones ranging from tiny glitters in rock to large protrusions overhead to catch their attention. It didn't take much to entertain them but he kept a vigilant eye on them as he stepped beside Joanna to say, "I'm glad you like it."

"Like is an understatement- I _love_ it" she smiled happily to his wonderfully brilliant idea and he took it as a good sign. He always found the most unique of areas to visit and it was a trait she was fond of because Pandora was a world ready to be explored.

"I enjoy spending my time with you, especially by exploring the world around us" he stated honestly as she brightened his days whenever he traveled to the Atykwe and missed her dearly when he returned home. He smiled to seeing her hands roam over the stone walls as she etched each area into memory. There was no turning back when he retrieved a carefully folded canary hued cloth from his satchel and he touched her shoulder for attention. The physical gesture surprised her because they only grasped each other in private but the young ones were rather occupied and innocent to know better.

Joanna blinked to the folded silky fabric in his hands and he took a deep breath before softly speaking, "It feels surreal that we are the same people who threw each other into pools more than a year ago but here we are. I cannot deny that my affection has only grown stronger because of you after your leave and I can't bear to lose that ever again. I know that my rightful place is at your side, regardless of the position I have, because I treasure you immensely."

Her ears flattened against her head as his admission brought pure warmth to her heart and she whispered, "Tsu'tey-"

"Joanna, I've never felt this way towards anyone but _you_" he continued to admit every feeling he'd kept bottled because he wanted her to hear every word. His little tokens of affection could only do so much and women liked hearing compliments or love admissions every once in a while. He glanced down at the shawl that his aunt Avi helped him sew, choosing the calm pastel canary to complement her, and smiled sincerely, "You captivate me and I would be a happy man if you accepted my token and my offer to court you as your future mate."

Normally, a man would say 'potential mate' but Tsu'tey was absolutely certain that no other could seize her affection after fighting hard to earn it. Her fingertips smoothed over the delicate fabric in his hands, noticing blue colored appliqués at the ends and knew he'd made or had it made for her. Eywa had truly made a unique heart with the fearsome warrior that had quite the hand at sewing. They both knew what the end of a successful courting period would bring and she would gracefully accept the best or worst of it. She loved him like no other man that existed and would be proud to wake next to him for the rest of her days. Her hands cupped his face as she saw the words ready to spill from his lips and she whispered gingerly, "Remember to think about this carefully if you're ready to ask this-"

"I love you" he insisted firmly because he was ready to continue with his life and he was done mulling over the loss of the Omaticaya. He had given all that he could for the clan and it was time to make a family with a new clan. Leti peered at the two as the boys tried to see how many colors one stone could produce in every angle and smiled quietly to her Tsu-Tsu and Nana. Joanna's gaze didn't leave his as she stood on the brink of a pivotal moment of her life and he stated carefully, "I have been dwelling on this decision for a while with side counsel and Eywa has guided me to you continuously. I will only offer this once because I am ready to start the next part of my life with a family and you are the woman I would like to share that with. If not, I will gracefully decline and return to my clan. You will have to understand that in order to cleanse my heart of that love, I will never return here unless for clan matters."

She didn't doubt his love but his sense of duty to the Omaticaya had been powerful. Was he really ready? If she refused . . . oh, how she loved him. The thought of never seeing him again. . .

Her lips quivered as she took into account everything they were putting on the line and didn't find it fair that he was doing the most. All she could do was hope that providing him with a new life would suffice and that he wouldn't regret a single moment of it. She could take solace in the fact that the Omaticaya had given him memories to hold onto and they would build new ones together. Her ears flattened against her braided hair as she whispered sadly with lament to what her answer would be, "I can't ask you to do _so_ much for me-"

"The childbirth should weigh in heavily with that" he commented to lighten the tense mood and she held back tears to the idea. Leti's voice echoed in squeaks when she overheard them and 'little Tsu-Tsu's' bounced off the walls. The corner of Joanna's eyes stung at the thought of holding a wriggling newborn one day and understood that he was ready to hold said newborn.

Her hands moved over her abdomen to mimic a pregnant stomach and she murmured weakly, "With your height, I'll be off my feet by the end."

They smiled to that idea and she blinked back tears because they always imagined home would've been at the Omaticaya but no. Eywa had decided that their life would be lived best on the coast and Joanna would take that leap of faith. He could see the clear tears forming in the corner of her eyes and he extended the material in his hands, wrapping the shawl around her shoulders. Kissing her forehead to soothe away the last lingering worries, he whispered wholeheartedly, "I need you in my life, Joanna. There is no other alternative for me, my heart is yours and I am miserable without you."

"I . . . I. . . I need you too" she replied meekly because she hoped he wouldn't regret this when it was time to become an officially mated couple. He'd already mentioned that he wanted a very short courting period so that could put them from a week to a few months towards sealing the deal. Her fingers curled against the soft fabric and treasured the gift he'd made just for her as she sighed softly. She had never trusted any man with her heart and allowed him one last moment to think about his question, "But if you ever feel hesitant, you have to tell me-"

"I won't be" he assured with a confident smile that was certainly convincing and tied the shawl in front of her chest. The soft color complemented her skin beautifully and the pastel hue would allow for a small child to be swaddled in it. She had become the perfect mate in his eyes after their rocky beginning and complimented fondly, "You look beautiful in it . . . not that you aren't without it."

She chuckled bashfully to his sheepish words at the end and caressed his right cheek with her thumb. This moment held a different aura than that single night many months ago when they secretly courted under the stars. They had been impulsive by diving headfirst into a secret entanglement that backfired on them. Time had served to mold them into better individuals who no longer held trust issues and she admitted sincerely, "Thank you, Tsu'tey, for everything. We did not last very long that first time, which we'll always keep secret unless we want to be kicked by all the elders-"

He laughed amusingly to her flustered expression and to ensure little ears wouldn't overhear that portion. If his aunt Avi heard that, he'd receive quite a lecture on etiquette . . . but he loved the fact that he could _receive_ lectures from family. She lowered her voice to keep their conversation private and continued, "But the timing is right. We're both respected adults and we have nothing important in our lives but serving our respective clans. We've finally reached that pinnacle we talked about more than a year ago so I don't see a better time."

Tsu'tey took that as a sign to tie it all together and cupped her hands between his to ask carefully with a smile, "Joanna, would you court me as your future mate?"

"I will be very proud- no, honored- to call you my suitor" she replied earnestly as she plunged forward to take that first step into a life with him. She stood up on the tips of her toes to pull him into a passionate kiss to convey her joy. There were no further words she could use to describe the jubilant moment. When she heard giggling, she softened it into a short kiss and whispered they'd celebrate later. It was safe to say now that he loved his hut due to the privacy it provided him with Joanna and agreed instantly.

Her fingertips grazed his jawline delicately and she smiled fondly, "You make me so happy, Tsu'tey."

He pulled her into a cozy embrace, kissing the apple of her cheek as she leaned into him with a content chuckle. Yes, everything was falling into place slowly and he loved every moment of it- hoping it would remain that way. His clan would be where his mate considered home and luckily, her clan happened to have family where he could continue growing his roots. Alongside his patriarchal family, he would be content and one day, he would have one of his own. After all, he promised Leti a little Tsu-Tsu within a few years and was certain they'd be ready to greet a child by that time.

Her gentle pecks to his left cheek widened his fond smile and she teased affectionately, "Despite your warrior prowess, you are quite the romantic."

"Really? I blamed it on our similar traits because some might see my gifts as plain or useless" he stated with a modest chuckle and traced his fingertips over the edge of the shawl. His Joanna looked as pretty as the day he admitted his affection and had fully come to appreciate her selfless rescue attempt on their fateful meeting. His thumbs swept over the apples of her cheeks as he promised earnestly with nothing but love, "I will protect your health to the best of my ability because you matter most to me. We will explore our world together because I know we both enjoy the freedom of exploration and discovery, especially since we've never left our clans. You are my other half and encourage yet restrain me to be balanced. Otherwise, I might not be so calm and wise around others."

She chuckled to his subtle joke about his short temper and sighed gently, "Oh, you are my perfect man, Tsu'tey."

Leti clapped cheerfully to seeing their affectionate hug as it reminded her of her own parents at home. Tsu'tey quickly released Joanna because Leti had a tendency to hop in place whenever she clapped with glee while standing. He wasn't going to allow her to fall against the rocky floor and scooped her up before her soles landed on anything slippery. Joanna smiled to his vigilant nature and if he behaved so protectively with his cousins, their future children would be in perfectly capable hands.

* * *

The group returned home just as the sun began to touch the water to usher in dusk over the beach. The children entertained themselves by counting the numerous colors in the sky while the young couple walked together with thoughts about their upcoming union. They were surprised to find Nitari awaiting them at the beach near their family huts while accompanied by her favorite emissaries. Anaya was busy building a sandcastle on the shore with damp sand while Arat was speaking to Kovi as he held his cooing infant. Avi was trying her earnest to fill the matriarch's belly with her snacks but Nitari didn't want to spoil her appetite, thanking the seamstress for her kindness.

When the two women caught sight of the small group bounding up to them, Nitari smiled knowingly to tease, "A little bird tells me we have a new courting couple."

"For once, it was not me" Anaya piped up proudly as she added the finishing touch to her small sandcastle. Her days with Joanna had led her to take a fancy with building structures with sand but the tide always destroyed them. The matriarch had asked to be accompanied to the huts of Tsu'tey's family and Anaya had an inkling as to what after informing him of spectacular sights. She rubbed her hands together to brush off sand, careless to how child-like she appeared, and smiled at her friends, "I can't wait to see how it looks tomorrow."

"Anaya, I keep telling you that the tide will destroy it" Arat sighed to her endless creations around shore but she merely ignored him, raising her nose defiantly as she smoothed the sand. Joanna chuckled to her creation of the day since she tried to build something different every day, even if it was as small as her hand.

The children scampered forward to greet their family, kissing their respective mothers on the cheek as they chatted together. Before either Zika or Nara could grab their children, the quartet was off to peer at Anaya's work with curiosity. The huntress was more than happy to have little hands to help and dubbed them her assistants. All four was delighted to continue their play day and scrambled to collect damp sand to bring to further reinforce Anaya's creation.

Tsu'tey stepped forward to the matriarch and bowed his head politely before speaking, "Tsahìk, I know tradition dictates I speak with her parents for their blessing but Joanna doesn't exactly have them present."

"Not unless you create a flying city that can travel to Earth, own a breathable mask, and land down there" she stated dryly about her origins because she didn't want to include him in that past life. Her family was surrounding her at that very moment with future aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends that have become siblings to her. Her smile softened to his commitment to follow their traditions accordingly and dismissed, "Even then, I wouldn't let you because they don't love me like you do or how my true family does. I don't have parents but I have many brothers and sisters here."

"You may ask me" Nitari suggested calmly with a motherly smile at the two, causing Joanna's ears to flatten sheepishly and his to rise on end. Arat and Anaya curiously eyed the two because it was a rarity to be asked because most residents had parents, grandparents, or close relatives to be asked. In Joanna's case, there were no immediate relatives but it was a tremendous honor to have a tsahìk stand in as family.

Joanna's lips parted to prevent being a bother of the matriarch's time but the older woman raised a finger to lecture gently, "This is my choice and you are a child under my wing, Joanna."

Tsu'tey gathered his words quickly because he'd expected to forgo that formality due to her lack of family. Instead, he found himself facing yet another matriarch for a woman's hand in courting and graciously asked, "I request your permission to court your honorable daughter with the full intent to bond for life by the end of it. All I can offer is my unending loyalty and protection to both your clan and daughter for as long as I am breathing."

"And I will bless this union so do not break her little heart or I will run you out faster than a thanator" Nitari accepted with light warning because she took care of her children with a protective shield. Tsu'tey quickly assured that he'd never try such a thing out of fear of hurting Joanna and angering a very powerful matriarch. Nitari smiled with delight at finally seeing the two build their new life after fractures of dreams had filled her meditations two years ago. Now, she had that same couple eyeing each other with love and encouraged the two warmly, "Enjoy the rest of your day, I am most certain your family is ready to hear of the news."

From behind her, Avi was ready to burst from between her two sisters as the other two tried to keep her from blurting her joy. Normally, the seamstress was reserved but to see her oldest nephew and the only child of her single brother request to build a life on their beach. . .

"Welcome to the family!" Avi whispered sweetly as she moved to grasp Joanna's hands in a fond squeeze to finally welcome her. Everyone was certain the question would arrive soon but they never wanted to pressure the young man about his future plans. Joanna beamed with happiness and tears blurred her eyes at having a family to call her own and Avi turned to Tsu'tey to sigh, "Oh, you will be very happy here, child."

Nitari chuckled softly at seeing the seamstress' joy at inducting a new family member and eyed Anaya as she played with the children. Her ears flattened because she was more than ready to partake in that same journey if she didn't want to gain Arat's parents' approval. She would bide her time and help the last of her lost little ikran find their way to happiness as well.

Tsu'tey looked to his uncles while the women fawned over his chosen mate and spoke with gratitude, "Thank you for all of your help, I couldn't have done it alone."

"You're never alone and you carry that strength within you wherever you go" Akhil reminded kindly as he grasped his nephew's shoulder for an affectionate squeeze. Tsu'tey had never been an individual without hardships and after clearing the figurative minefield that had held numerous obstacles for him- he was free of it all.

Kovi opened his mouth to add in a few words but Híri decided to spit up again at that very moment and covered his neck in regurgitated milk. The men winced to the sight but after enduring random blasts of food from two children, Kovi merely informed Tsu'tey, "Prepare to deal with this because they will either drool or poop- sometimes both at the same time- for the first months."

Híri merely cooed and disregarded spitting up on her father entirely as she waved her little limbs. Nitari spotted the small child with her keen sight and she clasped her hands together to sigh sweetly, "Oh, I think someone needs a little more burping."

Kovi was more than happy to hand over his little infant to fetch a towel and Tsu'tey chuckled at seeing the matriarch coddle Híri. Whenever a child needed holding, Nitari would happily oblige that little heart with love. He would've never imagined fitting in perfectly with his family and Joanna's group of friends but the Atykwe was the perfect place to raise his children.

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**A/N**: Life has been hectic for me since last month so I apologize for the late chapter (even while writing this note at home, I was called in for another job task so yeah- hectic). I added, removed, and edited parts until it was near perfect for the two which led to prolonging the update. I've also been tinkering with the outline again so I'll be removing a few chapters or editing them to bring their union that much closer. The children have been most adorable in this tale since Tsu'tey arrival at the beach so I had to include them in this chapter, especially Leti. I can already see her showing their future daughter how to be a big girl one day- who knows, they might even become the best of friends!

_Kunfupandalover_: Thanks for loving the story!

_iluvmycorgi22_: Leti is deceptively innocent and cute to the max. I can definitely see Tsu'tey becoming flustered at having to share the birds and the bees to his children, especially his daughter, and would relate it to weapons. Lol

_Deep Blue Dragon_: I'm sure Tsu'tey would've liked to have his own private tsaheylu bond in his hut with Joanna but the two promised to adhere to tradition. However, their little snuggling sessions will be discovered when one is missing from their tent and a lecture will ensue.

_Hannahhobnob_: Thank you very much for loving the entire (unfinished) story because it is lengthy. The couple has definitely had their tumultuous obstacles but it is all over and they can focus on building the life they've always wanted. I love the animals of Pandora so I always have to include them and ikran are rather cute with their eggs.

_Thejadegecko_: You're right, I just assumed he already had that necklace on when I wrote the part since he popped in at Kelutral to find her rather than the other way around. Since he's going to be an Atykwe ikran, I'd like to think that Xeki's pheromones help to mix his scent into the clan's but the necklace is pretty much a must for him. As for genetic defects, Joanna did wonder about it when she wondered about their fertility but since the DNA was intricate enough to create the body as more na'vi than human. Since Avatar takes place in 2154, I imagine that medicine for fertility has advanced in comparison to today. They are all good questions to ponder because the cut from the film does have Neytiri pregnant with Jake's child.

_Caleb's babe_: Thank you very much for being a loyal follower!

_Xahraxs_: It won't be too long before he's holding a little baby of his own.

_CrissYami_: Thank you for always loving my chapters.

_Dracoessa_: Well, Tsu-Tsu popped the question and now it's all planning for the two lovebirds.

_Claycarole_: Your idea of two ikran landing made me laugh, especially since he prides himself on his work. Tsu'tey's definitely been accommodating because he has children that he actually likes now and he's no longer looking out for number one when it concerns them and Joanna. Bachelor Tsu'tey has come to an end and Family Man Tsu'tey is starting to flourish. Lol

_Kajarocksu_: Thank you for loving the story, I'm glad you liked it!

_Emmalime_: I'll always update, even if it's terribly late because this story has been so loved that I have to do it in its honor. We'll definitely be seeing more family bonding in the next chapter as the two settle into their courting stage.

_Yaoi-Beloved_: Tsu'tey respects women highly, especially those that can challenge him physically, so he'll always watch his words. Lol

_kennacorn the unicorn prince_: Thank you for loving the story!

_Ellipsis_: I congratulate you for reading the whopping length of this unfinished and thank you for spreading the story to others. Thanks for informing me about the grammar since it tends to slip by every once in a while during editing (especially now that it's boiling hot in my city).

_Nykki13_: Enjoy the update. :)

_AlisonAPD_: Oh, I'm so glad you loved the story so much to read it over again! I really liked Tsu'tey's character in the film (Neytiri too) so I was disappointed when the poor guy was killed off. He has quite the dazzling smile which is why poor Joanna melts like butter when she's the lucky recipient. It's great to know you like her characterization, along with the others, because there are a lot of OC's in this tale. There are a lot of hilarious moments in the story and that dance was funny indeed because Tsu'tey rarely shows his manipulative side when he's been slighted. Again, thank you for loving the story and rereading it- an author can only be so lucky.

* * *

**A/N**: I won't be able to post a new preview since I'm tinkering with the outline and my schedule will be hectic until July 20 due to nursing school paperwork so I have to wiggle in time to squeeze out the next chapter. All in all, I'm pretty sure this volume will end within two or three chapters. As always, I thank each and every one of you for reading and reviewing my story because I truly appreciate it.


	47. Merging Roads

**Music Inspiration**: _"Liara's Song"_ by Sam Hulick

* * *

**Merging Roads**

* * *

Joanna happily sunk her toes in the cold sand as the black veil of night surrounded the coast she called home. She smiled as the cool breeze brushed back tendrils of loose hair from her braid. No matter how old she became one day, she would never tire of the beautiful starry night sight. After spending years on a severely polluted Earth, Pandora would always be her paradise- no matter how dangerous it could be. Imagining the future, she looked to her handsome suitor as he sharpened his hunting knife (a daily ritual) and softly asked, "Will you truly be happy here?"

"Yes, home is wherever you are" he answered with a small smile and she pressed her cheek to his shoulder with a content smile. Home sounded quite spectacular to her whenever he was involved. His tool sharpening stopped to her affection as the night provided a perfect shroud for them in her hut. His golden gaze met hers to show her respect as she initiated a conversation regarding their future and he promised loyally, "I will follow you always, Joanna, regardless of what clan we end up living in."

"I never thought I'd hear something like that come out through your mouth" she chuckled lightly to his stubbornness towards change and sadness to leave his clan. He'd been resilient to make changes to his daily schedule, much less his personality, but he'd steadily grown to adapt. He wasn't quick to snap someone's head off when they made a mistake and he smiled at residents without having a need to know them beforehand. Her hunter had changed into a loving man and one she'd be proud to spend the rest of her days with.

He shot her his trademark smirk and nudged her shoulder with his own to charm suavely, "I never thought my mate would be this beautiful."

"Tsu'tey" she smiled bashfully to such flattery from him and felt his arm wrap around her waist to tug her close. Her smile only widened to the display of affection because a single touch livened her skin and warmed her heart. The beach was quite deserted as everyone mostly kept to their huts at that hour of the night but figures could be seen along the shoreline. Joanna had quickly learned that her significant other was indifferent in public but privately, the man was passionate. Not the sweet and gentle lingering of a lover but one that would make you forget your own name as he sent your mind into euphoria. Their brief encounters together could only leave her with curious questions to how their married life would play out day by day.

Joanna shivered lightly when the pads of his fingers grazed her bare side and a coy blush graced her cheeks to the tantalizing but innocent touch. He could turn her into bubbly goo with the tiniest of movements and she ran her fingers over his before intertwining them together. Quietly, she rested her chin against the warm crook of his neck and reminded him, "I'm not your mate yet. I . . . I want you to be absolutely sure about this-"

His lips pressed against her forehead before Joanna could get the rest of her words out and cut her off to promise, "I will not regret anything. Eywa has made my path very clear and seasons ago, I would never have guessed this was it but. . ."

He cupped her face with his hands and she smiled at how she loved every little thing about him. They weren't even mated yet but she knew her partner would prove true and loyal in the end. A chaste kiss to the nose left her blushing at his display of love for her and he pointed out, "I need you in my life, Joanna. To wake next to me. To explore with me. To put up with my abrasive demeanor, although you will bear none of it-" he kissed her temple with that remark, "Most of all, I need you See me, to love me, until I'm old and withered at your side."

"I will _never_ abandon you" he pledged as he struck that vulnerable cord within her from the past with her family. Their own battles of miscommunication had been conquered and they were stronger for it now rather than shattered. He was her emotional rock through the hard times, even when they squabbled, and life wouldn't be the same without him. She'd offered the same loyalty when he admitted his vulnerabilities and he vowed softly, "I will keep you with me and we will live peacefully with our own children one day until Eywa takes either of us."

She settled her head in the crook of his neck to bask in that love and smiled, "That sounds like a perfect life waiting to be lived, Tsu'tey."

"I plan to make true on it" he promised with a confident smile towards their future and kissed her forehead. He wanted to provide her with a loving home and have children that would grow to be as respectful as they were. He couldn't wait to share the same hammock and hut after missing those nights back at the Omaticaya as they formed their friendship. That innocent friendship had slowly transformed into one of the deepest bonds he could form with another na'vi. She'd become the most precious person in his life and he squeezed her fondly to dote, "Because I love you dearly."

* * *

Tsu'tey stared blankly at the blue ceiling of her hut since the sight was still odd for him. Why would anyone want to be covered in collapsible fabrics rather than a sturdy hammock? It confounded his mind. He couldn't complain because he would have his partner by his side so it would be a mere adjustment. Life in the Atykwe would be a slow transition after living decades within the secure forests but knew his future children would love the boundless freedom the shore provided.

"I don't know if I'll ever grow comfortable in one of these" he admitted with a slow uncertain drawl as he observed the hut with distrust. What would happen if a strong gust of wind knocked it down or worse, dragged it away? It was baffling to live so exposed to the elements! Joanna chuckled at his side on the bed of blankets as she snuggled against him and he insisted, "What if the tide comes in? We'll drown!"

"Tsu'tey, nobody has actually died from living in the huts" she chuckled fondly to his unease and gently massaged his shoulder, knowing it relaxed him easily. Gently pinching the curve of the neck that met his shoulder turned him into putty in her hands and he leaned into her touch with a content groan. He could live with this for the rest of his days if Joanna would live all of them with him- a man could only be so lucky. Her free hand combed through his loose braids to offer one last dose of comfort and she soothed, "You will grow used to it. You remember how scared I was when I had to sleep in the Omaticaya's hammocks? I slowly adapted day by day and so will you."

"I never said I was _scared_" he defended snippily but she directed a placid stare that distinctly said she wasn't buying it. His tells were easy to decipher but as a proud man, he wasn't prone to admitting weaknesses. His throat muffled a low fussy groan to the thought of being afraid of anything and his wrinkled face made her chuckle. He exhaled a puff of air in her face for the playful laughter and received an indignant hiss in return, stirring a laugh from him.

"Of course not, you'll conquer living in a perfectly safe and enclosed hut eventually" she chided gently for one last quip and stroked the start of his neck with her thumbs. He said nothing because the satisfaction of receiving a massage far outweighed winning an argument about huts and basked in her affection. She already knew what areas to press on and those that she hadn't discovered, he revealed. He was tempted to do as she asked when she whispered faintly, "Go to sleep."

"Men cannot spend the night with their unmated woman" he reminded sleepily to the comfortable blankets and she sighed dramatically at his perfect mannerisms. He was just so bound to traditions that she wanted to show him a few human lovemaking tips that would've had him running in fear once they were mated. She couldn't wait to rip out the traditional boy from the warrior and tangle with that passionate spirit. Tsu'tey, however, was onto her way of thinking since she loved to sneak in a few kissing sessions before bedtime and he remarked smartly, "Whether a hammock or hut, I know your crafty mind."

She smiled cheekily at being caught for promiscuity and kissed his jaw line to coax, "There are a _lot_ of crafty things I'd like to do to you."

His thumb pressed against her bottom lip to halt her amorous kisses as he deflected with an awkward clearing of the throat, "You should not say such things."

"Why? Afraid you can't handle it?" she chuckled softly with giddiness to her own boldness and kissed his collarbone. He tried not to melt under her touch because each day became better and it was reaching a point where he had to head to the Omaticaya to retrieve his belongings. Otherwise, he'd end up mating with her without a proper ceremony and he wanted things done right rather than in haste. Her fingers traced over a wooden bead necklace dangling from his neck and she teased playfully, "I thought you were the adventurous type."

"And you are supposed to be bashful, modest-" he pointed out but she cut him off by catching his lips to lure him into a passionate kiss. He tried to mumble out the rest but gave up when her tongue dabbed at his upper lip for entrance and allowed her to come aboard. Rejecting her would not bode well for their relationship but he loved every bit of her as he pulled her close with a fond smile, "And very tempting."

She chuckled to his suave words and pecked him on the lips to chuckle mischievously, "You're not leaving until I get a decent goodnight kiss, Tsu'tey."

"Are you calling me a bad kisser?" he questioned haughtily to gain leverage against her teasing and felt the end of her tail bat his knee. Honestly, she batted that thing everywhere whenever he was with her. This time, he didn't grab her tail to continue their playfulness because if she wanted amorous, she would get it. Hopefully, he wouldn't be horrible at it because Joanna had a wonderful handle on her physical affection.

Joanna barely managed a cocky reply when he enveloped her from above and kissed her to display that dominance she sought. She felt like a pearl inside its shell as his body covered hers and loved every second of having that protective shield. When he was with her, there were no worries in her mind due to his tenacious nature to survive. She had loved being the sassy spider biting into his neck when they first met but now, she'd only snuggle him and offer unconditional love.

He released her with a gentle hand and smirked at seeing her lips move afterwards since her eyes were closed. She realized her passion induced error a second later and sighed awkwardly at being caught by her partner. His thumbs grazed her temples as he leaned down to kiss the apple of her cheek and his breath tickled her skin when he declared, "I think that answers the question."

Joanna batted his chest for his confident boasting and turned over to curl up in her comfy fetal position. Her right hand rested on her shoulder to beckon him as her partner for a few hours and he didn't resist the temptation. He felt completely at peace by her side- it was too natural to deny! - and he settled in behind her to mold his body against hers. She smiled widely for the company when his fingers intertwined with hers and he drew her to his chest for added comfort.

She dug her nose into the bent of his elbow with a smile when he slid his arm underneath her body to snuggle against her. This was the life she'd dreamed of for years after finishing college and Tsu'tey was the cherry on top as they lay together. His lips planted chaste kisses down the side of her neck and the sensual touch of his skin against hers enlivened her senses. The moisture left from his gentle nipping sent a pleasurable tingle down her spine when cool air struck her flesh. Her fingers outlined the bioluminescent dots trailing down his forearm and she aimed to know the location of each and every one by the end of the year.

She smiled as she found one of her favorite trails on his wrist that he usually concealed with a bracer so it was rarely seen during daytime. Now, it was a whole different story as he removed it at night for comfort after a day of training. The dots made two straight paths going downwards from the start of his shoulder and the two intertwined at the crook of his elbow to repeat the same double helix until it finally split at the start of his wrist. Joanna liked that it was hidden underneath his forearm, almost like a natural tattoo, and thought it was the most intricate natural design she'd seen yet.

"I don't see your fascination with the dots" he murmured with disinterest next to her ear and she gave him a tiny growl in protest. How dare he mock her attraction to his appearance? It was her right as a woman to swoon over the man she'd wake to for the rest of her life. He chuckled softly to her response and kissed the start of her ear to question with amusement to her fussing, "Are you trying to be a little nantang?"

His lips traveled over her jaw line to the underside of her chin to pacify his hissing nantang and delight her skin. She sighed softly to his cozy body heat as his weight shifted onto her left side but she remained glued to his bioluminescent dots. He simply let her be to enjoy her fancy with the natural pigments in his skin but cherished that she loved them. What man didn't want to attract his intended partner? She continued outlining his trail of dots as her head nestled against his upper arm and heard him speak up, "I think I may have come up with an idea for this fixation of yours."

"Don't make fun" I chided gently and snuck in a quick peck on the lips before returning to trace the spots over his wrist. His index finger began to trail over a path on the side of her neck and it was soon replaced by his lips as they traveled down to her shoulder. She could already tell these were his amorous nips rather than the chaste dotting he did before taking a nap next to her. Joanna stopped her invisible drawing to lie on her back and stared at him quizzically for his suggestion, "Tsu'tey?"

"My idea is to trace every line Eywa graced your body with using only my lips" he stated smugly and her cheeks burned instantly to his cockiness. Okay, kissing and embracing was one thing but caressing below the shoulders was unexplored territory. She couldn't imagine that he was ready to be so bold and it was enough to stiffen her tail to resemble an ironing board. Her mind was running on rocket fuel to the suggestions he was implying for that night until he popped her bubble to finish with a contradiction, "When we mate, of course."

"You are a phenomenal tease" she laughed aloud as he withdrew that tempting possibility to stack it on a bookshelf labeled for the future. Her future mate merely smirked to his handy wordplay and nuzzled the side of his neck to show the usual dose of his affection. He would be completely courteous to his other half and Joanna returned the same . . . after batting him on the leg with her tail.

He sighed with dismay at the bothersome return of that crafty tail and squeezed her closer to lecture, "Joanna, that tail of yours will land us in hot water one day."

"At least we'll make a yummy stew together as our last stand" she replied cheekily with a fond chuckle to her grumpy partner as she managed to squeeze in a win.

* * *

Joanna lazily kicked her left leg against Tsu'tey's as she slept cozily in his arms, mumbling incoherent words under her breath. Tsu'tey was the sound sleeper of the two and rarely moved at all during the night so finding comfy refuge in his arms was Joanna's delight. Instinctively, he held her body closer to his to halt her fidgeting before she decided to kick him and her subconscious obeyed. Their old habits from their time at the Omaticaya had failed to leave and they were renewed in her small hut.

Watching all of this was Nitari as she stared down at both through the open entrance of their- well, Joanna's- abode to tenderly smile at their togetherness. The two had become inseparable since his arrival and she approved of her handiwork (and Mo'at's) at bringing the two together as mates. It hadn't been very hard to discover the two when their feet poked out through the entrance curtains and her matriarch alarm went off. The two had fallen asleep extremely close to the entry of Joanna's hut and she sighed softly to herself, "Eywa never fails."

With that said, she dumped a bucket of lukewarm water over the two to drench them completely. Both individuals awoke abruptly to the splash and Tsu'tey lashed out with his hands to fight off whatever attacker had pounced. He knew the sea would come for him but he didn't think it would be this soon! Unfortunately, he found a familiar pair of anklet covered legs before him when he opened his eyes instead of rolling waves.

Oh no . . . this was ten times worse.

His gaze shifted upwards until he met the owner's gaze and he tried not to cower away with flattened ears as he greeted nervously, "Tsahìk."

Joanna sat up a second later as the jolt snapped her awake and declared sleepily, "Oh, dear Eywa, he was right! We're going to drown-"

She stared up at her motherly role model, whom had her arms crossed over her chest in authority mode, and squeaked weakly, "Oh dear."

"An unmated couple cannot spend the night together and I will _not _let you defile Joanna" Nitari scolded protectively to their actions and Joanna blushed to the thought of anyone overhearing this. How early was it? It was a good thing her hut wasn't close to his family or they would have a lot to explain with purple faces. Nitari wasn't about to let their love discard her clan's traditions but could see the two had been well behaved since nothing was out of place. Also, they wouldn't have been careless about letting their feet poke out from underneath the hut's entrance.

"I will do no such thing, my Joanna is as pure as the day she was born" he responded to the insinuation and watched Joanna turn a few shades darker from embarrassment. Did she not want him to use endearing names or uphold her honor? Joanna simply sighed hopelessly to his choice of words and would have to warn him on using vague phrases. This was not what she'd envisioned now that they were officially courting and wanted to get out of hot boiling water before Tsu'tey poked the figurative hornet's nest again.

"Nothing happened, I just wanted him to sleep here since we talk for hours and- I'll shut up now" Joanna tried to explain but was pinned down by a stern glare by the matriarch. Hmm, her words were horribly failing her as well but who could dare to stand up against a tsahìk? She felt ashamed for trying to explain her actions and for defying traditions that she'd promised to uphold. Although she was disappointing her leader, Joanna couldn't help but feel loved at her protectiveness- even while she heckled Tsu'tey.

Nitari shook her head at both of them for their secretive behavior and handed them an ultimatum, "You will mate soon or I will have Tsu'tey sleeping on the cliffs by tonight."

"But-" Joanna mumbled weakly since she wasn't sure on their arrangement or what exactly went on during a mating ceremony. She'd heard her tidbits during gossip at the hearth but never anything substantial about what led up to that pivotal moment of the union ceremony itself. Not to mention that she didn't know how a physical mating would be like! She hadn't exactly studied biology in _that_ aspect back at Hell's Gate but guessing on the fact that babies were born like mammals, it wouldn't be too different. Her eyes darted between both of them as her fingers tapped together nervously and she admitted sheepishly, "I don't know anything about it."

"The clan is here for you, young one, and I'm sure your future mate to be can fill you in on everything" Nitari stated with a knowing look that meant business and Tsu'tey's ears flattened as he nodded once in acknowledgement. He wouldn't go against her wishes again and would be looking over his shoulder every minute from now on. The matriarch eyed the couple sternly to show she meant business and ordered firmly, "I want a date by the end of the day and no more of these nightly meetings or I will send Tsu'tey back to the Omaticaya under the guise of building clan relations."

Both nodded quietly and the tsahìk felt the job was done, leaving in all her regaled majesty while the duo remained drenched. There couldn't be a better way to feel ashamed for their actions. Despite the evaporating droplets on her skin, Joanna shivered from the situation and gazed at him to ask softly, "Are you sure you're ready this soon-"

"Yes" he interjected simply and drew her into his arms, resting his nose against her damp temple as she clung to him. He had gone above and beyond for her since they reunited and she would commit to that love with undying devotion. The matriarch had made it quite clear that they had a decision on their hands and he remarked easily, "I am more than ready to be your mate so whenever you choose is fine by me . . . as long as it's before the season ends."

She shot him a small glare because it was right around the corner and that wouldn't leave them much free time away from planning. Their ceremony would undoubtedly include many people from the Omaticaya and she had many lessons to learn before that fateful union. She'd expected several months between their courting and union but this was a month! He attempted to calm her flabbergasted look by explaining with a soothing tone, "I want to start on our hammock before the rainy season starts and have our belongings ready for that move."

"Mine can support us, it's pretty big, remember?" she suggested sheepishly to her botched creation and he chuckled softly. He remembered seeing the hammock and calling it a heinous monstrosity but irony bit him when it bonded them over the months during nighttime. Joanna wasn't ready to test her sewing skills again and ruin what would be their bed during the rainy season for the next decade.

"We need one that is large for a family because we will have children in the future" he reminded with a fond smile and Joanna smiled nervously to the idea of a tiny wriggling form fully dependent on her. She wouldn't be walking down that road until she and Tsu'tey build a solid foundation from their union and were capable of caring for a child of their own. They had to have a stable grasp of their duties in the clan before she ever considered the thought of bringing a life into the world. He solidified her resolve when he pointed out carefully in regards to their future, "We're no longer going to be independent adults after this. We are to be a bonded unit with new responsibilities and the change, both emotional and mental, must be adjusted into our lives. We will be living together, sleeping and waking alongside each other-"

She smiled widely at that idea since she felt most comfortable at his side rather than alone in her hammock. He completed her daily routine and having him by her side from dawn till dusk suited her fine. After spending months without him, a life together sounded like a fair gift for all of their obstacles. She grasped his hands to squeeze his calloused fingers, the hands of an honest hardworking man, and suggested with amusement, "And one day, you and I will have a family of our own. A little piece of us with my sassy intelligence and your handsome looks . . . with both of our tremendous tempers."

He chuckled to that idea and pressed his nose to her cheek, inhaling the salty scent of the ocean drenched on her skin. A cantankerous child would be no problem after everything he'd dealt with and his bundle of cousins would help him overcome any last fears of fatherhood. The main focus on his mind was beginning the move from the Omaticaya to his new clan and smiled fondly, "Besides, I think it's time you and I became an officially mated couple. I've experienced everything worthy of noting as a bachelor and you've surpassed all of my expectations since our first meeting many seasons ago. I am ready to begin our new life and look towards the future."

"A new chapter in our lives . . . we're ready for this" she agreed optimistically as Nitari's tough love pushed them forward to seal their commitment. For now, however, they needed to rub off the excess water soaking them before the cold decided to enter their bones. Tsu'tey watched her head further inside her hut to fetch a cloth and narrowly avoided being struck over the head by her tail. He batted the appendage gently to remind her that her residence currently occupied two and lectured, "Don't be a prolemuris with that."

An indignant hiss was his reply.

* * *

Nitari wasn't the only one that noticed the two sleeping lovebirds since Avi made a check of all her family members in the morning as she headed for Kelutral. She hadn't heard a peep or seen a hair of her nephew and when she'd called out to him, she'd received no response. Although Zika fussed that she was stepping on the overbearing motherly border, Avi had entered his hut unannounced to find it empty of its owner. She could only wonder where her oldest nephew had gone off and had fussed with Akhil to search for their missing relative. For all she knew, he could be hurt or lost somewhere- water surrounded them, after all!

Akhil had barely taken a few steps past the young man's hut when Tsu'tey reappeared and the woodworker sighed in relief. His stomach had been rumbling for food and initiating a search for the strong hunter would more than likely have led Tsu'tey to finding him instead. Tsu'tey could only blink in confusion as to why his uncle approached him with a happy smile and Akhil sighed, "It's a good thing I let Avi talk until she pushed me out of our hut to be proactive. Otherwise, I'd actually be searching for you."

Tsu'tey was still at a loss to what his uncle meant and the older man chuckled to his random words. His young nephew knew nothing of why he was there and informed him with a warm smile, "Your aunt didn't find you in the headcount on the way to the morning meal and naturally, she feared the worst. Because of that, I was sent as your rescuer to ensure nothing had eaten or maimed you."

The young hunter groaned mentally at having his absence noticed because his aunt had the nose of a thanator when anything was awry. He couldn't exactly admit the truth without causing a small scandal with his family and he'd never hear the end of it. His core traits forbid him to commit any kind of lies but when cornered like this, he could only sugarcoat the truth. He managed a relaxed expression of mild surprise and kept his voice calm as he replied, "I woke early to visit Joanna and spoke with the matriarch along the way before returning home."

Akhil didn't need explanations for his outings since they were all adults and simply ushered his nephew to his home, "All I need is for you to show your aunt that you're safe and sound before she rallies the others."

Tsu'tey could already imagine his aunt drawing up plans to split the coast into quadrants and hoped she hadn't started forming teams. He hadn't experienced maternal care from blood relatives in over a decade and appreciated all of their sentiments. They were the kind of family he could depend on and one that would look after his children in case the unthinkable happened. As he headed for his uncle's hut, he noticed his uncle carried nothing at all for any kind of trip and asked curiously, "How far would you have looked for me?"

"Not too far, I'm sure either Wätu or Kovi would've found me within the hour" he chuckled softly in regards to his age since he wasn't as young as he'd once been. Being a simple artisan, his son and brother-in-law would've found him quickly with their endurance. In the end, he'd only worry Avi if something happened to him so he would take long walks rather slowly.

Avi spotted his tall form easily when Tsu'tey stepped into the open area surrounding the largest hut in that section of the coast. Being the matriarch of their family, Avi had wanted a large hut to greet her relatives and provide temporary shelter so Akhil had happily obliged when they bonded. Zika's powder blue hut was steadily growing to offer competition as she matched the same amount of children and the healer admitted she wanted another pregnancy in the future. Zika and Nara had both been trying to reason with Avi's worry while Kovi juggled his whimpering daughter as the ruckus irritated her young ears.

The seamstress ran faster than Tsu'tey ever thought possible and he was soon squeezed tighter than a tapirus in a thanator's jaws. Being the polite gentleman, he said nothing of her unbelievable grip until Akhil cleared his throat to remind his mate, "Avi, my dear, he's turning purple."

She released him with a bashful face to her protective side and grasped her nephew's face to chuckle nervously, "Oh, my. I simply became so worried for you when we assembled to head to Kelutral and you weren't there. I thought the worst since the sun had barely risen and nobody knew where to find you."

"I was-" Tsu'tey began to explain his whereabouts to avoid worrying his poor aunt but his uncle Akhil beat him to it.

"He was taking a walk south of the coast and lost track of time" his uncle covered for him since Akhil knew what lay in that direction of the coast and it was best to leave young lovebirds be. He had been young once and remembered waking before dawn to walk across the coast to greet Avi when her family prepared to walk to first meal. Tsu'tey glanced at him with surprise in his eyes as he tried to appear completely nonchalant to the questioning. Akhil merely smiled at his nephew with understanding before grasping Avi's shoulders to chuckle, "You know youngsters and their grasp of time. We're all here now and if you don't mind, I'd like to make my way to a delicious meal."

She was led away by Akhil as he ran interference for further questions and Tsu'tey withheld a smile as Avi sputtered about his safety. The children, who were more than eager to eat, grasped Tsu'tey by the hand to yank him forward and demanded to know why he made them wait. He didn't argue being pulled like a piece of string and promised he'd be ready tomorrow morning to avert another scene. Avi ushered the entire family onward to Kelutral with a happy smile now that all of her ikran chicks were accounted for. Her three children sighed under their breath to her overprotective nature but their aunt Nara pushed the three onwards to avoid any embarrassed groaning.

Tsu'tey quickly made a getaway from his aunt Avi as he increased the distance and scooped up Leti and Keron to run off with the two. Sìlpey and Sifu objected indignantly for being too big and left behind as the others managed a free ride to Kelutral. It was easy to make a diversion to avoid further questioning but after deciding that he would begin a life with Joanna within the month, he was jubilant to simply enjoy the running.

Meanwhile, Joanna sat on one of the smallest branching roots of Kelutral as she held a wicker basket in her lap. Her brow was furrowed in concentration as she pulled apart leaves from the stem of the plant to drop them into her basket. She preferred to do her preparation work before first meal so she'd be ready to help Zika in other tasks while her batches brewed over the fire pit. The passing months had granted her a wealth of education regarding holistic healthcare among the na'vi and she had passed her basic courses. Her preceptor was wonderful when it came to instructing her correctly for performing procedures or crafting medicine and Joanna treasured Zika for it.

She had been humming a song about dancing atokirina that Leti had been singing the previous night when a shadow passed over her. Looking up, she'd expected to find Tsu'tey or Anaya but she gazed at the matriarch once more for the second time that day. Uh-oh, was she in trouble again? Instantly, her back straightened to correct her sloppy posture and she greeted her leader courteously, "Matriarch, to what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Calm yourself, Joanna" Nitari assured kindly and Joanna tried to appear nonchalant but the matriarch pointed to the tail swaying fretfully behind her. Joanna cursed that appendage as it often claimed a mind of its own and remembered swatting Tsu'tey more than twice. Well, maybe seventy-five times. It was bad enough when it was resembling Leti's tail since children were notorious for it until reaching age eight and she was twice that age!

"I really didn't mean to displease you today but we did finalize a date like you asked" Joanna informed with a hopeful smile to show that she would adhere to her wishes rather than draw her ire. Nitari's head tilted to the side with curiosity to the new development since she expected the independent couple to prolong their union due to Tsu'tey ties to the Omaticaya. If the two were ready to begin a new life, it would put her plans for their training on a faster trail that was welcoming. Joanna fingers tapped against the basket as she held it and stated with a nervous hitch in her voice, "We will be ready by the end of the month, depending on when he decides to return to the Omaticaya."

"Well, I think he is ready to return" Nitari decided with a cryptic smile as she decided to turn the wheels of destiny herself. Joanna bit her bottom lip since she didn't want to press him to bid his people farewell but trusted her leader's judgment. Would he be ready to bear that pain? Nitari trusted in Tsu'tey's strength more than the warrior himself and it was time for Mo'at to pass his torch of knowledge into her hand to continue his teachings. There were many factors the young couple was unaware of and Nitari needed them to be ready, stating with finality, "Inform him that he is to depart in three days . . . and you will be going with him."

That one caught her aback completely.

Her mouth parted with bewilderment since she'd only left the beach to attend Cheryl's union and hadn't expected to return in quite a while. It wasn't that she was worried to leave her people but the fact that Tsu'tey would be telling his clan that he was leaving to be a married man and he had a legion of women already after him. _That_ was what she didn't want to face- the throngs of disappointed women that would be aimed in her direction. It was bad enough competing against that sea of women and if they knew she was the one that would be his mate, not to mention whisk him away from the clan, she'd have a huge target sign on her back. Her lips trembled as her voice managed a weak squeak, "Me?"

"You must be his strength during that pivotal moment" she reasoned with a firm tone that was nonnegotiable because he would need support severing those binds. Joanna nodded quickly as she swallowed that apprehension because his emotional wellbeing had a higher priority than her worries. Nitari had charged her with a mission that Joanna wouldn't fail and the huntress dipped her head in submission to show that she would see it through. The matriarch smiled since the young woman had become one of her most loyal protectors and she'd yet to be disappointed in her actions. Love carried one, if not the greatest, strengths an individual could bear and it would lead Joanna far. Her palm rested against the top of Joanna's dipped head and she encouraged, "Protect what is dearest to you- that is your duty. You've yet to discourage me, Joanna, and I doubt you will."

Joanna smiled with gratitude for her support and would bear whatever arguments arose once she stepped foot in Omaticayan lands.

* * *

"_Three days?!"_

Joanna tried her best to soothe his anxiety as they walked the shoreline at the peak of sunset and raised her hands peacefully. She'd waited until the entire day was over before informing him of the matriarch's order and he'd flown into hysterics at the short timeline. He'd expected to have another week, maybe two, and couldn't imagine leaving the Omaticaya so soon. How was he supposed to be ready in three days to begin that journey? The entire day had been a myriad of emotions as he avoided being kicked out by the matriarch, narrowly escaped having that entire incident known by his aunt Avi, and now this.

"My tìyawn, you must calm yourself before you run out of breath" she ordered gently as she placed her hands on his chest to emphasize his rapid breathing. She worried he'd hyperventilate to the point of forcing himself unconscious but her words weren't registering. She needed him to regulate his breathing but nothing she did was having an effect and she really didn't want to smack him into paying attention. It was hard enough imagining his pain and adding a physical strike would have extreme guilt eating her.

In his mind, calming down was blasphemy after being handed those orders and he exclaimed, "How can I possibly calm down?"

"I know it's hard to grasp but you're not alone" she advised gently as she grasped his shoulder at another attempt to nab his focus. His footsteps were already erratic with sand strewn in all directions as he allowed his emotion to surface with Joanna beside him. She was the one he trusted most when he felt shunned by the world but at the moment, her pacifying words weren't helping. His face furrowed into irritation but she kept him rooted to the spot as she pointed out sharply, "I am always at your side but we all knew this moment would be inevitable. Your clan will be the Atykwe and as much as I know it hurts to shift allegiances, Nitari is your leader."

He shifted his gaze away from hers as she grasped his face because he wanted to live in denial for a little longer. Joanna always looked to him to be strong one out of both but in this case, she would have to fill those shoes and the ones she already wielded with levelheadedness. She needed him to push through the pain and tread down that road of farewell as she stated firmly, "Tsu'tey te Rongloa Ateyitan, you honor your promise. You cannot make talk about the future and retract your words when the time comes to make true on it. It will be a painful transition but I am here, by your side, unwavering to bear through this emotional storm."

His lips curled into a frown as she struck his honor to force his attention but Joanna didn't relent. The waves crashed upon the shore and the foamy water washed over their feet as they stood within the incoming tide's range. She released him to grant him his independence but locked her gaze with his as she finished, "You will either depart with me to the Omaticaya on that day so I can aid you through it all as you bid farewell to everyone . . . or you will walk the road of life alone without me."

As if Nitari's orders hadn't shocked him, Joanna's words dealt the finishing blow. He gaped to the serious finality in her tone and decided to finally calm down to listen to what she was saying. A deep breath managed to subside his anxiety and he grasped her shoulders for the reason behind her words. Her hands rose to lie atop of his as her ears flattened to the small twinge of worry settling into her stomach and she reminded softly, "We cannot hide from our fears and must face them when they arise. You promised to build us a home for the future and you have- will you have me live inside of it alone because you fear the inevitable? I am your pillar of strength when yours falters and we are to be the protectors of this clan- don't forsake me."

Her duties were to the clan and although he was her beloved, she admitted without hesitation, "I will not disobey Nitari because she has yet to lead me astray and doing so on your part is not the best way to show gratitude after what she's done for us. Trust in the Atykwe, trust in me . . . when life closes one road, another opens with endless possibilities. Aren't you ready to explore that path to our future?"

He licked his lips as her words rang true for what they sought together and his resistance wasn't helping matters. It wasn't often that she wore the protective role in their relationship as he shielded her from all harm. This time, she was his safety net for all of the concerns running amok in his heart and he admitted faintly, "I am scared to leave all that I've known."

Her expression softened as he laid out his vulnerabilities before her and she cupped his face to soothe, "So was I. This world was entirely new to me but you've experienced this new life and it will only get better, I promise. We will walk this road together and when you falter, I will catch you so you can continue. The good side of all this is that you have family here that loves you and one day, we will have one of our own."

Tsu'tey embraced her tightly as she provided the endless support he needed to begin that trip. There were many people to bid farewell to and his alcove needed to be cleaned out from years' worth of memories. Not to mention, Aci would have to be led to the Atykwe since only Swizav knew the path. Would he have enough time to do it all? Joanna ran circles over his back to calm him as she held him tight and reassured, "We will take all of the time you need, whether it's a day or a week. Remember, we have a pretty green hut waiting here for us and a ceremony ready to allow us to live in it together. Won't it be nice to spend a night overlooking the sea and waking up to greet the morning together without having the matriarch throw water at us?"

The light touch of humor lessened his nerves because he had built her a beautiful home and she deserved to make use of it. As much as he loved the Omaticaya, it would only keep them apart and as painful as it was to admit- the Atykwe would be his home. It would be the land his children would be born on and the one he would die on. . .

"Yes, it would be nice" he replied to all of the endless questions plaguing him but they had a life to live and he couldn't keep wasting time. His partner deserved the life he promised her and he wasn't the type of man to allow his fear to render him useless. Looking at his future mate, he breathed to release the last tendril of worry from his mind and agreed quietly, "We will leave in three days."

* * *

**A/N**: So sorry for the long time between update time but I've started my nursing program and the chapters weren't far along as I'd hoped to maintain regular updates. As I've posted in my profile, many of my stories will take longer to update as my new major trumps any of the others I've earned a degree in and I have to give it my all to stay in the rigorous program. I can only reassure you all that I won't abandon this story because I've poured too much time and affection to this tale and I will finish it. For the next chapter, Joanna and Tsu'tey will arrive at the Omaticaya to offer their farewells and Joanna and Aci will be forced into a temporary partnership to reach the Atykwe shore.

Thank you, truly, to all of you that reviewed/faved/alerted this story because I appreciate it and it makes my day knowing new readers and my old ones are still following. I wish I could reply to all of your old reviews but I still have 100+ pages of text to read, a patient diagnosis, and three research papers to finish for the week so all I can say is _thank you _to _bluealonealexarose, Xahraxs, Puffgirl1952, hannahhobnob, Hope of the Darkness, Taronu 'Ewan, CrissYami, claycarole, Nykki13, Dracoessa, _and_ Pink Alpaca _for taking out time in their lives to write a review for the last chapter. :)


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